Post your half-way mark observations/get it off your chest.

[LAKings88]

Long break. Gonna be boring. Thought it would be interesting to have a succent spot for everyone's analysis of the team.

Thinking like a bullet point form kinda thing. What are your biggest insights into this team so far this year? What do you want to get off your chest?

Here are mine like it or not

-I still like Fiala. I think he is the best offenseive weapon they have. Would have had 100pts last year likely had he not been hurt. Averaging just under a point this year. I believe he has it in him to conform to an all around game but I also acknowldege that guys like him need to be able to create without constraint at times. This is a team that we used to caution about the -25 point dip for players coming to LA. I still think he is a need on a team with anemic shooters and streaky scorers.

-Second periods this year are abysmal and I'm not sure why the long change has been such an issue. Wish I could ask Todd about it myself.

-The team really is a wild card team. Two years ago Vegas was injured. Last year Vancouver was a mental case. Both teams having off years likely elevated LA in the standings more than they should have been. The Oilers are a beatable team but LA could not get past McDavid and Draisatl. Better players outperfomed LA's players and the coaching staff could not adjust.

-Goaltending is a mess. Talbot is adequate when the team is firing on all cylinders but it is always a symbiotic realationship. Need to make the saves that should be saves. In hindsight I hate the Quick ordeal that much more so now. He really played bad his final year but that was a ruthless decision. I thought he was done and fully admit to being a proponent of that deal at the time. I wish he had played in LA his whole career but some of it falls on him too. Not sure if Luc was honest or not about him leaving but let him leave on his terms. Korpisalo was not a sufficent upgrade over Copley. I'll eat some crow thow, I supported it at the time.

-PLD, So much potential that I want to justify and believe in but it has now been three fanbases seeing the same thing. How the fek did they come to that decision? Who was the driving force behind it? I know of the speculation but I want to ask Blake that point blank, or at least hear someone ask him that very question.

-Toddfather-I respect him but I don't trust he can get it done. It's not just about this year but also the past two first rounds. I honestly think Blake will use the break as a reset and will not fire Todd. I have no faith in Sturm either.

-Drew's cookie comment-I'm not sure that was a comment on the entire season as much as it was for that game. Jeff O'Neal had a segment today discussing losing after leads this year around the league. LA seems to have forgotten the game management and grind that is needed to lock games down. Is that a coach issue or a player issue?

-Alex Lafferiere basically took Kaliyev's spot.

-They need to sell at the deadline if out, clearly. So much rhd depth mishandled the past few years. Can't do it again by keeping Roy if can't be resigned.

-The early road record and shooting metrics masked the real team. No more long days in between games. Team still has yet to prove they can hang with better teams.

-Clarke will make Spence moot and take his PP2 time away.

Click to read more...

 

[KingsHockey24]

- Kaliyev will score 30 goals consistently on another team
- Cam Talbot would be a good back-up
- QB is not in fact Jordan Nolan
- PLD sucks more dick than most
- Jordan Spence is good, nothing special
- Why is JAD still here

 

[FSL KINGS]

 

[DyslexicTom]

- Rob Blake is a loser.
- Todd McLellan is a known choker.
- Management has screwed up the present and the future of this franchise for a long time.
- I missed watching at least 2 games this season because this team is losing mindshare in my eyes; I didn't even remember they were playing until 1 or 2 days after the game. And I've been watching/following since 2001.
- Don't really blame any of the players; it's just management's fault. Fire them all.

 

[ouendan1]

Hooray I get to be slightly different:

-Blake should have been fired not because he acquired PLD, but rather because of what he gave up and also ignoring our true need, which was between the pipes. I get everyone hates on PLD cause he's not living up to his contract, but he's here for at least a few seasons, I'm not going to hate on him and will root for him to succeed.

-With how bad Talbot has tanked during this slide, this season is effectively over. I don't see him turning it around enough for this team to provide any serious challenge to contending teams. Rittich isn't going to get us anywhere either.

-QB has been great. I'm hesitant to sign him to a long term deal with a high cap hit now cause that causes significant issues in the short term in trying to ice a team capable of winning the cup. If possible, I'd try to line up a deal that ends when Kopi's deal ends (which is also the same year Kempe's deal ends). Use Kopi's money (I'm assuming he's retiring at the end of the deal) to boost QB to a long term deal and evaluate Kempe at that time as well.

-I don't think Roy signs, and I'm ok with that. If you want Clarke/Spence to take bigger roles, you need to open up space for them.

Alright probably time to disappear for another 2-3 years before posting again.

 

[KINGS17]

This team won't win jack as long as Kopitar and Doughty are still on the roster, and if they manage to last long enough this team won't win jack with BLuc involved with the organization.

