GDT: 2021-22 season game 62 LA Kings vs Colorado Avalanche @7:30pm 3/15/22

[Trash Panda]

He's back in hybernation mode. Just when we all thought he was past that...10 games without a point or goal. -5 too.

Kempe has never been a line driving player, he is a medium-ish skill speedster who needs a play driving center in order to produce.

Sadly, Kopitar damn sure ain’t playing like a play driving center at the moment.

You’d see better results from Kempe playing with Lizotte, not to suggest that’s a viable option, but it’s where we are at.

 

[fsanford]

Whatever. Even on their best and healthiest day it'd be tough to beat the Avs.

SJ, VGK, Chi, Sea(2) in 5 of the next 6 games. That's all that matters.

It's time to sack up against the Sharks. You know Vegas will give everything they have, if they have anything left, in that game. Chi is Chi, who knows. A home and home with Sea, they're looking to ruin seasons. Have to get 7, 8pts at least in those 5 games. The Preds will be tough.

Vegas is just as beat up at he Kings if not more. That will be a triage game

 

[Master Yoda]

The PP was mediocre/bad with Jamie Kompon, Daryl Sutter and Lombardi. They craziest things is it’s happened through regime changes and personnel changes.

The two constants have been Kopitar and Doughty.
One guy slows things down and handles the puck too much, and the other guy likes to shoot it into legs.
I guess in their defense though, the second unit hasn't been much better either.

 

[Master Yoda]

Kempe has never been a line driving player, he is a medium-ish skill speedster who needs a play driving center in order to produce.

Sadly, Kopitar damn sure ain’t playing like a play driving center at the moment.

You’d see better results from Kempe playing with Lizotte, not to suggest that’s a viable option, but it’s where we are at.

They should try Kopitar with two bangers like Grundstrom and Andersson.
Sutter often put King and Nolan with him to get him going and that seemed to work.

 

[Bandit]

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Another special teams loss. Penalty 2 was such crap, it was no different than the hit McKinnan did to Moore earlier in the period.

I’ve been told this isn’t really a problem.

 

[bland]

They should try Kopitar with two bangers like Grundstrom and Andersson.
Sutter often put King and Nolan with him to get him going and that seemed to work.

And Simmonds and Richardson before that.

Anze is clearly laboring. Way, way too many minutes earlier in the year coupled with that mileage is going to negate anybody. But the big thing to notice, the thing I have been saying for over a decade now, is that when Anze stops producing it is due to him taking up pessimistic positions on the ice.

Offensive players must think positively - that pass won't get deflected, my shot will make it thru traffic, my linemate will win that board battle, I will win this race to that loose puck. Thinking and acting positively forces the defense to back off because defensemen know that they can't allow.themselves to be beat. That opens lanes and encourages your teammates to step in aggressively.

When your top point producer thinks negatively and plays as though nothing will break right so I must be prepared to be in the right spot defensively, it neuters the whole attack. Anze has been playing as a pessimist instead of as an optomist and he isn't driving anyone anywhere positively.

 

[Fat Elvis]

It's apparent that Spence And Moverare are NHL players. Durzi has made Walker expendable, Spence is better than Durzi IMO.
Moverare would be a fine bottom pairing dman. Both are such smart players. I think both should be in the opening night conversation next season.

 

[MBH]

It seems unfair for Colorado to have big, skilled, fast guys like Burakovsky and Nichushkin on top of all that elite talent.
10 guys have 11 goals or more.

 

[Master Yoda]

It's apparent that Spence And Moverare are NHL players. Durzi has made Walker expendable, Spence is better than Durzi IMO.
Moverare would be a fine bottom pairing dman. Both are such smart players. I think both should be in the opening night conversation next season.

With the way Spence has looked, I would think about moving Durzi as well. He'd be a significant piece in any possible trade.

 

[MBH]

It's apparent that Spence And Moverare are NHL players. Durzi has made Walker expendable, Spence is better than Durzi IMO.
Moverare would be a fine bottom pairing dman. Both are such smart players. I think both should be in the opening night conversation next season.

Spence has 1 assist in 4 games
Durzi, through 44 games, is 2-15-17 with 71 shots. Not sure if

Guys like Walker and Matt Roy have always been temporary fillers to me.
I'd like to see Stand get some time.

I'm not sure how many small defenseman the Kings should employ given their goaltending issues.

 

[Schmooley]

It seems unfair for Colorado to have big, skilled, fast guys like Burakovsky and Nichushkin on top of all that elite talent.
10 guys have 11 goals or more.

