Training Camp/Preseason games Thread 2021

[kilowatt]

If these really are the lineups for tonight's game:

Iafallo – Kempe – Kaliyev
Tkachev – Vilardi – Andersson
Moore – JAD – Kupari
Lemieux – Turcotte – Grundstrom

I have to ask... why the hell is Kempe playing center? My only guess is to try to give Turcotte and JAD "real" opportunities to take that fourth-line center role? Otherwise I just don't understand that. Kempe's not a center. Nice to see the TVA line sticking together though, lots of chemistry together.

Hoping for Turcotte to pull away with this one and stick on the fourth line.

Anderson – Roy
Bjornfot – Walker
Wolanin – Strand

Battle for 7D.

 

[kilowatt]

One other thing I wanted to mention — I think Danault's leadership is going to be infectious. How long has it been since we brought in a true leader from a different organization onto this team? Did anyone think Brown and Kopitar were the leaders in the locker room during the cup runs? All we ever talked about was the impact guys like Richards, Mitchell, Williams, Greene, and Regehr had on the team. Bringing in Danault and Edler might go a long way towards reinforcing who we are as a team.

I'm hopeful that some of our younger guys can start playing tougher though. I think we all want our vets to protect the kids, but I don't see that happening, so maybe they'll learn to stick up for themselves. Guys like Vilardi, Turcotte, JAD, and Andersson all play a "heavier" game when necessary.

 

[DoktorJeep]

If these really are the lineups for tonight's game:

Iafallo – Kempe – Kaliyev
Tkachev – Vilardi – Andersson
Moore – JAD – Kupari
Lemieux – Turcotte – Grundstrom

I have to ask... why the hell is Kempe playing center? My only guess is to try to give Turcotte and JAD "real" opportunities to take that fourth-line center role? Otherwise I just don't understand that. Kempe's not a center. Nice to see the TVA line sticking together though, lots of chemistry together.

Hoping for Turcotte to pull away with this one and stick on the fourth line.

Anderson – Roy
Bjornfot – Walker
Wolanin – Strand

Battle for 7D.

Looks like Kempe stayed out for practice, so maybe he doesn’t slot in tonight.

 

[bmr]

One other thing I wanted to mention — I think Danault's leadership is going to be infectious. How long has it been since we brought in a true leader from a different organization onto this team? Did anyone think Brown and Kopitar were the leaders in the locker room during the cup runs? All we ever talked about was the impact guys like Richards, Mitchell, Williams, Greene, and Regehr had on the team. Bringing in Danault and Edler might go a long way towards reinforcing who we are as a team.

I'm hopeful that some of our younger guys can start playing tougher though. I think we all want our vets to protect the kids, but I don't see that happening, so maybe they'll learn to stick up for themselves. Guys like Vilardi, Turcotte, JAD, and Andersson all play a "heavier" game when necessary.

I'm glad Blake is channeling his inner Dean Lombardi on this. Paying for Danault doesn't completely revolve around his statistics. There are a bunch of intangibles and anyone who looks below the surface can see those in terms of what Montreal accomplished in the playoffs with a lot less.

 

[bmr]

I agree that some individual efforts where there and hoping it continues into the season.
But considering last night was as close to the opening roster as we will have. Don't think anyone has brought this up yet but I really don't like the body language and energy on the bench. There seems to be something missing to bring the guys together. It's sad but I think the loser mentality has set into the culture. No fightback , no heart and in front of their own fans nevertheless. I am not sure it will automatically turn on when the season starts.

They play like a collection of players instead of a collective team. And it's ridiculous that we had 5 hits the whole game, we are going to be ran over in most games.

I think it's way too early to come to that conclusion. There are still some new players getting acclimated to the team and with the infusion of guys like Danault, Arvidsson and Edler you are going to see a commitment to winning and some accountability. Let's see how the start of the season goes first..

 

[redcard]

If these really are the lineups for tonight's game:

Iafallo – Kempe – Kaliyev
Tkachev – Vilardi – Andersson
Moore – JAD – Kupari
Lemieux – Turcotte – Grundstrom

I have to ask... why the hell is Kempe playing center? My only guess is to try to give Turcotte and JAD "real" opportunities to take that fourth-line center role? Otherwise I just don't understand that. Kempe's not a center. Nice to see the TVA line sticking together though, lots of chemistry together.

