The Pacific Division Thread

[JasonU]

I suggest looking at the Top 20 scoring Centers and check out their FO percentage. I have a feeling you’ll be quite surprised. 47.2% is right in line with the majority of 1st line Centers believe it or not.

I agree, but he is getting progressively worse on FO% every season, not better. He's supposed to be growing into a 1C to replace Kopitar.

 

[Statue4Deano]

I'm worried that Elias has peaked and that he is soft.

He’s not soft, he’s just European.

 

[VCRW]

I'm worried that Elias has peaked and that he is soft.

He has undeniable talent but he is not physically dominant by any stretch of the imagination. 6’ 2” and 185 lbs. is definitely slight of build. Still I would like to see him center Juice and Laf.

 

[VCRW]

Faceoff numbers are just not that consequential if you’re doing other things effectively. The difference between 50% and 44.2% on 942 draws is 55 wins. That’s about 2 extra faceoff wins every 3 games.

All things considered sure I’ll take those 2 extra wins but again in the grand scheme of hockey it is way down the list of what’s needed from a Center 1, 2 or 3.

You might get an argument from Phil Danault.

 

[Clif]

I need to see Byfield away from Hiller but he has only himself to blame for faceoffs. Analytics heads say faceoffs have marginal value. The math may not point to many goals for but FOs add up in terms of chasing or controlling the game. They have outsized effects in momentum in key moments.

Footnote: with all the excitement of a Kings one-goal win against one of the worst teams in the league I missed that the Oilers and Sharks lost. That’s nice.

Ducks halfway through the game against CO and managed 1 goal on only 6 shots. CO nothing yet. That won’t last.

 

[emsomaso]

He’s not soft, he’s just European.

Ouch!! That hurts…

And Börje Salming, Peter Forsberg, Tomas Sandström, Gabriel Landeskog, Matty Norström, Patrick Hörnqvist, Tomas Holmström, Nicklas Kronwall and Ulf Samuelsson (dirty, but tough. Heck, he even knocked out Gretzky’s wife…) all says ”Hi”…

 

[dneprovec]

what a crazy OT.
BTW Ducks are undefeated 6-0 in shootouts and won 5 in a row after 9 game losing streak

 

[Hockey53]

what a crazy OT.
BTW Ducks are undefeated 6-0 in shootouts and won 5 in a row after 9 game losing streak

The Ducks beat the Avs in a shootout 2-1 in Colorado,where they were just about unbeatable.And Utah was down 4-2 in the third period vs the Flyers.A PPG and a game tying goal with 35 seconds left in the third period tied it at 4-4.Utah scored the game winner in OT to win the game at 5-4.

 

[hokiecat]

I suggest looking at the Top 20 scoring Centers and check out their FO percentage. I have a feeling you’ll be quite surprised. 47.2% is right in line with the majority of 1st line Centers believe it or not.

I don't believe it.

Look at the 13th guy too (#27 overall in scoring)... sigh. It turns out current QB is very bad compared to the top 20 centers faceoff percentage and even his best of 47% would be slightly below average.

I was hoping he'd step up with Kopi out and Danault gone. But you saw how Miller lost him in defense zone looping around last night.

It stinks that our rebuild (held during COVID too so we only had to suck for 50-60 games a season instead of 82) looks to yield a 2C, a 3C, and a 2D with our top picks. And our lower round winning lotto ticket was traded to MN.

 

[VCRW]

Look at the 13th guy too (#27 overall in scoring)... sigh. It turns out current QB is very bad compared to the top 20 centers faceoff percentage and even his best of 47% would be slightly below average.

His 2 best years were taking occasional faceoffs as a winger. Best number as a center was last year at 44.2%. 40.7% this year is a problem, especially if he is the #1 forward option on the PK or centering the PP. In both situations, winning draws is critical.

 

[Statue4Deano]

Ouch!! That hurts…

And Börje Salming, Peter Forsberg, Tomas Sandström, Gabriel Landeskog, Matty Norström, Patrick Hörnqvist, Tomas Holmström, Nicklas Kronwall and Ulf Samuelsson (dirty, but tough. Heck, he even knocked out Gretzky’s wife…) all says ”Hi”…

Forgive me for channeling my inner Don Cherry!

I love all Swedish players!

 

[Statue4Deano]

I don't believe it.
View attachment 13756

Look at the 13th guy too (#27 overall in scoring)... sigh. It turns out current QB is very bad compared to the top 20 centers faceoff percentage and even his best of 47% would be slightly below average.

I was hoping he'd step up with Kopi out and Danault gone. But you saw how Miller lost him in defense zone looping around last night.

It stinks that our rebuild (held during COVID too so we only had to suck for 50-60 games a season instead of 82) looks to yield a 2C, a 3C, and a 2D with our top picks. And our lower round winning lotto ticket was traded to MN.

