Jason Lewis: Kings Shot Charts When Winning Vs. Losing Tell a Story of Different Teams

are you saying the quality of the shots and from where on the ice they are taken matter?

are you saying the quality of the shots and from where on the ice they are taken matter?


- BlowMonkey

BRILLIANT RIGHT!?

Indeed I am. With the Kings though it is in relation to confidence and TAKING that area from other teams rather than trying to be a team they are not built to be.

Submit this blog, and resume to:

Dean Lombardi
C/O Los Angeles Kings
Toyota Center
El Segundo, CA

Thx

BRILLIANT RIGHT!?

Indeed I am. With the Kings though it is in relation to confidence and TAKING that area from other teams rather than trying to be a team they are not built to be.
- Jason_Lewis

A lot of Leafs fans have been touting the importance of shot quality and location vs the CORSI guys who think a ton of shots form anywhere is more important. For 2 seasons now we've heard the way the Leafs play is unsustainable - being outshot nightly (usually from the perimeter) while taking more quality chances in tight (usually off the rush). Obviously the Leafs haven't got a perfect (or even good lol) system but I think they are proof now 2 years in that there is more to winning games than just taking a bunch of bad angle / far off shots from players of lesser scoring ability (usually defensemen).....that the quality of those shots does indeed matter......having said that - I would love the Leafs to still limit the opposition chances some more and generate some more chances of there own

Jason Lewis: Kings Shot Charts When Winning Vs. Losing Tell a Story of Different Teams
- Jason_Lewis

That is a very valid yet extremely general way of breaking down the slump... but better than saying "we just need to bear down"

There are sub components that lead to the puck getting into threatening areas that need to be addressed on a specific level, not the intangible "heart" or a visible effort. You can make efforts and not get results as we can clearly see in this 14 of 19 skid (soon to be 17 of 21).

first and foremost, team speed, simply put... we don't have it... the proof is our D getting pyloned like Mitchell last night, Dough-boy's star fish that resulted in a penalty, Malkin splitting a tight spot on the ice and drawing 2 penalties... you can see it against Chicago, Minnesota, phoenix, and the other teams that have tremendous team speed and how if that speed isn't contained it is a killer, and if you don't have it on your forward lines you will be relegated to the outside and taking low percentage shots.

Secondly puck handling and passing... I am seeing the puck flub off of players blades, Brown, Doughty, Richards, Williams and Stoll are the biggest culprits/victims of this and its probably related to my 3rd point...

Hesitation and second guessing... Hesitating on passes, not committing quickly on puck movement be it shot or pass. Skating into bad positions and being left with no other option than a bad pass or a take away. Not skating hard to 50/50 pucks in the offensive zone for fear of being caught out of position or getting burned. Waiting for someone else to do something without the puck before you do something with the puck and not supporting someone who jumps in on a pressure or pursuit play after a turn over. Mike Richards is putting himself out of position more often than not, he loafs on the forecheck, and is horribly inconsistent when passing the puck or skating it through the neutral zone. this kind of play has to be eliminated in order to turn it around.

The power play is an easy thing to fix... movement... you cant stand still on the PP. after the puck is moved from the half wall to the point and vice versa. Once there is an exchange from point to half wall or half wall to point, the passer should stay available in case there is immediate pressure and the 3 other players away from the puck need to switch positions ( 2 at the same time and 1 as the PK unit notices the movement ) to create some confusion with the PK unit and force them to look away from the puck while it is being moved. This movement should happen near the bottom 2 PK-ers and result in one of the forwards popping back out to the opposite half wall while the other 2 create traffic, and depending on the location of the next pass either go behind the net to take the puck off the boards, or pop out to the goal line where Mike Richards does not move from. This in and out movement will draw attention and almost always causes a the low PK guys to move out of position. When the other 3 players stand still, passing is useless and forces the puck carrier to make moves that are easily pressured and typically result in forced turn overs on the half wall. The other component to this is body movement is crisp puck movement and not telegraphing. And my wish list item for the PP would be to sell your fakes more, this is the NHL and the PK guys are not going to buy a half hearted fake shot or fake pass, you almost have to believe you are going to make the play that you are trying to fake in order to get someone to flinch or miss-step. oh and Team speed would help here too in gaining entry to the zone to set up all this nuts and bolts action of a successful power play

I think we have good D, good goal tending, and this "kings style/brand" of hockey is good, we just need to mix in some speed and some hands without sacrificing the brand of hockey we play and get these teams on their heels a bit more.

I guarantee right now, no one is afraid to play us and we have become very predictable...

The other component to this is body movement is crisp puck movement and not telegraphing.
- MikeOxbyg

Never was this more apparent than last night. The Pens whipped the puck around with alarming conviction and speed every time they were on the man advantage. No Baby8 handling the puck at the blue line but instead constant movement with the puck and fast hard passes to players who had the hands to get off a strong one-timer. When we pass the puck around it's like it's warmups! Soft and telegraphed. There was a late PP for us where a one time pass was made so slowly that Zatkoff was already squared to the shooter by the time he got the shot off. Doughty is absolutely killing the PP. He's so much more effective when he just GOES and doesn't THINK about what he's going to do or what would work best...

Unrelated, but what did you think about the shot that Brown sent into 306?? Sure the puck was rolling, but first, why bust down the boards only to blast a shot from a terrible angle, and secondly, if you see the puck rolling why not keep possession and look for something to develop??? Take a hit to make a play... but no, not our captain.

