Q has arrived. Now if PLD can land sometime soon....

[kingnut]

To stay on topic, PLD is -2 so far, and the only negative +/- on the team. But as others have stated, having him seems to have made life easier for both Kopitar and Danault. I just wish it wasn't at such a hefty price and term. I hope I'm wrong, but I wouldn't be surprised to see history repeat itself with him if the Kings have a bad season in the next few years. What's the old saying? "When people show you who they are, believe them."

concur with him making life easier for phil and kopi, but a hefty price tag as u mentioned. for me its optics and as many have mentioned, seems to float. i get that hes new, and just to reiterate, patiently waiting for him to land so to speak

 

[DryKing]

It's true that PLD is starting the season slow, but isn't this the first time he has actually been on a contending NHL team? My guess is that the expectations for him are much higher and he is being urged to focus on improving little parts of his game in order to get to where the King's staff wants him to be. Once these tweaks are made he should start picking up the offensive momentum, hopefully just in time for the playoffs. Biggest question I have is will his attitude hold out and stay positive during this honing period.

 

[symbology]

i am sure there are some significant changes to his game on the defensive side this year - though I don't really know if he ever had stellar numbers as a forward. i think his job is to take pressure off kopi primarily, but for $8.5? mil a year that's a lot. he does float around out there and sometimes seem lost. i was never a big fan of the trade just from a value perspective but he's apparently good on paper and we're winning so i have to think he's doing something besides letting Todd roll 4 lines, which is huge, but Lizotte's line is doing about the same thing. i think and hope with some time PLD starts um, getting more comfortable and contributing directly. it's juts another untapped resource at this point, but overall i am not very impressed thus far.

How good would Kopitar be doing if he was playing with 4th liners game in and game out?

 

[ICE24]

PLD will be fine, however I reserve the right to give my expert analysis in May or June.

 

[Clif]

How good would Kopitar be doing if he was playing with 4th liners game in and game out?

This is a good post. And Kopitar didn’t like playing with Fiala either.

 

[Hipcheck]

With the others in that too early to judge....but why they felt he was the guy to give max term contract seems questionable. For that term the player should be a driver- he looks like he is in passenger mode.

 

[kingnut]

With the others in that too early to judge....but why they felt he was the guy to give max term contract seems questionable. For that term the player should be a driver- he looks like he is in passenger mode.

Nailed it! Hoping if/ when arvy comes back that PL will finally have a winger he can gel with and can bury the puck.

 

[kingnut]

PLD will be fine, however I reserve the right to give my expert analysis in May or June

LOL. Hopefully its dec jan for this one and not may june

 

[Bollocks]

t's all fine and dandy when you are winning. We tend to joke about it this season because it really hasn't hurt the team, unlike last year when the team couldn't kill a penalty to save their lives.

I also have to think it gets old for the players too when they know they're going to have to kill penalties every single game for the same player constantly making mistakes you were taught not to do in juniors.

Dude can score, there is no arguing that, but he needs to clean up the rest of his game. I know some say +/- is a junk stat, but for Fiala to be 3rd best in points (23) and third worst in +/- (0) says much about his game.

/end Fiala rant

To stay on topic, PLD is -2 so far, and the only negative +/- on the team. But as others have stated, having him seems to have made life easier for both Kopitar and Danault. I just wish it wasn't at such a hefty price and term. I hope I'm wrong, but I wouldn't be surprised to see history repeat itself with him if the Kings have a bad season in the next few years. What's the old saying? "When people show you who they are, believe them."

As far as Q....keep it up! You've got a bridge contract to play for!

I'm sure at some point the expectations will grow bigger and considering he's a talented Canadian hockey player I have faith he will deliver.

With the others in that too early to judge....but why they felt he was the guy to give max term contract seems questionable. For that term the player should be a driver- he looks like he is in passenger mode.

The exact same bash was often aimed at Kopitar in the past, but the Kings won 2 Cups with a well built team...and not because they had superstars that did all the work almost alone.

