Game Thread: G38 20-10-7 Kings @ Cats 1/11/23

[PuckinUgly57]

Game day, 4pm start for us here. Going to try to get the kiddo from school so I don't have to miss any of the game.

Looks like the Kings went back to thw standard lines we have seen most of the season, which means JAD and Clarke are out. Interesting note is that in practice PLD and The Lizard swapped spots, wondering if that'll stick for the game or if it was just an experiment thing. But damn, if your $8.5 million center is now C4, even for this game, that means they are throwing everything at the wall to get him going. Talbot first off the ice indicating he will start.

Panthers have Reinhart leading the league with 29 goals and Verhaeghe has 22 goals so the focus will be put on them defensively. Almost half his 29 goals have been PP goals so he's getting it done at ES and special teams.

Can't forget about Barkov, another big two way center who is basically Kopitar South but also lived in the shadows of Bergeron for so many years (who I loved BTW. He earned his place ans awards but I think so many other solid Cs got hacked yearly too simply because they weren't looked at closely, like Kopitar for example. Anyone realize he has more points than Bergeron career but is just as good if not better than Bergeron?) and is very capable himself of making things happen.

And of course Tkachuk, who's having a down year but keeps doing Tkachuk things and keep an eye on Cousins, he's been headhunting with questionable elbows and then turtles. He did this last month to Gundbrandson of the BJs and boy oh boy was he pissed and opened a can of whoopass on Cousins. Bobrovsky slated to start.

Kings also worked on details and holding leads, they have had three separate 2-0 leads (Tampa, Detroit and Edmonton) recently and lost all 3 games. Not exactly sure how you practice that not in a live situation but OK. It's the attention to details and execution.

Prediction: slump buster fat chick incoming, 4-3 King win. PLD with 2.

Let's Go Kings!

 

[Kings4OT]

Kings lose, at least they wont have a 2g lead in this one.

 

[davnlaguna]

Kings take a 3-0 lead into the third and win in a shootout

 

[Kings4OT]

Cost of doing business, i had guessed the Doughboy contract would hurt the Kings. I wish he would have signed for 8 or even 9 would have been good. That deal obviously was never gonna age well. Of cpurse maybe it hasnt hurt much yet as LA would have spent thst on a G and that would have probably ended up worse than Talbot honestly.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I don't blame the Doughty contract. He was 1 year removed from a Norris, and generally speaking to date he hasn't performed poorly, just not as good or elite as he was for the first decade. That was market value and he got it.

What's interesting to me is that of all the bad contracts Blake has handed out, people seem to think Dumbo inked this deal; wasn't him. But because it's Doughty it gets brushed under the rug but Kovalchuk, Petersen, others all come to the front.

Preferably I'm with you, $8-9 million would have been ideal.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Can we ever go a game without hearing TOTM?

 

[Kings4OT]

I don't blame the Doughty contract. He was 1 year removed from a Norris, and generally speaking to date he hasn't performed poorly, just not as good or elite as he was for the first decade. That was market value and he got it.

What's interesting to me is that of all the bad contracts Blake has handed out, people seem to think Dumbo inked this deal; wasn't him. But because it's Doughty it gets brushed under the rug but Kovalchuk, Petersen, others all come to the front.

Preferably I'm with you, $8-9 million would have been ideal.

I dont have a huge problem with the deal, he was gonna get paid...i just figured it would hurt and knew unfortunately he was getting paid for whst he already did, not what he was gonna do....thats the only real problem

 

[Kings4OT]

Can we ever go a game without hearing TOTM?

No, unless on mute

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I dont have a huge problem with the deal, he was gonna get paid...i just figured it would hurt and knew unfortunately he was getting paid for whst he already did, not what he was gonna do....thats the only real problem

Well all those "reward contracts" were going to burn LA, we knew that. I think Kopitar's prior 8 year/$80 million deal was probably the best of those and that's not saying much. But really what else was to be done, you know? Let him walk? He would nabe gotten $12 million in Toronto AND the Kings are now down a 1D.

