***LA Kings @ Minnesota Wild GDT 4/10/22 >>2:00pm<< on KCOP Ch13***

[Ice24]

They still can make it in the playoffs, but this game is just leaving a bad taste in your mouth. Just like that Seattle game a couple of weeks ago.

It will be very difficult to hold off Vegas and Vancouver. I believe with the injuries and having so many young players they just ran out of gas. They overachieved all year so I am very pleased to see them battling for a playoff spot with 8 games left in the season. They will come up short but just an amazing season for the Kings.

 

[jom]

Big time! I am looking at a McLellan as a transitional coach. Kinda like the Terry Murray period. Todd won't lead this team to the promised land.

Murray taught the team their defensive game. What has Mc done exactly?

jom

 

[Helvetica]

I maintain that if Mikey never got hurt that’s a few more points in the standings. His injury is the dagger on top of the void left by Doughty.

However, that does not excuse AI’s disappearance or Cal’s mediocrity. The Byfield line is going to be inconsistent. The 4th line has had its own injury issues. The young D are very young and at times overwhelemed.

But two very important players of what should be the new core have failed the team down the stretch.

I think that's obviously the reality, and i both hate and accept it. My fear is that we'll be looking back on a missed opportunity to make the playoffs and use the injury excuse. In this instance, i think it's valid, as they've lost some pretty key guys. With that said, you just wish that the group could dig deep and find a way to make it happen down the stretch here. Im not necessarily packing Iaffalo's bags or anything, but he's absolutely a guy you have to look at and ask what happened to his game here to finish out the season. New contract. A letter. He needs to be doing a bit more.

 

[jcwla]

They have, with the exception of one game with Colorado, the cushest closing schedule in the league.
We will see whether they have shot their wad and were hanging together with glue and string or have one more round in their arsenal.
Block that metaphor.

 

[Pevsfreedom]

At least I won't have to worry about trying to catch Kings playoff games while out on the road this spring. We are starting out this year with a tour across Canada. Should be a lot of games on off days with Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton looking so strong.

I'm moving from OR to SC on May 2nd.. so yeah I was kinda worried too .

 

[Pevsfreedom]

Fire the coach, win every game, make playoffs.

Do it Deano! Wait
nvm

 

[Kurisu]

Murray taught the team their defensive game. What has Mc done exactly?

1 - 3 - 1. That's his contribution.

 

[Clif]

I think that's obviously the reality, and i both hate and accept it. My fear is that we'll be looking back on a missed opportunity to make the playoffs and use the injury excuse. In this instance, i think it's valid, as they've lost some pretty key guys. With that said, you just wish that the group could dig deep and find a way to make it happen down the stretch here. Im not necessarily packing Iaffalo's bags or anything, but he's absolutely a guy you have to look at and ask what happened to his game here to finish out the season. New contract. A letter. He needs to be doing a bit more.

Absolutely. I hate the injury excuse too, although if AI is struggling the same but the top D pair is healthy then it doesn’t carry the same weight given they’d likely be at 90+ points right now. The current reality makes for a very uncomfortable line of thought regarding his place on this team.

Personally, I think Moore took his role this season and you go with it. Clear the cap space and the roster spot.

 

[shoot2scor]

I maintain that if Mikey never got hurt that?s a few more points in the standings. His injury is the dagger on top of the void left by Doughty.

However, that does not excuse AI?s disappearance or Cal?s mediocrity. The Byfield line is going to be inconsistent. The 4th line has had its own injury issues. The young D are very young and at times overwhelemed.

But two very important players of what should be the new core have failed the team down the stretch.

I agree. And as much as we all like Durzi. He is a turnover machine in his own zone. Did it again today on that second goal. Laid a nice pass up to the point for the wild to RE-set. The other replacements have had their moments but lack consistency. Doughty and Anderson are sorely missed. At this point I am looking at them needing to beat Dallas out for the final spot. Dallas has a real tough schedule and I expect Vegas to take the Kings 3 spot.

 

[jgs]

What stood out to me in this game is how the Kings were getting manhandled by the Wild. The Wild were simply overpowering the Kings physically. Both infront of their own net and in front of the Kings net.

 

[John a90]

I'm moving from OR to SC on May 2nd.. so yeah I was kinda worried too .

