GDT: 2020-21 game 16 LA Kings vs Arizona Coyotes @4:00pm 2/20/21

[kilowatt]

I'm not. Rest of the team is still charmin.

I mean not really. Brown has 32 hits in 16 games, Grundstrom and Wagner have 29 in 14 and 12 games, Doughty has 21 in 16 games, Roy has 20 in 11 games. Not that the Kings are particularly hard-hitting, but it's not like Brown's the only one throwing hits.

 

[tbrown33]

I'm not. Rest of the team is still charmin.

Actually boils down to ice time. Brown’s got 32, and Wagner and Grundstrom are next with 29, and those guys havent played every game.

 

[johnjm22]

Noted, but Kopitar also gets about 33% more ice time.

Seems like that'd be more related to ice time no?

It's not just because of ice time. Blake Lizotte averages more shots per game than Vilardi does.

Whether it's because he passing up shooting opportunities, or he's not generating opportunities to shoot, he needs to get more shots on goal.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Frankly a lot of it so far has been Vilardi being buried in his own end.

Hard to generate shots when you aren't gaining the ozone.

NOt saying that's necessarily his fault directly, but it's often his line that's had struggles with possession.

I do also think he's being too deferential in general but it's more youthful inconsistency and a lack of opportunity than outright reluctance, as we've seen him get mad and take over on occasion. We just need to see it more shift to shift and game to game. It's ok. It'll come. It's not "kopitar part II" when it comes to shooting for Gabe, haha. Dude has an absolute zipline and a tricky release.

 

[johnjm22]

The lowest shot per game average Kopitar ever had was 1.7 (2014/15).

Kopitar's career average shots per game is 2.42

Gabe so far this year is getting 1.13

 

[Steve Zissou]

 

[funky]

That will sting as he isn’t making a ton of cash

 

[cyclones22]

Vilardi definitely needs to shoot more. But in order for that number to go up, a couple of things need to happen. One, he needs to win more face-offs. Lose a face-off, lose possession and your shift is pretty much spent defending and trying to get the puck back. His FO% has been trending up for what it's worth. Two, he needs a puck possession player on his line. Kempe has shown the ability to enter a zone and not immediately turn it over. Carter has not this season, Wagner hasn't. Vilardi is almost always going to be trailing the play because of his position and responsibility in the defensive zone and he's not the fleetest of foot. I never understand the dump in from center or the blue line early in your shift if there is no puck support. You're just handing it over to the other team. It's part of why Lizotte/AA/Carter line was absolutely horrid at possession. Iafallo and Brown do a great job of holding onto the puck for Kopitar to arrive. It's part of why until Frk returns, I think Lizotte should play on Vilardi's wing (or vice versa) because he's a high motor guy who also holds onto the puck in a Justin Williams kind of way with change of direction.

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

Oh he absolutely had control of his stick...

That is a pretty standard play. But generally you aren’t “boxing out” a player as small as Garland.

Throat is a pretty dangerous area to get a crosscheck,Strand could have had some serious injuries! From my vantage point Strand looked like he wanted to send Garland to the infirmary! Strand is like 6-4 and Garland 5-9 on a good day

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

Strand has been a godsend. Had no expectations for him but he's really impressed so far.

I thought he had a chance, a great chance,no,but a chance nevertheless! Thought he would be in the mix say in a couple of years...after a shakey start he's gotten better and better

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

Vilardi definitely needs to shoot more. But in order for that number to go up, a couple of things need to happen. One, he needs to win more face-offs. Lose a face-off, lose possession and your shift is pretty much spent defending and trying to get the puck back. His FO% has been trending up for what it's worth. Two, he needs a puck possession player on his line. Kempe has shown the ability to enter a zone and not immediately turn it over. Carter has not this season, Wagner hasn't. Vilardi is almost always going to be trailing the play because of his position and responsibility in the defensive zone and he's not the fleetest of foot. I never understand the dump in from center or the blue line early in your shift if there is no puck support. You're just handing it over to the other team. It's part of why Lizotte/AA/Carter line was absolutely horrid at possession. Iafallo and Brown do a great job of holding onto the puck for Kopitar to arrive. It's part of why until Frk returns, I think Lizotte should play on Vilardi's wing (or vice versa) because he's a high motor guy who also holds onto the puck in a Justin Williams kind of way with change of direction.

Chemistry is everything and yes the Vilardi line at times seems out of sync! Any word when Frk comes back?Have always liked Carter he's better with a playmaker to compliment his style...like to see him on the JAD,Tonka line

 

[TwzKing]

Okay I havent had the time to see a few of the kings games this year. What did i miss with Garland and Strand?

 

[tny760]

Okay I havent had the time to see a few of the kings games this year. What did i miss with Garland and Strand?

yotes fans are just riled up because garland was getting hit every time he touched the puck

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Okay I havent had the time to see a few of the kings games this year. What did i miss with Garland and Strand?

Strand got a bit overzealous with the xcheck on Garland, though it didn't look like he intended to do anything but clear him out. Stick was stomach-ribs high on Strand, but neck high on a prone Garland. Still, bad play, gotta be in better control.

