2024-25 Season Thread

[PuckinUgly57]

And Ovechkin does it against Sorokin on Long Island hitting 895. Classic goal too, left dot rocket.

Been fortunate to see both Gretzky set the record as well as Ovechkin break it. Dude is 39, hard to believe he's still clipping nets like he does.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

The 8 NHL teams with the best case to make an offer sheet this offseason

Criteria:
Does the team have its own picks?
Does the team have enough cap space?
Is the team going to finish in the league’s basement? - doesn't apply to LA obviously
Does the team have a significant roster need they can’t fill elsewhere?

1. Los Angeles Kings
L.A. was one of the first teams that came to my mind when I thought about doing this exercise. They’re a good team — eighth in the league standings — and they have all of their picks for 2026.

They also have a need up front for another scorer, as goals have been rather hard to come by. How good would Matthew Knies or JJ Peterka look on this team? (Or any of the other forwards here.)

Plus, there’s plenty of pressure on the Kings to finally break through in the postseason after getting beaten by the Oilers so many years in a row. Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty are aging but still effective, but how long is their window open?

Adding another high-end talent with some of their $20 million-plus space makes a lot of sense, whether they find it in UFA or going the offer sheet route.

The other 7 teams are Utah, Montreal, Anaheim, Flames, Jets, Devils and Flyers.

 

[davnlaguna]

Ovi scored his 895 vs the same team tha Wayne scored 894

 

[histkng23]

And Ovechkin does it against Sorokin on Long Island hitting 895. Classic goal too, left dot rocket.

Been fortunate to see both Gretzky set the record as well as Ovechkin break it. Dude is 39, hard to believe he's still clipping nets like he does.

Was fortunate enough to sneak into the Forum to witness Gretz score 802. Then turned on the game 5 min before Ovi scored 895. Was a classic Ovi goal. Nice celebration the NHL did to recognize the moment.

**Gretz seems to be aging very oddly, must be using the same plastic surgeon Janet is using.....

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Was fortunate enough to sneak into the Forum to witness Gretz score 802. Then turned on the game 5 min before Ovi scored 895. Was a classic Ovi goal. Nice celebration the NHL did to recognize the moment.

**Gretz seems to be aging very oddly, must be using the same plastic surgeon Janet is using.....

I was there for 802, it was absolutely bananas. I miss the Forum, such an old beat up rickety yet intimate stadium.

Noticed that too about Gretzky, he looked younger today than he did 5 years ago. Odd.

 

[davnlaguna]

I was home for 802
Went to kings store off Bristol in Santa Ana the next day and bought a shirt. I don’t still have it.
Ovi doesn’t get the same love.
Because he coasts

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I was home for 802
Went to kings store off Bristol in Santa Ana the next day and bought a shirt. I don’t still have it.
Ovi doesn’t get the same love.
Because he coasts

I think that store was called The Slap Shop, I used to go there too. I got an old school Kings Starter jacket from there still in the silver and black hanging in the closet.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Another TA article:

The NHL’s top 10 most underrated defensemen and why they’re so valuable

Vladislav Gavrikov, Los Angeles Kings
Gavrikov has long been a defensive dynamo, but he’s putting together an especially outstanding campaign this season.

The 29-year-old Russian was a massive reason why the Kings’ blue line held its own for 47 games without Drew Doughty. Gavrikov averaged 23:56 through late January, which led the Kings and ranked top 20 among all defensemen. Despite being forced to regularly play the right side as a left-shot defenseman, he decisively won his minutes on the top pair playing with Mikey Anderson.

With Doughty back, Gavrikov is now driving the second pair on his natural left side. He’s still responsible, however, for absorbing the toughest defensive matchups against top competition, with Doughty’s pair handling slightly easier assignments.

This season, Gavrikov is helping the Kings control nearly 56 percent of expected goals and has a plus-13 goal differential during his five-on-five minutes. Nearly all of that success comes from his elite defensive impact.

