Line Combos: 2016-2017 Kings Roster

[Ziggy Stardust]

Bro, with the 2 cups, our World Champions.

This <censored> negativity won't stand. I'm not having it.

Who am I? A diehard who has followed this team since 97. I will fight the good fight. We must pull behind our team and support them and see what the rebuild entails. <censored> the knee jerk reaction fans who all of a sudden are entitled. Lest they forgot the years of Modry and Berg, Heinz (lol big off season acquisition, "but his number is 57") et al.

Sadly, we are back to those days. Lombardi's slew of transactions since 2014 matches up with Dave Taylor's failed acquisitions.

I'm still here, posting about the Kings and following along and sticking around. I've been through much worse. It's just the way it is.

I'm not going to sit here and sugarcoat things.

 

[tsanuri]

It's called reality. I have no clue what your expectations are, but this team is not any better than last season's squad.

And for most of the season last years team was good.
It went cold down the stretch. But I'd take last seasons numbers without the going cold. Maybe start cold and pick it up as the season goes along.

 

[Model62]

Aww, that's great for Setoguchi and I hope he's able to grab this opportunity and own it and make this a great story for the Kings, too.

Attending tomorrow's opener in SJ (I'm a recent SoCal to BA transplant) and looking forward to him getting a warm welcome from the fans there/here, too.

 

[KingTrouty]

Sadly, we are back to those days. Lombardi's slew of transactions since 2014 matches up with Dave Taylor's failed acquisitions.

I'm still here, posting about the Kings and following along and sticking around. I've been through much worse. It's just the way it is.

I'm not going to sit here and sugarcoat things.

Ziggy, my brother, let's wait and see what Sutter and Co have in store.

This was a huge off season, new captain, new shift in philosophy. Maybe a new shift in effort from our boys.

These Champions deserve your patience. You have been a diehard for far too long to be this knee jerk.

Respectfully, let's wait and see what our boys bring to the table.

Lombardi and Taylor should never be mentioned in the same damned sentence.

 

[KingTrouty]

And for most of the season last years team was good.
It went cold down the stretch. But I'd take last seasons numbers without the going cold. Maybe start cold and pick it up as the season goes along.

Most of last season our team was great. Great.

 

[Fishhead]

 

[KingTrouty]

Gravel to ONT is a damn shame. I don't care about player options. Damn shame.

 

[Trolfoli]

I don't have high expectations for that top line but I'm not near as gloom and doom as everyone else.
Brown didn't look terrible last year he just couldn't finish.

I've gone completely doom and gloom!!!! So many questions....

-Will the team make the playoffs?
If yes: Will it be worse then last year's spanking
If No: Will they be bad enough to get a decent pick? Probably not.
-Will Brown play well enough to get selected by Las Vegas?
-Will Brown play well enough for Lombardi to think, "Maybe I'll keep him around"
-Will Kopitar request a trade or pack it in after 20 games of Seto/Brown?
-Will Toffoli be able to carry the whole offense?
-Will Trevor Lewis score on a breakaway! (I'm still holding out hope)
-Will King, King around the ice?
-Will McNabb's foot speed drive the entire board crazy to my delight.
-Will McNabb or Gilbert play on the second pair?
-Who is this Gilbert guy anyways?
-Will Forbort actually, finally be an NHL'er?
-Will Greene be healthy for more then 10 games?
-Will someone (Forbort/Gravel) have a breakout year to be lost to the expansion?
-On the nights Quick needs off, are they better off just going with 6 skaters?
-Sutter? What will he do? Other then make those sour faces behind the bench...

Why the **** do we have to start the season against a team that's going to stop us every year! Can't we get an easy match up and a win the first game so we can feel like there's some hope?

Oh yeah and the most important question
-Will the cap go up next year? Because I read from some internet economist that there's something about some loonie that's going to cause the NHL to implode and reach critical mass!!!!!!

 

[Trolfoli]

Ziggy, my brother, let's wait and see what Sutter and Co have in store.

This was a huge off season, new captain, new shift in philosophy. Maybe a new shift in effort from our boys.

These Champions deserve your patience. You have been a diehard for far too long to be this knee jerk.

Respectfully, let's wait and see what our boys bring to the table.

Lombardi and Taylor should never be mentioned in the same damned sentence.

I see you've gotten your Tank out... Well played...

 

[KingTrouty]

I've gone completely doom and gloom!!!! So many questions....

-Will the team make the playoffs?
If yes: Will it be worse then last year's spanking
If No: Will they be bad enough to get a decent pick? Probably not.
-Will Brown play well enough to get selected by Las Vegas?
-Will Brown play well enough for Lombardi to think, "Maybe I'll keep him around"
-Will Kopitar request a trade or pack it in after 20 games of Seto/Brown?
-Will Toffoli be able to carry the whole offense?
-Will Trevor Lewis score on a breakaway! (I'm still holding out hope)
-Will King, King around the ice?
-Will McNabb's foot speed drive the entire board crazy to my delight.
-Will McNabb or Gilbert play on the second pair?
-Who is this Gilbert guy anyways?
-Will Forbort actually, finally be an NHL'er?
-Will Greene be healthy for more then 10 games?
-Will someone (Forbort/Gravel) have a breakout year to be lost to the expansion?

