This Board is so quiet.

[LAKINGSFAN]

Any thoughts on what we have seen through the first handful of games this year?
I am a bit surprised on how bad the defense has been but pretty happy with the amount of offense they have been able generate.

I have been pleasantly surprised by Lizotte and Walker.

Anyone know Grundstrom has been a healthy scratch? I thought he did pretty well at the end of last season.

 

[Kings4OT]

Working out of town so i have yet to watch a game. Not suprising the team is bad and not much hope it gets better anytime soon. Almost need to get the big contracts gone....so what maybe start a run in 10 years?

 

[davnlaguna]

Decided weeks ago that this would be a bad year for Kings fans. 2011 bad

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Any thoughts on what we have seen through the first handful of games this year?
I am a bit surprised on how bad the defense has been but pretty happy with the amount of offense they have been able generate.

I have been pleasantly surprised by Lizotte and Walker.

Anyone know Grundstrom has been a healthy scratch? I thought he did pretty well at the end of last season.

I believe Grundstrom got sent to Ontario. Last I read. They made some changes after the back to back shutouts.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Board super quiet. I actually still like McLellan's comments so far. Calling out guys left and right. He said Kovalchuk gets paid handsomely to put the puck in the net, so when he whiffed the other night, McLellan said it just wasn't acceptable. Overall, he said he wants more from their big guys, or maybe they don't belong on the team.

I thought they deserved a better fate against Buffalo, with that shutout being a lot different from the Carolina one. Goaltender just absolutely shut them down. Looked decent against Vegas, but again, just couldn't finish. They are getting chances, and just need to actually bury some of them.

I am the biggest Quick fan ever. Like even maybe bigger Quick fan than Kings fan sometimes, but he hasn't looked very good. Granted, the Kings defense is absent, but Quick used to make a few saves that just hadn't been happening. Nice bounce-back against Calgary, who the Kings are 2-0 against. A record of 3-5, with 2-0 against Calgary. Maybe if we played the Flames every night I guess, we'd be sitting pretty.

Defense is really bad so far, and it's for sure hard to see us transition from such a shutdown team, to something new(ish).

I wish it didn't take Doughty getting clowned on by Tkatchuk for him to reach down and have his best game though. I feel like like that's still the immaturity in Doughty. I'd really like to have seen go away by now.

It's still hard to work the numbers with two guys making over $10mil/year, so for the first time I wonder if exploring the option to move Doughty isn't the right move. He still has insane value with his age and pedigree/resume.

The young guys are still waiting in the wings, so this is more of system change year until more guys are gone next summer. But overall, I feel like there's some early stuff to get excited about, as well as some stuff to cringe over.

Positive is that Carter looked fast and good again. That's really good to see.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

On LAKingsInsider:

Vilardi skating in full equipment; projected lineups - LA Kings Insider

Saying Vilardi skating in full gear, with 9 days on 3 days off. Reevaluated every 12 days. Hoping to put him into Ontario lineup soon.

I guess I was sort of waiting to hear news of his retirement one of these days, but that's some positive news that he could actually maybe still get into some action eventually.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Kings and Quick with back to back wins. LAKingsInsider also saying Kings have outshot opponents in all 9 games. Top 5 in shots for so far.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Vilardi progressing as next evaluation for Ontario integration nears - LA Kings Insider

Skating with other players with next step being on the Ontario Reign. But article also says he'll have pain management for his back for the rest of his career. Yikes.

 

[Kings4OT]

I am the biggest Quick fan ever. Like even maybe bigger Quick fan than Kings fan sometimes

Yes i thought quick was the best goalie to give the kings a chance to win, especially over bernier. I have no problem with the kings exploring a trade with him now as long as they dont end up with a long high dollar contract. For me, kopitar is the only player i would consider keeping at 10m...i really dont like 5 year + big contracts.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Man, this is so funny to me. Kings drop 3 in a row on the road trip. McLellan "This trip was good because it let us know that there are some players that probably can't play in the league right now"

 

[davnlaguna]

Man, this is so funny to me. Kings drop 3 in a row on the road trip. McLellan "This trip was good because it let us know that there are some players that probably can't play in the league right now"

About 23 of them

 

[pasul82]

At this point, wow...

