GDT: 2023-24 season game 23 LA Kings vs Montreal Canadiens @4:00pm 12/7/23

[Rorschach]

No Canadian team has won the cup since '93. The tainted win not only cursed the Habs but all teams in CA apparently.

Or maybe the curse of Patrick Roy.

 

[FeartheFur]

The curse of the curved stick

The Kings should have won in 93. Bullshit call on a rule that doesn’t exist anymore.

 

[Steve Zissou]

 

[FSL KINGS]

Hell fellas. Earlier today some Montreal fan was trolling saying how boring the Kings are to play. He said it reminded him of the New Jersey deal teams from the 90’s. What a f***ing idiot. First in the league goals per game is the Kings. Also. 2 games against Montreal. 8-0. Laughing my ass off right now!

In all fairness, it would be really boring to watch 120 minutes of hockey where your team doesn't score.

 

[King'sPawn]

Now if Clarke can be as good as Byfield…

I am still thinking it's possible that Clarke battles for the best of the draft. I thought he could challenge for first overall before the draft. Same with Byfield.

 

[Ghetty Green]

on the plus side we've hit the fiala bad penalty and stupid backhanded pass across the defensive slot out of the way so he should score any minute

I love how he added the "try to skate it right up the middle out of the zone and get swarmed" to his repitoire. He keeps things fresh.

And with QBs breakout, he can be Sols new whipping boy

 

[kingsfan28]

Kings playing much better than I expected. Awesome. The emergence of Byfield and Moore have been fantastic, and Kopitar/Doughty are playing like they're in their 20s again. And of course, goaltending is much more consistent.

Honestly, my biggest and only complaint at this time is PLD.

I'm going to cut PLD some slack this year. Once he gets better player around him and learns the system , I think he'll be fine. I remember VA struggled when he got here too. PLD isn't hurting the teams play.

My only complaint would be Spence and his lack of goals and points overall. 9 points in 22 is ok, yet they're all assists and for a guy running pp 2, it should be better.

 

[Statto]

It blows my mind that Canadians think they’re better than the US when they still have British royalty on their currency.

It’s actually their Royalty also. PM me and I will explain how the monarchy works

 

[Eagle Fang]

Guhle looked like a traffic cone in the way of a semi, and he's not a small guy. Byfield just bowled his ass over and didn't even break stride.

 

[Fishhead]

I'm going to cut PLD some slack this year. Once he gets better player around him and learns the system , I think he'll be fine. I remember VA struggled when he got here too. PLD isn't hurting the teams play.

My only complaint would be Spence and his lack of goals and points overall. 9 points in 22 is ok, yet they're all assists and for a guy running pp 2, it should be better.

When I see him not barreling down on people like I know he can, I get frustrated. Dude has it in him for sure and he can skate a hell of a lot harder.

When I think about what would happen if he was between Kempe and Byfield while Kopitar was with Grundy and Laf I feel a little better. Gotta give credit to Carl, he's working on his passing and vision, but he's still straight north-south. Laf is still like an excited kid on the first day of school out there. I know they want him to keep shooting, but his shot isn't good enough to routinely beat NHL goalies yet, and he doesn't know how to wait for traffic. He just launches it. Neither of those guys have structure in their game, they don't back off into soft spots to form triangles, it's just skate skate skate.

Kaliyev needs to be up on the 3rd, he's turned a corner with his positioning and board work. He used to be all over the place too, but now he's been skating less and getting to dangerous spots. Far more efficient. I'm not saying turn Laf into a grinder, but he could learn a lot about making the simple plays on the 4th with Lewis and Lizotte. Yeah, the third isn't hurting the team, but the coaches gotta see that it's just all over the place. But there aren't a ton of options, I guess.

 

[kilowatt]

Time on Ice tonight was a beauty to behold. Moore led all Kings forwards with 17:19 and Byfield surprisingly played the fewest minutes of any King tonight with 11:29. Kopitar only played 14 minutes! That’s a far cry from the 20+ minutes Kopitar was getting the last couple years.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Guhle looked like a traffic cone in the way of a semi, and he's not a small guy. Byfield just bowled his ass over and didn't even break stride.