Besides, IF PLD brings it in the future (and consistently) once Kopi hangs them up...he'll be a near-elite two-way center at 8,5 mil/year for 6 more years. Talk about a bargain. That's the risk you need to take in order to make the future rosters work under the cap.

If Rob gave him 9,5/year for 3 years "bridge" contract, how would that be better? He'd be more expensive now, he'd be an UFA at the end of it and if he delivered his top game in the last year of contract, Rob could only hope for a 11+/year at max term...


Worst case scenario IMO is that he's a 60-70 pt/year, two-way forward with physicality on a contract that - once cap goes inevitably up and Kopi and DD's contracts are up - isn't all that expensive for this team. That's not a bad worst case scenario. Best case scenario though is sweet AF...a close to ppg Kopitar-lite at the same cost. The only worry I see is his FO% isn't really good for a center. Though I see this as an aspect of a game that's the most likely he can improve significantly at this stage of his career onward.

 

[Clif]

Besides, IF PLD brings it in the future (and consistently) once Kopi hangs them up...he'll be a near-elite two-way center at 8,5 mil/year for 6 more years.

Worst case scenario IMO is that he's a 60-70 pt/year, two-way forward with physicality on a contract that - once cap goes inevitably up and Kopi and DD's contracts are up - isn't all that expensive for this team. That's not a bad worst case scenario. Best case scenario though is sweet AF...a close to ppg Kopitar-lite at the same cost. The only worry I see is his FO% isn't really good for a center. Though I see this as an aspect of a game that's the most likely he can improve significantly at this stage of his career onward.

Why I’m only half-joking when I call PLD a prospect. He’s reportedly working on his FO with Stoll, which is good, but kinda funny a guy his age and at that contract is so far off there. If he’s ever going to replace Kopitar, he’s going to need to get some PK time. This season barring injuries is definitely not it the way it’s going. Maybe he takes Lewis’ spot in a season or two.

The puck carrying, the strength, the passing - I see the Kopitar light and what Blake saw in him. Right now his line is essentially the Kings’ shut down line in that they play hard and create chances while eating up valuable minutes. I want to see him get his stick more in lanes, which is another area Byfield is already better at that him. I also love the zone entries but on chances that line gets the puck too often goes the other way. Although I think that mostly as to do with Laf missing the net or losing the puck more than PLD.

If this season slowly refines PLD’s defensive abilities and puts him on a path to being a 200 ft. player then it will be a success.

 

[Bollocks]

Why I’m only half-joking when I call PLD a prospect. He’s reportedly working on his FO with Stoll, which is good, but kinda funny a guy his age and at that contract is so far off there. If he’s ever going to replace Kopitar, he’s going to need to get some PK time. This season barring injuries is definitely not it the way it’s going. Maybe he takes Lewis’ spot in a season or two.

The puck carrying, the strength, the passing - I see the Kopitar light and what Blake saw in him. Right now his line is essentially the Kings’ shut down line in that they play hard and create chances while eating up valuable minutes. I want to see him get his stick more in lanes, which is another area Byfield is already better at that him. I also love the zone entries but on chances that line gets the puck too often goes the other way. Although I think that mostly as to do with Laf missing the net or losing the puck more than PLD.

If this season slowly refines PLD’s defensive abilities and puts him on a path to being a 200 ft. player then it will be a success.

I don't think Rob really banked on him being a 1st line center in the future, but a really good 2nd line center behind QB or perhaps if QB proves to be a really good center - maybe a LW power forward on the top line? He's a LW "by trade" after all...

He is versatile, which makes it easier to slot him in a suitable top 6 spot.

 

[Illegal_Stick]

Couple things about PLD:

Obviously a lot has been invested in him. I think it would be good to see him at his best. So, Laf needs to go. It’s not working for either of them. I’m sure he has a good career ahead of him but it’s not clicking now. Fagemo would be one way to go.

Other thing: the narrative on Blake has turned this year as he appears to have built a perfect team. I’ve liked what he’s done for years, so not complaining about that BUT… if PLD stays like this and Fiala keeps causing a goal for every one or two he scores, we may have two brutal trades and two brutal contracts to deal with for a looooong time.

