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2015-2016 Roster Talk: Kings Have no Elite Players Edition

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Raccoon Jesus said:
The way I see it, if you trade a prospect for a roster player, you're just hitting fast forward on that prospects incubation.

A prospect is intended to fill a long-term hole; if you're trade that prospect to fill a long-term hole, you win short term.
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Schenn for Richards was a good analogy of that.
 
Reclamation Project said:
The Detroit Model in 2016 is defined in one word - average. They are currently 13 in the league. Nearly center. Look at their recent playoff success - Lost Conference Semifinals, Lost Conference Semifinals, Lost Conference Quarterfinals, Lost Conference Semifinals, Lost First Round, Lost First Round. I'm so tired of hearing about the Red Wings and their playoff streak. Who the hell cares? I want to be calling last or first at the draft. Wings are currently the Canucks, Sharks, and Blues of the NHL. They haven't done dick. Nothing matters outside of icing a championship team and creating a championship atmosphere. If you can't do that, make the necessary changes. I'd ride Kopitar, Carter, Toffoli, Doughty, Muzzin, and Quick into the ground and trade every prospect and pick necessary to help them win a Stanley Cup. I don't give a **** about the pipeline five years from now. I'd rather have 5 incredible years than 15 average ones.

And to the people that complain Dean trades too many picks, don't complain, it'll just expedite the process 5 years from now.
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Agreed 100%. Your world view changes once you attend a couple of Stanley Cup victory parades in 3 years after a lifetime of futility.
 
Reclamation Project said:
The Detroit Model in 2016 is defined in one word - average. They are currently 13 in the league. Nearly center. Look at their recent playoff success - Lost Conference Semifinals, Lost Conference Semifinals, Lost Conference Quarterfinals, Lost Conference Semifinals, Lost First Round, Lost First Round. I'm so tired of hearing about the Red Wings and their playoff streak. Who the hell cares? I want to be calling last or first at the draft. Wings are currently the Canucks, Sharks, and Blues of the NHL. They haven't done dick. Nothing matters outside of icing a championship team and creating a championship atmosphere. If you can't do that, make the necessary changes. I'd ride Kopitar, Carter, Toffoli, Doughty, Muzzin, and Quick into the ground and trade every prospect and pick necessary to help them win a Stanley Cup. I don't give a **** about the pipeline five years from now. I'd rather have 5 incredible years than 15 average ones.

And to the people that complain Dean trades too many picks, don't complain, it'll just expedite the process 5 years from now.
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I applaud you for saying this and definitely see where you are coming from. I would agree with you but I am trying to have my cake and eat it to (never understood that saying, if it's my cake why the **** can I not it eat?). I want to win now and have a pipeline of talent coming up to win in the future.

The issue though is since the salary cap was introduced this it is not feasible, and I (and others) likely need to come to terms with that and join in your point of view. The Detroit model in the 90's was to overpay and bring in veteran talent. Our own Luc to Bret Hull to Hasek. The Cap has done away with teams like the Red Wings of the 90's.
 
I get this feeling that Tanner Pearson could be that young, promising NHL ready forward that might get thrown into a trade package to satisfy the needs that another team asks for in return.

No evidence to back it up, but I think the team has a situation where Pearson's play has been okay (perhaps trending slightly downwards from last year) combined with a player in Michael Mersch trending upwards in the eyes of the organization. I'm seeing it as a repeat of the Jack Johnson - Slava Voynov scenario where a more established youngster gets pushed out by a comparable player from the minors that they feel can ultimately replace them.

It's not a knock against Tanner Pearson at all, but if he can be a piece used to shore up a weakness then Lombardi might jump at the chance to get the Jeff Carter equivalent on defense if he can swing it.
 
Primakov! said:
I get this feeling that Tanner Pearson could be that young, promising NHL ready forward that might get thrown into a trade package to satisfy the needs that another team asks for in return.

No evidence to back it up, but I think the team has a situation where Pearson's play has been okay (perhaps trending slightly downwards from last year) combined with a player in Michael Mersch trending upwards in the eyes of the organization. I'm seeing it as a repeat of the Jack Johnson - Slava Voynov scenario where a more established youngster gets pushed out by a comparable player from the minors that they feel can ultimately replace them.

