GDT: 2020-21 season Game 14 LA Kings vs Minnesota Wild @7:00pm 2/16/21

bland

Registered User
Jul 1, 2004
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Hell, I bet Roy could turn MacDermid into a regular too.

And I thought Anderson had his best game in a while too. He had a couple of ragged, rough ones lately. He likely used that little break to get his timing back, he wasn't chasing tonight.

That has to be a hell of a culture shock, going from less than a full year in Ontario to full tilt Doughty minutes.
 

Peter James Bond III

CHROMIAK COMETH
Jul 8, 2020
520
1,383
One thing that gives me hope...we all have high hopes for all these top tier prospects; Turcotte, Byfield, Kaliyev, Kupari, Bjornfot, Madden, Fagemo, Thomas...and happy to see Vilardi and Anderson have taken the step, but to see the next tier most of us had little hope or enthusiasm for: Anderson-Dolan, Grundstrom, Strand, Clague and Moore, really step up and play well. It's awesome to see. That 4th line has changed things.

JAD goes from 0 games and taxi squad ALL season, gets his chance and scores 5 pts in 5 games? 3 goals and PP time? He's looked better on the PP than Iafallo, Kempe, etc.
 

Reaper45

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Jul 14, 2003
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bland

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Jul 1, 2004
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I mean I’m stoked at what I’m seeing don’t get me wrong, but that wasn’t exactly the ‘77 Canadiens they were up against out there. Kings played a good game and lots of bright spots for sure, I just caution against getting too far ahead of ourselves.

Who cares about the game, I am stoked about seeing the potential of a really good team come together here over the next few years. There were a lot of really good signs/stars lining up tonight, and not just the players. McLellan put together a damn good and pretty bold choice of a power play unit. That showed some confidence, I mean JAD and Roy on the PP? That was impressive and forward thinking.

The execution will dip at times, and better teams will still whip them. But isn't it cool to see that kind of potential out of this team again?

And one more thing, I really, really enjoy watching Lias Andersson play. He is one competitive dude, and he has some slime to him too. All of our Swedish Mafia do - he, Grundstrom, Kempe, and Bjornfot all have a little hint of evil in their game. That's gonna be fun.
 

Schmooley

Registered User
Apr 5, 2016
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Who cares about the game, I am stoked about seeing the potential of a really good team come together here over the next few years. There were a lot of really good signs/stars lining up tonight, and not just the players. McLellan put together a damn good and pretty bold choice of a power play unit. That showed some confidence, I mean JAD and Roy on the PP? That was impressive and forward thinking.

The execution will dip at times, and better teams will still whip them. But isn't it cool to see that kind of potential out of this team again?

And one more thing, I really, really enjoy watching Lias Andersson play. He is one competitive dude, and he has some slime to him too. All of our Swedish Mafia do - he, Grundstrom, Kempe, and Bjornfot all have a little hint of evil in their game. That's gonna be fun.
I still cant get a grip on lias. He looks like a different player every game. Not bad by any means. Maybe because hes bounced around the lineup positionally and plays with different linemates. Hoping he can settle in and define a role for himself. He has the talent and smarts to be a good player for his team.
 
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bland

Registered User
Jul 1, 2004
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I still cant get a grip on lias. He looks like a different player every game. Not bad by any means. Maybe because hes bounced around the lineup positionally and plays with different linemates. Hoping he can settle in and define a role for himself. He has the talent and smarts to be a good player for his team.

I think his competitive nature is what has kept him in the lineup, but his flexibility might be doing more harm than good. He hasn't really settled into a role yet. But I love watching him because he has some of those things in soccer that they call "the dark arts" in his game. The little hip into the ribs along the wall, drifting an unnecessary extra foot or two into the crease after a save, a shove or two after the whistle. I love a good shit disturber. Sometimes you need guys who can change the temperature of the game, and that's also something absent from recent Kings teams.

Or in Bjornfot's case, clowning a giant with that "yeah, I belong here" face.
 

ru4reals

Registered User
Jul 4, 2007
11,493
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Not in my house B****h!!!!
Strand Beastin.jpg


What goes around comes around!!!