 

[Pevsfreedom]

Last night I think I noticed PLD do about 5-8 drop passes to nobody or were way off, or make the play go directly offsides about the same amount of times. He was handling the puck so poorly it was amazing. I don't care who his wingers are or what excuses people are making for him, at this point with the eye test, and the stat sheet, and I'm sure if you asked him directly, he'd say he needs to do more.

 

[Clif]

I don't think Rob really banked on him being a 1st line center in the future, but a really good 2nd line center behind QB or perhaps if QB proves to be a really good center - maybe a LW power forward on the top line? He's a LW "by trade" after all...

He is versatile, which makes it easier to slot him in a suitable top 6 spot.

Okay - 2nd line center makes more sense but that’s a still steep price to pay. In several years I can see it being fair if produces. If he goes to LW, he needs to be 80+ points at that salary.

Re: last night, PLD had some strong drives to the net. Quick robbed him with a toe save. And on a night where everyone looked like they had spent all weekend either in Vegas, with their in-laws, or in jail, not going to fault any moments where he didn’t look like he was skating hard. He had more jam than most IMO.

 

[DryKing]

Couple things about PLD:

Obviously a lot has been invested in him. I think it would be good to see him at his best. So, Laf needs to go. It’s not working for either of them. I’m sure he has a good career ahead of him but it’s not clicking now. Fagemo would be one way to go.

Agree, it's time for Laf to go down and spend some time in the AHL to hone his skills and continue to adjust. Fagemo, on the other hand, has proven he is too good for the AHL and needs a chance with the Kings. One possible reason I can see that he hasn't been brought up yet, though, is that Kings' leadership is worried if they will eventually have to try to send it back down when Arvi comes back (and likely lose him to waivers in the process).

 

[Illegal_Stick]

Agree, it's time for Laf to go down and spend some time in the AHL to hone his skills and continue to adjust. Fagemo, on the other hand, has proven he is too good for the AHL and needs a chance with the Kings. One possible reason I can see that he hasn't been brought up yet, though, is that Kings' leadership is worried if they will eventually have to try to send it back down when Arvi comes back (and likely lose him to waivers in the process).

Definitely. Once he’s up, he’s up. But unless my memory is wrong - Anderson-Dolan is still around no? Would love to see that guy do it, but he just doesn’t. I get there’s time to be patient here, the team is good, but to me it just seems you want to see what it will take to get PLD going. Largely it has to be on him, of course.

 

[SirJW]

Largely it has to be on him, of course.

This.

Another poster mentioned oh he's playing w 3rd and 4th liners. Give me a break, if anything he should be able to elevate the lesser skilled players games.....

 

[DryKing]

Definitely. Once he’s up, he’s up. But unless my memory is wrong - Anderson-Dolan is still around no? Would love to see that guy do it, but he just doesn’t. I get there’s time to be patient here, the team is good, but to me it just seems you want to see what it will take to get PLD going. Largely it has to be on him, of course.

Felt like it was going to be JAD's year until the Kings brought back Lewis. Now looking at the two of them, it abundantly clear how far JAD has to go to catch Lewis. I'm still a JAD fan but I agree with you, he has yet to take that next step and, while I think he eventually will, it seems his chance with the Kings isn't going to be there much longer.

 

[kingnut]

Felt like it was going to be JAD's year until the Kings brought back Lewis. Now looking at the two of them, it abundantly clear how far JAD has to go to catch Lewis. I'm still a JAD fan but I agree with you, he has yet to take that next step and, while I think he eventually will, it seems his chance with the Kings isn't going to be there much longer.

Pretty common unfortunately, see:
Amadio
Brodzinski
Among others....

 

[Illegal_Stick]

Felt like it was going to be JAD's year until the Kings brought back Lewis. Now looking at the two of them, it abundantly clear how far JAD has to go to catch Lewis. I'm still a JAD fan but I agree with you, he has yet to take that next step and, while I think he eventually will, it seems his chance with the Kings isn't going to be there much longer.

Could be wrong, but also feel like it would be safe to send him down. I don't see him as being that attractive as a waiver grab?