It's not a knock against Tanner Pearson at all, but if he can be a piece used to shore up a weakness then Lombardi might jump at the chance to get the Jeff Carter equivalent on defense if he can swing it.
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It would have to be a hell of a deal for me to want to include Tanner Pearson. I've always been high on this kid. He has been real clutch lately and is still only 23! I would think more about draft picks and prospects if we want to get another impact player. We definitely need to shore up the D with another impact player. I'm not as high on Schenn as others have been. And McNabb in the playoffs is a big unknown.
 
Primakov! said:
I get this feeling that Tanner Pearson could be that young, promising NHL ready forward that might get thrown into a trade package to satisfy the needs that another team asks for in return.

No evidence to back it up, but I think the team has a situation where Pearson's play has been okay (perhaps trending slightly downwards from last year) combined with a player in Michael Mersch trending upwards in the eyes of the organization. I'm seeing it as a repeat of the Jack Johnson - Slava Voynov scenario where a more established youngster gets pushed out by a comparable player from the minors that they feel can ultimately replace them.

It's not a knock against Tanner Pearson at all, but if he can be a piece used to shore up a weakness then Lombardi might jump at the chance to get the Jeff Carter equivalent on defense if he can swing it.
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I hold Pearson in high reguards but I would agree if he is moved than I hope it is to fix the backend, and not just for this year but for years to come.
 
Yandle is the guy Lombardi loves but the Rags gave up a lot to get him so I imagine the return will be high.

I would be careful if I was Lombardi. Kings have barely any picks left, no prospect depth at center and really no goaltending prospects.
 
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A McNabb-esque move for a goaltending prospect could easily happen with the depth in the AHL. Just like when DL made the Gaborik splash, but also found something for the future on the side.
 
Primakov! said:
I get this feeling that Tanner Pearson could be that young, promising NHL ready forward that might get thrown into a trade package to satisfy the needs that another team asks for in return.

No evidence to back it up, but I think the team has a situation where Pearson's play has been okay (perhaps trending slightly downwards from last year) combined with a player in Michael Mersch trending upwards in the eyes of the organization. I'm seeing it as a repeat of the Jack Johnson - Slava Voynov scenario where a more established youngster gets pushed out by a comparable player from the minors that they feel can ultimately replace them.

It's not a knock against Tanner Pearson at all, but if he can be a piece used to shore up a weakness then Lombardi might jump at the chance to get the Jeff Carter equivalent on defense if he can swing it.
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That trade was made prior to the Kings being considered a serious cup contender.

Over the past few seasons, DL has 'tinkered' with the active roster, mostly by adding players during the season. No key player who is a regular in the lineup has been traded away.

I dont see Pearson or any other top 9 player getting moved, certainly not for a short-term rental, unless there are other reasons at play. Pearson will be due a raise, but still an RFA and still cost-controlled. That has serious value for us.

On the other hand, I still can see Lewis as a player we end up moving. Especially if he's looking for $3M/year (which I think he could get on the open market). As much as it would hurt our PK and defensive responsibility, I dont think he is going to stay in LA with only a small raise when he can test the UFA market.

To clarify, I see Lewis as a bottom line forward when everyone is healthy.
 
bmr said:
It would have to be a hell of a deal for me to want to include Tanner Pearson. I've always been high on this kid. He has been real clutch lately and is still only 23! I would think more about draft picks and prospects if we want to get another impact player. We definitely need to shore up the D with another impact player. I'm not as high on Schenn as others have been. And McNabb in the playoffs is a big unknown.
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My opinion is that the Kings do not have the quality of draft picks this year (only have a 2nd, 4th, and 5th with their 7th being conditional) or spare high end prospects to make a deal work in the way you want with the impact you might be hoping for.

YP44 said:
I hold Pearson in high reguards but I would agree if he is moved than I hope it is to fix the backend, and not just for this year but for years to come.
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Yeah. Jeff Carter was brought in at age 27 for the Stanley Cup run in 2012 and still going strong so if they are trading a talented, homegrown guy like Pearson then they would have to shoot for a potential long term solution on defense.
 
YP44 said:
I applaud you for saying this and definitely see where you are coming from. I would agree with you but I am trying to have my cake and eat it to (never understood that saying, if it's my cake why the **** can I not it eat?). I want to win now and have a pipeline of talent coming up to win in the future.