 

[GameNight]

If you care about salvaging this season:
-New coach from outside the organization
-New starting goaltender. This is the #1 difference between the Oct/Nov Kings vs the Dec/Jan Kings. Big saves, timely saves energize, make people happy and want to win. Markstrom

If you care about seeing another Cup before you die:
-Stop going to games. If you must go to a game because you have a ticket, don't buy anything at the arena. Pre-game instead
-Find a use for that old Blake shield jersey. A water bottle tied up in the sleeve, piece of cake.
-Don't buy anymore jerseys.

 

[Gjwrams]

This break can’t come soon enough. I get our venting. We are playing putrid hockey right now, but we are no where as bad as we are playing. even with PLD in tow. The trades are done, we have PLD and Fiala. They are not going anywhere, at least anytime soon, so the Kings need to make it work.

A new coach is in order, and I hope that happens within 24 hours after the conclusion of tomorrow’s game. Blake will most likely survive until the offseason.

i still think we make the playoffs but probably get whack in the 1st round again.

pitchers and catchers report soon.

 

[Bandit]

My observation is I care about this franchise the absolute least I have in 35 years.

I cared more when Derek Armstrong was the heart and soul of the team.

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

I was wrong about Byfield.
I was right about everything else!

 

[YAYSAY]

I agree with most that Kings aren't as bad as this latest terrible stretch, but they're also not as good as they thought earlier in the year. They're at basically the worst level, too good to get a good pick, too bad to be a contender.

 

[Mooselum]

TMc is playing the wrong forechecking system for the roster that he has. Kings should be forcing turnovers and could maintain pressure rather than waiting for a mistake.

I think the roster plays better to a “bully ball” rather than forcing players to always make the right read in coverage - especially when you have guys like Dubois and Fiala that have different skill sets.

I want 55/9/80/78/34/46/61/38/91 all hounding the puck, make adjustments for 11 to stay high and conserve energy.

 

[Schmooley]

TMc is playing the wrong forechecking system for the roster that he has. Kings should be forcing turnovers and could maintain pressure rather than waiting for a mistake.

I think the roster plays better to a “bully ball” rather than forcing players to always make the right read in coverage - especially when you have guys like Dubois and Fiala that have different skill sets.

I want 55/9/80/78/34/46/61/38/91 all hounding the puck, make adjustments for 11 to stay high and conserve energy.

I agree. They are usually aggressive in the 1st period. When they take their foot off the gas in the 2nd and arent aggressive things go south. Especially when they give the opposing team half the ice to dump it in with speed through the neutral zone. The forecheckers coming in on the Kings soft right defense side usually make them cough it up on their breakout. Sometimes wingers are caught flat footed and can only chip it out and possession goes right back to the other team.
Its crazy that casual fans on here can sit here and watch the system fail time and time again while Blake and Maclellan keeps saying its working they are sticking with it.

 

[BigBrown]

- With Clarke now being with the big club, the prospect pool is practically empty.
- Fiala and Dubois are part of the new core this team is built around but they aren't team players.
- As a team they can't or won't compete hard, go to the tough areas, be physical, lock things down, stand up for each other or do any of the things that make a team successful come playoff time. Even during the winning streak this team didn't inspire much confidence in getting past the first round.
- Goaltending is a problem but less of a problem than I expected.
- Nothing changes. The lines never change. The way they (mis)handle young players never changes. Who gets to play the top power play and the most ice time never changes. They try nothing and they're out of ideas.

 

[Statto]

Do we really need a new thread to reformat the posts we’ve all been making about the current shitshow…. Meh… maybe we do, so I’ll play.

1. Coach needs to go.
2. Luc is the bigger problem as I have always felt he’s dictated strategy throughout… one more run (Kovalchuk)… rebuild… early end to rebuild…Bergevin… shirts…
3.Blake - yes there have been bad moves but I think he will be Luc’s fall guy, despite making decisions driven by poor strategy. I don’t think he’s been as bad as it seems because of Luc but he’s failing badly by not canning TMac.
4. Turcotte and Thomas need a proper look.
5. Byfield could still end up the best player from his draft class (my pre-draft belief isn’t so crazy now).
6. Clarke must play.
7. JAD who I backed from early on needs to go down - another mishandled prospect.

Wah, wah, wah, wah!

 

[mysterman2]

Todd probably cost us a good 4-6 points by not calling a timeout. Another couple by starting Talbot when he clearly was looking like shit. Byfield should make the transition to center right now- its clear PLD is not going to be a solution when Kopi retires so playing Byfield at wing is pure folly.

Also clear....,most were in agreement that the season would hinge on young players taking the next step- but Tmacs incompetence also extendeds to young players with Kaliyev being put into roles his skillset is incompatible with and Spence being healthy scratched in spite of the fact hes clearly a top 4 caliber Dman.

 

[fsanford]

Keep losing, get a good pick. The outlier appears to be the early road.
I don't want to see this bunch in the first round of the playoffs.

