GDT: GM#2 LA Kings vs Detroit Red Wings @7:30pm 10/7/18

[Choralone]

I just can't get worked up this early in the season. I know we're carrying an entire off-season's-worth of emotion and debate into this first week of hockey, but... (shrug). This team doesn't have an identity yet but we've certainly made strides towards being a younger, faster team.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I was just going to say that, so if the idea is sound, sound enough that EVERY other team is doing some variation of it, how much of that is on coaching vs execution?

But if it's not working, why keep going back to the well? If teams have you scouted so well that they know the pass is going to Kopitar for a carry-in, why force it repeatedly? If your personnel unit isn't suited to that play, why not adjust? It's been over a season of the same issue.

The players need to execute but the coaching needs to help them.

I just can't get worked up this early in the season. I know we're carrying an entire off-season's-worth of emotion and debate into this first week of hockey, but... (shrug). This team doesn't have an identity yet but we've certainly made strides towards being a younger, faster team.

That's really ultimately my big unanswered question from last year that looks almost worse this year. What's the identity SUPPOSED to be? We're not mean. We're not fast. We're not playing a possession game anymore. We're currently relying on massive goaltending to bail us out and getting timely scoring. We're not a particularly good defensive team by the numbers. What is it exactly this team does well--or is supposed to do well--aside from rely on superstar power?

That's not at you really, it's a general rhetorical question, but all my complaints boil down to that one. Who the hell are we?

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

But if it's not working, why keep going back to the well? If teams have you scouted so well that they know the pass is going to Kopitar for a carry-in, why force it repeatedly? If your personnel unit isn't suited to that play, why not adjust? It's been over a season of the same issue.

The players need to execute but the coaching needs to help them.




That's really ultimately my big unanswered question from last year that looks almost worse this year. What's the identity SUPPOSED to be? We're not mean. We're not fast. We're not playing a possession game anymore. We're currently relying on massive goaltending to bail us out and getting timely scoring. We're not a particularly good defensive team by the numbers. What is it exactly this team does well--or is supposed to do well--aside from rely on superstar power?

That's not at you really, it's a general rhetorical question, but all my complaints boil down to that one. Who the hell are we?

Just curious, what is Pittsburgh's identity?

 

[Little Psycho]

The 4 on 4 no one asked for

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Just curious, what is Pittsburgh's identity?

Pittsburgh is a raw speed and skill team, one totally comfortable using area passes to create footraces to win and just flat out beat you to every puck when possible. They also know they're going to need to outscore their problems on D, and they're okay with that. North south up the ice quickly, then let natural skill take over, even when/if that results in risk.

We've gone from a heavy grit/hitting and risk-averse possession team to...what exactly? What's the endgame here?

 

[Bandit]

Pittsburgh is a raw speed and skill team, one totally comfortable using area passes to create footraces to win and just flat out beat you to every puck when possible. They also know they're going to need to outscore their problems on D, and they're okay with that. North south up the ice quickly, then let natural skill take over, even when/if that results in risk.

We've gone from a heavy grit/hitting and risk-averse possession team to...what exactly? What's the endgame here?

Ride Kopitar and Doughty until they die.

 

[Sol]

It's been two games and Doughty has looked mediocre.

 

[Bandit]

It's been two games and Doughty has looked mediocre.

It's been two games and Lewis has looked epileptic.

 

[Herby]

I don't think Thompson is playing enough.

I'd play him 24 minutes a game with Kopitar.

 

[Bandit]

I don't think Thompson is playing enough.

I'd play him 24 minutes a game with Kopitar.

Clofford, man... Clifford.

 

[King'sPawn]

No, he's gotten so little playing time, because the coaches don't fully trust him yet, he's getting there, but not there yet.

"This kid got under more sticks and turned over more pucks than anybody," Futa said. "Part of his M.O. is that he goes into different leagues and he establishes trust with coaches, and then the offense flourishes."

Michael Amadio pronounces himself ready to make a difference with the Kings - Los Angeles Times

 

[Sol]

Michael Amadio pronounces himself ready to make a difference with the Kings - Los Angeles Times

Don't ever question Stevens' burner account

 

[Herby]

If Amadio can't be trusted, at age 22, in his third full year of pro hockey (plus an AHL playoff run in 2016), then that is a big issue for the Kings and him as a player.

I take the side that Stevens is just clueless.

 

[Bandit]

If Amadio can't be trusted, at age 22, in his third full year of pro hockey (plus an AHL playoff run in 2016), then that is a big issue for the Kings and him as a player.

I take the side that Stevens is just clueless.

Yeah, if you can't give the kid a decent look in the second game of the season against one of the wrost teams in the league, when can you?

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Michael Amadio pronounces himself ready to make a difference with the Kings - Los Angeles Times

Oh, ok, so you're right, coaches completely trust him 2 games in, THATs why he's not playing.....

Couldn't be that he has to ESTABLISH trust..oh wait...that's what your article said....kinda....what I said...holy crap.

 

[King'sPawn]

Oh, ok, so you're right, coaches completely trust him 2 games in, THATs why he's not playing.....

Couldn't be that he has to ESTABLISH trust..oh wait...that's what your article said....kinda....what I said...holy crap.

They trust Wagner and his 2 NHL games more than Amadio and his 39 NHL games, based on ice time?

The one trademark about Amadio is his ability to earn the trust of his coaches, and suddenly he hasn't earned the trust of his coaches?

