A little?
QB in play?
- Thread starter McSorleyFan
- Start date
JC6388LAKings
Super Star
Okay, I get it. But QB isn't exactly going all the way run-and-gun under Hiller's system since there's still a big emphasis on the 200-foot game that Kings players are expected to utilize. I doubt the front office personnel is going to change their philosophy from shifting away from the 200-foot game because Dean Lombardi made it a staple ever since when he came in as GM.
Bollocks
Top Forward
I think the difference is that QB was expected to learn the 200 foot game as soon as he joined the big club. Kopitar had 2 years of Crawford not expecting much on the defensive end and only then started learning the 200 foot game, which also visibly affected his production.
Whether this means QB's going to bloom later or if it's going to stunt his growth forever and what his development would look like under a different coach I don't know, of course, but to say he's a finished product at this stage would be foolish.
Madness20721
Top Forward
The Dodgers ownership group needs to buy out the Kings ownership group. The Dodgers ownership group has proven that they are committed to winning...the Kings ownership group has not.
Clif
Super Star
I’m not surprised. McClellan did not optimize his chances to succeed in the least. 40 something points in the third center position with his most consistent linemate being a very raw Laf, plus limited PP2 time on top of it all, really wasn’t that bad.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad he’s gone. But his bounce back makes sense.
Statue4Deano
Super Star
Quentin Byfield isn’t the problem. Hell neither is Kopi.
Jim Hiller and his boss are the problem. The offensive system Jim Hiller is running has the current top scoring forward on this roster (Kempe) on a 69 point 82 game pace. The last time a Kings team was led by a sub-70 point scorer was 2008-09. Kopitar had 66 points that season.
Do you think the NHL has changed a bit since 2008? Blake and Hiller are running the team like they want to recreate the 2012 Cup team. They’ve stifled the player’s creativity and hurt the offensive development of players like Byfield in particular because they put a demand on him to play the game like a 4th line max effort high energy grinder. Instead of a 20 minute a night Center who is capable of 3+ point games and highlight reel goals.
If you want Byfield to put up more than a PPG like the top #1 Centers in the league then you can’t ask him to chase down every attacking Center, win every board battle and hang back in the middle of the ice looking to support other defenders on 90% of his shifts. There’s one guy in the league who does that right now in Barkov and he has significantly more offensive production around him than Byfield has on this squad.
Change the system to meet the moment and watch Byfield’s stats explode. It’s not that difficult to see.
Axl Rhoadz
3rd Line Winger
Patience, grasshopper.
emsomaso
The Swedish King
This!! 100%!!
DarkLeftHand
Super Star
You think this roster could keep pace playing run n gun hockey with teams like Winnipeg, Edmonton, Vegas, Colorado, etc…?
Statue4Deano
Super Star
No because Blake built this team to make the playoffs and lose in a 7 games series to those teams you mentioned, plus Dallas. That’s 5 teams in the Kings conference they have no shot in hell against in a playoff series.
Statue4Deano
Super Star
Last 10 Stanley Cup winners:
Panthers
Golden Knights
Avs
Lightning
Lightning
Blues
Caps
Pens
Pens
Blackhawks
None of those teams played pond hockey but more importantly none of those teams were 20th in goals per game like the Kings are this season. None of those teams were 30th in PP percentage (15.3) like the Kings are this season.
Seems like goal scoring at a level higher than the bottom half of the league is pretty important.
McSorleyFan
4th Line Grinder
Of all the play off teams (with the exception of CGY) LA has the lowest goals for. They are one of the best in the goals against category. IMO, they are in the playoffs because of the GA #'s. If they were to move to a run & gun style they may find themselves out of a playoff. I think this way because of a few things.
1. Aging down the middle - Kopi, Danault, Lewis
Kopi still puts up points but, lately he's been showing his age. He has a lot of miles and has done a lot of great things for the Kings but, his #1 center days are coming to an end.
2. Drafting goal scorers then putting them into a 200 ft system. We drafted players like Turcotte, QB, Kaliyev, etc ... sign/trade for players like Fiala, PLD, Foegele but put them into systems where they (or their centers) have to play defense first. Then we complain about their point production. If the Kings are going to be a defense first team then we have to draft that way. IMO, QB can play a 200 ft game and produce. Remember he's only 22!
3. Power Play. Absolutely atrocious and the worst of all the playoff teams. Again, if Kings are a defensive team then goals have to come on the PP. Focus needs to be on upping that conversion rate.
QB can't be in play. Unless 3-4 years from now we have someone like Greentree grabbing that #1 center spot we have to keep him.
1. Aging down the middle - Kopi, Danault, Lewis
Kopi still puts up points but, lately he's been showing his age. He has a lot of miles and has done a lot of great things for the Kings but, his #1 center days are coming to an end.
2. Drafting goal scorers then putting them into a 200 ft system. We drafted players like Turcotte, QB, Kaliyev, etc ... sign/trade for players like Fiala, PLD, Foegele but put them into systems where they (or their centers) have to play defense first. Then we complain about their point production. If the Kings are going to be a defense first team then we have to draft that way. IMO, QB can play a 200 ft game and produce. Remember he's only 22!
3. Power Play. Absolutely atrocious and the worst of all the playoff teams. Again, if Kings are a defensive team then goals have to come on the PP. Focus needs to be on upping that conversion rate.
QB can't be in play. Unless 3-4 years from now we have someone like Greentree grabbing that #1 center spot we have to keep him.
VCRW
Classic player
Greentree is left shot winger with size, speed and real offensive talent - 43 goals, 62 assists this year in 58 games for Windsor. In other words, Blake will probably trade him.
K-Man #32
#1 Kings fan In The World
To reunite with DuboisGreentree is left shot winger with size, speed and real offensive talent - 43 goals, 62 assists this year in 58 games for Windsor. In other words, Blake will probably trade him.
McSorleyFan
4th Line Grinder
My bad. thanks for correcting that. Ok, Blake needs to look at centers this next draft.Greentree is left shot winger with size, speed and real offensive talent - 43 goals, 62 assists this year in 58 games for Windsor. In other words, Blake will probably trade him.
hokiecat
Super Star
^^^This. Edmonton has crushed us year after year winning the special teams big time even though they were losing the even strength matchup.
Earl
Super Star
To me that's kind of the problem this year, we never replaced the 40 points PLD scored and like you said he was 3rd on the team in PP goals impressive given it was slop duty on the 2nd unit. I know he didn't work out here but I didn't think he was all that bad but I get when you are getting paid $8,500,000 you have to produce more. I watch all of Washington's game and he looks completely different and engaged alot more than he was here. I'll assume Wilson and Ovechkin said "your sh*t ain't gonna fly here!"
