Training Camp/Preseason games Thread 2021

[Johnny Utah]

Why would they not offer McNelly a contract - two fights and an assist. Played with Doughty a bit.

 

[kingsfan]

To be honest, I don’t think playing in Kingston is going to help Martin out. I know he wants to go back because of the possibility to compete for the memorial cup with a stacked roster but I’d rather see him either in the Slovak league or in Scandinavia for his development.

Playing in junior will help him too. You can debate which will benefit him the most but to say juniors won't benefit him -especially playing with an elite prospect and possibly going to the Mem Cup- is wrong.

Why would they not offer McNelly a contract - two fights and an assist. Played with Doughty a bit.

Because it's not 1987 anymore?

 

[Antiillafire]

A few points of contention:
- Kingston would have to loan him. They have zero incentive to do so
- many Euro leagues are already underway. Is it better to give him top line minutes against juniors or middle-six minutes where he may get less time/demoted to a junior league
- maybe he prefers getting acclimated to smaller ice than spending half the season readjusting again?

I mean if he asked Kingston to loan him they probably would to Dukla Trencin. Especially considering the way they first worked out an agreement a few January’s ago. Secondly, he would be getting first line minutes with Dukla this season, no doubt even if he returned now. I doubt he will do it, but I don’t think the OHL is the best option. Again just my opinion, I was in favour of a return to Kingston several weeks ago but with the way he has shown at Kings camp I’m not sure the OHL is better than playing pro.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Going out on a limb that Wolanin makes it as LA's 7th dman.
Anderson-DD
Edler-Roy
Bjornfot-Walker
Wolanin

It'll be interesting to see how it plays out. But this is my guess.

Kings won't let Clague pass thru waivers. He will get snatched. Clague will be the #7 - Maata waived or traded and Wolanin to AHL.

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

To be honest, I don’t think playing in Kingston is going to help Martin out. I know he wants to go back because of the possibility to compete for the memorial cup with a stacked roster but I’d rather see him either in the Slovak league or in Scandinavia for his development.

The beauty of having young Chromiak playing in Kingston is that he'll play a tonne...Regular shift,PP and PK!!!And if the team goes to the Memorial Cup and wins that has to be a feather in the youngster's cap for a high ELC contract from the Kings if it doesn't happen sooner when some Camp players don't make the Grade and are traded/waived

 

[King'sPawn]

I mean if he asked Kingston to loan him they probably would to Dukla Trencin. Especially considering the way they first worked out an agreement a few January’s ago. Secondly, he would be getting first line minutes with Dukla this season, no doubt even if he returned now. I doubt he will do it, but I don’t think the OHL is the best option. Again just my opinion, I was in favour of a return to Kingston several weeks ago but with the way he has shown at Kings camp I’m not sure the OHL is better than playing pro.

The problem is in the OHL, they get only so many over-age and European players on their roster.

IF the Kings choose, he'd be eligible for the AHL next year.

If not, Chromiak would take up both an overage AND European spot. To Kingston, this is probably their last year of playing him.

They will gain nothing by loaning him to a Euro league, and this is assuming he wants to travel back to Europe.

I just think there are too many obstacles to make it viable, and while he may benefit more as a whole in Europe, he won't be a wasted talent in the OHL. He'll be playing alongside projected 2022 1st overall pick Shane Wright.

 

[kingsfan]

The problem is in the OHL, they get only so many over-age and European players on their roster.

IF the Kings choose, he'd be eligible for the AHL next year.

If not, Chromiak would take up both an overage AND European spot. To Kingston, this is probably their last year of playing him.

They will gain nothing by loaning him to a Euro league, and this is assuming he wants to travel back to Europe.

I just think there are too many obstacles to make it viable, and while he may benefit more as a whole in Europe, he won't be a wasted talent in the OHL. He'll be playing alongside projected 2022 1st overall pick Shane Wright.

I have never seen where it says the OHL has the right to prevent the player from returning home or to another league. The only power I've heard a junior team having is that a player can not go to the AHL unless they have played four seasons for the junior team which owns their rights.

 

[King'sPawn]

I have never seen where it says the OHL has the right to prevent the player from returning home or to another league. The only power I've heard a junior team having is that a player can not go to the AHL unless they have played four seasons for the junior team which owns their rights.

There's an NHL/CHL agreement, and there's an IIHF transfer agreement, whose scope is obviously international.

I took a glance on my phone and saw potential clauses where it applies, but now I'm second guessing myself, lol.

 

[David Lunch]

Kings won't let Clague pass thru waivers. He will get snatched. Clague will be the #7 - Maata waived or traded and Wolanin to AHL.

I really hope so. Clague is the one guy of the waiver usual suspects I would be pretty disappointed in losing to the wire.

