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

[bmr]

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.

Definitely going to give PLD the benefit of the doubt. I think adding Arvidsson to that line will do wonders for him and Laf is still getting his NHL feet under him and that will take awhile.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Woke up feeling great, nice to have a mostly stress-free convincing victory after the other night haha.

Top line is impossible to contain, even when they're not fully on. Three huge elite hockey players, two of which are the fastest in the league centered by the biggest brain of active players? QB just continues to grow, right when we need him most.

Trevor moore continues to impress--and I know this fanbase appreciates him but I want to give special props to Danault for being an amazing low-key role player enabling both Moore and Fiala.

PLD continues to do the right things--but when will it turn into production?

4th line is mostly just there right now, props to lewis and JAD is a good soldier but they're not the same buzzsaw they were. Would love to see Grundstrom-Lizotte-Lewis reunited in short order even at the 'expense' of the 'third' line.

Talbot can't stay this hot forever, team will need to clean things up. This looks like Sutter's proverbial 'end of a winning streak winning games you shouldn't' after the last two nights, playing one period in Columbus and sloppy in MTL. On a losing streak, Talbot doesn't make one of those big saves, two of those 5 or so posts go in, a puck hits Roy and banks in instead of away, and we're praying for a bounce. Enjoy the PDO bender, but tighten up!

Englund hasn't just changed my mind on him as a player and person, he's borderline my favorite dman on this team right now.

But I'm very glad these guys made history in such a manner, that will be good for morale and belief. They should KNOW they're a contender now, not just hope. And will ahve to continue to conduct themselves as such (ie you're likely getting every team's best every night and very few backup goalies, so can't just not show for the 1st period).

Definitely going to give PLD the benefit of the doubt. I think adding Arvidsson to that line will do wonders for him and Laf is still getting his NHL feet under him and that will take awhile.

I just don't think we can count on seeing Arvidsson this year like, at all.

I wouldn't tinker with it until we lose, but it's def time to tweak the bottom six.

When returning from the roadie:

Turcotte-PLD-Kaliyev
Grundstrom-lIzotte Lewis
Laf to Ontario, get some PP reps.

Edit; however, if he does mysteriously return, Arvidsson next to PLD would be wonderful.

 

[Fat Elvis]

Crazy to think PLD is younger than Grundstrom.

 

[AbsentMojo]

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.

Eventually they should incorporate QB into the PK which will up his minutes.. His speed and reach def could be useful for blocking passing lanes and gathering loose pucks.

 

[Telos]

Crazy to think PLD is younger than Grundstrom.

That is something that gives me hope. He isn't terrible, but he just has that unshakeable Frolov energy where you know he is good and smart, but his style makes it appear like he is not trying to his utmost, but he has done some good things and is very hard to contain. He is really young and has a frame and skillset that all teams crave with pedigree and there is room to grow on top of having a consistent past of putting up solid production.

The issue is he is always going to have a crosshair on him regardless because after this season he is our 2nd highest paid player and tied for the longest contact on the books with Anderson. He is paid like a first-line center but is on the third line with .5 PPG production. Fiala played on the third line with similar players as was still PPG, so he is going to be picked on no matter what as long as the production is lagging.

But it isn't doom and gloom yet and I have been trying hard and failing to not harp on it

There is a lot to like about the team right now and I think the 4th line needs to be reassembled into it's power energy form and the third line needs to be broken up and someone else needs to be given a cup of coffee. Perhaps Turcotte or Fagemo, or hell, just throw Clarke on the third line at this point...

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

not that I would ever break up Anze and QB

But maybe Anze's mentorship is needed there with PLD now too

You don't have to be crazy fiery to be effective

 

[bmr]

Woke up feeling great, nice to have a mostly stress-free convincing victory after the other night haha.

Top line is impossible to contain, even when they're not fully on. Three huge elite hockey players, two of which are the fastest in the league centered by the biggest brain of active players? QB just continues to grow, right when we need him most.

