GDT: Preseason games 2024-25

[Raccoon Jesus]

Anyone else impressed with Greentree? He plays a mature game for his age. He is not far from making it.
Lee and Helenius are also closer than I thought.
Portillo and Pinelli have improved since last year and are on track for the following wave.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1838441332756673023

Anyone notice Helenius challenge Ian Cole after his second big hit. Cole ran to the bench lol.

Didnt' see that specifically but i LOVED that no one would be intimidated/back down. Was a nice change in attitude, especially with some of the Utah folks running around, like Crouse and Groundskeeper Willie.

 

[Schmooley]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1838441332756673023

Didnt' see that specifically but i LOVED that no one would be intimidated/back down. Was a nice change in attitude, especially with some of the Utah folks running around, like Crouse and Groundskeeper Willie.

Those are good numbers for a kid playing against pros for the first time. Hes not a project that needs 3 years for his all around game and physical strength to catch up to his skill in order to make it. Very much a guy that will go out there on any line and complete the assignments the coach gives him so they can win games.
I like this player. The Kings are lacking high upside pure goal scorers in the system though.

 

[tigermask48]

portillol still the goalie I remember him being

He continues to just be large. He's not mobile, not fast, not really even athletic. He's just big and that's it. His lack of lateral movement would get badly exposed in an NHL regular season.

 

[Kurrilino]

He continues to just be large. He's not mobile, not fast, not really even athletic. He's just big and that's it. His lack of lateral movement would get badly exposed in an NHL regular season.

Vasilevsky made a decent career out of that.
It's enough to butterfly and slightly move to the left or right and you are good.
I see Portillo being NHL ready from next year on

 

[theMajor]

I don’t know what it is, but I am not overly impressed when I see Clarke. I know it’s not fair to gauge him by rookie doughty who was sensational. But he’s just far from that so I’m just not hyped. I don’t even think he’s at Voynovs level.

I am aware it’s preseason. Just rare that I get impressed with Clarke. That one breakaway goal he scored last year was the only impressive thing I remember.

hes got a great mind for the game and fantastic vision, he just needs more NHL experience. still looks a little too timid for the big league but im confident he will get there in another season or two

 

[Lt Dan]

I think Turcotte and Thomas looked really good. NHL ready. I don’t know what it is, but I am not overly impressed when I see Clarke. I know it’s not fair to gauge him by rookie doughty who was sensational. But he’s just far from that so I’m just not hyped. I don’t even think he’s at Voynovs level.

I am aware it’s preseason. Just rare that I get impressed with Clarke. That one breakaway goal he scored last year was the only impressive thing I remember.

I think a lot of people forget how long Voynov was in the A

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

I think a lot of people forget how long Voynov was in the A

View attachment 909329

Yep, been doing it wrong since 2008

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

Nice for Lewis to get his moment playing in Utah, but he should not make this roster

 

[Sol]

I think a lot of people forget how long Voynov was in the A

View attachment 909329

I understand your point. My opinion is based upon the place where the player is drafted. If he was drafted in the same spot Voynov was, then I wouldn’t care if he was a dud.

 

[Surf Nutz]

When you're on the wing, you're kind of stuck on the wall and then when you have an opportunity to build speed into the attack, you're coming across the ice. In the middle of the ice, you can drive plays. You can get the puck on your stick in the middle and kick it wide and drive the net. With a big body QB can do things that others can't.

Lfg QB!

 

[DoktorJeep]

I understand your point. My opinion is based upon the place where the player is drafted. If he was drafted in the same spot Voynov was, then I wouldn’t care if he was a dud.

At this point, Spence is closer to Voynov and Clarke to Jack Johnson, minus getting blown up by Jan Bulis.

 

[Kingspiracy]

At this point, Spence is closer to Voynov and Clarke to Jack Johnson, minus getting blown up by Jan Bulis.

Brandt MF Clarke (f*** i hope not)

 

[Sol]

At this point, Spence is closer to Voynov and Clarke to Jack Johnson, minus getting blown up by Jan Bulis.

I’m not sure what’s going to happen but it’s kinda disappointing that with all the hype and his draft position that he’s kinda unimpressive as a whole.

But that’s Kings development for you.

 

[tigermask48]

Vasilevsky made a decent career out of that.
It's enough to butterfly and slightly move to the left or right and you are good.
I see Portillo being NHL ready from next year on

Vasilevsky had the athleticism to sprawl and make saves he shouldn't though. Portillo hasn't shown any of that. Watch the two goals from the Utah game. The first one, he just gets stuck in place trying to move laterally to make the save. The second he goes down, has no idea where the rebound is and makes has no chance to make the save because he lost the puck.

When Portillo starts making saves like this:



Then we can talk about the Vasilevsky comparison. Because I don't see it at all right now.

 

[King'sPawn]

Jordan Spence
- had 8 points in his first 24 games, when he was 20-21 years old.
- averaged 1:42 on the powerplay and 19:45 his first 24 games
- He's the next Voynov... after being called Paul LaDue by multiple posters as recently as last season

Clarke
- has 8 points in his first 25 games split between two seasons during his ages of 19-21,
- averaged 1:09 on the powerplay and 13:39 total his first 25
- he's the next Johnson and don't see anything special.

As for not seeing anything special - I don't know what to tell you. He's not a human highlight reel, and he's learning to play a more mature game (something Spence definitely has on him). But he makes subtle moves with the puck, both on retrieval and distribution, that Spence lacks.

They're both very different players, and I'm happy to have both. But both came in completely different situations and had differing responsibilities.