Gavrikov suffocates opponents’ time and space offensively. He’s a big body (6-foot-3 and 220 pounds) and leverages his massive wingspan and strong positional play to masterfully clog passing and shooting lanes on the inside. He also eats the most short-handed minutes on the Kings’ top-10 penalty kill. Gavrikov is a below-average puck-mover, but the Kings have the right environment to insulate that.

The more articles like these come out, the higher the price tag on Gavrikov becomes. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get $7 million on a long term deal at all especially if Bowlby is still at the wheel.

They didn't have them numbered but the others are Fowler, LaCombe, Samberg, McDonough, Kesselring, Kulak, McNabb, Chatfield, McCabe.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Doughty didn't play final 7 plus minutes last game and is now questionable.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Doughty didn't play final 7 plus minutes last game and is now questionable.

Just read that, looked like it was right when he got tangled up with Arvidsson in the corner and then went to the net and started cross checking someone when they were down in front of Kuemper.

Not sure if it's been mentioned either but Jeannot and Turcotte may not be ready by playoffs. Turcotte skated today but in a red no contact jersey, I still think it was a concussion after Peete drilled him. Both were initially listed as D2D, now looking week to week.

Jeannot IMO is the bigger loss, they will need him for a series against Edmonton - he was playing some of his best hockey of the season when he got hurt.

Turcotte may injure himself during his pregame nap, isn't that important anyway IMO so just shut him down, healthy him up and trade him this summer while keeping Mallot up and resigning Jeannot to a team friendly deal.

 

[histkng23]

I think that store was called The Slap Shop, I used to go there too. I got an old school Kings Starter jacket from there still in the silver and black hanging in the closet.

Got my first Kings Jersey there, during the 92-93 season. Is a Sandstrom home (white), also has the 25th Anniversary & NHL 75th Anniversary patches on it. Is a CCM jersey, and have it vacusealed in my closet with all my other jerseys. Wore the Sandstrom jersey religiously during the last of the Gretzky years...

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Just read that, looked like it was right when he got tangled up with Arvidsson in the corner and then went to the net and started cross checking someone when they were down in front of Kuemper.

Not sure if it's been mentioned either but Jeannot and Turcotte may not be ready by playoffs. Turcotte skated today but in a red no contact jersey, I still think it was a concussion after Peete drilled him. Both were initially listed as D2D, now looking week to week.

Jeannot IMO is the bigger loss, they will need him for a series against Edmonton - he was playing some of his best hockey of the season when he got hurt.

Turcotte may injure himself during his pregame nap, isn't that important anyway IMO so just shut him down, healthy him up and trade him this summer while keeping Mallot up and resigning Jeannot to a team friendly deal.

I mean, I have a soft spot for Turcotte with his humble nature and injury history, coupled with draft pedigree. Also feel like he got a nasty cheap shot on him in minors and has never been the same. Also making league minimum for 3 years.

But I pretty much agree. Jeanot is the muscle needed for a tough, physical series. Moves well, chips in occasionally offensively, but brings a physical element the Kings generally lack (lacked?). Kings seem tougher built than they have been in years prior, but we'll see.

I assume a long series, so even if we're looking at Game 4-5, Jeanot would be a nice boost.

I follow some Oilers' pages, and they keep posting a stat where they are 34-1-2 if they get even .900 save %, which is crazy. But they mostly blame their goaltending, which is for sure a factor, but not the end all be all. Their defense seriously lacks something.

 

[Kings4OT]

I mean, I have a soft spot for Turcotte with his humble nature and injury history, coupled with draft pedigree. Also feel like he got a nasty cheap shot on him in minors and has never been the same. Also making league minimum for 3 years.

But I pretty much agree. Jeanot is the muscle needed for a tough, physical series. Moves well, chips in occasionally offensively, but brings a physical element the Kings generally lack (lacked?). Kings seem tougher built than they have been in years prior, but we'll see.

I assume a long series, so even if we're looking at Game 4-5, Jeanot would be a nice boost.