Amadio has been a top and counted on player for his junior team (who was the top defensively) as well as in Ontario, so there's nothing to back up your statement he can't be trusted defensively aside from the otherwise inexplicably low ice time from John Stevens.

“He’s an incredible student of the game, and he takes pride in his play away from the puck,” said Kings assistant general manager Michael Futa. “That’s the same way he was in junior, when his team moved from Brampton to North Bay. He had an excellent junior coach in Stan Butler, who really worked on his 200-foot game, and his accountability away from the puck.”

Michael Amadio Faces Higher Expectations Heading Into LA Kings Training Camp

Stevens, on Michael Amadio:
We’re going to have to get Amadio some skating lessons there. He almost fell down in the shootout. But Michael’s had a great summer. I think he’s really committed himself. He spent a lot of time in L.A. to get stronger. He knows he’s playing against men now and we love everything about Michael. He’s really a smart player, I think he’s really defensively responsible. We think he can really create offensively, so there’s a lot to like in his game, and he’s another guy we’re looking forward to seeing in the preseason.

Kings vs Kings Postgame Quotes: Stevens, Amadio, Etem, Anderson-Dolan - LA Kings Insider

You want to ignore evidence presented to belittle those unhappy with an inexplicably low ice time.

So enjoy conversing with others who are willing to put up with your attitude. I'm done.

 

[lumbergh]

Wagner needs to tuck his knee in. That is all.

 

[KINGS17]

It's been two games and Doughty has looked mediocre.

We get 9 more years of Doughty. I don't know if he is going to be ageless.

 

[Bandit]

Wagner needs to tuck his knee in. That is all.

He could stand to work on his finishing skills too but yeah, that knee wasn’t cool.

 

[KINGS17]

They trust Wagner and his 2 NHL games more than Amadio and his 39 NHL games, based on ice time?

The one trademark about Amadio is his ability to earn the trust of his coaches, and suddenly he hasn't earned the trust of his coaches?

Amadio has been a top and counted on player for his junior team (who was the top defensively) as well as in Ontario, so there's nothing to back up your statement he can't be trusted defensively aside from the otherwise inexplicably low ice time from John Stevens.



Michael Amadio Faces Higher Expectations Heading Into LA Kings Training Camp



Kings vs Kings Postgame Quotes: Stevens, Amadio, Etem, Anderson-Dolan - LA Kings Insider

You want to ignore evidence presented to belittle those unhappy with an inexplicably low ice time.

So enjoy conversing with others who are willing to put up with your attitude. I'm done.

 

[kingsfan28]

It was last year when they made lineup changes because of the dad trip right? They took a young guy out of the lineup? It was after LaDue scored in the Stars game, I think. So sometimes they need to placate family, sometimes not, depends on who the player is. Or when Sutter did it with Weal. Called him up and didn't play him. The family was there. I think it was Weal. That last game against the Sharks in 14-15 or something like that.

It's crazy that Iafallo started last year on the 1st line when he came into camp as just a dude.

Coaches are weird. Always have been, always will be.

It was the last game of the season in 2015, they'd been eliminated and he healthy scratched Weal after recall from Manchester, with his parents flying out to see him play. Total DICK move by him!

 

[kingsfan28]

After this season, Nate Thompson will be a UFA, and Kyle Clifford, Trevor Lewis, and Tyler Toffoli will all be a year away from becoming UFAs. I see Wagner possibly supplanting Lewis, although given how much the team reveres Clifford and Lewis, I wouldn't be shocked to see them back with short term deals at a significantly lower cost.

The days of Lewis and Clifford costing a combined $3.6M in cap space are nearing its end.

So you're complaining about 2 guys who average 1.8 mil in cap space? Cool, then they can replace them with guys costing 5 mil in cap space.

 

[kingsfan28]

LOL the other issues, breakouts and PP setup? Sure, let's talk about them, what specifically bothers you about them, F5 hanging on the far blue line, or F3 circling down to low? How about the PP setup, what specifically bothers you about that, and "it doesnt work" isn't specific, cmon now...

You do realize, that those players, are conditioned athletes, playing their SECOND GAME, they aren't gonna wear out over ONE GAME, you are taking ONE GAME and extrapolating it to mean that's going to happen EVERY GAME....that's the problem.

It isn't just two games, it was the entire pre-season too. They were terrible on the pp for the exact reasons RJ pointed out. The Sharks game showed the entire league how to stop the breakouts by the Kings, and the Red Wings were paying attention and took notes. Stevens has done nothing to fix this or adjust.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

It isn't just two games, it was the entire pre-season too. They were terrible on the pp for the exact reasons RJ pointed out. The Sharks game showed the entire league how to stop the breakouts by the Kings, and the Red Wings were paying attention and took notes. Stevens has done nothing to fix this or adjust.

Well, let me clarify a little--this is about an ongoing issue since last season. We had these very same problems last year, they're only worse now. And the reason I'm so mad about them now as opposed ot last year is because all summer and right on through the preseason Stevens and the staff said things were going to be different and other platitudes that immediately were wrong, like Amadio is our 3C, Kovalchuk is going to the Ovechkin spot, etc. We're not only doing the opposite, we're doing it worse.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

So you're complaining about 2 guys who average 1.8 mil in cap space? Cool, then they can replace them with guys costing 5 mil in cap space.

I don't know about bottom six forwards costing $5M...