I mean, let's look at his most recent goal:


1. Presence of mind to jump on the attack, knowing he had support
2. Not panicking or going for "just a tip" with a hard pass coming his way
3. Deking with control of the puck right after the hard pass to beat the goalie

That's tremendous presence of mind of the entire situation around him.

And there's this pass from him leading to Lizotte's goal:


Didn't lead to a goal but it shows the Doughty-like elusiveness back when he was younger:


So, yeah. Don't know what you're looking for from a 20-21 year-old defenseman, but this kid has exceptional awareness to be a consistent threat as he continues to mature.

 

[Statto]

Jordan Spence
- had 8 points in his first 24 games, when he was 20-21 years old.
- averaged 1:42 on the powerplay and 19:45 his first 24 games
- He's the next Voynov... after being called Paul LaDue by multiple posters as recently as last season

Clarke
- has 8 points in his first 25 games split between two seasons during his ages of 19-21,
- averaged 1:09 on the powerplay and 13:39 total his first 25
- he's the next Johnson and don't see anything special.

As for not seeing anything special - I don't know what to tell you. He's not a human highlight reel, and he's learning to play a more mature game (something Spence definitely has on him). But he makes subtle moves with the puck, both on retrieval and distribution, that Spence lacks.

They're both very different players, and I'm happy to have both. But both came in completely different situations and had differing responsibilities.

I mean, let's look at his most recent goal:


1. Presence of mind to jump on the attack, knowing he had support
2. Not panicking or going for "just a tip" with a hard pass coming his way
3. Deking with control of the puck right after the hard pass to beat the goalie

That's tremendous presence of mind of the entire situation around him.

And there's this pass from him leading to Lizotte's goal:


Didn't lead to a goal but it shows the Doughty-like elusiveness back when he was younger:


So, yeah. Don't know what you're looking for from a 20-21 year-old defenseman, but this kid has exceptional awareness to be a consistent threat as he continues to mature.

That goal ‘really’ makes me think of Jack Johnson.

I do think everyone is seriously over thinking the first pre-season game. It carries very little weight, positive or negative, for the guys expected to make the NHL roster. It’s simply a case of getting reps, for fitness and the new systems, at this point. By games 5 & 6 it’ll warrant some analysis.

 

[Trash Panda]

I’m not sure what’s going to happen but it’s kinda disappointing that with all the hype and his draft position that he’s kinda unimpressive as a whole.

But that’s Kings development for you.

Guys like Makar and Hughes are the exception, not the norm.

Clarke is doing just fine.

 

[NikF]

The point is if you rebuild you need one of your high picks to be Doughty, Makar, Stamkos, Hedman, Heiskanen, Barkov etc. level of player or you're not going to win. Faber-Clarke-Byfield would have been a solid start to a new core that could realistically win down the line and could probably use another top 5 pick to supplement. But alas i don't know if Faber didn't want to sign. At this point it's hard seeing the Kings as a realistic contender now or in future, looks very much like a Minnesota Wild/Nashville Predators trajectory ie a decent playoff team true contenders will beat in first or second round. But maybe that's enough for Luc, everyone keeps their gigs and they can daydream about getting lucky one year.

 

[King'sPawn]

That goal ‘really’ makes me think of Jack Johnson.

I do think everyone is seriously over thinking the first pre-season game. It carries very little weight, positive or negative, for the guys expected to make the NHL roster. It’s simply a case of getting reps, for fitness and the new systems, at this point. By games 5 & 6 it’ll warrant some analysis.

Maybe it's my age, but I thought Johnson would just crank it from the point. I don't remember any goals scored like that. Also remember him being more physical than Clarke.

 

[kingsboy11]

players involved in tonight's game at 7:00pm, also on NHL Network

 

[Kudelski37]

I like Byfield being able to play a game without Kopitar around.

 

[Statto]

Maybe it's my age, but I thought Johnson would just crank it from the point. I don't remember any goals scored like that. Also remember him being more physical than Clarke.

Sorry… I was being very sarcastic, your memory of JJ is spot on.

 

[Sol]

The point is if you rebuild you need one of your high picks to be Doughty, Makar, Stamkos, Hedman, Heiskanen, Barkov etc. level of player or you're not going to win. Faber-Clarke-Byfield would have been a solid start to a new core that could realistically win down the line and could probably use another top 5 pick to supplement. But alas i don't know if Faber didn't want to sign. At this point it's hard seeing the Kings as a realistic contender now or in future, looks very much like a Minnesota Wild/Nashville Predators trajectory ie a decent playoff team true contenders will beat in first or second round. But maybe that's enough for Luc, everyone keeps their gigs and they can daydream about getting lucky one year.

Byfield and Clarke are far from being Doughty,Makar,Stamkos, and Barkov.

I think the biggest issue with the draft is that we never got the bonafide stars that we needed. Byfield is good, Clarke is not anywhere close to Doughty.

In order for the Kings to be contenders they’re gonna have to source that bonafide player through another draft or trade. These guys just simply aren’t that guy.

I think any honest person looks at how f***ing good Kopitar and Doughty were in their rookie year can see how far these guys are from that level.

I think the real star we lost potentially is Vilardi that we got rid of with one of the worst trades of all time.

 

[Lt Dan]

players involved in tonight's game at 7:00pm, also on NHL Network

That Danualt Moore line is going to have a very different play style with Jeannot on there. It'll be interesting to see.

 

[King'sPawn]

Sorry… I was being very sarcastic, your memory of JJ is spot on.

Sorry, I also have a problem with picking up sarcasm