***Nashville Predators vs. LA Kings GDT 1/18/24 7:00pm EARLY START on ESPN+ & Hulu***

[VCRW]

Blake needs to go too. I keep hoping for some spark, but the Dubois trade is going to be a bigger anchor for this team than the Richards extension, and at least that one didn't cost any players. For a franchise with a history rife with absolutely terrible deal, the Dubois deal is already on the short list of worst trades in franchise history.

There was no Richards extension. His contract was with the Flyers. Mike never signed a contract with the Kings. But the Dubois deal is all on Rob.

 

[Rog or Reg?]

Was at the game, don't think have ever seen anyone as disinterested in playing hockey as PL Dubois.

I was going to suggest a new drinking game where you take a shot every time PLD does something unremarkable... but by the end of the 2nd our blood alcohol levels woukd spike so fast we'd all be dead

 

[jammer06]

Congratulations to the following posters who correctly guessed 3 goals in the second and/or 0 goals in the third:

Both (2 Points):
Rogie-Vachon

3 goals 2nd (1 point):
randdog
Guinevere
Byron
waynet
mugs
dannybuoy1
kaydid213
KernCoKingFan
Dr. Tran

Special congratulations to Rogie-Vachon for being the only poster to get both halves of the question. Regarding the game....well real panic is setting in because there aren't results. The 1 goal game record is indicative of something, and they need to figure out what it is.

 

[Drum4Pigs]

I'm going to disagree with some people here and probably take a lot of flack for it, but I thought the PLD line had the best offensive chances and actually kept some offensive zone time rolling. At least through the first two periods. They were the only line doing anything, IMO.

Flame on!

 

[Clif]

I'm going to disagree with some people here and probably take a lot of flack for it, but I thought the PLD line had the best offensive chances and actually kept some offensive zone time rolling. At least through the first two periods. They were the only line doing anything, IMO.

Flame on!

No flames here. He needs to finish better, like too many other of his teammates right now, but I’ve come to really see how good of a game he plays a lot of nights. Problem is Blake gave up too much wing depth to get him and Arvy’s been out and as such this move is at this time a failure. Deeper at center means nothing without a balanced team around it.

Not quite the same, but Taylor gave up Stumpel and Murray for Allison. Better top center but worse balance. Absolutely a worse second line.

 

[Drum4Pigs]

No flames here. He needs to finish better, like too many other of his teammates right now, but I’ve come to really see how good of a game he plays a lot of nights. Problem is Blake gave up too much wing depth to get him and Arvy’s been out and as such this move is at this time a failure. Deeper at center means nothing without a balanced team around it.

Not quite the same, but Taylor gave up Stumpel and Murray for Allison. Better top center but worse balance. Absolutely a worse second line.

Lol I still have an Allison jersey. He could protect the puck really well. Got the jersey before finding out he was a cancer in the locker room, now I'm stuck with it.

 

[Clif]

Lol I still have an Allison jersey. He could protect the puck really well. Got the jersey before finding out he was a cancer in the locker room, now I'm stuck with it.

“Stuck with it” - such a brutal metaphor at the moment ha. Although to his credit at least everyone likes PL.

 

[hokiecat]

No flames here. He needs to finish better, like too many other of his teammates right now, but I’ve come to really see how good of a game he plays a lot of nights. Problem is Blake gave up too much wing depth to get him and Arvy’s been out and as such this move is at this time a failure. Deeper at center means nothing without a balanced team around it.

Not quite the same, but Taylor gave up Stumpel and Murray for Allison. Better top center but worse balance. Absolutely a worse second line.

Yep. It was a bad deal at the time and now most of the issues that the minority of us who disliked the deal are showing up. Agree with you that PLD was a good player on the ice last night. But the opportunity cost of 8.5 million tied up in a 3C, plus fire sale of Durzi to replace him with Spence (OK but zero goals versus 8 or whatever Durzi has PLUS the size difference) and going from having the best top 3 lines in the NHL to only having 2 lines.