Maybe they clean house. If not they could turn into the Sabres

 

[fivehole32]

There are a lot of issues many have brought up already, but my biggest issue with the team is no team identity.

 

[YAYSAY]

There are a lot of issues many have brought up already, but my biggest issue with the team is no team identity.

Current Kings have struggled with this. I remember Jim always talking about it a few seasons ago, "finding their identity." The coaching and the construction of the roster always seemed at odds. Blake said he modeled the team after the Predators (lol why? They haven't won anything). They're a fast and speedy team and should have a run and gun forecheck where they constantly pressure opposing teams D so they cough up the puck, but instead they just sit back in the 1-3-1 and wait for the other team to dump it in which makes no sense because Kings D is not that great at breakouts or cross-ice passes. Unless it's Clarke or Spence, Kings D aren't great at driving offense.

 

[Telos]

I still like Fiala. I like Faber too, but I think people are overselling him or what his place with the Kings would have been. People are making it sound like if he were here he would have Spartan kicked Doughty and assumed the role of franchise D from the start to ever after. Fiala is a PPG+ caliber winger, he makes mistakes because he tries to McDavid-carry the offense and can't, but his contract is fine, he is worth his deal, and people are kidding themselves to say he has no value. I will say though that you can really only afford one player like Fiala and what hurts him the most, besides his greedy/selfish plays, is that he is missing a dynamic center. Kopi and Danault aren't good fits for him, he requires a more agile and creative center to bounce off of and is why he played so well with Lizotte and Vilardi, etc. I think he actually would do well with Byfield if given time to develop chemistry and sync.

Blake and TMac are toast. I am starting to believe the PLD deal will go down as the worst trade in Kings history. It single-handedly sunk the team. The team had issues and flaws, but it wouldn't have come to what we're seeing if the deal hadn't been made. They have no hope of unloading the contract outside of a nasty buyout. The literal only hope is that PLD himself turns it around which there is just no reason to believe he will. This will go down as the defining moment that ended Blake's tenure. I actually think that Blake did some good things and the team had potential up till this fatal deal. You just have to be sure before you pull the trigger on that trade and signing and I can't believe that Blake and Luc were comfortable with it - I don't see how it is possible to trust their judgment ever again because it was so obvious this wouldn't work.

In the end, the season is so spoiled this point, I would start putting out drastic line combinations. You can try a live/die by the sword line of Fiala-PLD-Kaliyev - I actually think TMac made the right call by having that be a line in the beginning and if they had stayed together they could have been pretty offensively dynamic if they could have developed more chemistry because Fiala is the only one that can pick up on PLD's passes and actually catch them. Of course, it could have easily turned into a minus forever line too I also wouldn't mind seeing Fiala-Turcotte-Kaliyev as well. What do they have to lose at this point?

 

[kingsholygrail]

I was wrong about Byfield.
I was right about everything else!

This.

 

[Fat Elvis]

This season is Ehh

Complaining about what "could/should" have been IF BLuc made different decisions is pointless. Move forward and adjust. What IFs is an exercise in futility. If you were better looking and made more money, you'd bang hotter broads.

This team isn't that fun to watch outside a few games early on.

I'm good with a change in decision makers.

 

[LAKings88]

This season is Ehh

Complaining about what "could/should" have been IF BLuc made different decisions is pointless. Move forward and adjust. What IFs is an exercise in futility. If you were better looking and made more money, you'd bang hotter broads.

This team isn't that fun to watch outside a few games early on.

I'm good with a change in decision makers.

Eh its a talk board. If the fans don't speak up at all it just feeds into nobody cares so just keep rolling mentality. Blake has virtually no pressure in LA.

 

[Eagle Fang]

Pretty much as expected with the exception of Byfield's progression.

PLD trade was horrible and I don't think anyone thought it was a good move. Signing him to that ridiculous contract magnified the problem and it's playing out as most expected. Pure disappointment and makes my disdain of Blake even stronger.

Team overall is soft as shit with not even a fraction of the 'compete' many of us loved from the Lombardi days. Always felt it was an issue and makes my hate for Blake as a GM even stronger.

OTH, really surprised at Byfields progression this season. Completely different player and is turning into what many hoped. Was always a strong supporter of the pick, though my belief started to waiver towards the end of last season through preseason of this one. He's a beast and really one of the few reasons I look forward to watching games.

I take every loss and drop in the standings as a positive because it brings the team closer to getting rid of that idiot GM.

 

[LeftKinger]

Agree on Fiala. I don’t think he’s a player that plays well when he’s pressing and with the team not playing well, I think he’s trying to solo play them out of it sometimes. The best version of him that we’ve seen is when he plays within himself, unlike a guy like Q, who seems to play better when he balls to the wall. I’ve never questioned Fiala’s effort, just his decision making and that’s from either being too lax or pressing too hard. I’ve seen more of the latter during this rough stretch.