Faber may have been a replacement, but that would have been 5-6 years down the road from the Doughty contract signing date. BTW, he has turned into a phenomenal defender, it's too bad he didn't want to sign in LA.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

No, unless on mute

Only thing worse would be hearing Leah Hextall call him TOTM. I would have stabbed myself in the ears.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

The more and more I see Kempe, the more and more I see him succeeding Kopitar as captain. The Juice nickname is kind of funny, but he definitely has it.

He has slowly but methodically turned himself into a valuable member of this team, physically involved, scrums, scores, well respected and liked. Solid 200' player and doesn't take any guff.

If he continues this trajectory, his next contract is going to be insane. Blake stole him on this one.

 

[Kings4OT]

The more and more I see Kempe, the more and more I see him succeeding Kopitar as captain. The Juice nickname is kind of funny, but he definitely has it.

He has slowly but methodically turned himself into a valuable member of this team, physically involved, scrums, scores, well respected and liked. Solid 200' player and doesn't take any guff.

If he continues this trajectory, his next contract is going to be insane. Blake stole him on this one.

Soon as i called him cantplay, he turned it on....hope he stays and takes up the C, he leads even when the team is sucking

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Absolutely. I was starting to think maybe he won't be much maybe 4 years ago, but they dicked him around all over the lines. The moment they gave him a stable spot, some decent linemates he took off. It's also why I have some patience left for Buster (is he even in this game? Haven't heard his name once) but he was put in a better spot much sooner than Kempe was. I expect a much faster trajectory from him.

Back to Kempe, he will get more than PLD cash on his next deal. Kings will have to do some financial shuffling yet again.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Will someone please knock that stupid haircut off Lomberg? I forgot how irritating he is and I'm not even playing in this game.

 

[Kings4OT]

Absolutely. I was starting to think maybe he won't be much maybe 4 years ago, but they dicked him around all over the lines. The moment they gave him a stable spot, some decent linemates he took off. It's also why I have some patience left for Buster (is he even in this game? Haven't heard his name once) but he was put in a better spot much sooner than Kempe was. I expect a much faster trajectory from him.

Back to Kempe, he will get more than PLD cash on his next deal. Kings will have to do some financial shuffling yet again.

Luckily got a few seasons before he gets paid...thats the window really. Its very difficult to win after your big guys get paid....Chi never won shit after toews/kane made bank, kings nada, mcjesus matthews....not yet. In fact until last season no team won a cup with a 10m guy. Hopefully Kings can figure it out before more cap to keep the same lineup.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

He has 2 years left after this one, not really a lot of time. They can begin negotiating on a long term deal in summer 2025, he will be 28 almost 29 so the issue there is another potential 8 year deal and how much. As much as I like him I don't want them giving him an 8 year deal taking him to age 37. The risk of not aging well is there at that point.

That comes back to the legacy contracts, will they give him 8 years/$80 million too? Ideally I'd like to see a 6 year deal. In fact I think that's what the limit should have been after the 2012 CBA.

Regardless though I think he is getting paid next contract whether it's LA or somewhere else.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Why does Cam Talbot look like a science teacher

 

[Kings4OT]

He has 2 years left after this one, not really a lot of time. They can begin negotiating on a long term deal in summer 2025, he will be 28 almost 29 so the issue there is another potential 8 year deal and how much. As much as I like him I don't want them giving him an 8 year deal taking him to age 37. The risk of not aging well is there at that point.

That comes back to the legacy contracts, will they give him 8 years/$80 million too? Ideally I'd like to see a 6 year deal. In fact I think that's what the limit should have been after the 2012 CBA.

Regardless though I think he is getting paid next contract whether it's LA or somewhere else.

I hate those long deals. Ya 2 years is the window imo, Im in a minority in my cap thinking and big $$ players. I think you have a better chance at winning if you move those guys when they cost a lot.... If you get decent pics or prospects or know what you're doing. You can open another window fairly quickly even without your old superstars.... Hard to get fans on Bored without thinking Also hard to get players to come if they're older... But I think there is a mix in to be had

 

[davnlaguna]

How many games can they give up the lead in the third period?

 

[Kings4OT]

How many games can they give up the lead in the third period?

Not gonna like the answer