Ben Shelley: Season Recap: Los Angeles Kings

Who's the next coach?

Add an option to your poll. "Only if the price is right." Blake should not overpay for anyone, no matter who it is.

Fire Blake we need a new GM to evaluate our talent

Fire Blake we need a new GM to evaluate our talent
- bmac9758

Why? Most of the kids played a short season in the AHL. What were your expectations?

Why? Most of the kids played a short season in the AHL. What were your expectations?
- Only_A_Ladd[/quot. I’m not sold on the reigns coach but to soon too make a judgement. As for Blake he seems to be to attached to the players he’s drafted and will not make hard choices that some are not nhlers

However, Roy wasn’t able to take a major step and his expected goals for percentage plummeted from last season (according to NaturalStatTrick.com).

Roy's Corsi also plummeted from 56% (best among defensemen on the team) to 46% (worst among defensemen on the team). As I pointed out in the offseason, he was sheltered last season, and I predicted that he would regress this season if the training wheels were taken off. I don't remember if it was anyone around here, but some people were hyping him as the team's best defenseman. Oops. This is why you have to be careful about overreacting to a single season.

Speaking of which, Iafallo had only 5 points in 16 games since signing his extension. That's only 1 point more than Lemieux and 2 points less than Moore, both of whom played in the bottom six. I'll say again that giving Iafallo $4M per for 4 years was a mistake. Some justified it by noting that he was on a 53-point pace at the time. Well, he finished at only a 45-point pace. I think that he should've been traded at the height of his value and Carter kept around for one more year.

[quote=Only_A_Ladd]Why? Most of the kids played a short season in the AHL. What were your expectations?
- bmac9758[/quot. I’m not sold on the reigns coach but to soon too make a judgement. As for Blake he seems to be to attached to the players he’s drafted and will not make hard choices that some are not nhlers

I’d rather Blake be patient, get it right, and build a Cup contender. The alternative is impatience, burning the kids out, and the rebuild never peaks beyond a playoff contender. Sorry to say, but I don’t see the kids contributing materially until 22/23. Next year will be rough again, and maybe worse than this year.

[quote=Only_A_Ladd]Why? Most of the kids played a short season in the AHL. What were your expectations?
- bmac9758[/quot. I’m not sold on the reigns coach but to soon too make a judgement. As for Blake he seems to be to attached to the players he’s drafted and will not make hard choices that some are not nhlers

Of course he's attached to them...him and his staff did their jobs and scouted these kids,drafted these kids and are bringing them along according to the teams needs and their development.
Our roster as it sits is not a contending roster,but in 2-3 yrs when these kids develop and kopi and Dewey are at the end of their careers we could be a serious contender again.have some patience and let the kids play and learn.

Roy's Corsi also plummeted from 56% (best among defensemen on the team) to 46% (worst among defensemen on the team). As I pointed out in the offseason, he was sheltered last season, and I predicted that he would regress this season if the training wheels were taken off. I don't remember if it was anyone around here, but some people were hyping him as the team's best defenseman. Oops. This is why you have to be careful about overreacting to a single season.

Speaking of which, Iafallo had only 5 points in 16 games since signing his extension. That's only 1 point more than Lemieux and 2 points less than Moore, both of whom played in the bottom six. I'll say again that giving Iafallo $4M per for 4 years was a mistake. Some justified it by noting that he was on a 53-point pace at the time. Well, he finished at only a 45-point pace. I think that he should've been traded at the height of his value and Carter kept around for one more year.
- Osprey

I agree about iafallo,and said in the iafallo blog that I thought 3yrs @3 mill was more of a fair payment.
Roy regressed,but anderson and bjornfot did better than I expected so I'll take it.

Trade pouty doughty.

Trade pouty doughty.
- Blackstrom2

Why?

Of course he's attached to them...him and his staff did their jobs and scouted these kids,drafted these kids and are bringing them along according to the teams needs and their development.
Our roster as it sits is not a contending roster,but in 2-3 yrs IF these kids develop and kopi and Dewey are at the end of their careers we could be a serious contender again.have some patience and let the kids play and learn.
- Dewey8

Just had to change one thing and I agree with you.

As much as I like Drew Doughty It's not his place to make organizational decisions. Shut up and play!

Doughty made a good point in his exit interview about the Carter trade being about the time that the team started to play worse. I wonder if Blake unintentionally sabotaged his team by trading a popular locker room guy and cog.

As much as I like Drew Doughty It's not his place to make organizational decisions. Shut up and play!
- Shady1962

Yes it is. Him and Kopi are hands down the best players on this team, plus he wears the A so he is one of the very few players on this team who can voice his opinion. To say he wants to start playing for cups again instead of picks is something he should be saying and is right. They have cap space, they should use it and start trading picks and some prospects to get some guys to make this team a playoff team again.

Yes it is. Him and Kopi are hands down the best players on this team, plus he wears the A so he is one of the very few players on this team who can voice his opinion. To say he wants to start playing for cups again instead of picks is something he should be saying and is right. They have cap space, they should use it and start trading picks and some prospects to get some guys to make this team a playoff team again.
- LAkings96

I don't know about whether the team should start going out and using their space aggressively, but I do like that Doughty speaks his mind about winning. That is the kind of attitude the younger players will hopefully emulate.

I don't know about whether the team should start going out and using their space aggressively, but I do like that Doughty speaks his mind about winning. That is the kind of attitude the younger players will hopefully emulate.
- Only_A_Ladd

I gotta agree with you.just because we have cap space available doesn't mean we need to use it.if it's a sensible move I'm all for it.
And I also believe doughty is entitled to speak his mind about where he thinks the team should go,he's earned it.and I love that he still wants to win and wants to remind management he still wants to win,and would love to see that rub off on the kids.

VAN got the loser point yesterday after coming back from 1-5 in the third. This dropped them 2 spots behind CLB and DET. They have 2 more games and, with 1 more point, we move ahead of them into 7th.

This is our playoffs, folks. Go VAN!

VAN got the loser point yesterday after coming back from 1-5 in the third. This dropped them 2 spots behind CLB and DET. They have 2 more games and, with 1 more point, we move ahead of them into 7th.

This is our playoffs, folks. Go VAN!
- Only_A_Ladd

Actually, VAN needs two points, since LA would win the tiebreaker via regulation wins. So, cheer for VAN to win one of their last two games!

Actually, VAN needs two points, since LA would win the tiebreaker via regulation wins. So, cheer for VAN to win one of their last two games!
- Osprey

Damn. I thought it was regulation wins.

Damn. I thought it was regulation wins.
- Only_A_Ladd

It is. LA has 19 regulation wins compared to Vancouver's 16.

What's the latest on Durzi? Did he get up to the big club for a few looks?

It is. LA has 19 regulation wins compared to Vancouver's 16.
- tkecanuck341

Did you copy my post that I deleted (because I thought that I might've misunderstood him)? If not, that's spooky.

Did you copy my post that I deleted (because I thought that I might've misunderstood him)? If not, that's spooky.
- Osprey

You both got it right. I is dumb.