The LA Kings are here to burn down their own village

[KingsHockey24]

What will you trade us for Matthews

We don't want his bum ass.

What you want for Clifford and Simmonds though?

 

[North Cole]

You just hate to see it...oh wait, no you dont.

In seriousness, yes it's salvageable but goaltending seems to be an issue. They obliterated the Jets and somehow threw it away. For all the talk about Campbells contract aging poorly, I think you can say that the Cal experiment has not worked out and Quick is getting older.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

They seem about what I expected them to be. Very young D is going to be prone to mistakes, but when they are on they look dominate. Goaltending has been an issue their for years. They should trade Quick and try to bring in a 1B with Petersen.

What kind of goaltending are you expecting with this d core? There might not be a more team dependent position in sports. The # of goalies that can cover up for their teams' deficiencies even just on occasion are few and far between.

 

[rynryn]

Fiala will pick it up and get his. probably revert to "flashes of brilliance" mode for a year or two where he gets TOI reduced for stupid giveaways and doesn't score in six games then has a 10 game period where he's 2 pts/game.
It's always, been said he frustrates coaches. Can't really know which Fiala will show up on a given night so hard to plan around.

 

[Choralone]

To LA
Matthews


To Tor
Durzi, Turcotte, a whole bunch of assorted draft picks, HF poster @Axl Rhoadz, Kupari, and Jared Leto,

Keep Kupari and add HF poster @Sol.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Kopitar looks finished as a player.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

Aside from Boston, Calgary and maybe Vegas, it would seem every team is having stretches where they're playing like they want to be in the Bedard lottery. Seems like every division is up for grabs and no team is without flaws. Just as it should be in the salary cap era.

Yeah there does seem to be more teams jostling for the bottom than normal.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Kopitar looks finished as a player.

Father Time has arrived since Kopitar played so many minutes he's actually 45 years old.

Really though he's still a very smart, saavy player, but his physical tools are waning and he needs to be used in a more 'typical' defensive role as 2C or 3C, not getting 20+ minutes. You can see how damn good he is when he's fresh but as the games and seasons go on...when there's an EN situation he can barely make it across the blueline and if you slow down the frame-by-frame you can see the grim reaper waterskiing his ass

 

[Osprey]

This is what happens when you hire a coach who has no system and no idea how to adjust, IMO. It's hard to believe that Blake (who was AGM at the time) watched Todd McLellan's Sharks collapse after being up 3-0 in a series and later thought, "That's the man that I want coaching my team."

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Father Time has arrived since Kopitar played so many minutes he's actually 45 years old.

Really though he's still a very smart, saavy player, but his physical tools are waning and he needs to be used in a more 'typical' defensive role as 2C or 3C, not getting 20+ minutes. You can see how damn good he is when he's fresh but as the games and seasons go on...when there's an EN situation he can barely make it across the blueline and if you slow down the frame-by-frame you can see the grim reaper waterskiing his ass

Agreed.

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

Can't really blame goaltending when team gives up more odd man rushes than actual shots.

As a Jets fan and after watching the game last night all I have to say is…….yes….yes you can. Quick was atrocious

 

[bland]

He's been that bad? Thought Fiala is exactly what that Kings squad needed, some more offensive talent.

He is fine, just predictably totally incompatible with Kopitar. He will eventually be fine with either Danault or especially Byfield.

 

[unicornpig]

He's been that bad? Thought Fiala is exactly what that Kings squad needed, some more offensive talent.

he's fantastic offensively, he just has very little desire to play defensively. dont know why TM is so shocked this was known before they traded for him.

As a Jets fan and after watching the game last night all I have to say is…….yes….yes you can. Quick was atrocious

thank you, some kings fans are just blinded by the cup runs. helly had twice as man chances against him and he came up big.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

To LA
Matthews


To Tor
Durzi, Turcotte, a whole bunch of assorted draft picks, HF poster @Axl Rhoadz, Kupari, and Jared Leto,

Something tells me those guys bitch way more than the group here, which is almost unimaginable…I’ll invoke my no-trade clause, thx.

 

[Kingspiracy]

As a Jets fan and after watching the game last night all I have to say is…….yes….yes you can. Quick was atrocious

If you think Quick was atrocious, wait till you catch a glimpse of our other guy.

 

[Cianide]

It's just turnovers. Those are going to happen when you got young guys in the lineup. They'll figure it out. Now that Vilardi has stepped up. They just need someone else to break out on that first line and they'll be set.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Refreshing honesty about their players by Kings fans itt.

 

[bringbacktheskate604]

Is there a team with more self-inflicted pain than the Kings this year?

