How Long Can Management Go Without Being Held Accountable?

[DoubleMinor]

The Kings need to bring in someone...anyone...who can make a significant improvement to the power play. They're going nowhere with the worst PP in the league.

Very true.
The PP has to get better.
I’m reminded of the time when Darryl told Brown to park his butt in front of the goalie is he wanted to be on the PP unit.
With the talent they have it’s perplexing. I don’t honestly think it’s coaching. Just poor execution.

 

[05/29/93]

I agree that it is very unlikely that Gavy gets traded. It sends a difficult message.

It is hard to see where this team is or where it is going. Two months ago the fans were happy. A couple hard weeks and fans are unhappy.

The Kings have actually done pretty well against the top tier teams. In games against the top competition the Kings have been competitive and haven’t seemed outclassed generally speaking.

The biggest improvement I have seen this year from years past is that the team is just way more competitive. The Ducks game this past weekend was a good example. The Kings played poor through two periods but were really playing hard in the third. In the past the Kings would have just quit and accepted the loss. This team has way more resilience and drive.

I think you’re correct that a slump in the next set of games changes the strategy but without that the Kings are buyers and not sellers at the deadline.

I would add the Dallas game into the mix as well. There were multiple times in that game when the Kings could have folded (blowing one goal leads, falling behind in the 3rd), having an OT goal waved off. Last year, the Kings lose that game, and probably the Ducks game also. Last year, they earn maybe 1 point out of the 4. This year, they did very well to get 3/4 points, ESPECIALLY as exhausted as they were.

 

[Halfwall]

Very true.
The PP has to get better.
I’m reminded of the time when Darryl told Brown to park his butt in front of the goalie is he wanted to be on the PP unit.
With the talent they have it’s perplexing. I don’t honestly think it’s coaching. Just poor execution.

The problem has been no Dman with a big shot. Also, Kopi has gone back to his slow motion attack.

 

[DryKing]

Very true.
The PP has to get better.
I’m reminded of the time when Darryl told Brown to park his butt in front of the goalie is he wanted to be on the PP unit.
With the talent they have it’s perplexing. I don’t honestly think it’s coaching. Just poor execution.

Your call out about net-front presence is on point.

Sadly poor coaching and a non-evolving scheme account for a large percentage of the failure. Also, it's not always about putting your best offensive players out there but the right combination of players which has fallen short. Coaching has made some minor adjustments regarding personnel on PP1 but nothing significant.

I'd like to see Byfield and Laf get into the mix and start rotating players in and out until the coaches find a combination that works. Really the only King who should be 100% on PP1 right now is Kempe.

 

[jammer06]

They really do need to decide to sh*t or get off the pot with the idea of running the pp through fiala

 

[VCRW]

They really do need to decide to sh*t or get off the pot with the idea of running the pp through fiala

Hiller needs to get over his Fiala = Ovechkin obsession. Playing #22 for all 2 minutes just increases the chances of giving up a short-handed goal.

The right shot forward dilemma has persisted since Toffoli's departure. I think Rob was hoping Fagemo would be the answer. All the pundits say acquiring forwards is the easiest task for a GM. If so, then not solving this particular situation is a glaring front office failure.

 

[orpheus]

The Kings PP has been iffy ever since Tippett left that it's become part of their personality. Like Spiderman's propensity towards making snappy one liners.

 

[VCRW]

Very true.
The PP has to get better.
I’m reminded of the time when Darryl told Brown to park his butt in front of the goalie is he wanted to be on the PP unit.
With the talent they have it’s perplexing. I don’t honestly think it’s coaching. Just poor execution.

I disagree that the PP failings are not squarely on the coaching. The Kings don't use the bumper position well, nor do they put a person in front of the net who is skilled at tipping and screening. I see this as coaching problems.

On PP1, I would try having Kopi set up in Gretzky's office. He has become ineffective on the halfwall. I can't be the only one who has noticed his problems this year with making and receiving passes. Pretty sure other teams know to concentrate their PK guys on disrupting Kopitar. The position behind the net might give him a bit more time to make the right plays.

 

[DoubleMinor]

Your call out about net-front presence is on point.

Sadly poor coaching and a non-evolving scheme account for a large percentage of the failure. Also, it's not always about putting your best offensive players out there but the right combination of players which has fallen short. Coaching has made some minor adjustments regarding personnel on PP1 but nothing significant.

I'd like to see Byfield and Laf get into the mix and start rotating players in and out until the coaches find a combination that works. Really the only King who should be 100% on PP1 right now is Kempe.