 

[DoktorJeep]

News from Todd, via the Mayor, saying AA is out with an UBI.

Kings and Reign Rosters Coming Into Focus, Plus a Few Head-scratchers

 

[lumbergh]

News from Todd, via the Mayor, saying AA is out with an UBI.

Kings and Reign Rosters Coming Into Focus, Plus a Few Head-scratchers

Better than a UTI?

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Better than a UTI?

Of course Universal Basic Income is better than a UTI.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Of course Universal Basic Income is better than a UTI.

But with Universal Technical Institute, you could make more than UBI!

 

[Basilisk]

Of course Universal Basic Income is better than a UTI.

Only if you're a Communist!!!

 

[DoktorJeep]

Better than a UTI?

Let’s keep the amateur medical talk to the COVID thread pls.

Looks like the “plan” this year is play an aggressive forecheck. Examples include turning pucks over and keeping more plays alive.

https://lakingsinsider.com/2021/09/...e-this-season-what-that-means-in-their-words/

I expect this to flop as bad as Olli Maata paired with Doughty. I give it 5 games before Todd stows the plan and goes back to talking about how the team needs to start on time. Having suffered watching every game under this coach, I would point to the issue being more about bad first periods where the Kings take a lot of penalties on the way to getting scored on first.

Last year, the Kings were the 9th highest team in penalties taken and led their one-off division. I think their very good penalty kill %’age masked some of the issues here. The pattern was take a series of penalties, fail to establish a rhythm and then lock things down in order to stop the bleeding. That was the reason the 1-3-1 was the safety blanket. Not because McDavid got a bunch of breakaways in one game.

If the Kings were actually trading chances and playing back and forth hockey, you wouldn’t see them go into a defensive shell at the first sign of trouble. Maybe the personnel has changed enough going into this year to get different results. But outside of Arvidsson, there isn’t a player known as a dangerous forechecker. And even he isn’t that good at forcing turnovers compared to getting off shots and tipping pucks. Iafallo is the best forechecker and we all know what to expect from that situation.

On paper, the Kings roster looks like it could be very good at playing methodical, conservative hockey and trying to win low scoring games. The strengths are center depth, defense and goal tending. But Todd must have scanned his todo list and decided it was important to appear to do all things at once.

I guess when the GM lays out his bold vision as “Get Better” it’s not a surprise when the coach recycles a plan out of his failed bag of tricks.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

But with Universal Technical Institute, you could make more than UBI!

By god he’s right

 

[KingsFan7824]

This team not starting games on time has been an issue for at least 15 years.

 

[Lt Dan]

Let’s keep the amateur medical talk to the COVID thread pls.

Indeed. We should all defer to the Doktor in the house on this.

Looks like the “plan” this year is play an aggressive forecheck. Examples include turning pucks over and keeping more plays alive.

https://lakingsinsider.com/2021/09/...e-this-season-what-that-means-in-their-words/

I expect this to flop as bad as Olli Maata paired with Doughty. I give it 5 games before Todd stows the plan and goes back to talking about how the team needs to start on time. Having suffered watching every game under this coach, I would point to the issue being more about bad first periods where the Kings take a lot of penalties on the way to getting scored on first.

Last year, the Kings were the 9th highest team in penalties taken and led their one-off division. I think their very good penalty kill %’age masked some of the issues here. The pattern was take a series of penalties, fail to establish a rhythm and then lock things down in order to stop the bleeding. That was the reason the 1-3-1 was the safety blanket. Not because McDavid got a bunch of breakaways in one game.

If the Kings were actually trading chances and playing back and forth hockey, you wouldn’t see them go into a defensive shell at the first sign of trouble. Maybe the personnel has changed enough going into this year to get different results. But outside of Arvidsson, there isn’t a player known as a dangerous forechecker. And even he isn’t that good at forcing turnovers compared to getting off shots and tipping pucks. Iafallo is the best forechecker and we all know what to expect from that situation.

On paper, the Kings roster looks like it could be very good at playing methodical, conservative hockey and trying to win low scoring games. The strengths are center depth, defense and goal tending. But Todd must have scanned his todo list and decided it was important to appear to do all things at once.

I guess when the GM lays out his bold vision as “Get Better” it’s not a surprise when the coach recycles a plan out of his failed bag of tricks.

Although there is a very high probability that you are right here. The fan in me hopes that you are wrong.