Drew Eat That B.jpg



This time Legal!!! :nod:

Drew this time legal.jpg
 

KingsFan7824

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Dec 4, 2003
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One thing that gives me hope...we all have high hopes for all these top tier prospects; Turcotte, Byfield, Kaliyev, Kupari, Bjornfot, Madden, Fagemo, Thomas...and happy to see Vilardi and Anderson have taken the step, but to see the next tier most of us had little hope or enthusiasm for: Anderson-Dolan, Grundstrom, Strand, Clague and Moore, really step up and play well. It's awesome to see. That 4th line has changed things.

JAD goes from 0 games and taxi squad ALL season, gets his chance and scores 5 pts in 5 games? 3 goals and PP time? He's looked better on the PP than Iafallo, Kempe, etc.

The other guys, yes, but I don't think there's ever been a lack of enthusiasm for JAD.
 
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KingTech

Registered User
Sep 20, 2020
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I think we can all agree that MacDermid doesn't belong in the lineup anymore, right?
I come in to post this exact thought so thank you for beating me to it. Our players can stand on there own and don't need MacDermird to do it .
 

Fat Elvis

El Guapo
Dec 25, 2003
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Watched the game and was thinking there's more in Andersson's tank. Same age as Vilardi, JAD, Anderson and Hults. I really think they stay patient with him. Kid plays hard, just needs to find that confidence. It may be good to send him down for a weekend series with the Reign, just to get top minutes in all situations, not unlike what they've done with other players.

Fun to watch a well played Kings game.

I think Strand stays until his play dictates otherwise or until Walker is cleared. It's a good problem to have, when tough decisions need to be made about who sits and who plays because they're all playing well.
 

kilowatt

the vibes are not immaculate
Jan 1, 2009
18,432
21,092
Strand has really impressed me. I hope we send him down to Ontario this year and Seattle doesn't notice him and then he's up for good next year. Maybe we can trade Walker and Iafallo to a contender for a first.
 

Raccoon Jesus

Todd McLellan is an inside agent
Oct 30, 2008
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He's the energy on that line.

Especially with Brown currently impersonating the thick guy from Nintendo's Ice Hockey


Plays like a vet. How much better will Tobi get? He completly neutralized Greenway on several hard plays.

He has that Voynov knack to get 'under' big players with leverage and just wedge them out of the play, it's awesome.
 

BigKing

Blake Out of Hell III: Back in to Hell
Mar 11, 2003
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I think we can all agree that MacDermid doesn't belong in the lineup anymore, right?

My entire point with MacDermid is that it is better to have him playing 12 minutes a night if your only other options are Joakim Ryan, Fantenberg etc...because they have zero upside and don't bring that extra thing to the table that MacDermid does. If the guys playing instead of MacD don't move the needle and the team likes having MacD in the lineup then just play him.

Now, even in that scenario it means 3rd pairing and some PK while being paired with someone that can shelter him. That player is not Clague. So, yeah, it isn't surprising that it didn't look good for him once Walker and Roy went out.

All that said, my point still stands but the difference now is that they have options that can move the needle or--at the least--have upside that needs to be explored. Bjornfot is obvious and I've been saying that he has to be better than MacD right now or else he wouldn't be worth a 1st round pick. The issue here is whether they decide to burn a year off of his ELC. So the real mover here is Strand and I'm all about it. He can't sit with the way he is playing and he brings size and some physicality which is something the Kings don't have a ton of on the blueline.

MacDermid is never going to be a regular on a good team but he's going to slot in again at some point this season. He's never been ticketed for ice time once this team was ready to compete and his main contribution is locker room example type stuff. This guy had like a 1% chance of making the NHL and busted his ass to make it. That's real good stuff for the young prospects on this team to see especially when juxtaposed against a bunch of dudes that at times are coasting off of prior successes.

As for last night, that was a trash team they played and so was SJ the game before. What was good last night was the intensity being there from puck drop and not waning as the game went on. Thought Doughty was extremely engaged: he is so much better when he decides to be physical. Kudos to T-Mac for the 2nd PP unit and for not sticking with the 1st unit for 75% of the power play.

Small sample size but think about JAD whenever some of you start clamoring for 2018, '19 draftees and Byfield to be called up to be full time players this season. Most things are better out of the oven than the microwave.
 

Ollie Weeks

the sea does not dream of you
Feb 28, 2008
13,216
2,508
Bjornfot’s ELC? He’s playing pro North American hockey. I thought he’s on the grid no matter where we play him. Is it an age thing?
 

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