-On the nights Quick needs off, are they better off just going with 6 skaters?
-Sutter? What will he do? Other then make those sour faces behind the bench...

Why the **** do we have to start the season against a team that's going to stop us every year! Can't we get an easy match up and a win the first game so we can feel like there's some hope?

Oh yeah and the most important question
-Will the cap go up next year? Because I read from some internet economist that there's something about some loonie that's going to cause the NHL to implode and reach critical mass!!!!!!

Wut?

 

[KingTrouty]

I see you've gotten your Tank out... Well played...

It's not a tank, it's a Bradley Fighting Vehicle. It is mayhem.

My beautiful, angel son is named Bradley.

 

[tsanuri]

I've gone completely doom and gloom!!!! So many questions....

-Will the team make the playoffs?
If yes: Will it be worse then last year's spanking
If No: Will they be bad enough to get a decent pick? Probably not.
-Will Brown play well enough to get selected by Las Vegas?
-Will Brown play well enough for Lombardi to think, "Maybe I'll keep him around"
-Will Kopitar request a trade or pack it in after 20 games of Seto/Brown?
-Will Toffoli be able to carry the whole offense?
-Will Trevor Lewis score on a breakaway! (I'm still holding out hope)
-Will King, King around the ice?
-Will McNabb's foot speed drive the entire board crazy to my delight.
-Will McNabb or Gilbert play on the second pair?
-Who is this Gilbert guy anyways?
-Will Forbort actually, finally be an NHL'er?
-Will Greene be healthy for more then 10 games?
-Will someone (Forbort/Gravel) have a breakout year to be lost to the expansion?
-On the nights Quick needs off, are they better off just going with 6 skaters?
-Sutter? What will he do? Other then make those sour faces behind the bench...

Why the **** do we have to start the season against a team that's going to stop us every year! Can't we get an easy match up and a win the first game so we can feel like there's some hope?

Oh yeah and the most important question
-Will the cap go up next year? Because I read from some internet economist that there's something about some loonie that's going to cause the NHL to implode and reach critical mass!!!!!!

We'll start early.
Start by taking one step away from the edge.

As to tomorrows game San Jose exercised their demons last year.
So they might no be as up against us. And we might be pissed after being embarrassed by them last year.

 

[eleventy]

Gravel to ONT is a damn shame. I don't care about player options. Damn shame.

He's not playing top 4 minutes with the big club, which would also be a shame. His progression is better served playing top 2 minutes in Ontario.

 

[KingTrouty]

He's not playing top 4 minutes with the big club, which would also be a shame. His progression is better served playing top 2 minutes in Ontario.

Perhaps so, Eleventy. I thought he showed enough progress last season when he was given a chance to prove he belongs. His breakout pass is already top 4 potential. Only his positioning and reads were a little bit delayed (in a beautifully coached Sutter system [D]).

He played well enough last year to start on the club this year, but I understand the club not wanting to perhaps lose Forbort.

Greene is old now and should be sent down, but the damn cap is as much a part of the competition as actual teams are. So it goes. We must carry him.

Gravel's ceiling is absolutely a top 4 D. I wanted to see it develop out the gate. At least Scuds was sent down.

 

[lexlavender]

It's called reality. I have no clue what your expectations are, but this team is not any better than last season's squad.

Our defense is way better than what we had in playoffs last year

McNabb Doughty
Muzzin Schenn
McBain Scuderi

vs

Muzzin Doughty
McNabb Martinez
Forbort Greene/Gilbert

Yeah, we don't have the on-paper best defense in the league, but I take our current D over last years playoff D any day of the week.

 

[KingTrouty]

Our defense is way better than what we had in playoffs last year

McNabb Doughty
Muzzin Schenn
McBain Scuderi

vs

Muzzin Doughty
McNabb Martinez
Forbort Greene/Gilbert

Yeah, we don't have the on-paper best defense in the league, but I take our current D over last years playoff D any day of the week.

This.

I think our D will be top 5. Sutter is a defensive prodigy and will be able to squeeze more out of the back two than last year's back pairing.

Gravel might be here sooner than we think. He will only improve the back pairing when given the chance. In lieu of damned PIT winning it all, there's no way we can count our Boys out. Not before we've seen a month or two of regular season hockey.

 

[Trolfoli]

Wut?

I freak out sometimes.... better now...

 

[KingCanadain1976]

I freak out sometimes.... better now...

