Around the League Thread | Summer Vacation

[strattonius]

If age doesn’t catch up to Kopitar and Doughty.

Of course it will but the Kings have great depth at C and D to offset the regression.

Dubois
Kopitar
Danault

Down the middle that's arguably the best combination in the West.

 

[strattonius]

In last year’s playoffs it seemed that the Oilers got through the Kings a lot easier than they did the year before.

….and Vegas was clearly a notch above the Oilers.

I think the Canucks/Kraken have narrowed the gap between themselves and the Kings.

Edmonton
LA
Vegas

Wildcards - Vancouver and Seattle

I think the Pacific occupies 5 playoff spots this year grabbing both wildcards. And although I'd agree the Canucks have narrowed the gap from the top, that says more about how bad we were last year, rather than the Kings falling.

There's very little reason to suspect the Kings will regress next year. Their goaltending is their weakness and a wash from last year. But the Kings are one of the deepest teams in the West at C & D. To me ii's a strange team to pluck for regressing when they are very clearly on the upswing.

 

[StreetHawk]

Edmonton
LA
Vegas

Wildcards - Vancouver and Seattle

I think the Pacific occupies 5 playoff spots this year grabbing both wildcards. And although I'd agree the Canucks have narrowed the gap from the top, that says more about how bad we were last year, rather than the Kings falling.

There's very little reason to suspect the Kings will regress next year. Their goaltending is their weakness and a wash from last year. But the Kings are one of the deepest teams in the West at C & D. To me ii's a strange team to pluck for regressing when they are very clearly on the upswing.

Edm, LV, LA (need goaltending to hold up), should make it.
Col and Dal should as well.

Min - nothing really added, but have good talent despite the $13 mill or whatever in dead cap.

Then, it's STL, Nas, Sea, Van. Don't think STL and Nas have done much to improve their roster. Who is expected to step up for them?

Win and Cal would be up there with Min and the others if they didn't have key UFAs to be in 2024. They can't afford to let those guys walk, not when you're only contending for a PO spot vs trying to win a Cup.

Then, it's the Ana, SJ, Chi, AZ rebuilding teams.

That's the hierarchy I would go with for playoffs.

 

[arttk]

Of course it will but the Kings have great depth at C and D to offset the regression.

Dubois
Kopitar
Danault

Down the middle that's arguably the best combination in the West.

I think PLD is pretty overrated as a 1C that has never really played like one and he’s not the game breaker that Kopitar is.

Danault is legit, no question about that.

If and when Doughty and Kopitar hits the age wall, I don’t think La has any game breakers. They will be a deep team without any elite players, like the Canes on the west but deep in forwards vs being deep in D.

 

[andora]

Kings goaltending doesn't cut it...Clark isnt ready...Byfield continues to not develop...Kopitar/Doughty regress with age.

One can hope.

1 of those things you cant know and another one of those things is false and the third thing is fair projection

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

1 of those things you cant know and another one of those things is false and the third thing is fair projection

The suspense….?…why don’t you let us in on your 3 reasons (I posted 4 things that I hope happen) so everyone can stop second guessing.

 

[Vector]

The suspense….?…why don’t you let us in on your 3 reasons (I posted 4 things that I hope happen) so everyone can stop second guessing.

I think your continued misuse and abuse of ellipses has created a situation where your post was unclear that was your hope and not predictions.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

I think your continued misuse and abuse of ellipses has created a situation where your post was unclear that was your hope and not predictions.

Elipses ( they sound like exotic birds) are my thing ..

Anyway..to avoid confusion..those were my hopes..Hence ,that’s why I put ‘one can dream ‘ at the end of it.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

I think PLD is pretty overrated as a 1C that has never really played like one and he’s not the game breaker that Kopitar is.

Danault is legit, no question about that.

If and when Doughty and Kopitar hits the age wall, I don’t think La has any game breakers. They will be a deep team without any elite players, like the Canes on the west but deep in forwards vs being deep in D.

LA is a better team than us on paper, I think. PLD I agree is overrated, I'm not sure how much he moves the needle in the grand scheme. The 3 burning questions are with Kopi, Doughty, and between the pipes. And I don't think I'd bet against Kopitar.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

LA is a better team than us on paper, I think. PLD I agree is overrated, I'm not sure how much he moves the needle in the grand scheme. The 3 burning questions are with Kopi, Doughty, and between the pipes. And I don't think I'd bet against Kopitar.