And a thing about confidence: that little no-look pass by Jokernen to Malkin for the 1st goal would never even be attempted by any of our players, not even Kopi. And even he did make the pass, there isn't anyone on the roster with the wherwithall to bang it home... There is zero confidence in our play making abilities. From top to bottom our forwards cannot pass, with the exception of Kopi and Carter. When Richards first came aboart, I thought that he would be bring that ability to make the pass and put the onus on the recievers to handle the pass and get the shot on net, but nowadays, even Richards can't complete a nice firm pass, and if it's a back hand, forgetaboutit...

Do disgusted with this team right now.

Unrelated, but what did you think about the shot that Brown sent into 306?? Sure the puck was rolling, but first, why bust down the boards only to blast a shot from a terrible angle, and secondly, if you see the puck rolling why not keep possession and look for something to develop??? Take a hit to make a play... but no, not our captain.
- Stu17

I'm glad someone is seeing what I am seeing out there... There is a lot of "hard core long time" kings fans that won't let any criticism or critical observations be made, but I can't just sit back and say everything is going to work itself out and fall back on the mentality that this is the cup team and we will magically pull out of it...

Brown had a pass available that was much hire percentage than the shot he took from that angle, even if the puck was flat and he got that shot off there was no way it was going in. He is circling the drain hard out there and it's painful to watch him play with him all wadded up inside his own head...

And a thing about confidence: that little no-look pass by Jokernen to Malkin for the 1st goal would never even be attempted by any of our players, not even Kopi. And even he did make the pass, there isn't anyone on the roster with the wherwithall to bang it home... There is zero confidence in our play making abilities. From top to bottom our forwards cannot pass, with the exception of Kopi and Carter. When Richards first came aboart, I thought that he would be bring that ability to make the pass and put the onus on the recievers to handle the pass and get the shot on net, but nowadays, even Richards can't complete a nice firm pass, and if it's a back hand, forgetaboutit...

Do disgusted with this team right now.
- Stu17

Richards is just horrible out there, all season long, no speed, can't pass, no finish ability around the net, and it's seems like his stick blade is made out of melted cheese... I really which he would have taken those power skating classes that Clifford took during the off season, Clifford may not have any points to show for it but he is in on the forecheck and driving to the net with the puck every chance he gets

Jason Lewis: Kings Shot Charts When Winning Vs. Losing Tell a Story of Different Teams
- Jason_Lewis

Jason, I really enjoy your blogs! Interesting charts and theories.
These next 4 games are going to tell a lot. If they stay in a playoff position and become the team we saw in December we'll be ok. You never want to peak to early!
How's that for a little optimism?

A lot of Leafs fans have been touting the importance of shot quality and location vs the CORSI guys who think a ton of shots form anywhere is more important. For 2 seasons now we've heard the way the Leafs play is unsustainable - being outshot nightly (usually from the perimeter) while taking more quality chances in tight (usually off the rush). Obviously the Leafs haven't got a perfect (or even good lol) system but I think they are proof now 2 years in that there is more to winning games than just taking a bunch of bad angle / far off shots from players of lesser scoring ability (usually defensemen).....that the quality of those shots does indeed matter......having said that - I would love the Leafs to still limit the opposition chances some more and generate some more chances of there own
- BlowMonkey

Generally speaking the team with more shots also has more shots in higher scoring areas.

Jason, I really enjoy your blogs! Interesting charts and theories.
These next 4 games are going to tell a lot. If they stay in a playoff position and become the team we saw in December we'll be ok. You never want to peak to early!
How's that for a little optimism?
- arh777

The thing that worries me is that the slump we were in before getting Carter in 2012, at least we could put up 1-2 goals on a consistent basis but this losing streak has been beyond ugly to watch.

Even though we are technically 'in' games, our total inability to score goals guarantees a loss. If we are down 1-0 then the best possible outcome is a shootout win if we somehow manage to get 1 goal.

The Penguins game was over within the 1st 2 minutes.

Something has to change and it has to start with our captain.

According to EK , the Kings are trying to get Steve Ott.... why? he is the exact opposite of what we need

According to EK , the Kings are trying to get Steve Ott.... why? he is the exact opposite of what we need
- MikeOxbyg

Because that's where his dart landed.

Jason Lewis: Kings Shot Charts When Winning Vs. Losing Tell a Story of Different Teams
- Jason_Lewis

If I'm not mistaken... I think odie just referenced thus article I'm the pregame show

Any truth to the rumors that Kings are interested in Vanek???

Also, why is it hard for the Kings to score goals, is it the system they play or something else? Kings have to much talent to have issues w/scoring..


THANKS....

Any truth to the rumors that Kings are interested in Vanek???

Also, why is it hard for the Kings to score goals, is it the system they play or something else? Kings have to much talent to have issues w/scoring..


THANKS....
- Ur Not Me

With that cap hit? Unlikely.

According to EK , the Kings are trying to get Steve Ott.... why? he is the exact opposite of what we need
- MikeOxbyg

Becuase you can never too many bottom 6 grinders!!! LOL

But I will say that Ott will go to the dirty areas and will play with some fire/passion for a little while until the DL/DS(aka TM2) code of dullability sap it right out of him...