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GDT: Training Camp 2023

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I don't necessarily have a problem with Spence making the team over Clarke, but I would like to platoon them this year and see which player can take hold of that spot. I think in the long term its Clarke, but Spence has also earned the right to try and take that spot.
 
johnjm22 said:
I don't know if management/coaching has stated it explicitly, but it's pretty clear they do want at least a bit of toughness on the roster or else they wouldn't have traded for MacEwen last year.

With no forwards of that ilk left, the only remaining option is Englund.
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You need to state it more explicitly. It’s not “toughness”. It’s a willingness to drop the gloves and throw punches.
 
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Herby said:
The NHLPA is such a terrible union, how is it not in the CBA that each team is required to have 23 active players on the roster? If a bunch of teams have 22 active players, and some even may have 21, that is so many high six figure NHL jobs not being paid and the players instead make peanuts in the AHL.
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Should mandate a cap on salaries within the salary cap too. Nobody gets to make $10m.

King'sPawn said:
And I get the feeling these decisions were all made long before training camp even started.
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Just like 95% of the league.

Especially in the cap era, and especially after they made the Redden rule, every team's opening night roster is 90% done in the first week of July. Maybe 1 or 2 spots are open for competition. Guaranteed NHL money, one way contracts, the vast majority of the 736 possible jobs that fall in those two categories are locked in no matter what happens in camp.
 
johnjm22 said:
You're basing this on 3 pre season games?

Go see what Avs fans who watched him most of last year thought. They have pretty favorable views of his play.

The analytics show his defensive impact is pretty good.

No way of knowing for sure, but I think there's a good chance he's our starting 3LD.
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You mean like this? Click on the links to see the love.

Rumor: - 2022-2023 Trade Rumors and Free Agency: The Search for a 2C

Felt like that movie, Animal House and Up Periscope got played at least monthly while underway on my old boat.
forums.hfboards.com forums.hfboards.com

Rumor: - 2022-2023 Trade Rumors and Free Agency: The Search for a 2C

Felt like that movie, Animal House and Up Periscope got played at least monthly while underway on my old boat.
forums.hfboards.com forums.hfboards.com

GDT: - Game 15: Avalanche @ Hurricanes - This is a GDT - 5PM

Hey Englund
forums.hfboards.com forums.hfboards.com

The only 'favorable views' I stumble upon are when they're like "ugh, might as well have Englund" instead of Jack Johnson. Yeah, I'd rather have Christian Wolanin over the corpse of Edler, too, doesn't mean I like it. Hell most of the time they far prefer MacDermid.

Oh, bonus coverage so you see it's not just cherry picked posts

1696260998070.png


I don't care about 'favorable defensive impacts' in sheltered minutes on a team tanking when the guy visibly sucks everywhere else, if anything those metrics are flattering because of his situation, not in spite of it, and they're the ONLY thing you can use in support of him. Damn near everything eye test, posted on this forum or elsewhere is about as negative as you can get. I'm not impressed by toughness that can't play. May as well have hung on to MacDermid, at least the players here like him, instead of picking up the guy that headhunted one of your top prospects. Dumbass signing by Blake that will continue to pay negative dividends.
 
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I wish the Kings would sign Ritchie for league minimum and waive Grundstrom - that would save them losing a JAD or Bjornfot because of his salary.

A 4th line could be Ritchie-Lizotte-Lewis.

If the Kings didn't sign Lewis, it could be something fun like Ritchie-Lizotte-Fagemo/Turcotte.

Youth and grit instead of Lewis.
 
Johnny Utah said:
I wish the Kings would sign Ritchie for league minimum and waive Grundstrom - that would save them losing a JAD or Bjornfot because of his salary.

A 4th line could be Ritchie-Lizotte-Lewis.

If the Kings didn't sign Lewis, it could be something fun like Ritchie-Lizotte-Fagemo/Turcotte.

Youth and grit instead of Lewis.
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But you also need a "glue guy" after losing Iafallo

Lewis a well respected savvy veteran and we have a lot of young players
 
Johnny Utah said:
I wish the Kings would sign Ritchie for league minimum and waive Grundstrom - that would save them losing a JAD or Bjornfot because of his salary.