I follow some Oilers' pages, and they keep posting a stat where they are 34-1-2 if they get even .900 save %, which is crazy. But they mostly blame their goaltending, which is for sure a factor, but not the end all be all. Their defense seriously lacks something.

Ya Oiler D is horrible. Overall team D is lacking as well. They like to blame the goalie of the moment but its always the same...dude has to stand on his head for a .900. If they got rid of guys like Nurse, Bouchard et all and just got some defensemen that can play D and a couple muckers that can eat up some ice time without being a liability they would have won a cup already. The D doesnt even need to be puck movers....they have enough F talent to get the puck going up ice easy if the D would check/block a shot etc

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I mean, I have a soft spot for Turcotte with his humble nature and injury history, coupled with draft pedigree. Also feel like he got a nasty cheap shot on him in minors and has never been the same. Also making league minimum for 3 years.

But I pretty much agree. Jeanot is the muscle needed for a tough, physical series. Moves well, chips in occasionally offensively, but brings a physical element the Kings generally lack (lacked?). Kings seem tougher built than they have been in years prior, but we'll see.

I assume a long series, so even if we're looking at Game 4-5, Jeanot would be a nice boost.

I follow some Oilers' pages, and they keep posting a stat where they are 34-1-2 if they get even .900 save %, which is crazy. But they mostly blame their goaltending, which is for sure a factor, but not the end all be all. Their defense seriously lacks something.

But I pretty much agree. Jeanot is the muscle needed for a tough, physical series. Moves well, chips in occasionally offensively, but brings a physical element the Kings generally lack (lacked?). Kings seem tougher built than they have been in years prior, but we'll see.

I assume a long series, so even if we're looking at Game 4-5, Jeanot would be a nice boost.

I follow some Oilers' pages, and they keep posting a stat where they are 34-1-2 if they get even .900 save %, which is crazy. But they mostly blame their goaltending, which is for sure a factor, but not the end all be all. Their defense seriously lacks something.

I mean, I have a soft spot for Turcotte with his humble nature and injury history, coupled with draft pedigree. Also feel like he got a nasty cheap shot on him in minors and has never been the same. Also making league minimum for 3 years.

But I pretty much agree. Jeanot is the muscle needed for a tough, physical series. Moves well, chips in occasionally offensively, but brings a physical element the Kings generally lack (lacked?). Kings seem tougher built than they have been in years prior, but we'll see.

I assume a long series, so even if we're looking at Game 4-5, Jeanot would be a nice boost.

I follow some Oilers' pages, and they keep posting a stat where they are 34-1-2 if they get even .900 save %, which is crazy. But they mostly blame their goaltending, which is for sure a factor, but not the end all be all. Their defense seriously lacks something.

I think we all feel for Turcotte, nobody wants to see a player's career derailed because of injuries.

But at this point, 6 years in and unable to even complete his first full season, it's definitive he is injury prone. Taking that out and just looking at his skillset, I really don't see anything there other than a high energy B6 player either. It's long been talked about that he was perhaps more of a product of his teammates and USNTDP vs his actual skillset.

That can be replaced with better options (and just as inexpensive) as we're seeing in Mallott. Availability is the bigger concern and it's a shame as a 5OA his career has ended up as it has. It's time to cut ties with him and who knows, maybe he will shine elsewhere if he can stay healthy. The Kings can recoup a mid round pick or a prospect for the pipeline.

Having Jeannot out will not help come the playoffs, that was evident Saturday when Frederic tried the wrap around and 5'10" Fiala tied him up in front of the net and didn't engage in anything. Not a knock on Fiala, that's not his game but if that's Jeannot maybe Frederic (who I wanted at the TDL but Helenius has played well as 4C so far) doesn't try to intimidate anyone. Turcotte would have been in the same situation, Jeannot is a must have for the playoffs regardless who they play.

And I agree, Skinner isn't that good and looks a lot like 7-11 and his defense doesn't help. Something is clearly off with this Edmonton team and if they face off this is the best chance the Kings have had to beat them.