Trevor moore continues to impress--and I know this fanbase appreciates him but I want to give special props to Danault for being an amazing low-key role player enabling both Moore and Fiala.

PLD continues to do the right things--but when will it turn into production?

4th line is mostly just there right now, props to lewis and JAD is a good soldier but they're not the same buzzsaw they were. Would love to see Grundstrom-Lizotte-Lewis reunited in short order even at the 'expense' of the 'third' line.

Talbot can't stay this hot forever, team will need to clean things up. This looks like Sutter's proverbial 'end of a winning streak winning games you shouldn't' after the last two nights, playing one period in Columbus and sloppy in MTL. On a losing streak, Talbot doesn't make one of those big saves, two of those 5 or so posts go in, a puck hits Roy and banks in instead of away, and we're praying for a bounce. Enjoy the PDO bender, but tighten up!

Englund hasn't just changed my mind on him as a player and person, he's borderline my favorite dman on this team right now.

But I'm very glad these guys made history in such a manner, that will be good for morale and belief. They should KNOW they're a contender now, not just hope. And will ahve to continue to conduct themselves as such (ie you're likely getting every team's best every night and very few backup goalies, so can't just not show for the 1st period).



I just don't think we can count on seeing Arvidsson this year like, at all.

I wouldn't tinker with it until we lose, but it's def time to tweak the bottom six.

When returning from the roadie:

Turcotte-PLD-Kaliyev
Grundstrom-lIzotte Lewis
Laf to Ontario, get some PP reps.

Edit; however, if he does mysteriously return, Arvidsson next to PLD would be wonderful.

Arvy is month to month - I suspect we will see him shortly after the All-Star break. I'm sure they won't rush him back.

Eventually they should incorporate QB into the PK which will up his minutes.. His speed and reach def could be useful for blocking passing lanes and gathering loose pucks.

I can't believe they don't use him in OT more. I know they will always start with Kopi/Juice/Doughty, but i'd love to see Byfield and Kempe get a shift also.

not that I would ever break up Anze and QB

But maybe Anze's mentorship is needed there with PLD now too

You don't have to be crazy fiery to be effective

I don't think there's any way in our right minds we could break up that 1st line. I know it's still a ways off, but PLD needs a veteran presence on that line who can shoot the puck and that man is Viktor Arvidsson. The good thing is we really don't need him to be Superman right now. Here's hoping that everything lines up during the playoffs.

 

[kovacro]

Haven't had the chance to watch many games in their entirety this season, but just chiming in to say that Byfield looked solid lastnight. It's definitely starting to click for him. Sky is the limit for the kid.

Mad Max has nothing on these guys, they are the true road warriors. Amazing accomplishment to start the year with 11 consecutive road wins.

 

[AbsentMojo]

I can't believe they don't use him in OT more. I know they will always start with Kopi/Juice/Doughty, but i'd love to see Byfield and Kempe get a shift also.

yes thats a no-brainer right? he does get a shift once in a while.. but it is a head scratcher that he's not one of the focal points of 3 on 3

 

[bmr]

yes thats a no-brainer right? he does get a shift once in a while.. but it is a head scratcher that he's not one of the focal points of 3 on 3

Speed kills in OT, as we've seen from Kempe. No offense to Kopi, but he just doesn't have that explosiveness. Kempe and Byfield together should dominate.

 

[tny760]

i have a feeling todd just has his OT trios picked as a general coaching thing and they just have set plays, i'm honestly kinda alright with him not trying to improvise midgame

 

[Bandit]

not that I would ever break up Anze and QB

But maybe Anze's mentorship is needed there with PLD now too

You don't have to be crazy fiery to be effective

That's the thing though, it's not fire PLD is missing, it's work ethic. Kopitar will never feed a guy his stick but he always skates hard are works hard. PLD be like:

"Good enough!" For 8.5 mil that's downright horseshit.

 

[Fripp]

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.

Gotta get that body ripped if he's going back on the dating market.

