GDT: 2023-24 season game 44 LA Kings vs San Jose Sharks @7:30pm 1/22/24

[King'sPawn]

Not really sure how you blame him for the goal against, but the rest I agree with.

I put most of the blame on Laferriere and Clarke, but he stopped moving his feet the moment he was out of stick's reach.

 

[KopitarGOAT420]

Again, don't understand why the Kings didn't roll out....

Byfield-Kopitar-Kempe
Arvidsson-Danault-Moore
Fiala-UFA-Vilardi
Grundstrom-Lizotte-Lewis/Kupari

If the Kings would have just moved AI and his 4 million - they would have 3 million to sign a 3C - Kupari got 1 million.

ROR signed for 4.5 million.
Bjugstad signed for 2.1 million.
Duchene signed for 3 million.

And we've seen in the past 2 games (with the exception of the 3rd period last night when he was pulled back to wing to pick up PLD's slack) that Byfield can play center effectively. He could've been that "big 3rd line center that creates match up nightmares for opposing teams".

So they also technically didn't need to sign a 3C.... They could've gone with something like:
Vilardi-Kopitar-Kempe
Fiala-Danault-Arvidsson/Laferriere
Moore-Byfield-Kaliyev
Grundstrom-Lizotte-Lewis/Kupari

Now is that forward group significantly better than our current forward group? Maybe, maybe not - its debatable for sure. However, even if that lineup isn't better than our current lineup it would've left us with a MUCH better cap situation - They would've had a couple million dollars lying around to improve the team elsewhere. We also likely would've ended up with more draft picks as well. We would've kept the Durzi 2nd rounder and likely netted a pick or two in return for Iafallo.

Byfield could've played center. Hell, Vilardi probably could've played 3C pretty effectively. Management should've realized this - Instead, they tunnel visioned and bet the farm on PLD - a guy who doesn't even seem to fit the team's system. It's a REALLY bad f*ck up. PLD needs to become a 70+ point center or an 80+ point winger in order to even begin to justify the move.

 

[The Butcher]

Problem is Kempe and Kopitar suck right now too . Heck i have never seen Kopitar be as much of a liability as he has lately and thats on the coach. Whether its him being ridiculously overplayed or otherwise

Pld isnt the only issue with the team right now . Majority of the team is suckin hard including Kempe and Kopitar most of all .

We are currently a 1 line team and thats Fiala and Moore , i think Danault could be better as well . But hey its only Plds fault

Literally nobody is saying this but I'm starting to assign him a bigger part of the blame with every passing shift. In any workplace setting watching someone making 3, 4, 5 times as much as you coast through their workday without any repercussions is f***ing demoralizing, whether it's in the ice or in an office.

 

[WHOneedsSOX]

At some point PLD's teammates are going to start looking at him and see him making 2x/4x/8x as much as them, see him not producing, see him floating around not giving a shit, and it's going to cause tension in the locker room. When you're the new guy in the room, you're the one supposed to be fitting in trying to prove you're worth the massive haul your team gave up.

 

[tny760]

You'll be happy to know Kopitar played 23 and a half minutes again last night and Doughty over 28

Gee I wonder

mId gAmE aDjUsTmEnTs

 

[bland]

I put most of the blame on Laferriere and Clarke, but he stopped moving his feet the moment he was out of stick's reach.

It's the obvious, general disinterest in what's happening around him that is so damning.

Not once have we seen him anticipate anything. Its just one thought, then if something changes, that's it. No adaptability, no hustle, just floating around waiting for somebody else to do something.

Rookies are going to make mistakes. They NEED to so they can progress. We need Laferriere and Clarke to err on the side of aggression so they can learn when to dial it back. You mitigate that by having a general sense of awareness from the vets on the ice who should be reading plays and be prepared to cover for the youthful transgressions.

Dubois is just flat out oblivious to everything around him. Completely disinterested.

 

[Sol]

can you imagine that Woodcroft took the Oilers to the WCF and got fired for a losing streak. And the Kings have a loser coach who spiraled them from nearly first in the NHL to out of the playoffs in a month, and the GM says that the thought didn’t even cross their mind to fire him.

Todd the Throat Goat of 2024

 

[SlimCharles]

And we've seen in the past 2 games (with the exception of the 3rd period last night when he was pulled back to wing to pick up PLD's slack) that Byfield can play center effectively. He could've been that "big 3rd line center that creates match up nightmares for opposing teams".

So they also technically didn't need to sign a 3C.... They could've gone with something like:
Vilardi-Kopitar-Kempe
Fiala-Danault-Arvidsson/Laferriere
Moore-Byfield-Kaliyev
Grundstrom-Lizotte-Lewis/Kupari

Now is that forward group significantly better than our current forward group? Maybe, maybe not - its debatable for sure. However, even if that lineup isn't better than our current lineup it would've left us with a MUCH better cap situation - They would've had a couple million dollars lying around to improve the team elsewhere. We also likely would've ended up with more draft picks as well. We would've kept the Durzi 2nd rounder and likely netted a pick or two in return for Iafallo.

Byfield could've played center. Hell, Vilardi probably could've played 3C pretty effectively. Management should've realized this - Instead, they tunnel visioned and bet the farm on PLD - a guy who doesn't even seem to fit the team's system. It's a REALLY bad f*ck up. PLD needs to become a 70+ point center or an 80+ point winger in order to even begin to justify the move.

It's a lot better, and cheaper like you said. It's an absolute disaster of a trade.

As soon as I saw Vilardi's name in that trade I had instantaneous bad feelings. That's what bothered me the most, not even the contract. Losing Gabe absolutely sucks.

 

[YP44]

Holy Shit QB played in OT!! About friggin time.

LA got goalied last night. I am not a trash panda fan but good to see him bench PLD's ass. Although odd timing for me. The time to do that was before switching the lines. Only giving a guy 4 periods with Kopitar and Kempe seems too harsh to change shit, then again it is put up or shut up for the coaches, PLD and lots of others.

 

[jgs]

KIngs loose a game they should have won, good teams win the games they should win but not these Kings.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

KIngs loose a game they should have won, good teams win the games they should win but not these Kings.

Ya, if it's one game in isolation, no matter the opponent--shit happens.

But this shit has happened all but 5 of the last 22 games so

you are who your record says you are and over the last quarter season Kings are a lottery team.

 

[lumbergh]

KIngs loose a game they should have won, good teams win the games they should win but not these Kings.

You might have forgotten that the Kings have 5 points out of a possible 6 against the Sharks so far. There was a stretch in mid December where they went 4-1 against Kraken, Sharks, Kraken, Flames, and Sharks.

They're in a bad stretch now, but they were doing exactly what you said they should. They've been good against crap teams, but crap against good teams.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

You might have forgotten that the Kings have 5 points out of a possible 6 against the Sharks so far. There was a stretch in mid December where they went 4-1 against Kraken, Sharks, Kraken, Flames, and Sharks.

They're in a bad stretch now, but they were doing exactly what you said they should. They've been good against crap teams, but crap against good teams.

Not just one of--they were literally THE BEST in the league vs. bottom 16 teams, and near the bottom of the league vs. top 16 teams.

So starting to lose against bottom 16 teams is a pretty bad sign.

Lottery pace lately.