Is LA intentionally giving less than 100% in the regular season and is it right ?

[Raccoon Jesus]

Classless Kings, amirite? God we can't even lose right without getting questioned.

This thread is also taking a whole lot of credit away from a whole lot of other teams.

I have no doubt the Kings don't go as hard in the reg. season as they do in the playoffs because they would just die on the ice, but they're certainly not just coasting around. You can see the absolute frustration after a little losing streak or, say, after that third period collapse against the Flames the other night. I'd like to say with certainty that if that were a playoff game they'd lock it down but that takes a whole lot of credit away from what the Flames did. Also you have to take into account roster turnover, etc. Maybe the Kings have just figured out how to peak at the right time, but lots of these early season struggles are roster issues (i.e. in 2013, losing Mitchell and breaking in Muzzin for the whole year, 2014 icing Frattin as a top winger before getting Gaborik, this year losing an entire second pairing in Mitchell and Voynov and replacing them with newbie McNabb and McBain, etc.) that get tinkered with by a genius GM as the season goes on. Seriously, if you look at the Kings' season opening and season ending rosters for the last few years, you'll see harmless teams at the beginning and significantly more dangerous teams at the end.

AKA Kings will be getting a second-pairing defenseman and a depth forward near the deadline.

 

[ozzie]

While I do think the King's are holding back and pacing themselves somewhat, intentionally or not by the players. It is completely understandable, they just want to get to the playoffs. Motivation can become an issue, coaches are more patient.

This could all back fire. I would be very surprised if the King's made it past the second round and obviously won it all.

They have played a lot of hockey and some of it definitely could be mental, emotional and physical fatigue.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

People really think they are purposefully taking it easy in the regular season so they can be rested for the playoffs?

1. The Kings have played more games the last three years than any other team in the league, so it shouldn't be surprising to see guys like Doughty and Kopitar get a little tired every now and again. They have had very little down-time between seasons to rest and recuperate, and players tend to talk about how mentally and phyiscally demanding a deep playoff run can be.

2. They still have to make the playoffs. No team is going to sit back game after game and assume they are going to make it in. What if they hit a rash of injuries to their best players and suddenly are on the outside looking in come February? They would have definitely preferred to get a couple points here and there in October instead of having to go through playoff hockey in March and early April.

3. Players are competitive. The Kings over the last three years have been accustomed to being successful and one of the classes of the league. They want to win, and even if it is a "meaningless" regular season game they aren't going to be happy if they were part of the reason the team lost.

So they aren't going to dominate the league year after year. That doesn't mean they are coasting on purpose. It just means they aren't the top regular season team in the league, and there isn't anything wrong with that.

 

[LGB51]

Honestly, I think they're just getting a bit tired. They're still a great team, and I like to watch them every now and then, but lets look at the past few seasons. They've been mostly the same team, and if you go back to their first cup, they have played 2 full 82 games seasons, plus the lockout 48 game season, adding up to 212 games. Now you add in the SCP: 20 in '12, 24 in '13, 26 in '14 totaling to 70 games. That's 282. Then there is also THIS season, with 35 games down. That makes 317. That's basically playing a game every day of the year, but taking every 8th day off. That's gunna be tiring after a while.

+ Olympic games.

 

[ScubaSteve*]

It's not like they are scratching all their key players for "scheduled losses" like the San Antonio Spurs.

 

[MuffinMerc]

"Is it right?"

How is this even a moral or ethical question. There are no rules against taking it easy until the postseason, and if it wins championships I suppose it's a good strategy, isn't it?

This. I'm sure the Kings don't give a toss about regular season games. If they're locked in a playoff spot, save your energy for when the games actually matter i.e. the playoffs.

 

[Banana Sandwiches]

Whether its 80% or 90% or 95%. I think they are making an effort to lift their foot off the gas in the dog days of the regular season and I don't think its right.