 

[Johnny Utah]

Nothing changed in the Kings top 4 D, all we did is swap Scuderi, Schenn and McBain for Forbort, Greene and Gilbert.

 

[KingTrouty]

Nothing changed in the Kings top 4 D, all we did is swap Scuderi, Schenn and McBain for Forbort, Greene and Gilbert.

Scuds down is already a net gain, now we need Frobort to take the leap that his draft capital warrants.

I have seen a top 6 pick (NFL) take the leap his draft capital suggests in year 5 of his pro level play. After absolutely <censored> the bed his first 3 1/2 to 4 years. His leap in year 5 is incredible. So it's not out of the realm of possibility, as it pertains to athletes, for our boy Forbort to make the jump.

Our 5-7 is better this year, with a potential stud (Gravel) waiting in the pipeline.

 

[KingTrouty]

I freak out sometimes.... better now...

Sometimes we just need to scream! And then have a beer or ten

 

[KingsFan7824]

Nothing changed in the Kings top 4 D, all we did is swap Scuderi, Schenn and McBain for Forbort, Greene and Gilbert.

What did you expect? They added a young guy they drafted, and a veteran free agent.

Who are they supposed to get? They have $15m in 3 defenseman, $15m in their top 2 centers, $11m in Brown and Gaborik, and $6m in their starting goalie. That's $47m of the $73m cap for 8 players.

Trade Clifford or Nolan for a top 4 defenseman? What FA defenseman should they have thrown non-existent money at?

 

[damacles1156]

Nothing changed in the Kings top 4 D, all we did is swap Scuderi, Schenn and McBain for Forbort, Greene and Gilbert.

Forbort/Greene are better players than any of the guys you just listed, that they will replace.

Scuds was done in the league, Schenn was a disaster possession and turn over wise(stats prove it). Removing those two is an improvement already.

Greene/Gilbert can at-least clear out the front of the net on the PK, like Schenn absolutely couldn't do.

 

[BigKing]

Nothing changed in the Kings top 4 D, all we did is swap Scuderi, Schenn and McBain for Forbort, Greene and Gilbert.

Exactly. That isn't necessarily some huge upgrade but it would appear to be better. The main thing is that the farm options are a year older and, hopefully, a year better in the event of injuries. Plus, LaDue wasn't even an option last season.

The reason for the doom and gloom is the forwards. They've swapped out Lucic for Purcell and, essentially, Gaborik for Setoguchi at the moment.

That's a gigantic downgrade for a team already known to have issues scoring. I'm a big Dowd guy and I'm hoping he can stick and replace some of the scoring VL brought to the Bottom 6 but the forward group is weaker.

We can wax nostalgic for 2012-'14 and call these guys "Champions", but the reality is the Kings roster has weakened while other teams appear poised for a breakout.

Quick is going to have to play 75 games and he's going to have to be lights out for this team to make the playoffs. Much like the 95 points or whatever in 2015 was misleading, so was the 102 for last year's team, in my opinion. Losing Gaborik was huge and then the team collapsed due to losing its #3 defenseman. The lack of depth was very apparent last season and is already being tested right out of the gates. To be a viable contender, the youth will have to shine and I think that includes some of the kids that didn't make the final cuts.

Hoping to be surprised but expecting the worst. Back to life as a Kings fan before 2012.

 

[damacles1156]

Exactly. That isn't necessarily some huge upgrade but it would appear to be better. The main thing is that the farm options are a year older and, hopefully, a year better in the event of injuries. Plus, LaDue wasn't even an option last season.

The reason for the doom and gloom is the forwards. They've swapped out Lucic for Purcell and, essentially, Gaborik for Setoguchi at the moment.

That's a gigantic downgrade for a team already known to have issues scoring. I'm a big Dowd guy and I'm hoping he can stick and replace some of the scoring VL brought to the Bottom 6 but the forward group is weaker.

We can wax nostalgic for 2012-'14 and call these guys "Champions", but the reality is the Kings roster has weakened while other teams appear poised for a breakout.

Quick is going to have to play 75 games and he's going to have to be lights out for this team to make the playoffs. Much like the 95 points or whatever in 2015 was misleading, so was the 102 for last year's team, in my opinion. Losing Gaborik was huge and then the team collapsed due to losing its #3 defenseman. The lack of depth was very apparent last season and is already being tested right out of the gates. To be a viable contender, the youth will have to shine and I think that includes some of the kids that didn't make the final cuts.

Hoping to be surprised but expecting the worst. Back to life as a Kings fan before 2012.

You described just about every single team(situation) in the NHL. The cap prevents complete teams(unless ELC players over-perform).

The most complete team last year (Washington) didn't make the finals.

We all know how the 2012 Kings started the season. That roster, was worse than the current one.

Or did people already forget Stoll as the second line center, and Trent Hunter on the roster. Ethan Moreau anyone ?

At least this roster has actual NHL players at virtually every slot.