The issue though is since the salary cap was introduced this it is not feasible, and I (and others) likely need to come to terms with that and join in your point of view. The Detroit model in the 90's was to overpay and bring in veteran talent. Our own Luc to Bret Hull to Hasek. The Cap has done away with teams like the Red Wings of the 90's.
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You can't have the whole cake in your hands and eat it all at the same time.

Winning now and having a pipeline of talent is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for every franchise, but even the 90's Wings didn't really have that. By the time 2002 came around, it was a bunch of 35 year old hall of fame guys. Zetterberg and Datsyuk were around, but the Kings still have a couple later round picks this year too, so you never know.

Even the Devils couldn't keep it going, and they were one of, if not the best drafting team in the 90's. Eventually the tank runs out of gas. It's not easy to get Stevens, Niedermayer, and Brodeur on the same team, at the same time, at the right time. It's not easy to replace them either.

The Kings having Kopitar, Doughty, and Quick is not likely. Kopitar falls in the draft. Quick is a nothing 3rd round pick, who was drafted a year before the guy who was supposed to be the guy got drafted in the 1st round. You can't really set out to replace those guys. Even if you could, it may not be the same mix or chemistry.

Most teams aren't going to get that holy grail. If you're truly in contention for 3-5 years, that's great. That's the right mix of skill, luck, hard work, research, timing, etc. The same way if you're getting 2 guys every draft that play any sort of role for you, from the top line to the 4th line, that's a really good outcome.
 
There's an issue with Pearson moving. I agree it looks like he's a good starting point due to the depth the Kings have on LW, for a top 4D. The problem lies in the cap hit of the top 4D. No one is moving a top 4D on an ELC. So you're looking at Trouba/Barrie type players who may be moving because they are due a large raise. If it isn't worth moving Pearson for a pure rental, how do you go about fitting say a $5-6.5M Trouba on the roster next season? Even if Lombardi targeted someone at around $4M, he has to cut cap space for next year. It isn't just as simple as moving Pearson for a D.

A long term solution almost has to be done after the season when Lombardi knows what the cap will be for next year and he knows if he's able to free up cap space for that player.

My money is on a large/slow/mean D that Lombardi can get a deal on.
 
Pearson, TT, Lucic and King are the only top 9 forwards under 27, it would be dumb for the Kings to move them. Everyone else is 29 and up or a 4th line player.
 
Johnny Utah said:
Yandle is the guy Lombardi loves but the Rags gave up a lot to get him so I imagine the return will be high.

I would be careful if I was Lombardi. Kings have barely any picks left, no prospect depth at center and really no goaltending prospects.
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Time to give up on Yandle being acquired via trade. The Rangers are keeping him for their playoff run.
 
The Kings need cost controlled players. Pearson's value for a cap team is huge. With Gaborik out, the only other speed with skill the kings have is Carter. And he's been playing injured.

I don't see the Kings trading Pearson at all for a rental. Trading Pearson only makes the kings older, slower, and not cost controlled. Pearson is not going anywhere.
 
JJ was the last time the Kings traded a true roster player. It ain't happening. It's gonna be picks, prospects, and/or a healthy scratch player. And everyone will complain.

Kings need a top four defenseman. Period.
 
Since getting a top 4 defenseman seems out of reach, I would be happy if the Kings got a legit shutdown 4th line veteran center and a bottom pairing defenseman to play with Schenn. I would not trust a rookie defenseman like Gravel in the playoffs.
 
Reclamation Project said:
JJ was the last time the Kings traded a true roster player. It ain't happening. It's gonna be picks, prospects, and/or a healthy scratch player. And everyone will complain.

Kings need a top four defenseman. Period.
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I could see martinez moved out in the off season if LA brings in a better/younger/cheaper top 4 option at the deadline or in the off season.

It will suck to lose jazz hands but someone will have to go to make room for lucic (Today I am a realist and so Brown and Gaborik are untradeable)
 
If they deal Kempe, it better be for a locked up impact player who'll be around for years, not some rental who can fizzle out like Sekera or Halpern or Modin.
 
Ziggy Stardust said:
If they deal Kempe, it better be for a locked up impact player who'll be around for years, not some rental who can fizzle out like Sekera or Halpern or Modin.
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At least Modin, literally, cost them nothing.


If Dean wants another defender, he's going to have to try and trade someone off the roster to do it. At some point, you can't keep blowing assets. They only have 4 draft picks left for this year.
 
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