"I don't give a hell about the regular season"- Daryl Sutter

^Coach Sutter said it best himself and if I was Bettman, I would have a word with him for uttering those words.

They over-play their young players. All of their star players have bad numbers. Kopitar and Brown are prime examples. They are always worse then they should be in the regular season. Listen to any of the interviews of the players when they are asked about their position in the standings. They aren't phased. Then they come out guns a blazing in the playoffs.

The paying fans go to these games to watch professionals play at 100%. And nothing less. I personally think they are making an art of dogging it in the regular season and its BS.

So?

Who cares if their star players have bad numbers? It's not like they're under .500 and at the bottom of the standings.

If any team has earned the right to coast in the regular season and be nonchalant about it, it's the Kings. They're the envy of the 29 other teams in the league.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

You know who gives a 110% every game? The streamer guy.

Every game is the cup clinching game to streamer guy.

 

[DonKingKong]

I remember how bad it sucked to suck year after year. I know how hard it stings yellow visor but take heart, if the Kings prove anything it is that given the right amount of time and right ownership paired with the right leadership and players that anyone can go from worst to first.

Your day could easily be coming and anytime now.

As for your hypothesis I am going to go with no, they don't. They play the way they play during the regular season and that is as a team that knows what it takes to win. During the regular season allot of their strengths don't have the same amount of power as they do in a 7 game series. The Kings could be in trouble in a 1 for 1 round.

Of course that will never happen.

 

[funky]

No they don't play the same in the reg season as the playoffs

In the playoffs they are in your face, hitting or leaning on everyone, and generally wearing teams down game after game. It has been there playoff tactic for a few years, and other teams are starting to follow. When you have up to 7 games to wear down the opposition you expose weaknesses and areas of fatigue.

This doesn't work in the regular season as you go all out and pound on a team and they leave to play your opposition the next day or just go home and rest. The tactic doesn't work. They still will lean on teams but think of it if your out there in a seven game series, you hit to hurt, you put that extra burst in to try and make a play because it could make the difference in playing another game/ series or joining Edmonton on the links.

 

[Zanon]

Whether its 80% or 90% or 95%. I think they are making an effort to lift their foot off the gas in the dog days of the regular season and I don't think its right.

"I don't give a hell about the regular season"- Daryl Sutter

^Coach Sutter said it best himself and if I was Bettman, I would have a word with him for uttering those words.

They over-play their young players. All of their star players have bad numbers. Kopitar and Brown are prime examples. They are always worse then they should be in the regular season. Listen to any of the interviews of the players when they are asked about their position in the standings. They aren't phased. Then they come out guns a blazing in the playoffs.

The paying fans go to these games to watch professionals play at 100%. And nothing less. I personally think they are making an art of dogging it in the regular season and its BS.

That's how the Canucks played in 2012 after winning the Presidents Trophy in 2011 and getting to Game 7 of the SCF. They played half ass hockey in 2012, but still managed to win the Presidents' Trophy again somehow, and then lost to the Kings in the first round. It was all about "saving it for the playoffs" for them, as if they were going to turn on the jets once the playoffs started.

 

[Mathew Barzal]

They are the only team so far to have proven that they are capable of half assing an EIGHTY TWO game season and still making the playoffs, so if they are confident enough to roll the dice that way in order to assure themselves a better shot at the Cup all the more props to them. The Cup isn't won by the best IMO, it's won by the healthiest and most durable. The Kings know that and that's why Gaborik is getting so many maintenance days and Kopitar isn't pressured into break his back over producing without him slotted in.

And hell, if you're making the playoffs thats a solid amount of games that you're winning, so the whole fan appreciation claim is ********.

 

[Sacha Baron Corbin]

I would like to make a few quick points here.

My own team is ahead of your team.

In December, congrats. Come see us in April.

When they won the most games over 82 games twice.(better record against the central then the worst division) Rather then just over 16 games.

The real reason for the thread is that the regular season means exactly nothing and it should not be so.

