GDT: 2023-24 season game 53 LA Kings vs Pittsburgh Penguins @3:00pm 2/18/24

[Ziggy Stardust]

I always hoped for Jagr to wind up in Los Angeles. The Caps got rid of him for Anson Carter, and of course the Kings wound up with Carter via Washington. We all remember how that turned out. And Jagr tore up the league again as a Ranger.

 

[johnjm22]

Why not EDM? We are exactly one point behind them although they do have two games in hand. Having said that I would rather finish fourth and face VAN and let VGK and EDM duke it out in the first round.

Because they're better than us. Hard to imagine LA winning more game than them from here on out.

VGK on the other hand looks like they're having a hangover season.

We'll likely be playing EDM or VAN or the Central Division winner in round 1 if we make the playoffs. It looks pretty dire.

 

[Sol]

Aww, such class.


Yah, totally.

lol you’re too easy. What did you get him for valentines lmaooo

 

[Frolov 6'3]

I always hoped for Jagr to wind up in Los Angeles. The Caps got rid of him for Anson Carter, and of course the Kings wound up with Carter via Washington. We all remember how that turned out. And Jagr tore up the league again as a Ranger.

To be honest, i cant list too many high profile players who succeeded here via a trade or free agency.

As Jagr fan, I am kind glad he went to the Rangers.

 

[kingsfan28]

With a whopping +0 goal differential as of tonight…

The 7 GA in 1 game does kind of skew things a bit. Winning the next 3 tells a better story.

 

[The Butcher]

Held a lead for about 12 minutes total on that road trip and got 6 of 8 points.

I'm still cautious but the ability to bounce back after getting humiliated in the first game and then continue to bounce back in the 3rd period of the remaining games shows me something.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Held a lead for about 12 minutes total on that road trip and got 6 of 8 points.

I'm still cautious but the ability to bounce back after getting humiliated in the first game and then continue to bounce back in the 3rd period of the remaining games shows me something.

To me that was the major missing element before

I mean that road trip where they were playing like shit but coming from behind was far different than now. Their structural play was a shitshow, even if they were showing some residual confidence from the early season run, believed they could win.

There was a while were they were playing well but just not getting results, and they'd completely implode. It was the opposite, the structure was fantastic, but the mental game evaporated. YOu could see the body language.

Now they're playing well and not getting shook when they go down one or two. They'd get scored on then just go back to business. Kind of putting it together. I'm with you that I'm absolutely cautiously optimistic--but those two pieces haven't co-existed yet this season until this roadie.

And major props to Hiller's in game adjustments at times, you can actually see the waves of change sometimes, when pitt adjusted their breakout, the kings adjusted into different lanes.

Also like that he's not scared to shake up the lines for a bit.

He's not perfect and some of the complaints are residual...but he's showing adaptability from the first game he took over where things were 'mostly the same.'

 

[The Butcher]

To me that was the major missing element before

I mean that road trip where they were playing like shit but coming from behind was far different than now. Their structural play was a shitshow, even if they were showing some residual confidence from the early season run, believed they could win.

There was a while were they were playing well but just not getting results, and they'd completely implode. It was the opposite, the structure was fantastic, but the mental game evaporated. YOu could see the body language.

Now they're playing well and not getting shook when they go down one or two. They'd get scored on then just go back to business. Kind of putting it together. I'm with you that I'm absolutely cautiously optimistic--but those two pieces haven't co-existed yet this season until this roadie.

And major props to Hiller's in game adjustments at times, you can actually see the waves of change sometimes, when pitt adjusted their breakout, the kings adjusted into different lanes.

Also like that he's not scared to shake up the lines for a bit.

He's not perfect and some of the complaints are residual...but he's showing adaptability from the first game he took over where things were 'mostly the same.'

Awe I like happy RJ!

 

[chris kontos]

To be honest, i cant list too many high profile players who succeeded here via a trade or free agency.

As Jagr fan, I am kind glad he went to the Rangers.

wayne gretzky did airight

 

[Kingfan1967]

wayne gretzky did airight

Marcel Dionne is another

 

[Frolov 6'3]

wayne gretzky did airight

Marcel Dionne is another

Yes cool, I am aware of that too. How about Demitra ?

I have little time to list dozens of others who werent.

 

[All The Kings Men]

Yes cool, I am aware of that too. How about Demitra ?

I have little time to list dozens of others who werent.

62 points in 58 games?

What's our measure for "success"?

 

[Frolov 6'3]

62 points in 58 games?

What's our measure for "success"?

Thats just statswatching.

At that time, LA barely had many PPG players.

That was a heck of season until (I believe) the Olympics ruined everything.

 

[All The Kings Men]

Thats just statswatching.

At that time, LA barely had many PPG players.

That was a heck of season until (I believe) the Olympics ruined everything.

Demitra got injured but was having an excellent season.

That's why I'm asking what the metric for success is? Is it team success? Is it the eye test for players that played here decades ago?

How are we judging the relative success of "high profile players" (another subjective element) without stat watching?

 

[Frolov 6'3]

Demitra got injured but was having an excellent season.

That's why I'm asking what the metric for success is? Is it team success? Is it the eye test for players that played here decades ago?

How are we judging the relative success of "high profile players" (another subjective element) without stat watching?

Gretzky the greatest of all, couldn’t give LA a cup so I guess personal success is the metric.

 

[KopitarGOAT420]

Following the team's atrocious 7-0 loss against Buffalo, we now have 3 games in a row where Kopitar has stepped up and helped lead the team to victory.

2/15 vs New Jersey: Outhustles Jack Hughes to the front of the net to score a SHG in a 2-1 win
2/17 vs Boston: Game tying goal with less than 2 minutes left to force overtime (Kings eventually win)
2/18 vs Pittsburg: Great defensive play to stop the Penguins rush and then sets up the Kempe game winner in transition

And in the picture here you can clearly see the emotion/passion from Kopi as Clarke starts his breakaway. Excellent leadership from the captain lately

 

[Nasti]

I’m sure most already know this but you can rearrange the letters in Jaromir and spell Mario Jr.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

To be honest, i cant list too many high profile players who succeeded here via a trade or free agency.

Really?

 

[bland]

Demitra got injured but was having an excellent season.

That's why I'm asking what the metric for success is? Is it team success? Is it the eye test for players that played here decades ago?

How are we judging the relative success of "high profile players" (another subjective element) without stat watching?

Technically Demitra got "hurt" and stopped playing. Frolov got "injured" but kept playing.

I remember Lombardi's fireside chat about the subject, and it was no surprise that removing Demitra was one of Lombardi's first major actions.

 

[kingsholygrail]

Palffy was great. Vachon, of course. Larry Robinson did alright. Glen Murray. We've of course had plenty of high profile stinkers. Some seemed to use the Kings as a layover team before moving on to a permanent spot.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Palffy was great. Vachon, of course. Larry Robinson did alright. Glen Murray. We've of course had plenty of high profile stinkers. Some seemed to use the Kings as a layover team before moving on to a permanent spot.

Palffy was amazing….Allison/Deadmarsh were phenomenal when not injured. Richards, Carter….even Penner was great when it counted.

Sure, there were some stinkers but I’d bet age has something to do with it. Any high profile player acquired that didn’t play well was most likely out of their prime (minus PLD).

 

[KINGS17]

Surprisingly good road trip in terms of points. I don't think the Kings played extremely well though. Usually, it works the other way around. A team starts playing well, but doesn't get rewarded immediately, and then starts a winning streak.