2016 LA Kings Offseason GDT V: Free Agent Frenzy

[KopitarFAN]

I didn't think Berube would be claimed when Tokarski cleared (Tokarski had played very well the playoffs before when Price went down), but he did.

If someone's goalie gets innjured between now and when Campbell has to be waived why wouldn't that team claim him. It is a risk LA will have to have with Campbell but my main concern is with the forward and D.

Berube and Campbell isn't really a fair comparison, JFB had 121 games of consistent success in the AHL over the prior 2 seasons, Campbell has been nothing short of bad most of his time in the AHL, if someone is gonna get claimed, it will be be Budaj.

 

[KingsFan7824]

So you're ok with the kings exposing players to waivers and losing them for nothing?

No, but it's not going to happen tomorrow, so it's not a big concern yet. Need another team in a trade too, and most teams aren't making too many more moves for the rest of the summer. If they do, why give up a pick if there's a free agent worth looking at? If somebody wants say King or Shore bad enough, they'll call Lombardi up. If by the end of camp, someone plays themselves on or off the team, it'll be time to cross that bridge then.

At least the Kings seem to be in a position of too many options(to one degree or another) instead of too few. It's always better to get something for a guy than nothing, but I don't know how many waived players make or break a franchise. Getting them, or losing them.

When you lose Voynov and Bartosak for nothing, on top of losing Hickey and Berube for nothing, then it starts adding up. Instead of waivers, real life has cost the Kings more in terms of talent.

 

[tsanuri]

So you're ok with the kings exposing players to waivers and losing them for nothing?

The issue is not cap it is who stays vs who get waived. I know that will be determined in camp, but would it not be better to get something for a guy instead of losing him for nothing?

Or do we think that for some reason all LA's guys will clear waivers? Hickey and Berube say otherwise

We really aren't that heavy up front most teams carry 14 forwards. And I suspect they are going to keep them and hope the young guys are ready out of camp and wave the Vets on D. Which could be less likely to get picked up.

 

[YP44]

We really aren't that heavy up front most teams carry 14 forwards. And I suspect they are going to keep them and hope the young guys are ready out of camp and wave the Vets on D. Which could be less likely to get picked up.

15 forwards so one will need to be waived as of today.

I am assuming by waive the vets you mean Greene and Scuderi? If so then I agree. However even then that would leave 7 D that do need to clear waivers + Gravel who does not. I cannot see LA carrying 8 d-men.

 

[tsanuri]

15 forwards so one will need to be waived as of today.

I am assuming by waive the vets you mean Greene and Scuderi? If so then I agree. However even then that would leave 7 D that do need to clear waivers + Gravel who does not. I cannot see LA carrying 8 d-men.

It's not uncommon to have an extra player or two in the summer. It does give DL some flexibility to be able to trade and get picks or prospects. But many teams have them and they are waved all at the same time just before the season. And teams must have the roster spot to be able to pick a player up. So it gives a better chance that the player will clear.
And yes that is what I meant about vets.
Can't remember for sure but I think there were times we were carrying 8 last year. So it is done.
That is one of the biggest benefits of Ontario. We don't have to worry about the roster itself as much. Since call ups can be same day and actually play when both teams are near home. Unlike before.

 

[YP44]

It's not uncommon to have an extra player or two in the summer. It does give DL some flexibility to be able to trade and get picks or prospects. But many teams have them and they are waved all at the same time just before the season. And teams must have the roster spot to be able to pick a player up. So it gives a better chance that the player will clear.
And yes that is what I meant about vets.
Can't remember for sure but I think there were times we were carrying 8 last year. So it is done.
That is one of the biggest benefits of Ontario. We don't have to worry about the roster itself as much. Since call ups can be same day and actually play when both teams are near home. Unlike before.

hard to call up and send players down though if they need waivers..I could see Gravel going up and down alot this year.

 

[tsanuri]

hard to call up and send players down though if they need waivers..I could see Gravel going up and down alot this year.

Since there are no re-entry wavers anymore, thankfully, players getting sent down at the beginning of the year and don't get claimed. No roster spot to put them in because every team is doing the same thing. And as long as the player doesn't play in 10 games or is on the roster for 30 days. Both numbers being cumulative. They don't have to re clear to go back down. So players could still go up and down for a time.

 

[Butch 19]

hard to call up and send players down though if they need waivers..I could see Gravel going up and down alot this year.

ahhh, reminds me of the good 'ol days of LaBarbera.

Literally EVERYONE wants to steal our talent!!