The best teams in the regular season should be awarded at the draft.

Presidents trophy gets you a 4th over all. That would take care of it.

Canucks would have Dougie Hamlton and Alex Galchenyuk if this was the case. And after being best in 164 games, they deserve it. And the Kings would deserve their low picks

First, those low picks have turned into Tanner Pearson and Adrian Kempe. I'll glady keep taking low picks

Secondly why should a good team get rewarded with high picks? Parity is what makes the NHL great and there would be no parity if good teams continue to get high picks.

You keep bringing up the Presidents Trophy, sounds like your still stuck in 2011/2012 and are just bitter to see your rivals win 2 Cups in 3 years after you guys blew it in Game 7.

 

[terranraida]

Secondly why should a good team get rewarded with high picks? Parity is what makes the NHL great and there would be no parity if good teams continue to get high picks.

I agree 100%, that's how you break the system.

 

[PuqTalk]

The Cup isn't won by the best IMO, it's won by the healthiest and most durable.

I disagree. You can say it's not won by the most talented, but the best team will persevere and defeat everyone in their way en route to winning the cup.

 

[MilanKraft*]

They just aren't that good.
They don't play their young players enough so not sure what you are talking about.

They got lucky in playoff crap shoot and won't win this year.

It don't matter cause they'll be irrelevant again in a few years.

Anyway, there's 0% chance they win cup this year so who cares what they do....

 

[lotionmyfeet*]

They just aren't that good.
They don't play their young players enough so not sure what you are talking about.

They got lucky in playoff crap shoot and won't win this year.

It don't matter cause they'll be irrelevant again in a few years.

Anyway, there's 0% chance they win cup this year so who cares what they do....

^^ nailed it.

/thread?

 

[committedindian86]

I would like to make a few quick points here.



In December, congrats. Come see us in April.



First, those low picks have turned into Tanner Pearson and Adrian Kempe. I'll glady keep taking low picks

Secondly why should a good team get rewarded with high picks? Parity is what makes the NHL great and there would be no parity if good teams continue to get high picks.

You keep bringing up the Presidents Trophy, sounds like your still stuck in 2011/2012 and are just bitter to see your rivals win 2 Cups in 3 years after you guys blew it in Game 7.

Winning the Presidents Trophy in that joke of a division, before the tougher realignment, is not that big of a deal. Cups over Presidents Trophies any day. If LA sneaks in as the last playoff team, they are dangerous. Who cares about the regular season, other than playoff seeding? I love watching all the games, but to make a big deal about it when more than half the teams in the NHL make the playoffs is ridiculous.

 

[committedindian86]

^^ nailed it.

/thread?

See you guys in the Western Conference Finals again. Let the haters hate.

 

[lotionmyfeet*]

See you guys in the Western Conference Finals again. Let the haters hate.

I don't know if I'm mentally, physically, spiritually or existentially able to handle another matchup.

 

[MsMeow]

I don't know if I'm mentally, physically, spiritually or existentially able to handle another matchup.

I'm not mentally, physically, spiritually or existentially able to handle any more of this thread!

 

[Damisoph]

It's patently ridiculous to suggest any team is "taking it easy" in the regular season to gear up for the playoffs. I think it's fair to say the competition ramps up in the playoffs but that doesn't mean teams are coasting through the 82 game sked.

 

[redcard]

I don't know if I'm mentally, physically, spiritually or existentially able to handle another matchup.

I'm not mentally, physically, spiritually or existentially able to handle any more of this thread!

That's because both of you are giving less than 100%

 

[eXile59]

The Pen's seem to go a 100% a lot of games and then half the team ends up on IR. Maybe the Kings have it figured out.

 

[Knotty Moog]

Doesn't every team play harder in the ployoffs? Isn't that what makes the NHL playoffs the bezt out of all four major sports?

I agree with posters above saying the kings game is tailor made for bezt of 7 series. Its just how they are built