Kings Article: Poor Playoff Performance Shows That LA Kings Anze Kopitar Is Not An Elite Player…Yet

[Ziggy Stardust]

Kopi will be much more apreciated here on this board once he retire or is he traded. Then will some people realise what role Kopi had in that team...

Some people miss the glory days of seeing Craig Conroy or Jozef Stumpel as the #1 center on the Kings.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

There's a laundry list of star players who disappointed in the playoffs.

Crosby
Malkin
Toews
Kane
Datsyuk
Perry

Hell, even the best line going right now with Lucic-Krejci-Horton was criticized in the first round. This kind of crap happens every year and then people on message boards start labeling players as choke artists.

Not so fast!

Crosby -- 15 PTS / 14 GMS
Malkin -- 16 PTS / 15 GMS
Toews -- 9 PTS / 17 GMS
Kane -- 14 PTS / 17 GMS
Datsyuk -- 9 PTS / 14 GMS
Perry -- 2 PTS / 7 GMS

Kopitar -- 9 PTS / 18 GMS

So there you have it, with the exception of Perry (which I think you need a bigger sample size to really compare), Kopitar has the WORST PPG among that list.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Not so fast!

Crosby -- 15 PTS / 14 GMS
Malkin -- 16 PTS / 15 GMS
Toews -- 9 PTS / 17 GMS
Kane -- 14 PTS / 17 GMS
Datsyuk -- 9 PTS / 14 GMS
Perry -- 2 PTS / 7 GMS

Kopitar -- 9 PTS / 18 GMS

So there you have it, with the exception of Perry (which I think you need a bigger sample size to really compare), Kopitar has the WORST PPG among that list.

And yet they were still called out because they went missing and dry on the score sheet at certain points of the playoffs. So Kopitar produced about as much as Toews and Datsyuk. They must all suck.

 

[kingsfan28]

Kopitar can say all he wants about being in a slump, but he was clearly hurting somewhere. He may have just decided he didn't want to admit his knee was bothering him. He lost so many board battles and his speed was lacking that extra gear we've all seen from him. I saw nothing of the Kopitar that was all over the place during last years playoffs, and only a glimpse of that guy in game 5 vs Chicago.

 

[bmr]

I think you also have to look at the Brown injury and see that it made a direct impact on Kopitar as well. Those two were the most effective forwards in last year's playoffs. Let's see what they do next year.

I wouldn't be opposed to moving Kopitar on a line with Toffoli. I think he could set him up for a ton of scoring opportunities.

I know Carter and Toffoli have chemistry together, but it seems like we should separate them because they are both snipers.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

And yet they were still called out because they went missing and dry on the score sheet at certain points of the playoffs. So Kopitar produced about as much as Toews and Datsyuk. They must all suck.

Nah, they aren't under the microscope in the same way that Kopitar is....and tell me which one of those goes in a 30+ game scoring drought?

 

[KingKopitar11*]

Ziggy Palffy will always be my favorite king. That guy was a champ, so talented.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Ziggy Palffy will always be my favorite king. That guy was a champ, so talented.

Way to stay on topic....

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Toews has 1 goal these entire playoffs. Kane had a stretch of only 2 goals in 15 games. Crosby and Malkin combined for 0 goals in the Conference Finals. Zetterberg only scored 1 goal in 7 games vs. Chicago. He also had a stretch where he scored 3 goals in 32 games (11 game stretch with no goals and another 9 game stretch, followed by another 10 game stretch).

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I'm just not as willing to toss a guy who was a Conn Smythe candidate last year under the bus when it was clear he was playing injured this year, and I think it's really lame to not be able to see past that when even the most critical members of the media note it. Cry all you want about his production this year since it's clear you won't stop...he'll be back with a vengeance next year.

 

[FrozenRoyalty]

Cool. Now write one about Toews.

Neither Toews or Crosby disappeared for 34 games during the most crucial part of the season.

 

[FrozenRoyalty]

I'm just not as willing to toss a guy who was a Conn Smythe candidate last year under the bus when it was clear he was playing injured this year, and I think it's really lame to not be able to see past that when even the most critical members of the media note it. Cry all you want about his production this year since it's clear you won't stop...he'll be back with a vengeance next year.

As reported, just about everyone in the media believed Kopitar was injured. However, he flatly denied that he was. As such, he himself lost the right to claim that injury was a factor.

Soooo...without injury to fall back on, what else is there?

 

[Inner Turbulence]

Not so fast!

Crosby -- 15 PTS / 14 GMS
Malkin -- 16 PTS / 15 GMS
Toews -- 9 PTS / 17 GMS
Kane -- 14 PTS / 17 GMS
Datsyuk -- 9 PTS / 14 GMS
Perry -- 2 PTS / 7 GMS

Kopitar -- 9 PTS / 18 GMS

So there you have it, with the exception of Perry (which I think you need a bigger sample size to really compare), Kopitar has the WORST PPG among that list.

If only the Kings could get to play the Islanders in the playoffs too.
Didn't Crosby/Malkin rack up points against them ? Still that team was even further away from reaching the finals than our Kings were. Crosby/Malkin did nothing as they got swept by the Bruins.

