Have the Kings done enough to beat Edmonton this offseason?

[Sol]

I think the bigger issue is I don't want the Kings to turn into the Sharks where they stupidly chant "Beat LA" like that's their only purpose, and them beating us was like them winning the cup.

The Kings shouldn't be built with the goal to beat Edmonton. They should be built to go deep in the playoffs. It's possible Edmonton wins the division. Maybe the Kings end the season in a wild card spot and spend the first two rounds in the central division.

Remember though, during those beat La days the Kings were a really good team that won cups. This isn’t something stupid. I legit think Edmonton is a good team. They test your goaltending, offense and defense. I think beating Edmonton is a sign of the Kings heading in the right direction.

I don’t understand how this point is being misinterpreted so much. The Kings being able to beat Edmonton means they are on the right path. Their goal should be to beat Edmonton because Edmonton and the Kings are near equals in the same division with no one else to contest them. The Kings have an Oiler problem there is no way around it. If the pacific wasn’t ass then yeah I’d see your point but we both know it’s a high likelihood they play one another in the first round again.

 

[DoktorJeep]

I watched all the Kings playoff games this year and last year. What I remember is the Kings starting well, but finishing poor. As the series got deeper, the Oilers pinned the Kings in their own end repeatedly. Even the games the Kings won, they rarely dominated, but seemed to hang around long enough to capitalize on mistakes.

I feel like it was mostly guys like Danault, Kempe and Iafallo plus Durzi who came up clutch in pressure situations. So even if the coaches fix the PK, what makes anyone think the Kings won’t get pinned in their own end for 3/4 of a game come crunch time? If anything, they’ve lost clutch players in Iafallo and Durzi.

I don’t see PLD moving the needle here. Even if the matchup against McDavid and Draisaitl has improved for the Kings, it’s a lot of hope to put on the depth players to also improve in their matchups. Maybe it happens if Clarke and Byfield compete for best breakout season. But it’s hard to see how this team wins if the 1-3-1 isn’t working to absolute perfection. You can only polish shit so much before you’re staring at a mess.

 

[KingsHockey24]

no.

 

[tigermask48]

Lol. That last option is 100% the issue. No way to know as long as the Kings continue to sit back, be passive in a 1-3-1 system, without making adjustments, and have no pressure on the forecheck.

 

[Kurrilino]

Lol. That last option is 100% the issue. No way to know as long as the Kings continue to sit back, be passive in a 1-3-1 system, without making adjustments, and have no pressure on the forecheck.

This style is being forced on us, this is not by choice.
The Kings have 0 players that could contain McDrai, as soon as you open up even slightly, 4-2 losses turn into 7-1.

 

[Schrute farms]

The Kings playoff matchup problem against the Oilers is the same though against other potential playoff teams: lack of toughness/size, PK and Todd's coaching.

Maybe PK is slightly fixed with Durzi gone, Lewis and PLD (more PD on defense). But you can add Goalie as a bigger negative, problem now (until proven otherwise).

 

[tigermask48]

This style is being forced on us, this is not by choice.
The Kings have 0 players that could contain McDrai, as soon as you open up even slightly, 4-2 losses turn into 7-1.

Not sure I agree with this. The Kings have enough naturally defensively responsible players that running a two man forecheck isn't going to drastically turn the game into pond hockey.

The main issue with the 1-3-1 I saw watching those games, was Edmonton had little to no pressure on their D-men trying to make the first pass. The forwards would generate too much speed entering the neutral zone and the Kings players were getting caught flat footed and couldn't keep up.

If you put more pressure on the Edmonton defenseman and challenge the forwards along the boards on the breakout, it should cause more turnovers because Edmonton can generate less speed up the ice and their forwards are caught along the boards standing still. See Byfield's goal in game 5. Put pressure on the D and force a mistake, capitalize with sustained pressure off the turn

Basically Todd tried to beat Edmonton by letting them play the game that they wanted to, rather than forcing them to play a game they aren't comfortable with like Vegas did.

