***Playoffs GAME 7 LA Kings @ Edmonton Oilers GDT 5/14/22 7:00pm on BSSC & ESPN***

[Illegal_Stick]

Just a bummer of an effort. If you'd told me the Kings would only take one penalty the entire game, I'd have said they had a really good chance. But I can't remember one legitimate scoring chance, not one moment of the game where they seemed like a threat to score. Just completely dominated and not really any fight at all.

I?ve seen this take a lot, but it really wasn?t effort. They worked hard, it was just poor execution. They gave their all, but every pass seemed to just miss. Every shot barely got through etc. some credit probably goes to the oilers for it, but they were gassed after that game.

 

[Helvetica]

Does anyone else remember a more dominant series by one player than what we saw with McDavid this series? That is not to take away anything the Kings did or didn?t do; but the guy pretty much single handedly won that series for the Oilers. Very impressive and hats off to him.

McDavid literally won this series, and he's too good for the NHL. Guy is on another level this year.

 

[LAKingSteve]

Agreed, I'd like to see AA back again next season but not sure it's in the cards as the Kings definitely need to package a few players out and start thinning the roster in order to hopefully get Byfield, Andersson, Fagemo, JAD and Turcotte regular time next season.

Signing a player like Forsberg or trading for someone like Lafreniere needs to be top priority this offseason right behind resigning Kempe, Anderson and Durzi.

Blake and team are going to be busy for sure.

AA is not coming back. Book it.

Kings have bigger priorities in this offseason, will need his money for a higher quality offensive player and LD.

 

[VCRW]

His effort was fine,but admittedly the results offensively were lacking. Defensively he was very good for the most part and great on faceoffs. He'll have another solid season next year,but I'm sure his ice time will finally go down a little and Danault will take on more.

Sounds as though you are describing a 3rd line center?

 

[PTDP]

It was fun run........................BUT...............The Kings need some serious "Sand Paper". aka Grit with some skills. Chose wisely.

 

[PTDP]

THE MOST BITTER THING WAS....the kings made Smith look like a 5 star goalie.

 

[Clif]

Agreed that this was a fun season, but I don't see all this cap space you're talking about. We had no cap space at season's end here. We lose Brown's 5.8 mil but that's canceled out by Lizotte's and Peterson's raises. If you want to keep Durzi and Anderson on defense next season they are RFAs and will want raises. Edler, Maatta, and Stetcher are UFAs that could save us 8.5mil if they all go bye bye. Our only UFA on offence is AA who you mentioned keeping at 2.7mil, but he might want a raise too. That leaves Kempe, Lemieux, Anderson, Grundstrom, and Vilardi as RFAs on offense. Kempe is making 2mil and you know he wants a raise. I don't know what the cap will go up to but I was thinking we have some issues staying under it already, let alone if Blake makes a trade or two for a high value player.

Why I advocate for trading Iafallo this season. An extra $4M would really help since Kings need both a first line winger and a top LD.

Iafallo-Byfield-Kaliyev is likely better than Kupari-Byfield-Kaliyev as a third line, but by how much? Not $4M better IMO.

 

[Ice24]

Like most people are saying, AA will not be back.

 

[MiketheKing]

Like most people are saying, AA will not be back.

Great speed, but defensive liability

 

[LAKingSteve]

THE MOST BITTER THING WAS....the kings made Smith look like a 5 star goalie.

Not so sure I agree with that. He was rarely tested, shot total was high but he had very few dangerous saves.

 

[Reg or Rog?]

McDavid literally won this series, and he's too good for the NHL. Guy is on another level this year.

He decided to take the game into his own hands, and those are some pretty damn good hands. At times he looked like the Second Coming of The Great One.

Always feel a bit melancholy after the season sends, but the kids exceeded expectations, especially considering all the injuries. Happy we made the playoffs and gave the mighty Oilers all they could handle.

But the Kings have some glaring needs, including a finisher and a few big nasty bodies. Kopi really needs to consider hanging it up, but he still plays hard and is still a top defensive forward. All-in-all, a successful season...and I don't see anyone beating the Avs. Looks like the Kroenke's are going to get their second major league championship trophy of the year.

 

[LAKingSteve]

He decided to take the game into his own hands, and those are some pretty damn good hands. At times he looked like the Second Coming of The Great One.

Always feel a bit melancholy after the season sends, but the kids exceeded expectations, especially considering all the injuries. Happy we made the playoffs and gave the mighty Oilers all they could handle.