Very correct about the combination being key.
I think you have to start trying different combinations. I think a big part of the problem is that the PP is just stagnate. Hardly any movement and way too predictable. They are making it far to easy on the opposition PK.

Look at the Caps tho. Ovy has been at the same exact spot for 15 years but their PP finds a way to get him the puck and score. Kings need to find a way to consistently get Kempe those scoring ops on the PP.

The kings also have to get Kopi off the Halfwall. He’s been there his whole career and it hasn’t worked.

So yeah, coaching is definitely part of it but they need to stop doing the same thing with the same players.

I would suggest Kempe and Fiala/Laffy on the wings. PK is going to take away one side, not both. Quick decisions and crisp passing will open things up. And get a body in front of the goalie.

 

[DoubleMinor]

Your call out about net-front presence is on point.

Sadly poor coaching and a non-evolving scheme account for a large percentage of the failure. Also, it's not always about putting your best offensive players out there but the right combination of players which has fallen short. Coaching has made some minor adjustments regarding personnel on PP1 but nothing significant.

I'd like to see Byfield and Laf get into the mix and start rotating players in and out until the coaches find a combination that works. Really the only King who should be 100% on PP1 right now is Kempe.

I would also point out that the Kings have one guy with a record of getting dirty goals…Danault. And it’s mystifying to me why he’s not in the crease on the PP.

 

[Madness20721]

Very correct about the combination being key.
I think you have to start trying different combinations. I think a big part of the problem is that the PP is just stagnate. Hardly any movement and way too predictable. They are making it far to easy on the opposition PK.

Look at the Caps tho. Ovy has been at the same exact spot for 15 years but their PP finds a way to get him the puck and score. Kings need to find a way to consistently get Kempe those scoring ops on the PP.

The kings also have to get Kopi off the Halfwall. He’s been there his whole career and it hasn’t worked.

So yeah, coaching is definitely part of it but they need to stop doing the same thing with the same players.

I would suggest Kempe and Fiala/Laffy on the wings. PK is going to take away one side, not both. Quick decisions and crisp passing will open things up. And get a body in front of the goalie.

Good point about Kopi. He tends to score when he's at the net.

 

[DoubleMinor]

Good point about Kopi. He tends to score when he's at the net.

Yes he does. Whenever he gets into the annual slump I wonder why he doesn’t get in the crease. He’s a big body. He’s difficult to move. He’s a big screen. And he has a good stick.

 

[Bollocks]

Yes he does. Whenever he gets into the annual slump I wonder why he doesn’t get in the crease. He’s a big body. He’s difficult to move. He’s a big screen. And he has a good stick.

One really has to wonder why don't they at least just TRY it out for a stretch of games. Is it possible that Kopi doesn't want to be there/wants to be at the halfwall?

 

[DoubleMinor]

One really has to wonder why don't they at least just TRY it out for a stretch of games. Is it possible that Kopi doesn't want to be there/wants to be at the halfwall?

I have to think that’s the reason.

 

[Madness20721]

Tarasenko is a right winger with a cap hit of $4.75MM in the first year of a 2 year contract. He would be a good get for Blake.

 

[DoubleMinor]

Tarasenko is a right winger with a cap hit of $4.75MM in the first year of a 2 year contract. He would be a good get for Blake.

A concern with Tarasenko is that he seems to wear out his welcome quickly no matter which organization he is with.

 

[Madness20721]

A concern with Tarasenko is that he seems to wear out his welcome quickly no matter which organization he is with.

Yeah but he's only on a 2 year contract so he can walk. The Kings have to do something or risk being knocked out in the first round for a fourth straight year.

 

[DoubleMinor]

Yeah but he's only on a 2 year contract so he can walk. The Kings have to do something or risk being knocked out in the first round for a fourth straight year.

Yeah, they most certainly do need someone. I just wonder the wisdom of a guy like Tarasenko. Not that we are going to find the perfect fit but I’ve always been wary of guys who are on a different team every year.

 

[DryKing]

Yeah, they most certainly do need someone. I just wonder the wisdom of a guy like Tarasenko. Not that we are going to find the perfect fit but I’ve always been wary of guys who are on a different team every year.

I agree, Tarasenko was very good once upon a time but those days have past. At present, he doesn't bring enough to the table to provide a significant boost or warrant the risk imo.

 

[DoubleMinor]

One really has to wonder why don't they at least just TRY it out for a stretch of games. Is it possible that Kopi doesn't want to be there/wants to be at the halfwall?

In fairness to Kopi I’m sure there is a limit to how much one guy can do, especially after all the mileage. He’s played top minutes, against the top lines, on the top PP & PK. We can’t expect him to take the pounding in front of the goalie especially at this point in his career.