A 4th line could be Ritchie-Lizotte-Lewis.

If the Kings didn't sign Lewis, it could be something fun like Ritchie-Lizotte-Fagemo/Turcotte.

Youth and grit instead of Lewis.
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Go look at the Ritchie thread. The talk is not positive. I am all for having a tough team, but a tough team is not made by having one tough guy.

No matter what happens

Kopitar is a lover

Matthew still lives rent free in Drew’s head

Lizotte is a Smurf

Arvidsson can dance but can’t box

Moore runs the opposite direction in a scrum

Our D Corp is Charmin tough.

One goon is not changing the room dynamics

There is hope.

Most the recent signings like PLD, Danault, Fiala, play with an edge. Prospects like Turcotte are not goons but don’t back off.

Byfield started getting pissy at the end of the year and will have the size to back it up.

Kempe has snarl and some size.

It’s got to be a group effort or mentality.

As an example There is no way in hell the Anderson hit should have went unpunished. But it’s the guys on the ice at the time that have to react to the guy laying the hit. The guy that hit him is not a goon but we did nothing. Sending a goon out later in the game to fight another goon does nothing. One of our regulars punching Connor in the mouth after the hit shows no one on the team is going to let that shit go.


I just don’t know how we change the passive culture when the leaders don’t seem to have it in them to want to. At least when Brown was the captain if something happened to his teammate, he would blow somebody up by the end of the game and he didn’t care who that player was.

Now don’t get me wrong. If we found a player “goon” that had the intangibles of a Scott Stevens, Chris Pronger, Cam Neely, or prime Lucic I am all for it. A guy that can take a regular shift, contribute in all facets of the game, yet help police the team.

I just don’t want to put a pylon out there that gets skated around or takes shitty penalties allowing our shitty penalty kill to give up a shitty goal.
 
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I've moved on from Grundy. I wish the Kings did as well and gave his spot to someone else. He'll be great for like 2 games and then completely disappears providing nada for 5-10 games.

It's early, but sure seems Cinderella Copley might have hit midnight. Rittich may be a better goalie option -- as the backup to Cam.
 
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It's not over for Fagemo.

Arvidsson might have priced himself out of LA next summer and and he's a right shot playing RW.

Fagemo shoots right but can play both LW/RW.

Laferriere shoots right and plays RW.

I have a feeling one of those two will take that spot - really, the only top 9 available for the next few years until Kayilev has a meltdown.

Kings will need a cheap option to fill that spot.
 
Ontario Reign needed players for their camp opening today - don't be surprised to see Doty and Hodgson again.

Also, Helenius should be a regular next season and he's bad ass.
 
funky said:
Go look at the Ritchie thread. The talk is not positive. I am all for having a tough team, but a tough team is not made by having one tough guy.

No matter what happens

Kopitar is a lover

Matthew still lives rent free in Drew’s head

Lizotte is a Smurf

Arvidsson can dance but can’t box

Moore runs the opposite direction in a scrum

Our D Corp is Charmin tough.

One goon is not changing the room dynamics

There is hope.

Most the recent signings like PLD, Danault, Fiala, play with an edge. Prospects like Turcotte are not goons but don’t back off.

Byfield started getting pissy at the end of the year and will have the size to back it up.

Kempe has snarl and some size.

It’s got to be a group effort or mentality.

As an example There is no way in hell the Anderson hit should have went unpunished. But it’s the guys on the ice at the time that have to react to the guy laying the hit. The guy that hit him is not a goon but we did nothing. Sending a goon out later in the game to fight another goon does nothing. One of our regulars punching Connor in the mouth after the hit shows no one on the team is going to let that shit go.


I just don’t know how we change the passive culture when the leaders don’t seem to have it in them to want to. At least when Brown was the captain if something happened to his teammate, he would blow somebody up by the end of the game and he didn’t care who that player was.

Now don’t get me wrong. If we found a player “goon” that had the intangibles of a Scott Stevens, Chris Pronger, Cam Neely, or prime Lucic I am all for it. A guy that can take a regular shift, contribute in all facets of the game, yet help police the team.