After the Doughty overtime winner in Calgary --- duplicated nicely by (Tka)Chucky last night in Smashville (glass punch and all) --- I kinda thought that was a building block and we were headed maybe to the (lower) middle of the 2020 draft...?

The recent road show got me sick and the between-period Reign goal highlights did not settle my stomach, so now I just re-watch that season opening Kings/Flames first period and start doing play by play with new names currently in the AHL, OHL, WHL, US College, NTDP...

I keep deluding myself that we will be helped by losing to the Senators next week and again in March. I know ping pong balls and draft probabilities are higher math, but I'm a dummy.

I'm sure Luc is already excited about the 2020 NHL draft. A Montreal favorite son in the Bell Centre thanking Les Habitantes in Quebec-French before he and the podium parade select Quinton Byfield or a Swedish winger.

More seriously, I will continue to watch Kings games for the occasional Jon Rosen sighting. Has he ever been more manic? I trust I'm not the only one concerned AND it would explain the weight loss.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I'm around, I'm in one of my wonderful shit storms again so I haven't posted but I have been reading. Trying to stay focused on myself and the kids. X checked in on me a few weeks ago via text, thanks brother - it was nice to hear from you.

This team is brutal, it's going to be another top 5 pick again which I expected. I do like the more aggressive fore check and I have to say Walker has been a godsend, especially being a RH defender too. He has easily been the Kings' best defenseman and that's saying a lot with Doughty on board.

Losing a lot of faith in Bowlby, even more than it was before. He has missed the boat on moving veterans and now will likely get not much for them come the deadline.

 

[davnlaguna]

Kovy healthy scratch
No one on team wants to talk about it.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Kovy healthy scratch
No one on team wants to talk about it.

Getting ugly.

Los Angeles Kings' Ilya Kovalchuk reportedly told he will be scratched 'for the foreseeable future'

TFP is a rumor site so it's difficult to assess the truth, but I guess if he is scratched in the next game and the next game it probably has legs.

I was on somewhat on board with Kovalchuk signing in summer 2018 although I wasn't a fan of the third year on the deal, but they had to give it to him to get him to come to LA. He was doing well in the KHL and in great shape so I figured at the least he would be good for 20-25 goals in the NHL.

I also wasn't expecting the Kings to be as bad as they were last season although I knew there were would be regression from all of Quick, Doughty, Kopitar and Brown who had career years meaning there would be a decline from the 98 points they earned so this is where I wasn't sure if Kovalchuk was the right signing.

However, I surely didn't expect a bottom 5 finish either, and this whole situation has blown up in Blake's face.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Rumors swirling Kovalchuk is being released from his contract. Yikes.

 

[davnlaguna]

Rumors swirling Kovalchuk is being released from his contract. Yikes.

I don’t think that will happen. He is on an over 35 deal, which means no cap relief if the release/buyout or he retires. Maybe if he signs with Russia to do him a favor. I don’t see the Kings paying his salary, taking the cap hit and letting him sign with another team for nothing in return.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Don't think the Kings care at this point. It's a culture thing, and they need him out of the locker room with so many young players on board.

I don't think he is a bad teammate - everywhere he has played they have all said he is a great teammate - but that could very well flip over time if he gets discontent enough and after talking "culture" all last season long they are not going to take any chances.

It has legs per THN:

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Reign Notebook 11/14 - Vilardi, Bergh, Luff, Kings Night, Reigny Day Pod Trending - LA Kings Insider

Vilardi might actually play soon. Been in full practices. He's actually with specific linemates.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

I don't think the Cap hit on Kovy matters that much. When this next crop of young guys comes up, that's a few years away.