 

[Papa Mocha 15]

Remember though, during those beat La days the Kings were a really good team that won cups. This isn’t something stupid. I legit think Edmonton is a good team. They test your goaltending, offense and defense. I think beating Edmonton is a sign of the Kings heading in the right direction.

I don’t understand how this point is being misinterpreted so much. The Kings being able to beat Edmonton means they are on the right path. Their goal should be to beat Edmonton because Edmonton and the Kings are near equals in the same division with no one else to contest them. The Kings have an Oiler problem there is no way around it. If the pacific wasn’t ass then yeah I’d see your point but we both know it’s a high likelihood they play one another in the first round again.

I agree with what you are saying but I think this team needs to do much more than beat Edmonton. They need to compete and I think the style of play is too conservative to compete with the teams higher up the echelon than EDM. Right now they're just under a bubble team when it comes to playoffs simply because they haven't been able to solve EDM. I think EDM is where we start. If it was Vegas, good chance we would have been swept.

 

[Little Psycho]

Blake didn’t exactly solve all our roster issues and Todd is still a clown, so it honestly doesn’t matter who they
play at the end of the day.

 

[Trash Panda]

This style is being forced on us, this is not by choice.
The Kings have 0 players that could contain McDrai, as soon as you open up even slightly, 4-2 losses turn into 7-1.

This simply could not be any more false.

The only way to play a team like the oilers is to pressure their D into making plays under duress, which will cause bad passes, trickle down into their forwards making rushed plays exiting their zone, and less entry speed (or ideally, turnovers).

Sitting back & waiting is a fools errand against talent like that. It just won’t work.

Edit: Tigermask beat me to it.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I watched all the Kings playoff games this year and last year. What I remember is the Kings starting well, but finishing poor. As the series got deeper, the Oilers pinned the Kings in their own end repeatedly. Even the games the Kings won, they rarely dominated, but seemed to hang around long enough to capitalize on mistakes.

Huh, wonder where we've seen this before.

Relatedly, "Can anyone beat the Sharks?"

 

[Johnny Utah]

No. Still soft.

 

[Surf Nutz]

Several teams have admitted they are looking to "get bigger."
This is a reaction to the Gas winning the Cup.
While teams may look at what they need to overcome a successful nemesis lke the Oil for the Kings,
they are just as interested and more in what it took to WIn the conference and the Final.
So this poll is pretty dumb and myopic...

 

[All The Kings Men]

the Gas

no

 

[Sol]

Several teams have admitted they are looking to "get bigger."
This is a reaction to the Gas winning the Cup.
While teams may look at what they need to overcome a successful nemesis lke the Oil for the Kings,
they are just as interested and more in what it took to WIn the conference and the Final.
So this poll is pretty dumb and myopic...

No one asked lmao.

Anyways baby girl the Kings need to get past the first round for once.

 

[Fripp]

They're better on paper. How much better? Depends on prospects taking big steps.

 

[Lt Dan]

Todd is still a clown

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Thanks for the new avy!

 

[Surf Nutz]

no

http://www.sfu.ca/ipinch/sites/default/files/imagecache/general_large_thumb/images/blogs/dobbin_kristen/figure_2.jpg

LOl!

 

[chris kontos]

Bizarre

 

[tomd]

Goaltending, 3rd pairing D, and 4th line F are still issues IMO. Might overcome them in the regular season but those areas will be targeted in the playoffs.

 

[King'sPawn]

With that makeup, I half expect an animal planet show called "Ru-Paw's Drag Race"

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

Between Todd, my complete lack of confidence in the goaltending, basically nothing added to bring in toughness, and so much riding on Byfield and Clarke or Spence, I'm going to say no.

If this roster gets to the playoffs and takes another first round exit after sitting in Todd's 1-3-1, I'm bailing on this team (for my own sanity) until he's fired. I'm at my wits end with McLellan

 

[Johnny Utah]

Oilers bullied the Kings, had better goaltending, and dominated with their power play.

Did the Kings address either besides swapping Lewis for Kupari. NO.

Argument done.

 

[YP44]

i voted unsure. Really depends on youth on blue line and goaltending.

Even then Edmonton will be better than last year with a full year of Bouchard in Berrie's spot.