I just don’t want to put a pylon out there that gets skated around or takes shitty penalties allowing our shitty penalty kill to give up a shitty goal.
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As much as we all laughed at Stone for crying to the media, the Kings have had the exact same energy recently. I think of Doughty warning they were going to smack McDavid around in the playoffs after they had 2 games to give a response for the Anderson hit (and proceeding to get smacked by McDavid the whole series). Or Kempe saying that Cogliano better watch out next season after he hit him in the head and took out Fiala with no response.
 
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Johnny Utah said:
We have Kopitar, Danault, Doughty, and Arvidsson - they are all veteran glue guys.
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None of which are 4th line wingers who can kill penalties, win board battles, and stay on the right side of the puck so your unit isn't constantly hemmed deep into its zone for its shift while offensively thinking kids are thinking about what to do instead of doing it.

Trevor Lewis may eventually prove to be too old to last the entire season, but at least he was a step to actually address a real weakness.

What's with the anti-Copley sentiment all the sudden?

I get that he isn't a long-term answer or been here long enough to earn the benefits of many doubts, but the guy played his ass off last year. Are these things based off of two periods in the first preseason game?
 
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Raccoon Jesus said:
There it is. Well done, Blake. Terrific asset mgmt just letting a high pick rot on the vine because you're too stubborn to ever sit a vet, even those who aren't on the team anymore.

Next up, Bjornfot
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But we have a cup winning core to build around no time to develop! Dont know what you got til you give them a shot... an aphorism Blake has never digested.
 
AbsentMojo said:
But we have a cup winning core to build around no time to develop! Dont know what you got til you give them a shot... an aphorism Blake has never digested.
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My only silver lining is we will see how right or wrong Blake is with Vilardi, Kupari, Iafallo in Winnipeg, Fagemo in Nashville, PLD now in LA instead, and whoever else gets shook from the tree by then.

But regardless burning thru assets just because 'you can' after painting yourself into a corner is stupid.
 
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bland said:
What's with the anti-Copley sentiment all the sudden?

I get that he isn't a long-term answer or been here long enough to earn the benefits of many doubts, but the guy played his ass off last year. Are these things based off of two periods in the first preseason game?
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He's a guy who was basically unemployed until the Kings picked him up last year. He had a great season....but lost his starting spot for the playoffs. When he did get a chance in the playoffs, he was horrible. So far in camp (albeit a VERY small sample size), he's looked even worse.

Fact is, his track record is a non-NHL goalie. Hopefully his regular season from last year is his NEW track record and he's a good/solid goalie for the Kings going forward. I'm going to be skeptical until i see it happen.
 
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So does Laf make the opening night?

I’ve been high on him since the draft - IIRC RJ and KP liked the pick a lot also. So to quote myself…

Statto said:
My 22-23 prospect ranking…
10. Alex Laferriere, C (He’s going to surprise us all)

I really like the college draft picks from this year the more I learn.
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Statto said:
Sometime in 22-23….. I think Laferriere is a very interesting guy and could easily gate crash this roster once he’s done (this year or next?). We were all joking about maybe getting the best ‘Laf…’ at the draft but at this point, whilst I don’t think it’s very likely, it isn’t a crazy idea anymore.
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Statto said:
This years prospect ranking…
He’s (Laf) #4 for me and I think he’s the most likely to be a surprise in camp and make the opening night.
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Anyway getting to my point. It’s very easy to predict failure (and therefore often be correct) because the odds are against most players making it. So if you predict every pick will fail you’ll have a much better than 50/50 hit rate on your predictions. It’s much harder to successfully predict success

So which players have you backed from early on to be good NHL players when not everyone could see it? I always backed Vilardi but for me that’s too obvious - so perhaps exclude top 15 picks. Who else in the system do you think is a not so obvious certain NHL player? I still think Akil Thomas will be (somewhere) despite the setbacks.

I also take on board Laf hasn’t made it yet, but I feel he’s close and has exceeded the early expectations of him already.
 
Damn I knew there was an outside shot he'd get claimed, but didn't think he would. Not the end of the world, but if you knew you were signing Lewis you may have wanted to start looking at regaining some assets there
 
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