GDT: 2023-24 season game 22 LA Kings vs Columbus Blue Jackets @4:00pm 12/5/23

[johnjm22]

PLD finally got traded to a place where he wants to be. He just got a big contract. He's gonna come flying out of the gate trying to prove all the haters wrong. Nope.

PLD is going against Tortorella, maybe he'll be extra motivated. Nope.

PLD is playing his old team the Jets, maybe he'll play extra hard. Nope.

PLD is playing against the team that drafted him and their crowd constantly boos him, maybe it'll light a fire under his ass. Nope.

 

[Omni Owl]

Last year I would've turned a game like this off after the 2nd, but with this year's team it pays to stick around. Fiala just seems like too high of a risk/reward player, plus he takes a lot of bad penalties. PLD looks off to me and he's not as tenacious on the puck as he should be, rarely battling. He gets a poor grade on the eye test, but at the very least he f***s up the matchup for the other teams. Despite some minor flaws they're still finding ways to win. Can't WAIT to get Lizotte back, he's sorely missed...

 

[The Butcher]

This year is starting to feel special.

 

[LeftKinger]

My biggest issue with Dubois is his effort level if the play doesn’t work out in his favor. It’s not what the Kings are about based on the last few years and it’s loser mentality. I don’t know if he’s just soured on his line mates and his place in the lineup. It could be sulking, but whatever it is, he needs to figure it out or the guys going to be an anchor of a contract for this team. Other than the occasional nice drive to the net what has this guy shown? Already looking like a bum.

 

[chris kontos]

PLD is going against Tortorella, maybe he'll be extra motivated. Nope.

PLD is playing his old team the Jets, maybe he'll play extra hard. Nope.

PLD is playing against the team that drafted him and their crowd constantly boos him, maybe it'll light a fire under his ass. Nope.

Pld's deal imo is he is an extremely physically gifted player who really doesnt like the game that comes so easily to him.
A baseball player he reminds me alot of is rendon. But at least rendon openly admits he doesnt like the sport hes paid millions to play. One would think that eventually personal embarrassment at thesalarys these guys get would provide some production but there are people who can fart in an elevator full of people and not be embarrassed.
In the future we are going to be hating on that 8.5x8 contract were stuck with. Ive watched pld play alot of hockey and what we are seeing is what we are going to be getting for the next 7+ yrs.

 

[VILARGOD]

My biggest issue with Dubois is his effort level if the play doesn’t work out in his favor. It’s not what the Kings are about based on the last few years and it’s loser mentality. I don’t know if he’s just soured on his line mates and his place in the lineup. It could be sulking, but whatever it is, he needs to figure it out or the guys going to be an anchor of a contract for this team. Other than the occasional nice drive to the net what has this guy shown? Already looking like a bum.

It's super noticeable. When a play doesn't go his way he visibly gives up and puck watches in disappointment for a second before floating off. Hopefully the coaching staff has a plan to work with these parts of PLD's game but old habits die hard

 

[Nasti]

I think we have to accept the fact that PLD will likely not get much better during the season. Hopefully, an offseason reset will help because 8 years is a long time.

 

[King'sPawn]

I still can't believe I got crucified for merely suggesting PLD could use better linemates (while he also needs to be better). Unfortunately Laf and Grund don't draw alot of defenders to them, never really helping create space for PLD. He gets swarmed nearly every time he has the puck, seen as the only "danger" on the ice when that lines out. Kings don't have the likes of Connor and Scheifle/Wheeler lying around to help but by god we need some more dangerous wingers next to him to actually draw defenders

Right. And in no way am I denying he needs to be better. Better linemates wouldn't fix all the issues I have with PLD. I am merely just saying he would benefit from better more dangerous linemates creating space and drawing defenders out there. It's a controversial take it seems

So you think people disagreeing with you is crucifying you?

Saying a player would benefit from better players isn't controversial. It just only goes so far. He already had better players and couldn't make it work.

Let's put it this way - which linemates should he have? What lines should be broken up to accommodate him further?

 

[VILARGOD]

Maybe, but his current linemates do complement him well. Honestly, I think PLD would bring whoever he is playing with down at this point. He needs to step things up a lot more if he thinks he deserves anyone better to play with. At this point, he would bring the 4th line down.

Right, and let me state this now for the record that I am not saying I am 100% correct in this assessment and everybody else is wrong. PL could get some better linemates who create more space and draw more defenders and he could still be trash. We just don't know. It's just of my opinion that it would benefit him.

 

[WHOneedsSOX]

Right. And in no way am I denying he needs to be better. Better linemates wouldn't fix all the issues I have with PLD. I am merely just saying he would benefit from better more dangerous linemates creating space and drawing defenders out there. It's a controversial take it seems

I agree. He needs to be better. Getting paid that much, he can't be the one to get carried.

 

[LeftKinger]

It's super noticeable. When a play doesn't go his way he visibly gives up and puck watches in disappointment for a second before floating off. Hopefully the coaching staff has a plan to work with these parts of PLD's game but old habits die hard

What is there to work on? That’s just effort. It’s become more and more noticeable as the seasons gone on. Guy looks checked even though the team is on a tear. Seems like one of those guys who is happy about the team doing well if he’s also doing well. He’s trending towards being a detriment, whereas he was at least a neutral part of the equation for most of the season. Maybe I’m overreacting but his game today pissed me off.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

What is there to work on? That’s just effort. It’s become more and more noticeable as the seasons gone on. Guy looks checked even though the team is on a tear. Seems like one of those guys who is happy about the team doing well if he’s also doing well. He’s trending towards being a detriment, whereas he was at least a neutral part of the equation for most of the season. Maybe I’m overreacting but his game today pissed me off.