Out schedule to start of the season is pretty brutal too

DATE	OPP	TIME / TV	VENUE	BUY TICKETS
Oct 14, 2021	vs Vegas	10:30 pm	Staples Center	Tickets Starting at $44.00
Oct 16, 2021	vs Minnesota	10:30 pm	Staples Center	Tickets Starting at $26.00
Oct 19, 2021	@ Nashville	8:00 pm	Bridgestone Arena	Tickets Starting at $24.00
Oct 22, 2021	@ Dallas	8:30 pm ESP+	American Airlines Center	Tickets Starting at $33.00
Oct 23, 2021	@ St. Louis	8:00 pm	Enterprise Center	Tickets Starting at $59.18
Oct 25, 2021	@ St. Louis	8:00 pm	Enterprise Center	Tickets Starting at $26.60
Oct 28, 2021	vs Winnipeg	10:30 pm	Staples Center	Tickets Starting at $21.50
Oct 30, 2021	vs Montreal	4:00 pm	Staples Center	Tickets Starting at $35.00

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

0-2 to start the season is almost a given
0-3 is very very possible
0-4 is very possible
0-5 is likely

 

[kingsfan]

Assuming every game ends in regulation, I say we go 4-4 in those eight games

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I'm as hard on TM as anyone but I'm willing to give him and everyone else the first 20 games to show us a new look. ANYTHING but the 1-3-1 is progress to the eyes

 

[Lt Dan]

Assuming every game ends in regulation, I say we go 4-4 in those eight games

I hope you are right kind sir.

I know that we historically blow chunks against Vegas, Minny, and Mtl.

I remember the Peg giving us fits and St Louis is no joke either

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I am reaedy for the first televised Kings hockey in months no matter how ugly

 

[DoktorJeep]

Indeed. We should all defer to the Doktor in the house on this.



Although there is a very high probability that you are right here. The fan in me hopes that you are wrong.

Out schedule to start of the season is pretty brutal too

DATE	OPP	TIME / TV	VENUE	BUY TICKETS
Oct 14, 2021	vs Vegas	10:30 pm	Staples Center	Tickets Starting at $44.00
Oct 16, 2021	vs Minnesota	10:30 pm	Staples Center	Tickets Starting at $26.00
Oct 19, 2021	@ Nashville	8:00 pm	Bridgestone Arena	Tickets Starting at $24.00
Oct 22, 2021	@ Dallas	8:30 pm ESP+	American Airlines Center	Tickets Starting at $33.00
Oct 23, 2021	@ St. Louis	8:00 pm	Enterprise Center	Tickets Starting at $59.18
Oct 25, 2021	@ St. Louis	8:00 pm	Enterprise Center	Tickets Starting at $26.60
Oct 28, 2021	vs Winnipeg	10:30 pm	Staples Center	Tickets Starting at $21.50
Oct 30, 2021	vs Montreal	4:00 pm	Staples Center	Tickets Starting at $35.00

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

0-2 to start the season is almost a given
0-3 is very very possible
0-4 is very possible
0-5 is likely

If they win, I’ll happily STFU and stow the criticism about management. Hell, if they just look like a team with an identity by the end of the calendar year, I’ll consider the season an unqualified success.

For as much as I doubt Blake, I can see the logic behind his offseason moves. And I’m bullish on our prospects, you can’t deny how deep we are with premium players around 20 years old. So the cautious optimism being displayed by the org and their media mouthpieces makes a ton of sense and is not misplaced.

Last game against SJ was a real bright point. Our kids storming a bunch of vets is manna from heaven for fans. I also like seeing Tkachev getting an opportunity to cement a position in the top six. Where the rubber meets the road is Fagemo vs Brown for one of Kopitar’s wings.

If Fagemo continues to stand out and Brown doesn’t, I’ll be watching Todd’s handling of the lines as we head to opening night. Will he have enough standing to put Brown on the fourth line. Or does he shuffle the bottom nine to accommodate a vet.

Kings PR can try to talk systems and talent, but they won’t be able to ignore identity and deployment once the season starts.

 

[Fishhead]

One of the reasons Brown is always stapled to Kopitar is traditionally Kopitar's production takes a hit when Brown is not on his wing. It's just one of those synergy things. As long as whoever takes his place has the same effect, I don't really care who they put there. I expect Brown's production to be OK wherever he is at, as long as he is on the PP where he can hang around the net he should put up good numbers.

 

[DoktorJeep]

One of the reasons Brown is always stapled to Kopitar is traditionally Kopitar's production takes a hit when Brown is not on his wing. It's just one of those synergy things. As long as whoever takes his place has the same effect, I don't really care who they put there. I expect Brown's production to be OK wherever he is at, as long as he is on the PP where he can hang around the net he should put up good numbers.

With Danault on the team, some are predicting more from Kopitar points wise. If Brown is stapled to his wing, then that’s two vets on the back ends of their careers expected to outperform last season. And neither are coming off of down years, both were good to great.

I expect we’ll see Fagemo make the team out of camp and start the season as a healthy scratch. Opening night will have Kopitar and Brown out on the same line. The question is how many games that lasts.