Hoping for Turcotte to pull away with this one and stick on the fourth line.

Anderson – Roy
Bjornfot – Walker
Wolanin – Strand

Battle for 7D.

The simplest answer is that its wrong. Hoven's "projected lineup-first draft" is a guess, he was wrong yesterday with his Kupari inclusion, he was wrong the game before that, and the game before that.

Tkachev-Vilardi-Andersson is obvious
Kaliyev-Turcotte-Kupari have been practicing together with the Reign
Grundstrom-Lizotte-Lemieux have been a line the last few days in camp
Moore-JAD-Wagner just slots JAD in for Byfield

I would expect this line-up, maybe swapping Lizotte and JAD, but hey, its a guess too.

 

[tbrown33]

sounds like this might be relatively good news...

 

[lumbergh]

sounds like this might be relatively good news...

Almost certainly did an X-ray already. If he broke any major bones in or near his ankle, it'd be two months at least. Maybe need to perform an MRI to get some information on ligaments or tendons.

 

[lumbergh]

sounds like this might be relatively good news...

LA Kings Insider concurs

https://lakingsinsider.com/2021/10/...date-kupari-on-the-wing-vilardis-opportunity/

"Per the Kings, Byfield is “week-to-week” at this time with a lower-body injury"

 

[KingLB]

So sprain? I just hope it doesn’t linger and kill that explosiveness which was eye opening last nite. A 6’6 McKinnon isn’t fair.

 

[kilowatt]

I think that major ligament damage and broken bones would have been caught on a first-pass checkup, so this is probably best case scenario for Byfield. Those are routine checks even for us normal folk. For an elite athlete, they're certainly looking at that. Hopefully it's just a low ankle sprain that needs a couple weeks' rest and rehab. What a godsend that would be.

 

[tbrown33]

I think that major ligament damage and broken bones would have been caught on a first-pass checkup, so this is probably best case scenario for Byfield. Those are routine checks even for us normal folk. Hopefully it's just a low ankle sprain that needs a couple weeks' rest and rehab. What a godsend that would be.

Maybe the saving grace was that the impact itself was a relatively quick thing - no prolonged twisting or hyperextending. By comparison, Kopitar's foot was pretty well planted for the duration of the fall when he got injured.

 

[kilowatt]

Looks like Kempe stayed out for practice, so maybe he doesn’t slot in tonight.

I gotta stop reading Hoven lol

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

So sprain? I just hope it doesn’t linger and kill that explosiveness which was eye opening last nite. A 6’6 McKinnon isn’t fair.

It really was, and already. He was doing things they said he'd never be able to do amongst pros. Just the reach he had to get his stick on pucks is insane--walking into a crowd and out with separation speed is absurd.

 

[King'sPawn]

Nonsense.

Excusing an utter lack of fortitude that has been the single defining trait of this team for years now as "preseason" is just bullshit. There are no leaders here. There is no push back when confronted, just a ten minute slide every single time where multiple goals are allowed in. It happened glaringly last year and the exact same issue presented itself again last night.

Preseason isn't gauged by numbers, it's gauged by progress. Certain young players have obviously progressed, Vilardi and Andersson are skating much better. Bjornfot and Byfield were definitely more assertive. But that won't matter one bit unless the team plays as a unit and not as a collection of individuals. You accomplish that via accountability and a collective positive spirit - and when presented with an opportunity to show that this has been acknowledged and worked on their big shortcoming, they caved right back in on themselves. Zero progress, same old same old lack of leadership and accountability.

You can wait until January to recognize it if you want, but it is already there to be seen.

Whose team is this? Who can be counted on? Who will take charge to change the tide?

No playoffs here until those questions are answered, and they only got louder last night.

I just don't see what you see, especially after one preseason game.

The Coyotes are playing for roster spots too. It's not like the Kings played for 30 minutes then decided enough was enough and sleepwalked.

There is a legitimate question of veteran leadership. I just think it's too early to reach a conclusion on this season with the data we have.

 

[Trash Panda]

I just don't see what you see, especially after one preseason game.

The Coyotes are playing for roster spots too. It's not like the Kings played for 30 minutes then decided enough was enough and sleepwalked.