The rest of the game though Garland was a turd. I appreciate his motor and willingness to fight thru it, but he brings it upon himself, chirping everyone on/off the bench, getting sticks on everyone, and boy did he ever have like 3 grade A flops. But I wouldn't quite assign him the 'rat' title yet, since he wasn't really doing anything dirty--I actually really like him otherwise, just annoying to play against haha. End of the game he got dropped, and locked DB's stick, and he wasn't having it, so he just drove him right back to the ice--Kings really were just running him all night and it was a glorious departure from the Kings just sitting back and taking it.

Tm said something after the game to the effect of you don't want to be arrogant, but I like our swagger developing. It started to look like that a bit, team doesn't look like they'll fold like a lawn chair over the last little bit when something goes wrong.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

Some Pronger physics on display with that stick work on Garland. Sort of a result of the size discrepancy, but nasty optics and reckless all the same. Fair judgement.

 

[kingsholygrail]

The size difference and the fact that it didn't look particularly brutal probably saved him a suspension.

 

[The Gabe Blade]

That will sting as he isn’t making a ton of cash

It will come off the board. The players, especially the high paid vets chip in on that.

 

[Bandit]

The fact that people are comparing what Vilardi, a rookie, is doing to what Kopitar, a umpteen season vet is doing, is a good thing, but calm thy boners. Vilardi goes to the middle, something Kopitar has been allergic to his whole career. The shots will come.

 

[LAKings88]

The fact that people are comparing what Vilardi, a rookie, is doing to what Kopitar, a umpteen season vet is doing, is a good thing, but calm thy boners. Vilardi goes to the middle, something Kopitar has been allergic to his whole career. The shots will come.

‘Calm thy boners’

I think I’m tired, that had me rolling.

 

[apocalypse]

Frankly a lot of it so far has been Vilardi being buried in his own end.

Hard to generate shots when you aren't gaining the ozone.

NOt saying that's necessarily his fault directly, but it's often his line that's had struggles with possession.

I do also think he's being too deferential in general but it's more youthful inconsistency and a lack of opportunity than outright reluctance, as we've seen him get mad and take over on occasion. We just need to see it more shift to shift and game to game. It's ok. It'll come. It's not "kopitar part II" when it comes to shooting for Gabe, haha. Dude has an absolute zipline and a tricky release.

Vilardi's a beast. His hockey IQ is way up there. We're just seeing the beginning of something great. Yeah his skating is an issue, but that will become less glaring as he rounds out his game. We haven't had anyone like him in a long time.

 

[Docgonzo]

While Vilardi definitely needs to shoot more, and he will as he gets more comfortable. I’m glad he just doesn’t fire it into the goalies chest every time he has the puck. It shows his IQ is working on the best opportunity in the zone. He’ll learn as he gets more experienced.

 

[kingsholygrail]

Kings play the Blues next two games so they're getting a real test of this newfound chemistry.

 

[Sparky206]

Vilardi's a beast. His hockey IQ is way up there. We're just seeing the beginning of something great. Yeah his skating is an issue, but that will become less glaring as he rounds out his game. We haven't had anyone like him in a long time.

His skating isn't really his issue, He's actually a decent skater, hes just slow in top speed and acceleration. In tight he is excellent but its just all at his speed which is fine because thats his game but he'll always be below average when cranking through the gears.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

While Vilardi definitely needs to shoot more, and he will as he gets more comfortable. I’m glad he just doesn’t fire it into the goalies chest every time he has the puck. It shows his IQ is working on the best opportunity in the zone. He’ll learn as he gets more experienced.

Yeah, a Vilardi shot is far different than a Lizotte shot or Lewis shot. I don't want him to just be a volume shooter when he's such a good playmaker. We all want him to shoot more though that's for sure--but that just means be in better positions to pull the trigger!

 

[kilowatt]

Vilardi definitely needs to shoot more. But in order for that number to go up, a couple of things need to happen. One, he needs to win more face-offs. Lose a face-off, lose possession and your shift is pretty much spent defending and trying to get the puck back. His FO% has been trending up for what it's worth. Two, he needs a puck possession player on his line. Kempe has shown the ability to enter a zone and not immediately turn it over. Carter has not this season, Wagner hasn't. Vilardi is almost always going to be trailing the play because of his position and responsibility in the defensive zone and he's not the fleetest of foot. I never understand the dump in from center or the blue line early in your shift if there is no puck support. You're just handing it over to the other team. It's part of why Lizotte/AA/Carter line was absolutely horrid at possession. Iafallo and Brown do a great job of holding onto the puck for Kopitar to arrive. It's part of why until Frk returns, I think Lizotte should play on Vilardi's wing (or vice versa) because he's a high motor guy who also holds onto the puck in a Justin Williams kind of way with change of direction.

His faceoff percentage is actually pretty good, especially for a rookie. He's currently at 48.3%, with 102 wins and 109 losses. But he had one game where he went 2-for-15 against the Blues. If you remove that brutal outlier, he's at 100 wins and 96 losses, better than 50%. Faceoffs are an area where he needs to improve to be sure, but some guys like Carter and Andersson are at 43% and 35% respectively. Over Vilardi's last 10 games, he's 62/118, or 52.5%.