 

[Kingsfan1]

People on the main board think with our current roster that we will finish bottom 5. The season cant start soon enough. I actually like our chances alot if Gravel and Forbort are given opportunities to develop and succeed. I have a feeling we are going to be surprised by these two. And as long as Lewis is not our 3rd line C we will do some damage.

 

[KingCanadain1976]

People on the main board think with our current roster that we will finish bottom 5. The season cant start soon enough. I actually like our chances alot if Gravel and Forbort are given opportunities to develop and succeed. I have a feeling we are going to be surprised by these two. And as long as Lewis is not our 3rd line C we will do some damage.

I think McNabb and Gravel are going to make a major jump forward. Also Pearson will have a break out year similar to Toffoli's

 

[kingsfan28]

The Kings don't sign a player, the player signs, he decides. Was never going to happen and Lombardi knew how risky that trade was for the reason Lucic is now and Oiler. -TERM
He wouldn't sign for less than 7 with the team that drafted him for the cit y and fans he'd player for his whole career and adored in Boston because they wouldn't give him more than 5 and (according to NESN who spoke to his agent) was adamant on term, he wanted 7 or 8 yrs.

DL made the trade because he felt Lucic could be beneficial in getting them to the SCF. He knew when that trade went down it was going to be rental.

A very expensive rental. That's the first time I heard Lucic deal was more about term than dollars. Not really surprised nobody wanted to go above 5 , or in our case higher [8 years] but with a lower dollars.

 

[Trolfoli]

I disagree with that Lucic comment. Lombardi signed Brown to a longer deal only 200k less then what Lucic got. So at one point in time Lombardi didn't have a problem with handing out stupid contracts like that. Don't know when exactly that changed.

Which bring me to my next point. Brown can always be waived if Lombardi doesn't want to lose someone to waivers. Now that he's not the captain it won't look as bad. There's enough garbage on the team that getting down to the 23 man roster won't be an issue. Greene was already waived, Scuderi could be waived, Nolan, Clifford, Shore, Gilbert, or either of the new 600k guys... who cares... Oh yeah and Lewis... for the love of god, just trade him already.

As far as the Kings finishing bottom 5... it's a real possibility. Sutter's game plan relies on having a D that you can lean on. If the D is garbage, the offense isn't going to carry the team. Still a bottom 5 finish would probably require one of Doughty/Muzzin/Martinez/Kopitar/Carter/Quick to be injured for an extended period of time or the organization trying to pad Brown's stats by giving him first line minutes and PP time in the hopes of an expansion team taking him.

 

[YP44]

I disagree with that Lucic comment. Lombardi signed Brown to a longer deal only 200k less then what Lucic got. So at one point in time Lombardi didn't have a problem with handing out stupid contracts like that. Don't know when exactly that changed.

Which bring me to my next point. Brown can always be waived if Lombardi doesn't want to lose someone to waivers. Now that he's not the captain it won't look as bad. There's enough garbage on the team that getting down to the 23 man roster won't be an issue. Greene was already waived, Scuderi could be waived, Nolan, Clifford, Shore, Gilbert, or either of the new 600k guys... who cares... Oh yeah and Lewis... for the love of god, just trade him already.

As far as the Kings finishing bottom 5... it's a real possibility. Sutter's game plan relies on having a D that you can lean on. If the D is garbage, the offense isn't going to carry the team. Still a bottom 5 finish would probably require one of Doughty/Muzzin/Martinez/Kopitar/Carter/Quick to be injured for an extended period of time or the organization trying to pad Brown's stats by giving him first line minutes and PP time in the hopes of an expansion team taking him.

Yes he can, but he is good enough to have a spot. Doesn't matter how overpaid he is .
King's finishing bottom 5?!? Don't see it sorry.

 

[KingsFan7824]

I disagree with that Lucic comment. Lombardi signed Brown to a longer deal only 200k less then what Lucic got. So at one point in time Lombardi didn't have a problem with handing out stupid contracts like that. Don't know when exactly that changed.

Brown won something for Lombardi before he offered him that contract. Lucic had 0 goals in the playoffs, and the Kings went out in 5 relatively quiet games. Had Lucic, or especially the entire team, done more in the playoffs last year, I think Lombardi goes the extra mile for Lucic. For better or worse, that seems to be how Lombardi works. Or has worked before the last 2 years.

That, plus, the team is now in a different place than in the summer of 2013. Instead of the Cup and the 3rd round in two years, it's no playoffs and 1 playoff win in two years. Add to that the cap not going up all that much, and Kopitar with a $3m raise.