That being said, Kopitar had an offensively disastrous playoffs. But to consider giving him away is ridiculous. Is 2012 really that far away from people already ? I wouldn't bet against Kopitar to go on another dominant cup-winning playoff-run again in his career. Better to have him do it as a King.

This team is build to compete, it will competitive again next year. Kopi-Brown hits a hot streak and it's game on ...

 

[Model62]

Ziggy Palffy will always be my favorite king. That guy was a champ, so talented.

No, he wasn't.

 

[Model62]

As reported, just about everyone in the media believed Kopitar was injured. However, he flatly denied that he was. As such, he himself lost the right to claim that injury was a factor.

Soooo...without injury to fall back on, what else is there?

Why does Kopitar have to fall back on anything? He's not having an Internet debate about whether or not he's "elite" with anybody.

 

[Telos]

Neither Toews or Crosby disappeared for 34 games during the most crucial part of the season.

Just because he didn't slide as much at the end of the regular season and that his supporting cast has stepped up in the postseason, doesn't mean his playoff performance was any better than Kopitar's. The guy has only showed up one game per series thus far.

 

[The Tikkanen]

To borrow from Dennis Green, Kopitar is who we thought he was. He's a poor mans Mats Sundin, big guy, can play physical when he wants, disappears at times but his biggest weakness is he usually takes what the defense gives him. The D usually force him wide and Kopitar goes wide. The difference between Kopitar and an elite superstar like Datsuyk is he'll be creative and make a defensemen look foolish by going through him with a slick move and create more space for himself as the game(s) go on. The problem Kopitar has is he's being paid to produce no matter what. Some fans will give him a pass, other fans want his head. I'm not a fan of all the excuses given to why Kopitar stunk up the playoffs, everybody's hurt. And if he slumped because he's getting married then you might want to trade him before he gets divorced (75% divorce rate in California).

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Neither Toews or Crosby disappeared for 34 games during the most crucial part of the season.

I thought we were talking about playoff performance?

As reported, just about everyone in the media believed Kopitar was injured. However, he flatly denied that he was. As such, he himself lost the right to claim that injury was a factor.

Soooo...without injury to fall back on, what else is there?

Absolutely, criticize his lack of production, that's all good. But if everyone believes he's injured and the eye test shows it, but he tells you he wasn't injured, it's a little...rough...to take that as a license to slight his status as a player when we saw a healthy Kopitar run everyone in his way over this time last year.

 

[ziggyfan]

Kopi will be much more apreciated here on this board once he retire or is he traded. Then will some people realise what role Kopi had in that team...

Kopi will come back stronger than ever. He is a coach's son and he will evaluate/learn and go forward from what happened this year, I have no doubt. I would like to see him retire as a King, not ever traded.

 

[Martyros]

Not so fast!

Crosby -- 15 PTS / 14 GMS
Malkin -- 16 PTS / 15 GMS
Toews -- 9 PTS / 17 GMS
Kane -- 14 PTS / 17 GMS
Datsyuk -- 9 PTS / 14 GMS
Perry -- 2 PTS / 7 GMS

Kopitar -- 9 PTS / 18 GMS

So there you have it, with the exception of Perry (which I think you need a bigger sample size to really compare), Kopitar has the WORST PPG among that list.

Why don't you ask Pittsburgh fans how Malkin did in the playoffs and if they were TRULY happy with him?
Kane did absolutely nothing until the last 2 games against the Kings.
Perry has been terrible ever since he signed the big contract.
Toews wasn't/isn't producing.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Why don't you ask Pittsburgh fans how Malkin did in the playoffs and if they were TRULY happy with him?
Kane did absolutely nothing until the last 2 games against the Kings.
Perry has been terrible ever since he signed the big contract.
Toews wasn't/isn't producing.

If Malkin and Kane didn't do anything in the playoffs, how did they manage 16 and 14 points a piece?

 

[kingsholygrail]

Man, remember when Kopitar was consider the best center in the league after last year's playoffs?

The Kopitar see-saw continues.

 

[Martyros]

If Malkin and Kane didn't do anything in the playoffs, how did they manage 16 and 14 points a piece?

How many points did Kane have before the Kings' series?

Malkin almost cost them the 1st series with his turnovers and defense (lack thereof).

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

How many points did Kane have before the Kings' series?

Malkin almost cost them the 1st series with his turnovers and defense (lack thereof).

Who cares how many points Kane had before the Kings series....the Hawks won those series, right? So, the guy woke up and scored a bunch against the Kings? Ask Hawks fans if they are upset about that..lol.

Malkins turnovers and lack of defense just awarded him a contract worth 9.5mil a year.

 

[DoktorJeep]

What does elite even mean for an NHL player? Anze had a down year for himself. The Kings are a good team. After a lifetime of being a friggin joke of a franchise, we finally have a legit hockey team in LA. Try seeing the forest from the trees sometime, and for fuggs sake, step away from the Internet until you are able to. See u in September.