I liked Todd shuffling PLD and Byfield. He needs to do something to give PLD better linemates. I'd rather see PLD and Kopi switch since Kopi looks so tired out there but it seems that there's no way Todd will ever take Kopi off line #1 or Drew off pairing #1.

 

[jammer06]

Lol I still have an Allison jersey. He could protect the puck really well. Got the jersey before finding out he was a cancer in the locker room, now I'm stuck with it.

That whole scenario was weird. Boston traded Bourque the year before to get him a cup. The next season they slap the C on Allison, he lights up the board and then holds out and they trade him. No idea how much of that baggage got him the boot, or just how jaded he became dealing with Mike Keenan and an elevated Harry Sinden (GM to team president) the year before. Those Boston years nearly ruined Joe Thornton too. Have to wonder just how lucky they were that Bergeron was Bergeron to stabilize that room.

 

[VCRW]

That whole scenario was weird. Boston traded Bourque the year before to get him a cup. The next season they slap the C on Allison, he lights up the board and then holds out and they trade him. No idea how much of that baggage got him the boot, or just how jaded he became dealing with Mike Keenan and an elevated Harry Sinden (GM to team president) the year before. Those Boston years nearly ruined Joe Thornton too. Have to wonder just how lucky they were that Bergeron was Bergeron to stabilize that room.

Speaking of “stabilizing the room”, what do you think has happened in the Kings’ room? It seems as though all of the on-ice communication has gone to crap. Does that reflect a greater problem amongst the players? Just spitballing here…

 

[jammer06]

Speaking of “stabilizing the room”, what do you think has happened in the Kings’ room? It seems as though all of the on-ice communication has gone to crap. Does that reflect a greater problem amongst the players? Just spitballing here…

I don't think they ever solved their identity issues and it's causing more problems now. This is not a strong defensive team, this is a strong possession team and they feel like theyre mixing up the things they need to embrace. Not sure if that's from on high or on the ice but this team is not built to chip pucks out and sag back at all. For all the game management issues they've had, most seem to stem from not aggressively pushing the puck forward.

 

[Statue4Deano]

I'm going to disagree with some people here and probably take a lot of flack for it, but I thought the PLD line had the best offensive chances and actually kept some offensive zone time rolling. At least through the first two periods. They were the only line doing anything, IMO.

Flame on!

Nobody wants to hear it right now but PLD was the Kings best forward last night and he’s been outplaying our beloved Kopi for the last two weeks. Any discussion around Dubois is a black hole so it’s just not even worth it to talk into the void.

The entirety of hockey media both social and legacy has decided that PLD can only do wrong. It’s very similar to what was decided about Byfield last season. The reality is PLD has played more good games than bad games this season but he isn’t scoring at a 30 goal pace and the Kings as a team have fallen off a cliff so there’s no possible nuance.

 

[VCRW]

I don't think they ever solved their identity issues and it's causing more problems now. This is not a strong defensive team, this is a strong possession team and they feel like theyre mixing up the things they need to embrace. Not sure if that's from on high or on the ice but this team is not built to chip pucks out and sag back at all. For all the game management issues they've had, most seem to stem from not aggressively pushing the puck forward.

Do you think getting away from the puck possession identity explains their inability to perform clean breakouts and tape-to-tape passes? I also see a lack of communication and movement on both PP units. They don't seem to anticipate plays or trust the other guy to make a play. They don't seem to have the same cohesion as they had in the fall. And they don't seem to trust the "other guy" to make a play. I see a lot of selfish hockey these days of desperation.

 

[jammer06]

Do you think getting away from the puck possession identity explains their inability to perform clean breakouts and tape-to-tape passes? I also see a lack of communication and movement on both PP units. They don't seem to anticipate plays or trust the other guy to make a play. They don't seem to have the same cohesion as they had in the fall. And they don't seem to trust the "other guy" to make a play. I see a lot of selfish hockey these days of desperation.