In PLD's entire career he's been good for 60 points a season (thats about his average)...

JT Miller , by contrast, has averaged 90 points in the last two seasons, but who cares right..?..He's probably the most taken for granted/underrated player on the Canucks.

 

[F A N]

Of course it will but the Kings have great depth at C and D to offset the regression.

Dubois
Kopitar
Danault

Down the middle that's arguably the best combination in the West.

I wonder how they are going to spread out the ice time. My guess is that Dubois will find himself on the wing often. Danault will be good defensively wherever he plays but he's traditionally been a guy whose offensive production can be greatly impacted by ice time and opportunity to the point where his offensive production could be poor.

 

[Nick Lang]

What I wrote about them in another thread

I am really down on the Kings. While they certainly added a great talent in Dubois, but gave up quite a bit of scoring depth to do it, and retained Gavrikov. The main problem is their goaltending tandem of Copley and Talbot is extremely suspect. The line-up is strong but if that goaltending goes the way I think, they may end up treading water until they can come up with a better solution.

They haven't been a great offensive season the last couple of years and I don't see Dubois being that big an upgrade on Iafallo and Vilardi combined.

Personally I think Dubois is a great add. Type of move where you look back and say wow it's clear they got the best of the deal. Not that I don't think Vilardi can't pay large dividends but Dubois could totally bust out in LA. Even with Vegas like goaltending they're my breakout team in the West this year. Good team before, even better now. Iafallo was a good player too but not needed there. The goaltending is resolvable if it's even an issue ... in my eyes anyway.

 

[Nick Lang]

Of course it will but the Kings have great depth at C and D to offset the regression.

Dubois
Kopitar
Danault

Down the middle that's arguably the best combination in the West.

Great succession plan add and the best Centers in the league next to Vegas.

 

[andora]

The suspense….?…why don’t you let us in on your 3 reasons (I posted 4 things that I hope happen) so everyone can stop second guessing.

Well we dont know about clarke until training camp and pre season

And byfield continuing not to develop is not accurate. It was night and day with him between game 10 and game 70. Unless you meant he isnt averaging 80 due to his draft spot

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Excellent. Hope other provinces follow suit ASAP.

 

[Vector]

Personally I think Dubois is a great add. Type of move where you look back and say wow it's clear they got the best of the deal. Not that I don't think Vilardi can't pay large dividends but Dubois could totally bust out in LA. Even with Vegas like goaltending they're my breakout team in the West this year. Good team before, even better now. Iafallo was a good player too but not needed there. The goaltending is resolvable if it's even an issue ... in my eyes anyway.

I'll freely admit that my low opinion of the Kings is a "hot take", as the children say, and is more likely to make me look stupid than I am to be correct. I still think they're a playoff team just not a divisional lock.

 

[Huggy43]

Excellent. Hope other provinces follow suit ASAP.

Cabbie just hit the jackpot!

 

[tradervik]

Excellent. Hope other provinces follow suit ASAP.

Time to rethink those Betman revenue projections.

 

[andora]

Good.. f*** em and that gambling overload

 

[strattonius]

Literally insane how many gambling ads are going on. And gambling is no joke. People really get addicted to it and lose a lot more than they can handle - exposing juveniles to this type of stuff is a slippery slope. Should be banned nationally.

 

[StreetHawk]

Time to rethink those Betman revenue projections.

hmmm... I get current players. Not sure why it would need to apply to Wayne and those who are not competing anymore.

As for revenue, that will take a bit of a hit, if more provinces follow Ontario's decision.

 

[EpochLink]

Good.. f*** em and that gambling overload

You mean GAMBLORD!

Gotta love Classic Simpsons

 

[HairyKneel]

I think you guys are out of your mind to doubt the Kings. They are easily the best team in the Pacific top to bottom going in to next season and will be battling with the Oilers to win the division.

 

[andora]

You mean GAMBLORD!

Gotta love Classic Simpsons

Agreed.. much better

Asses

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

Well we dont know about clarke until training camp and pre season

And byfield continuing not to develop is not accurate. It was night and day with him between game 10 and game 70. Unless you meant he isnt averaging 80 due to his draft spot

I have no doubt he's developing...but is he developing into an 'elite' player one would expect taken 2nd OA..?..No, he isnt....Tim Stultze would look pretty good in a Kings uniform.