You better be brushing up on y'all for that move

 

[AngelEyes]

I can just imagine this sports page headline if Kopitar played for the Leafs or Habs:

Kopitar Sucks the Life Out of 5 More Power Plays

Maybe if L.A. had a paper that carried the kind of weight that the Globe or the Sun carried, he would be shamed into fixing his GD game. But no, he plays in the hinterland of hockey, and I'm sure he's just fine with it.

Don't get me wrong, I very much appreciate what he did to help the Kings to two Cups after so many years of futility. But if he was a true leader, he'd be insisting on changes to the ice-time leaders on this team. The Kings no longer have a #1C at this time.

 

[VCRW]

Murray taught the team their defensive game. What has Mc done exactly?

jom

I didn't compare their coaching styles - only the impermanent nature of their coaching tenures. The true coach who will guide this group to playoff success has yet to be hired.

 

[VCRW]

Absolutely. I hate the injury excuse too, although if AI is struggling the same but the top D pair is healthy then it doesn’t carry the same weight given they’d likely be at 90+ points right now. The current reality makes for a very uncomfortable line of thought regarding his place on this team.

Personally, I think Moore took his role this season and you go with it. Clear the cap space and the roster spot.

I'd like to see Kempe and Kupari as the top line wingers next year. Who should center them is another story.

 

[Helvetica]

Personally, I think Moore took his role this season and you go with it. Clear the cap space and the roster spot.

Im not saying AI is untouchable, but the one thing i don't want to do is watch a team develop players, and then send them packing when they have an off season or poor stretch. I think AI has earned a spot on the team long term, and i think he's earned his spot for next season, despite how this season is ending for him. But you do have to bring extra scrutiny on his game, because he's no longer a guy that can use the excuse of being young. There are a lot of young guys pushing for spots, but if we keep bring young guys in, we likely never develop into a team that has that consistency.

 

[HeadInjury]

It will be very difficult to hold off Vegas and Vancouver. I believe with the injuries and having so many young players they just ran out of gas. They overachieved all year so I am very pleased to see them battling for a playoff spot with 8 games left in the season. They will come up short but just an amazing season for the Kings.

Either ran out of gas or can't elevate their game because they've been giving it all they got. It was rather amazing that they able to win games with 5 to 6 of their starting d-men sidelined. Just so frustrating that the coach won't give them the best chance to win. That awful first PP unit out there for over 1:50 on that crucial power play was just ridiculous. Might as well give young players some experience in those situations. They literally couldn't do worse.

We might still squeak in, but perhaps as the #8 to be destroyed by Colorado.

 

[jom]

I didn't compare their coaching styles - only the impermanent nature of their coaching tenures. The true coach who will guide this group to playoff success has yet to be hired.

In a roundabout way I was agreeing with you. It seems we are spinning our wheels at times....

jom

 

[shoot2scor]

I can just imagine this sports page headline if Kopitar played for the Leafs or Habs:

Kopitar Sucks the Life Out of 5 More Power Plays

Maybe if L.A. had a paper that carried the kind of weight that the Globe or the Sun carried, he would be shamed into fixing his GD game. But no, he plays in the hinterland of hockey, and I'm sure he's just fine with it.

Don't get me wrong, I very much appreciate what he did to help the Kings to two Cups after so many years of futility. But if he was a true leader, he'd be insisting on changes to the ice-time leaders on this team. The Kings no longer have a #1C at this time.

It’s like Groundhog Day watching that unit on the PP. they would have been O-for if it wasn’t for that softy from Fleury. Back to back power plays and hardly a sniff with them out there. They play keep away. Considering how bad it has been and especially at times where they could make a difference in the game; I am left scratching my head why the other unit doesn’t get more time out there. Frustrating to watch.

 

[Helvetica]

Coach rarely calls out guys by name, but that's where we are at this point in the season...

On the goals conceded and their impact on the game
We shoot the first one in our own net, but we can recover from that. We had a real good early penalty kill, didn’t want to be shorthanded a minute into the game, but it worked out for us, we got the shortie. The penalty kill was going well and we shot it in our own net. It’s the second one that really hurt. Miscommunication, net front, two D on the same player and not widening out and a hell of a shot. I thought the turnover on the third [goal], I think Toby turned it over, that’s the one that really hurt, because we can settle things down, we just had a break and that third one hurt. Fourth one off the faceoff, again coverages, forwards going out to the point and it was Toby again that needed to step up and he didn’t get it done. Those hurt and we didn’t recover from it.

 

[RBK]

We need Doughty back.