But the Kings have some glaring needs, including a finisher and a few big nasty bodies. Kopi really needs to consider hanging it up, but he still plays hard and is still a top defensive forward. All-in-all, a successful season...and I don't see anyone beating the Avs. Looks like the Kroenke's are going to get their second major league championship trophy of the year.

Kopi won't and shouldn't hang it up. Still the top point scorer on the team (that doesn't score much) but they really need to pull back on his minutes. I predict that he's the number 2 center next season and perhaps number 3 after that depending on Byfield's development. His age and the grind of being a 200ft center year after year is truly catching up with him and I still think he might have been injured most of the season. Just needs to play less.

 

[kingrussell]

Sounds as though you are describing a 3rd line center?

On an offensive powerhouse you are probably right,but the Kings are not that. With the current roster I see him and Danault as 1 a and 1 b.

 

[Reg or Rog?]

Kopi won't and shouldn't hang it up. Still the top point scorer on the team (that doesn't score much) but they really need to pull back on his minutes. I predict that he's the number 2 center next season and perhaps number 3 after that depending on Byfield's development. His age and the grind of being a 200ft center year after year is truly catching up with him and I still think he might have been injured most of the season. Just needs to play less.

...especially on the power play.

 

[Kurisu]

I’ve seen this take a lot, but it really wasn’t effort. They worked hard, it was just poor execution. They gave their all, but every pass seemed to just miss. Every shot barely got through etc. some credit probably goes to the oilers for it, but they were gassed after that game.

it absolutely wasn't effort, they just got beat by a few players with more skill, and some really smart coaching adjustments. Fox kept saying it over in over in the last two periods, the Oilers made adjustments to a cycle and grind game with their skill lines and we just didn't have an answer for it. We had successfully smothered them when they were playing their run and gun rush style earlier in the series, but they tightened up when they had to. All credit to them. They executed flawlessly and it took all of it to squeak by.

 

[Statue4Deano]

Lots of folks were eager to say Quick was done as a starting goalie but this season and his post season performance suggest that he's still got plenty of tread left on his tires. I sure as hell felt a lot better with him in net than the thought of Petersen trying to stop that Oilers offense.

 

[Helvetica]

He decided to take the game into his own hands, and those are some pretty damn good hands. At times he looked like the Second Coming of The Great One.

Always feel a bit melancholy after the season sends, but the kids exceeded expectations, especially considering all the injuries. Happy we made the playoffs and gave the mighty Oilers all they could handle.

But the Kings have some glaring needs, including a finisher and a few big nasty bodies. Kopi really needs to consider hanging it up, but he still plays hard and is still a top defensive forward. All-in-all, a successful season...and I don't see anyone beating the Avs. Looks like the Kroenke's are going to get their second major league championship trophy of the year.

I thought Kopitar looked ok, and he still has some game, but he thoroughly mismatched against McDavid. He was a never a quick player, but at this point in his career, that's a real tough matchup against not just the best player in the league, but also one of possibly the fastest. It's a tough matchup for anybody, but even more so for a 34 yr old kopitar.

And i really think McDavid took his game to another level this series. He was everywhere. He was scoring. He was setting up goals. He was hitting. He just was so good.

 

[Reg or Rog?]

I thought Kopitar looked ok, and he still has some game, but he thoroughly mismatched against McDavid. He was a never a quick player, but at this point in his career, that's a real tough matchup against not just the best player in the league, but also one of possibly the fastest. It's a tough matchup for anybody, but even more so for a 34 yr old kopitar.

And i really think McDavid took his game to another level this series. He was everywhere. He was scoring. He was setting up goals. He was hitting. He just was so good.

No doubt.

The last time I saw a player dominate the way McDavid did was Wayne Gretzky in his prime. Factor in McDavid's physical play, and it puts him into an entirely different category.

I've already made my opinion quite clear: Wayne Gretzky remains the best hockey player I've ever seen, but man oh man, McDavid was truly playing on another level the last couple games against the Kings.

 

[Helvetica]

No doubt.

The last time I saw a player dominate the way McDavid did was Wayne Gretzky in his prime. Factor in McDavid's physical play, and it puts him into an entirely different category.

I've already made my opinion quite clear: Wayne Gretzky remains the best hockey player I've ever seen, but man oh man, McDavid was truly playing on another level the last couple games against the Kings.

the dirty play from the oilers really left a sour taste in my mouth after this series, but i'll be damned if im not looking forward to seeing how McDavid plays in the next series.

 

[AngelEyes]

the dirty play from the oilers really left a sour taste in my mouth after this series, but i'll be damned if im not looking forward to seeing how McDavid plays in the next series.

The Flames will test him physically, that's for sure.