Yup that's one of his peers, so that bodes well for QB's future.

When you can take a 6'3" top end defensive dman and ragdoll him into the washing machine at top speed...

seriously, it was bug-on-windshield physics, if I'm the video coach, I'm showing Byfield that every day to remind him how god damn big, fast, and skilled he is, and that anyone that you get even SLIGHT position on is absolutely dead to the play.

 

[King'sPawn]

When I see him not barreling down on people like I know he can, I get frustrated. Dude has it in him for sure and he can skate a hell of a lot harder.

When I think about what would happen if he was between Kempe and Byfield while Kopitar was with Grundy and Laf I feel a little better. Gotta give credit to Carl, he's working on his passing and vision, but he's still straight north-south. Laf is still like an excited kid on the first day of school out there. I know they want him to keep shooting, but his shot isn't good enough to routinely beat NHL goalies yet, and he doesn't know how to wait for traffic. He just launches it. Neither of those guys have structure in their game, they don't back off into soft spots to form triangles, it's just skate skate skate.

When Kopitar was put with grinders like King to get him going, he'd get going.

Now he's playing with young guys and seems to feed off their energy.

PLD's been with snipers and grinders and he goes about his job with the enthusiasm of a zoologist who has to help keep the panda's penis hard.

 

[bouncesonly]

When Kopitar was put with grinders like King to get him going, he'd get going.

Now he's playing with young guys and seems to feed off their energy.

PLD's been with snipers and grinders and he goes about his job with the enthusiasm of a zoologist who has to help keep the panda's penis hard.

I don't think those players best compliment his style of play. Arvidsson could be a good linemate for PLD if he makes it back.

 

[Eagle Fang]

Time on Ice tonight was a beauty to behold. Moore led all Kings forwards with 17:19 and Byfield surprisingly played the fewest minutes of any King tonight with 11:29. Kopitar only played 14 minutes! That’s a far cry from the 20+ minutes Kopitar was getting the last couple years.

TMac showing Montreal mercy. They wouldn't be able to handle 17 mins of Byfield.

 

[Statto]

Time on Ice tonight was a beauty to behold. Moore led all Kings forwards with 17:19 and Byfield surprisingly played the fewest minutes of any King tonight with 11:29. Kopitar only played 14 minutes! That’s a far cry from the 20+ minutes Kopitar was getting the last couple years.

It’s good TMac feels he can do that, it’ll help with the upcoming schedule plus it’s all minutes in the bank for the post season.

 

[kinghock]

Proud of the boys. I'm glad I was wrong about Byfield, that 1st goal had shades of young Kopi written all over. Doughty has noticeably elevated his game this year, looks like a new Drew.

He looks like a new Drew partially because he lost a lot of weight during last summer training.
I do not think he was in better shape for the last 5 years.

 

[rajuabju]

That’s now 8 goals and 21 points in 23 games for Byfield

Not even a PPG… what a bust we must trade this bum

 

[Wildturkey12]

PLD's been with snipers and grinders and he goes about his job with the enthusiasm of a zoologist who has to help keep the panda's penis hard.

I bet some of the zoologists who specialize in that line of work think it's pretty exciting.

 

[Rick Knickleback]

When I see him not barreling down on people like I know he can, I get frustrated. Dude has it in him for sure and he can skate a hell of a lot harder.

When I think about what would happen if he was between Kempe and Byfield while Kopitar was with Grundy and Laf I feel a little better. Gotta give credit to Carl, he's working on his passing and vision, but he's still straight north-south. Laf is still like an excited kid on the first day of school out there. I know they want him to keep shooting, but his shot isn't good enough to routinely beat NHL goalies yet, and he doesn't know how to wait for traffic. He just launches it. Neither of those guys have structure in their game, they don't back off into soft spots to form triangles, it's just skate skate skate.