There is a legitimate question of veteran leadership. I just think it's too early to reach a conclusion on this season with the data we have.

The thing is, it isn’t just one preseason game, it’s a reoccurring theme with this team that has only gotten worse since it really started to surface in 2015-2016.

 

[Maynard]

I gotta stop reading Hoven lol

Solid advice for everyone.

 

[Mats26]

Almost certainly did an X-ray already. If he broke any major bones in or near his ankle, it'd be two months at least. Maybe need to perform an MRI to get some information on ligaments or tendons.

It's was obviously not a broken ankle. If you ever broken an ankle you'll know, you don't just hobble off the ice in slight pain. Let's hope no surgery is needed for whatever it is.

 

[Sol]

Im never going to praise Byfield. I say he's looking great ONE f***ing game. and hes out. f***. He honestly was the best player on the ice. When he heals it will be brain dead to not bring him up into the nhl.

 

[cyclones22]

It's was obviously not a broken ankle. If you ever broken an ankle you'll know, you don't just hobble off the ice in slight pain. Let's hope no surgery is needed for whatever it is.

Yeah I've got a plate and screws in my left ankle. You know when it's broken. I knew immediately and it wasn't a compound fracture or anything either. Hell in the morning it wasn't even bruised. But I knew there was a break and it was. confirmed after going to urgent care.

 

[eleventy]

It really was, and already. He was doing things they said he'd never be able to do amongst pros. Just the reach he had to get his stick on pucks is insane--walking into a crowd and out with separation speed is absurd.

His speed is what has really surprised me the most. I remember an icing call against Vegas where a forward was trying to beat the whistle. I said to myself, whoa dude's got some wheels - who is that? Turns out, it's QB choo-choo'ing out there with a 99 speed rating.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Yeah I've got a plate and screws in my left ankle. You know when it's broken. I knew immediately and it wasn't a compound fracture or anything either. Hell in the morning it wasn't even bruised. But I knew there was a break and it was. confirmed after going to urgent care.

I've broken both on separate occasions and agree, there was never a question. I didn't even bother trying to get up. Once was with a skate on too so even with a roughly immobilized foot you can still tell.

His speed is what has really surprised me the most. I remember an icing call against Vegas where a forward was trying to beat the whistle. I said to myself, whoa dude's got some wheels - who is that? Turns out, it's QB choo-choo'ing out there with a 99 speed rating.

I'm not going to say it's like McDavid because no one is but some of the speed bursts are incredible...like watching some of the scouting videos you would go 'but yeah that's against juniors' and then you realize he absolutely dusted Keller by several steps and it's like good grief.

 

[bmr]

His speed is what has really surprised me the most. I remember an icing call against Vegas where a forward was trying to beat the whistle. I said to myself, whoa dude's got some wheels - who is that? Turns out, it's QB choo-choo'ing out there with a 99 speed rating.

I'm trying to think of a comparable player in the league that's similar to Byfield. He is extremely unique. There aren't a lot of players in the league at his size that can do what he does. When Carter was on the team he had high top-end speed, but wasn't nearly as quick as Byfield is.

 

[cyclones22]

That's the thing is QB's going to win almost all 50/50 races to the puck. It's not just his speed, it's his reach and the fact that he can lay a body on you and screen you from getting there. Now imagine when his strength has reached its peak in a few years. He is already shrugging players off of him and muscling his way around the boards. Then when you think you have him locked up he dances around you with skill and agility. This is why he was drafted number 2.

 

[bland]

I just don't see what you see, especially after one preseason game.

The Coyotes are playing for roster spots too. It's not like the Kings played for 30 minutes then decided enough was enough and sleepwalked.

There is a legitimate question of veteran leadership. I just think it's too early to reach a conclusion on this season with the data we have.

No, they badly outplayed the Coyotes, Byfield got hurt, and the air went out of the tires in the exact same fashion as when Roy, Bjornfot and Anderson were railed last year.

Just like a players individual progress you look for a team's progress as well. A perfect opportunity to show that last years failings could be addressed presented itself and they failed.

It's like watching a season premier of Gilligan's Island and thinking "well, its a new year, maybe they'll get rescued". Of course not, we know the story here. It's not going to change itself, somebody has to be proactive. This team is reactive by nature - and not in a positive way either.