2023 Off Season Thread

[PuckinUgly57]

I believe they are starting as L2. And agreed, I see cycles for days minus the scoring. Offensive black hole.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Good lord, J-Blow 2.0 with 3 turnovers...on one shift and all 3 leading to prime Kings scoring chance against.

 

[davnlaguna]

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Anyone else catch the Australia games? Thoughts?

 

[Fox4Kings]

I caught some chunks of the games. The Coolley goal was pretty impressive. I thought Fiala looked great. Hard to put much stock into preseason games, even though it was more of the regular players.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Cooley goal actually made me realize even more how much work Buster has to do. Yes two different types of players, but one guy is 2 years younger, grabbed the bull by the horns and made his presence felt. Other dude did well, a whole lot of nothing. He was MIA in both games, didn't seem comfortable and didn't seem any more improved from the last time we saw him. Gets a chance to showcase his hands and skills in the SO, shot over the net entirely.

Spence, he's ready for full time NHL duty. Clarke's injury timing really hurt him, but I'm thinking it's Spence's job to lose. Still going with my Englund/Spence D3 combo to start the season.Moverare was his usual steady self, Bjornfot has his work cut out. It was really disappointing seeing all these Coyotes draft picks making plays yet here are with LA picks that have seemed to stall out.

Copley looked shaky in the first game, Talbot looked solid in the second. Granted it's preseason like you said but the battles for spots begin here. Big Save Dave looked good too, I wouldn't pencil Copley on for 1A just yet and could very well see Talbot/Rittich as the two roster goalies.

PK still sucks, Durzi is a liability no matter who he plays for and PLD looked OK but nothing jumped out yet. Kempe ans Fiala the two most noticeable forwards, they were all over the place.

 

[LAKINGSFAN]

Cooley goal actually made me realize even more how much work Buster has to do. Yes two different types of players, but one guy is 2 years younger, grabbed the bull by the horns and made his presence felt. Other dude did well, a whole lot of nothing. He was MIA in both games, didn't seem comfortable and didn't seem any more improved from the last time we saw him. Gets a chance to showcase his hands and skills in the SO, shot over the net entirely.

Spence, he's ready for full time NHL duty. Clarke's injury timing really hurt him, but I'm thinking it's Spence's job to lose. Still going with my Englund/Spence D3 combo to start the season.Moverare was his usual steady self, Bjornfot has his work cut out. It was really disappointing seeing all these Coyotes draft picks making plays yet here are with LA picks that have seemed to stall out.

Copley looked shaky in the first game, Talbot looked solid in the second. Granted it's preseason like you said but the battles for spots begin here. Big Save Dave looked good too, I wouldn't pencil Copley on for 1A just yet and could very well see Talbot/Rittich as the two roster goalies.

PK still sucks, Durzi is a liability no matter who he plays for and PLD looked OK but nothing jumped out yet. Kempe ans Fiala the two most noticeable forwards, they were all over the place.

I think the looked really good in the first period of the first game, especially the PLD line. One thing PLD will have to learn is when Fiala has the puck, he had better have his stick down and be ready. There were a couple plays that Fiala made a play and PLD was not ready.
Although it was just the first period of the first preseason game, I was pretty excited. Then during the second period, I was a bit disappointed as AZ really turned it around.
BUT, its just preseason and I am just excited the season is just around the corner. I think we have a pretty solid top 9 especially is QB and Kaliev take even a small step forward.

 

[davnlaguna]

Just saw the end of Wednesday Knight vs Kings game. Knights were packed with NHL guys. Kings played basically Reign players
Thomas with a hat trick and Madden with the winner in OT.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

And Hodgson with the absolute clean out of Mark Stone setting off a melee. Loved it, the B Squad more than handled their own against 2/3 of an NHL roster Vegas team.

Vegas announcers still freaking terrible, embarrassment for a SC winning team essentially saying Stone should not be touched. Well don't dress the hobo then, they'll sandbag him for April anyway.

 

[xis]

And Hodgson with the absolute clean out of Mark Stone setting off a melee. Loved it, the B Squad more than handled their own against 2/3 of an NHL roster Vegas team.

Vegas announcers still freaking terrible, embarrassment for a SC winning team essentially saying Stone should not be touched. Well don't dress the hobo then, they'll sandbag him for April anyway.

What I saw after the Hodgson hit scared me a bit. The completely scared shitless look on Clark's face as Stone grabbed and the way he was just holding onto Stone's left arm almost begging him to not hurt him was scary. Having said that I hope it's just because he (Clark) is coming off and injury and was just being careful. He turtled a few times after that as well when things got chippy. Saw a once or twice last year during a scrum when he played his 9 games with in the NHL.

All that said I'm not as down on the Kings prospects as some of you are. Especially the Byfield hate kind of baffles me. I know we all want him to score more but the dude is still a baby. He's younger than Laferriere, Kaliyev, Turcotte, Andre Lee, Fagemo, Akil Thomas and Tyler Madden and I may have missed some. IF he's not at around 15-18 goals and 30-35 points at the end of this year having played at least 75 games then I would say be worried. Other than that I'm not ready to give up on Byfield. The kid lost 20 lbs last year when I was sick. That's not something you can easily come back from.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

What I saw after the Hodgson hit scared me a bit. The completely scared shitless look on Clark's face as Stone grabbed and the way he was just holding onto Stone's left arm almost begging him to not hurt him was scary. Having said that I hope it's just because he (Clark) is coming off and injury and was just being careful. He turtled a few times after that as well when things got chippy. Saw a once or twice last year during a scrum when he played his 9 games with in the NHL.