Yea I remember wanting the Kings to go after those 2 guys and also Toews before Colorado. Also imagine how unfair it would have been if Yakupov hit when they took a chance on him.
They made some good choices bringing those guys in.

 

[Master Yoda]

Maybe he threw out his shoulder on the water bottle throw?

 

[kilowatt]

With the way Spence has looked, I would think about moving Durzi as well. He'd be a significant piece in any possible trade.

I think Durzi is one of the few reasons we are where we are. He kind of has that Zegras effect, steps in and just owns the place. For an anemic team like the Kings, especially emotionally, that's a pretty big deal.

 

[Telos]

We are hard on TMac, but I am glad that the rope he's given the vets does run out. The rope is longer than I would have liked, but at least he is eventually reacting versus someone like Sutter who would just force it till the end.

 

[Master Yoda]

I think Durzi is one of the few reasons we are where we are. He kind of has that Zegras effect, steps in and just owns the place. For an anemic team like the Kings, especially emotionally, that's a pretty big deal.

After the great start to his NHL career (first 25~30 games) Durzi's not looked quite as good. He's getting beat more often on the backend, and not producing as much as he did earlier.
It's tough to evaluate a guy based on half a season so maybe I'm just talking out of my ass.
He definitely provides an offensive spark from that position that not even Doughty can provide, but Spence definitely looks like he's going to make Durzi, or someone else expendable real soon.
Spence is still waiver exempt so it might not be until next year's offseason.

 

[AlphaBravo]

I gotta say. Even though we lost, I was surprised at how mobile our defense was. Outside of a few instances, we didn't get pinned in the D-zone like we have seen from prior years. It is refreshing to see that our youth on D are fast and mobile. I disagree with the above comment that Roy is replaceable in light of this youth resurgence. Roy is a rock on the back end that we need. I also like Durzi's ability to quarterback, which is something we are lacking. I would wait until the off-season to see how the D will shape up in 2022-23. But for the trade deadline, I would hold off on acquiring a defenseman, as we have strong talent in that department. What we need are scoring wingers that also fit medium or long term solution. I would not trade a 1st for an expiring UFA, but if there is someone late 20s from a rebuilding team, I would consider a package.

 

[DoktorJeep]

Spence is such a great skater. I thought his lack of size would force him to adjust against nhl forwards. But he hasn’t gotten blown up or shoved around so far.

 

[dman3474]

Spence is such a great skater. I thought his lack of size would force him to adjust against nhl forwards. But he hasn’t gotten blown up or shoved around so far.

And has stood up some bigger layers too!

EDIT: players

 

[Lt Dan]

And has stood up some bigger layers too!

Like a cake!!!

 

[Kurrilino]

Kempe has never been a line driving player, he is a medium-ish skill speedster who needs a play driving center in order to produce.

Sadly, Kopitar damn sure ain’t playing like a play driving center at the moment.

You’d see better results from Kempe playing with Lizotte, not to suggest that’s a viable option, but it’s where we are at.

You are a way better person than i am.
I would have phrased "at the moment" a little different

 

[Trash Panda]

After the great start to his NHL career (first 25~30 games) Durzi's not looked quite as good. He's getting beat more often on the backend, and not producing as much as he did earlier.
It's tough to evaluate a guy based on half a season so maybe I'm just talking out of my ass.
He definitely provides an offensive spark from that position that not even Doughty can provide, but Spence definitely looks like he's going to make Durzi, or someone else expendable real soon.
Spence is still waiver exempt so it might not be until next year's offseason.

Offense be damned, it’s refreshing to see someone step in & show some sack.

Durzi has more fire than anyone on the roster not named Danault, Lizotte, or Lemieux.

 

[BigKing]

I've really liked Spence so far. Very smart. Gets out of trouble well. No hesitation to fire it on net and it has some zip to it.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Spence being great doesn't mean Durzi hasn't been good as well. Spence just profiles much more as a #1 "style" dman who can do it all while Durzi was always going to be more of an OFD, so he has no business playing the #1-2 dman minutes he's been getting lately. He looks overmatched because he's being used like he's Jake Muzzin right now. The experience will be great for him in the long run. Dont' let Spence being a revelation dampen Durzi.

 

[Sol]

He's back in hybernation mode. Just when we all thought he was past that...10 games without a point or goal. -5 too.

I don’t get how people can honestly blame Kempe when Kopitar and Iafallo are playing like complete trash. Kempe is playing the best on the line.

 

[Sol]

I like Durzi more than Spence because Durzi doesn’t back down from a confrontation