MAYBE you are overreacting? Trending towards being a detriment, and you think it's a maybe you are overreacting?

 

[bmr]

Maybe, but his current linemates do complement him well. Honestly, I think PLD would bring whoever he is playing with down at this point. He needs to step things up a lot more if he thinks he deserves anyone better to play with. At this point, he would bring the 4th line down.

He does seem disconnected a lot. I think Dewey was right earlier this year when he said PLD plays best when he's pissed off.

 

[VILARGOD]

So you think people disagreeing with you is crucifying you?

Saying a player would benefit from better players isn't controversial. It just only goes so far. He already had better players and couldn't make it work.

Let's put it this way - which linemates should he have? What lines should be broken up to accommodate him further?

Crucifying was an exaggeration not meant to be taken serious but it probably wasn't necessary. We've already been over this exact discussion but maybe I should have used better words that wouldn't have somewhat kicked the bee hive

We don't have any better linemates for him at the moment and we don't want to break up any lines. Hopefully Arvy can return and we can pray him and PL create something special together but theres nothing we can do right now (besides possibly bringing up talent from the Reign but that seems unlikely at the moment)

I've only stated what I stated as an opinion (just as everybody else does all day on here) and in response to people replying to me saying it's 100% PLD's fault and better linemates wouldn't help him. I respect your opinion and frankly we will get no where with this conversation so we should probably leave it at that

 

[VILARGOD]

What is there to work on? That’s just effort. It’s become more and more noticeable as the seasons gone on. Guy looks checked even though the team is on a tear. Seems like one of those guys who is happy about the team doing well if he’s also doing well. He’s trending towards being a detriment, whereas he was at least a neutral part of the equation for most of the season. Maybe I’m overreacting but his game today pissed me off.

"work on" = talk to him. Work with him. It's what the coaching staff is there for. But sure, ill join you in all hope lost and nobody will ever be able to work with him on getting more out of him on the ice

 

[LeftKinger]

MAYBE you are overreacting? Trending towards being a detriment, and you think it's a maybe you are overreacting?

Definitely an overreaction, just frustrating on a team led/captained by a guy as steady as Kopi to see a newly signed 8 million dollar center coast after a play doesn’t work out. Goes completely against the identity this team has built. Still early though so we’ll see.

 

[kilowatt]

Pld's deal imo is he is an extremely physically gifted player who really doesnt like the game that comes so easily to him.
A baseball player he reminds me alot of is rendon. But at least rendon openly admits he doesnt like the sport hes paid millions to play. One would think that eventually personal embarrassment at thesalarys these guys get would provide some production but there are people who can fart in an elevator full of people and not be embarrassed.
In the future we are going to be hating on that 8.5x8 contract were stuck with. Ive watched pld play alot of hockey and what we are seeing is what we are going to be getting for the next 7+ yrs.

I don't disagree, but a trend I've noticed is that players injected into the lineup don't look engaged for some time. It takes players seemingly forever to get up to speed. Is there something behind the curtain with Todd's system that's forcing guys to do things besides "just go play hockey"? I had the same exact criticisms of Byfield last season and he's come out the gate flying this year. That doesn't necessarily excuse his play this year, just wondering if there's something to it.

 

[LeftKinger]

"work on" = talk to him. Work with him. It's what the coaching staff is there for. But sure, ill join you in all hope lost and nobody will ever be able to work with him on getting more out of him on the ice

Didn’t say it was a lost cause, but these are troubling signs.

 

[bland]

I don't disagree, but a trend I've noticed is that players injected into the lineup don't look engaged for some time. It takes players seemingly forever to get up to speed. Is there something behind the curtain with Todd's system that's forcing guys to do things besides "just go play hockey"? I had the same exact criticisms of Byfield last season and he's come out the gate flying this year. That doesn't necessarily excuse his play this year, just wondering if there's something to it.

Literally everybody other than PLD not only fit in but surpassed expectations.

Lewis, Talbot, Englund, Laferriere to some degree, Spence as a regular have all been important parts to the team.

And then there's that dude getting $8.5 million.

That is so much money for so little impact.

 

[bland]

Anyway, lots of good things.

A couple of weeks ago, after Kaliyev was switched with Grundstrom, Fox made a very interesting but quick line about getting Kaliyev to be the alpha on a line. Assuming that's a line floating around him, and by golly we are seeing it.

He's emerging from a one-note shooter waiting to be fed into someone who can take ownership of his line. Awesome to see.

Mikey Anderson is a stud defenseman. Unbeatable most nights. That play he made tonight that somehow only Evans noticed despite 3 replays was remarkable.

 

[Kingnut]

PLD finally got traded to a place where he wants to be. He just got a big contract. He's gonna come flying out of the gate trying to prove all the haters wrong. Nope.

PLD is going against Tortorella, maybe he'll be extra motivated. Nope.

PLD is playing his old team the Jets, maybe he'll play extra hard. Nope.

PLD is playing against the team that drafted him and their crowd constantly boos him, maybe it'll light a fire under his ass. Nope.

LMAO

 

[johnjm22]

PLD is getting 9M this year.

Next year he gets 11.25M and the year after that 11.35M.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

PLD is getting 9M this year.

Next year he gets 11.25M and the year after that 11.35M.

Where's the preseason version of this player? He looked like a mobile version of Jason Allison at first, and is now loafing around like Alexander Frolov.

 

[johnjm22]

Where's the preseason version of this player? He looked like a mobile version of Jason Allison at first, and is now loafing around like Alexander Frolov.

I have seen him play good hockey before.

In fact, I've seen him be great at times.

 

[VILARGOD]

I like to imagine what this team would look like if RB had landed Eichel when he had the chance. No trade for PLD