Kaliyev needs to be up on the 3rd, he's turned a corner with his positioning and board work. He used to be all over the place too, but now he's been skating less and getting to dangerous spots. Far more efficient. I'm not saying turn Laf into a grinder, but he could learn a lot about making the simple plays on the 4th with Lewis and Lizotte. Yeah, the third isn't hurting the team, but the coaches gotta see that it's just all over the place. But there aren't a ton of options, I guess.

When you're getting 8.5/yr, you're supposed to be the guy who makes other people better. Winning cures a lot, but PLD is absolutely the turd in the punchbowl at the moment.

I agree I'd like to see him and Kaliyev reunited. Thought they had some chemistry.

 

[rajuabju]

When you're getting 8.5/yr, you're supposed to be the guy who makes other people better. Winning cures a lot, but PLD is absolutely the turd in the punchbowl at the moment.

I agree I'd like to see him and Kaliyev reunited. Thought they had some chemistry.

I think PLD is playing "ok" ... he's been fine, not great. But fine doesnt cut it when you are being paid 8.5/year. That said, I agree he needs better wingers, whether its Kaliyev or having to wait until when Arvy is back, or maybe something else (though I get TMac doesnt want to mess with the chemistry of the top6, so options are limited).

On the other hand, having PLD as our #3C, makes the matchups for other teams that much more difficult, and he's often seeing 2nd lines against him. And, also important, its helping to take a huge burden off Kopitar in terms of ice time. So yea, he is adding value, he's been playing fine.... but he isnt producing points or making his linemates better the way an 8.5/year C needs to be doing.

Considering the cash and term commitment we made to PLD, I really hope we/he finds some consistency and this works out not for just this year but beyond.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

You wanted Rob Blake fired all summer long.

Speculation: - LA Kings Offseason Thread

Van owns us and a healthy demko is worth points, plus they've added to their back end with Soucy and Cole Edmonton VGK top two seeds LAK Seattle Vancouver Calgary 4 teams fighting for last spot and wild card, 3 spots Anaheim San Jose It's not THAT far fetched a world in which the Kings...

forums.hfboards.com

You also were quite dramatic in the discussion about Anze Kopitar's extension.


But hey, you weren't the only one who was overreacting over the summer. I know critical thinking can be hard during the summer heat.

ooooh TASTY...I love when those past, ridiculous posts come back to haunt. Mr. Kontos was also extremely vocal about some twisted idea that Kaliyev would be banished to the AHL for the season because evil koala had a personal vendetta against him.

 

[Schmooley]

I agree I'd like to see him and Kaliyev reunited. Thought they had some chemistry.

Yea they were starting to find each other in the offensive zone.
Also it it could move Grundstrom down to the 4th line. He deserves the bigger role but him Lizotte and Lewis were really rolling and were such a good line.

 

[BringTheReign]

Yea they were starting to find each other in the offensive zone.
Also it it could move Grundstrom down to the 4th line. He deserves the bigger role but him Lizotte and Lewis were really rolling and were such a good line.

100%

I'd like to see Turcotte be rewarded with a shot at the third spot on a line with PLD and Kaliyev as well. Turcotte has shown great chemistry with Kaliyev and even Byfield in short looks. I've essentially written Arvidsson off for the year, but either he or Turc could give PLD a different look than Laferriere does. Laferriere has been great, but I'd rather him go back and get PP1/1st line minutes in Ontario to have a chance of developing into a rich man's Tanner Pearson rather than a poor man's version.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Yea they were starting to find each other in the offensive zone.
Also it it could move Grundstrom down to the 4th line. He deserves the bigger role but him Lizotte and Lewis were really rolling and were such a good line.

Just imagine the abundance of options we have now, that we move Grundstrom down to the 4th line, while acknowledging he deserves a bigger role....

I don't watch enough of other teams, Vegas, Boston etc, but F1 - F12, I gotta think this is probably the DEEPEST team in the league....Boston and Vegas both play very well and their stars are more....starrish if that makes sense (Eichel, Pastarnak, Marchand) but 1-12, not sure if there is a team as deep...