Don't you think individual play and lack of trust go hand in hand with confused identity on the ice? I mean all those things are coming from not knowing what another guy is going to do. Why they are confused and getting more confused I couldn't tell you. Typically systems have to evolve over a season and for whatever reason that evolution is disparate at minimum. It's especially bad when they hit the line blender. Whatever they've incorporated, or haven't, it's getting into their heads.

 

[VCRW]

Yep. It was a bad deal at the time and now most of the issues that the minority of us who disliked the deal are showing up. Agree with you that PLD was a good player on the ice last night. But the opportunity cost of 8.5 million tied up in a 3C, plus fire sale of Durzi to replace him with Spence (OK but zero goals versus 8 or whatever Durzi has PLUS the size difference) and going from having the best top 3 lines in the NHL to only having 2 lines.

I liked Todd shuffling PLD and Byfield. He needs to do something to give PLD better linemates. I'd rather see PLD and Kopi switch since Kopi looks so tired out there but it seems that there's no way Todd will ever take Kopi off line #1 or Drew off pairing #1.

In a perfect world, I would like to see what PLD centering Kempe and Fagemo could do. Alternatively, 9-80-22 just might work if/when Arvy comes back to Danault's line. I think Kopi needs Byfileld and his youthful explosiveness on his wing right now.

 

[DarkLeftHand]

I am curious why they called up Fagemo if he wasn’t going to play in either of the last two games. Particularly last nights dud against Nash.

 

[symbology]

I'm going to disagree with some people here and probably take a lot of flack for it, but I thought the PLD line had the best offensive chances and actually kept some offensive zone time rolling. At least through the first two periods. They were the only line doing anything, IMO.

Flame on!

Your eyes do not lie.

 

[symbology]

I don't think they ever solved their identity issues and it's causing more problems now. This is not a strong defensive team, this is a strong possession team and they feel like theyre mixing up the things they need to embrace. Not sure if that's from on high or on the ice but this team is not built to chip pucks out and sag back at all. For all the game management issues they've had, most seem to stem from not aggressively pushing the puck forward.

Puck possession takes work. This team is constantly getting outworked/played. Kopi's line is hurting because QB has not been winning board battles like he did last year, or earlier in the year. I mean 2 months ago QB would strip the puck from a defensemen along the boards every other shift. When was the last time he went in on the forecheck and got control of the puck? Months ago, Kopi was along the boards supporting QB and that entire line worked their butts off. I have not seen that play since before Xmas. The 4th line is not getting it done either. The 2nd and 3rd lines are the only ones getting any sort of forecheck going on a semi consistent basis.

 

[symbology]

Do you think getting away from the puck possession identity explains their inability to perform clean breakouts and tape-to-tape passes? I also see a lack of communication and movement on both PP units. They don't seem to anticipate plays or trust the other guy to make a play. They don't seem to have the same cohesion as they had in the fall. And they don't seem to trust the "other guy" to make a play. I see a lot of selfish hockey these days of desperation.

When they had a strong possession game, when the other team dumped the puck, it was to facilitate a line change. So, when the Kings D retrieved the puck, they had time and space to make a play. Now, other teams are dumping and chasing (not needing a line change all the time) and the Kings D no longer have any time and space, or anyone available for a pass.

 

[Nyssa42]

Nobody wants to hear it right now but PLD was the Kings best forward last night and he’s been outplaying our beloved Kopi for the last two weeks. Any discussion around Dubois is a black hole so it’s just not even worth it to talk into the void.

The entirety of hockey media both social and legacy has decided that PLD can only do wrong. It’s very similar to what was decided about Byfield last season. The reality is PLD has played more good games than bad games this season but he isn’t scoring at a 30 goal pace and the Kings as a team have fallen off a cliff so there’s no possible nuance.

I don't think we'd all be complaining as much if he weren't eating up so much salary cap. He's not terrible - he's just not $8.5million worth of flash. But I thought Fiala was the best forward last night (and so did the "fancy stats").

And Byfield has improved tremendously since last season. Jim Fox even mentioned he's been working with a skating coach to get rid of his bent-over style.