Elias Pettersson is a career 45.8% and that’s ok with me!

Pettersson/Byfied/Turcotte would be the best Center depth the Kings have had since Jeff Carter was the #2 pivot behind Kopi. And more importantly the oldest of the three is just 27.

Adding Pettersson buys Holland some time to fix the broken blue line, add some more wing depth and find a coach that can get more production out of his forwards.

 

[Bollocks]

I'm worried that Elias has peaked and that he is soft.

Kopitar is widely considered as extremely soft. At 26/27 he had a 76-12-40-52 and a -10 year.

Eichel was a >ppg player at Sabres before the trade but had very concerning injury problems and scored 2 goals in 21 games prior to being traded to Vegas, where he was "only" a ppg player for 1 season (but with very good PO performance) and only slightly above ppg for 2nd season before breaking out in 24-25.

A change of scenery and stable health can do wonders for a very talented but struggling player that appears to have peaked.

I know Kings are far from a powerhouse dream destination, but Vancouver was that much worse for the past 2 seasons.


Don't get me wrong - Ken only trading for Elias without giving up too much isn't enough. Hiller must be replaced, too, and then defense needs more mobility and offensive prowess if the new HC is unable to wake them up/utilize them properly.

But if there's to be even a hint of hope for this team without going into a heavy retool/full rebuild, moves like this HAVE to be made. Opportunity like this comes along very rarely...

And this move also makes sense from franchise owner's bottom line, so there should be no obstacles there...

 

[emsomaso]

Forgive me for channeling my inner Don Cherry!
View attachment 13758
I love all Swedish players!
View attachment 13759

That’s one sweet swede!!

 

[Halfwall]

The Ducks beat the Avs in a shootout 2-1 in Colorado,where they were just about unbeatable.And Utah was down 4-2 in the third period vs the Flyers.A PPG and a game tying goal with 35 seconds left in the third period tied it at 4-4.Utah scored the game winner in OT to win the game at 5-4.

I wouldn't read to much into that game--I watched from the 3rd period on and Colorado totally dominated the 3rd. And, you think the Kings are bad in OT, Colorado was even worse--just giving away the puck every time they had possession--trying to skate through 2 guys, passes right onto a Duck stick etc.

 

[Statue4Deano]

Always liked him on the Coyotes. He’d be a decent fit as a 2C.

 

[Clif]

I wouldn't read to much into that game--I watched from the 3rd period on and Colorado totally dominated the 3rd. And, you think the Kings are bad in OT, Colorado was even worse--just giving away the puck every time they had possession--trying to skate through 2 guys, passes right onto a Duck stick etc.

Dostal made some incredible saves. COL got a little “unlucky” as Hiller might say. But only for real unlucky, not “I’m an idiot without a productive thought in my head” unlucky.

 

[ICE24]

We know one thing; the Kings will not win a game against Colorado this season. Even if they sit 1/4 of the team. Colorado has the Kings number.

 

[DryKing]

23 year old 2Cs are generally not available on the trade market. Remember it took acquiring Quinn Hughes for the Wild to give up Marco Rossi. Byfield and all his warts is better than Rossi. The Kings should not include Byfield in a trade for Pettersson.

Even if the plan is to eventually trade Byfield, he shouldn’t be used to acquire an older player on a very long term high cap hit contract.

If Vancouver is taking offers on Pettersson I bet it’s a move similar to the Jack Eichel trade. Vegas gave up Alex Tuch (established winger), Peyton Krebs (former mid-1st round pick) a 2nd and a 1st.

The Kings have Laf (Tuch), Greentree (Krebs) and a 2nd and 1st available.

I very much would like the Kings to acquire Pettersson, but not at that price. He is no where near the level of Eichel, and is currently on a long term deal that he is not living up to.

Maybe more in the lines of a 1st (top 10 protected), 2nd and a vet like Moore (salary offset) going back the other way (no salary retained).

Perhaps the Eichel deal format makes sense with 50% salary retained.

 

[Statue4Deano]

I very much would like the Kings to acquire Pettersson, but not at that price. He is no where near the level of Eichel, and is currently on a long term deal that he is not living up to.

Maybe more in the lines of a 1st (top 10 protected), 2nd and a vet like Moore (salary offset) going back the other way (no salary retained).

Perhaps the Eichel deal format makes sense with 50% salary retained.

That was the price for a very damaged Eichel. At the time of the trade nobody was sure how he would respond to the neck surgery long term.

Pettersson does have a big contract but he’s still young and he’s a 3x 30 goal scorer. He’s .95 PPG over his career. He’s very valuable. I don’t see the Canucks retaining much if any of his salary. I do like the idea of sending Moore back though. That has the same effect as the Canucks retaining salary on EP.