2nd in the league in goals for, but last in the league in goals against by a significant margin...have given up 6 goals 3 times, a goal on the very first shot 4 times.


Game 1 was the last minute Durzi turnover/backbreaker to Vegas.



Game 2: hold Seattle to 22 shots but lose 4-1.
Game 3: a 7-6 barnburner/goaltending suckfest between Cal Petersen and MAF.
Game 4: nearly snatch defeat from the jaws of victory when Arvidsson goes full schmuck on an EN, Wings tie it up...Kings get the lucky win in OT:



Game 5: come roaring back in the 3rd for a fun shootout win in Nashville
Game 6: 40 shots on the Pens but Jarry comes up strong and get absolutely rolled 6-1
Game 7: Give up 4 third period goals including a garbage wraparound to lose 4-3 in Washington
Game 8: An improbable win vs. a TBL team that had won 10 straight vs. the Kings, who looked to establish an identity in the last 40 minutes...before
Game 9: I'm not sure I've seen more dominant Kings team than the first period vs. Winnipeg, and they still found a way to continually shoot themselves, losing 6-4.



What do other fans make of this Kings team? Is it salvageable? Just goaltending issues? Entertaining in a chaotic 80s way, but completely ineffective hockey.

Up until the last two games the nucks owned the dubious title of shooting themselves in the foot. On their 5 game trip to open the season they led or tied going into the 3rd, blew a 3 goal lead and multiple 2 goal leads, while being 10% on the PP and 50% on the pk with two SHG against.

 

[MNRube]

Fiala belongs with Danault or maybe Byfield. Doesn’t seem like extremely slow Kopitar and tunnel-vision Kempe are the best fits.

 

[rynryn]

Fiala belongs with Danault or maybe Byfield. Doesn’t seem like extremely slow Kopitar and tunnel-vision Kempe are the best fits.

this is especially funny considering i read multiple times in several forums from Wild fans that now Fiala was going to now explode with a "real" center (being Kopitar). Kings are married to him now so they have to figure it out--he will only flourish in a very specific usage and they should for sure switch it up if he isn't working out after a handful of games in one spot.

 

[PromisedLand]

hey Kings fans. don't wrry Leafs are coming to town tonight. We will help fix your issues

 

[Reaper45]

Fiala belongs with Danault or maybe Byfield. Doesn’t seem like extremely slow Kopitar and tunnel-vision Kempe are the best fits.

Fiala and Kempe together aren’t the problem, their passes to each other have been insane. They need a center who’s fast enough to keep up with them and can play that same style. Kopitar needs predictability in his wingers.

 

[DeletedUser539]

To LA
Matthews


To Tor
Durzi, Turcotte, a whole bunch of assorted draft picks, HF poster @Axl Rhoadz, Kupari, and Jared Leto,

Damn jared leto too? That is a haul.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

this is especially funny considering i read multiple times in several forums from Wild fans that now Fiala was going to now explode with a "real" center (being Kopitar). Kings are married to him now so they have to figure it out--he will only flourish in a very specific usage and they should for sure switch it up if he isn't working out after a handful of games in one spot.

For as good a player as Kopitar is, he's a bubble hockey player and cannot play with unpredictable wingers. His best partners over the years have been guys that grind and drive the net playing a mostly simple game, hence the marriage to Brown and best partners being Williams, Iafallo, Ryan Smyth and briefly Gaborik. Other than that, he's run through more potential partners than a Kardashian.

Danault elevates everyone he plays with, Fiala would be bonkers with him...but also Byfield is fast and creative enough to keep up. Fiala-Byfield-Vilardi on paper would be devastating (Fiala would just be replacing Iafallo on what was our best line).

Asking Todd Mclellan to be creative/innovative with lines though...you'd have better luck planning a rave in North Korea.

 

[rynryn]

For as good a player as Kopitar is, he's a bubble hockey player and cannot play with unpredictable wingers. His best partners over the years have been guys that grind and drive the net playing a mostly simple game, hence the marriage to Brown and best partners being Williams, Iafallo, Ryan Smyth and briefly Gaborik. Other than that, he's run through more potential partners than a Kardashian.

Danault elevates everyone he plays with, Fiala would be bonkers with him...but also Byfield is fast and creative enough to keep up. Fiala-Byfield-Vilardi on paper would be devastating (Fiala would just be replacing Iafallo on what was our best line).

Asking Todd Mclellan to be creative/innovative with lines though...you'd have better luck planning a rave in North Korea.

lol

Kings have options--hopefully Todd will start exploring them! Wish nothing but the best for Fifi.