I noticed that too - he did not want to engage with Stone at all. Granted he is coming off that shoulder injury, so I can see him not wanting to get reinjured in a meaningless preseason game but that is one of his consensus concerns around the league - how will he handle the bigger players and more aggressive nature of the NHL? This ain't the OHL kid, you are going to be targeted and you need to push back. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for last night based on the injury but if that starts becoming a pattern, well...

Another reason why I think it'll be 5/53 for the D3 pairing, Clarke needs development time in the AHL. There is zero reason to rush him and I am probably one of the few Kings fans out there but I don't think he will be on the NHL roster to start the season. Kingsters are going to be extremely disappointed in a few weeks, Teh Blog is going to lose their minds because they have him as the second coming of Paul Coffey.

All that said I'm not as down on the Kings prospects as some of you are. Especially the Byfield hate kind of baffles me. I know we all want him to score more but the dude is still a baby. He's younger than Laferriere, Kaliyev, Turcotte, Andre Lee, Fagemo, Akil Thomas and Tyler Madden and I may have missed some. IF he's not at around 15-18 goals and 30-35 points at the end of this year having played at least 75 games then I would say be worried. Other than that I'm not ready to give up on Byfield. The kid lost 20 lbs last year when I was sick. That's not something you can easily come back from.

I'm definitely on the he's on watch list as you know. He's also 2 years younger than Cooley who showed more in the two games last weekend in Australia so there's the counter to your age comment. Cooley also doesn't have 3 years of professional experience under his belt like Buster does, whether that be in the AHL or NHL. He simply needs to produce, there is no way around it. Even last weekend the color team said it - he needs to put up points this season, no ifs ands or buts about it. Kid gloves are coming off this season and he will have every opportunity to make people like me shut up.

And if all he ends up with is 35 points in 75+ games, it is absolutely time to be worried and start taking trade offers. No LW1 in the league puts up a mere 3 goals in even half a season getting top line minutes and PP time. PLD was acquired for insurance reasons, in case Buster does not pan out as Kopitar's successor. Even if he just becomes a LW, that would be a failure of a 2OA as well.

So far he just smells of the wrong draft pick based on what he has shown at the NHL level, his trajectory and production. More than happy to eat crow on this one next year and in fact hope I do.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Oops make that 2 years older than Cooley.

 

[Kings4OT]

You have to get to #7 pick of holtz in Busters draft to find a less producing player. Its no secret i wanted Stutzle and thought LA was stupid/incompetent not to take him, based on that alone its impossible for me not to bash Buster....but he was slated as a t5 pick, that should be a difference maker at any position or its a bust IMO.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Agree 100%, T5 picks need to be difference makers no matter what position. These are franchise defining players who can either catapult or sink a franchise in a few short years. They do not have the luxury of a 5 year development plan like say a 4th round pick because they were more talented to begin with so ramp up time is a lot shorter. He should be contributing a lot more than he has to date.

Funny you mention Holtz at 7, in an Athletic redraft a few months ago Buster fell to 10th. Big year for him, pressure is on and from what I saw last weekend if that's how he will play all season the Kings are in serious trouble with this pick.

 

[xis]

In case anyone is looking for it:

Live stream of the Kings @ Sharks game 9/30/23

WATCH LIVE: Sharks vs Kings Preseason Game | San Jose Sharks

Livestream the San Jose Sharks as they take on the Los Angeles Kings in preseason action.

www.nhl.com

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Missed it, sounds like it was a good game for the B Squad though. It's pretty sad Vegas, Anaheim and SJ are broadcasting/streaming games but LA really hasn't sans the Australia games and the Vegas game. Was also surprised at the roster that went up to SJ, we should be getting some more looks here very soon of the "regulars" down the preseason stretch. Cuts should be starting this week.

I'm stuck in a house with screaming teenage girls and a sleepover, don't believe I'll be getting much sleep so I'll see if there's a replay somewhere.

 

[histkng23]

Specifically, starts at 2:25 mark

Saw this last night.....as much as Marchand can play on the line (over at times), think his take on Mark Stone & the hit that Hodgson laid on him is fair. Even admitted that he thought the hit was clean, which it was. Stone's reaction, in hindsight, makes him look like a bitch. If you're going to be on the ice, preseason or not, you've got to be ready to accept that is STILL a part of the game.

Just because you've now won a Cup, doesn't mean you're untouchable....

 

[histkng23]

Here's another analysis of the hit....spot on

 

[PuckinUgly57]

100% clean hit and Stone was definitely sleeping. His post game comments are just classless, "he's not much of a player" sent you into next week - Hobo should have just kept his mouth shut but I wouldn't expect otherwise from Vegas or their retarded fans and TV people.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

The Kings Behind the Glass series documentary about the Australia trip that Laguna D mentioned starts tonight on NHL Network at 6pm PST:

‘Behind The Glass: Los Angeles Kings Training Camp’ debuts | NHL.com

1st of 3 all-access episodes on NHL Network

www.nhl.com

Kids have some appointments I need to take them to starting at 3pm and also the Giants are on MNF so I'll record it and watch it later. Curious to see it and what their experiences were.