 

[tny760]

Gotta get that body ripped if he's going back on the dating market.

ehh, the $100M probably eases that problem over a little bit

 

[Steve Zissou]

@bmr This is a beauty of a gif for a user photo. Nicely done.

 

[johnjm22]

not that I would ever break up Anze and QB

But maybe Anze's mentorship is needed there with PLD now too

You don't have to be crazy fiery to be effective

Or maybe PLD needs QB's mentorship.

If you were going to break up the first line (not that I'm suggesting it), I actually think Moore would slot in quite well in the LW spot.

Moore-Kopitar-Kempe would be a downgrade but still an effective line. Then you could use QB to try and "help" get PLD going.

Byfield really helped get the top line going last year.

Danault can pretty much carry a line himself.

 

[Sol]

Kopitar playing so well for his age is pretty f***ing crazy to me. I did not expect him to age this gracefully. Especially with his workload.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Speed kills in OT, as we've seen from Kempe. No offense to Kopi, but he just doesn't have that explosiveness. Kempe and Byfield together should dominate.

Could use Kopi for first faceoff like Carolina does on their PP and have him come off for QB.. that would be creative and logical

Kopitar playing so well for his age is pretty f***ing crazy to me. I did not expect him to age this gracefully. Especially with his workload.

Maybe because his avg ice time is way down.. he's a primary on the PK too, that wears your legs so hard

 

[Statto]

Kopitar playing so well for his age is pretty f***ing crazy to me. I did not expect him to age this gracefully. Especially with his workload.

It’s starting to make his extension look like a steal. If this is the effect of shaving his minutes like they are it’s easy to see how it may end up good value.

 

[Kudelski37]

Kopitar playing so well for his age is pretty f***ing crazy to me. I did not expect him to age this gracefully. Especially with his workload.

I don't think it is an accident Kopi has the two fastest guys on the team on his line. They cover so much ice that he doesn't need to anymore...like having a great centerfielder makes the other outfielders look better.

I will have to check the edge stats to see if Kopi is skating a shorter distance per minute of TOI this year compared to last year.

 

[bmr]

I don't think it is an accident Kopi has the two fastest guys on the team on his line. They cover so much ice that he doesn't need to anymore...like having a great centerfielder makes the other outfielders look better.

I will have to check the edge stats to see if Kopi is skating a shorter distance per minute of TOI this year compared to last year.

It's really a perfect combination for Kopi. Those guys will demand so much attention and coverage that it gives Anze even more time to process the game and either set them up or be another scoring threat.

 

[FSL KINGS]

That's the thing though, it's not fire PLD is missing, it's work ethic. Kopitar will never feed a guy his stick but he always skates hard are works hard. PLD be like:

View attachment 779951

"Good enough!" For 8.5 mil that's downright horseshit.

With inflation, escrow 8.5 is like the new 5.5.

Balancing out the minutes is more important than stat padding. Just wait for PLD to get comfortable & some linemates that can bury a shot.

Everything is fine.

 

[Kudelski37]

My thought was wrong. Looks like Kopi is skating a greater distance per minute and per game this year compared to last year: 0.164 miles/minute and 3.15 miles per game compared to 0.155 miles/minute and 3.14 miles/game. Change looks to be only dependent on ice time...and possibly off season training. In 21-22, he was at 0.169 miles/minutes and 3.53 miles/game.

 

[Statto]

My thought was wrong. Looks like Kopi is skating a greater distance per minute and per game this year compared to last year: 0.164 miles/minute and 3.15 miles per game compared to 0.155 miles/minute and 3.14 miles/game. Change looks to be only dependent on ice time...and possibly off season training. In 21-22, he was at 0.169 miles/minutes and 3.53 miles/game.

Fewer minutes allows for greater intensity

 

[Kudelski37]

Fewer minutes allows for greater intensity

Definitely. It was a possibility that he had to skate less due to his fast linemates....especially with large amount of O zone possession resulting in not having to skate back to the defensive zone as often.