Life is all about timing. Had Brown's contract been up in the summer of 2011, or the summer of 2014, maybe it's a different contract. If the Kings go out quietly in 2014, maybe it's a different summer. If they go out quietly in 2014, maybe Lombardi doesn't believe in them enough in 2015 to take the chance on Sekera. If 2014 and 2015 were both down years, maybe he doesn't get Lucic, thinking maybe 2015 was just a 1 year blip.

 

[theMajor]

I disagree with that Lucic comment. Lombardi signed Brown to a longer deal only 200k less then what Lucic got. So at one point in time Lombardi didn't have a problem with handing out stupid contracts like that. Don't know when exactly that changed.

Which bring me to my next point. Brown can always be waived if Lombardi doesn't want to lose someone to waivers. Now that he's not the captain it won't look as bad. There's enough garbage on the team that getting down to the 23 man roster won't be an issue. Greene was already waived, Scuderi could be waived, Nolan, Clifford, Shore, Gilbert, or either of the new 600k guys... who cares... Oh yeah and Lewis... for the love of god, just trade him already.

As far as the Kings finishing bottom 5... it's a real possibility. Sutter's game plan relies on having a D that you can lean on. If the D is garbage, the offense isn't going to carry the team. Still a bottom 5 finish would probably require one of Doughty/Muzzin/Martinez/Kopitar/Carter/Quick to be injured for an extended period of time or the organization trying to pad Brown's stats by giving him first line minutes and PP time in the hopes of an expansion team taking him.

the Brown contract wasnt stupid when it was signed, it was actually seen as a bargain seeing as Brown negotiated the contract himself and not through an agent. as for the 'our defense is garbage' sentiment that Ive been seeing tossed around more than a dirty old football, it simply isnt true.



our 'garbage defense' was closer to to the top of the league than it was the bottom. y'all need to chill the F out. Kings finishing bottom 5 a real possibility? what are you on? what is this board turning into?!

 

[lexlavender]

Eklund says we might be in on Kris Russell...Kill me now if that is true. Good thing the guy is a hack.

 

[YP44]

Eklund says we might be in on Kris Russell...Kill me now if that is true. Good thing the guy is a hack.

If in on him means asking if he would sign a $1M 1 yr deal than sure. Although we already have a logjam of d, and I would honestly rather play Greene

 

[go4hockey]

I had a dream that we traded Anze Kopitar for Dmitry Kulikov.

Luckily it was just a dream.

This my friend was s nightmare not a dream.

 

[YP44]

frick i am sick of hearing..."this is one blade"

 

[Johnny Utah]

Sometimes Lombardi baffles me.

It would have been ideal to have Gravel and Forbort as the bottom pairing for next year and have Greene as the #7 and Scuderi take over for Schultz as the veteran presence in Ontarion.

Now we have money tied up in Gilbert and Trotman. Scuderi and Greene are still in the fold and now Forbort is waiver eligible. Doesn't make any sense.

Ontario is loaded and really no one left except Schultz so possible 3 vets could be eating young minutes.

 

[head eyes]

Sometimes Lombardi baffles me.

It would have been ideal to have Gravel and Forbort as the bottom pairing for next year and have Greene as the #7 and Scuderi take over for Schultz as the veteran presence in Ontarion.

Now we have money tied up in Gilbert and Trotman. Scuderi and Greene are still in the fold and now Forbort is waiver eligible. Doesn't make any sense.

Ontario is loaded and really no one left except Schultz so possible 3 vets could be eating young minutes.

Didn't Schultz just sign with Anaheim?

 

[YP44]

Didn't Schultz just sign with Anaheim?

yuppers

 

[YP44]

Sometimes Lombardi baffles me.

It would have been ideal to have Gravel and Forbort as the bottom pairing for next year and have Greene as the #7 and Scuderi take over for Schultz as the veteran presence in Ontarion.

Now we have money tied up in Gilbert and Trotman. Scuderi and Greene are still in the fold and now Forbort is waiver eligible. Doesn't make any sense.

Ontario is loaded and really no one left except Schultz so possible 3 vets could be eating young minutes.

I agree that Gravel Forbort and Greene as the 5-7 made sense. I am ok with bringing in Gilbert if it means both Greene and Scuds go to the AHL. AS for guys who have left AHL on d, just off the top of my head Roach, Forbort, Gravel and as you said Schultz.
Trotman I do not know enough about.

 

[Omni Owl]

Schultz is with the Ducks now. Scuderi should be down in Ontario, it'd be ****ing ridiculous if he stays with the big club. Greene should be down with the Reign as well. That said, I think Gravel will push them down the depth chart and take at least one spot on the bottom 6. I'm not so sure about Forbort...

 

[KingCanadain1976]

omg me as well i left cause i it was annoying

frick i am sick of hearing..."this is one blade"