2016 LA Kings Offseason GDT V: Free Agent Frenzy

[damacles1156]

In the Cap world with Vegas looming who wants players like Clifford or King? I'd like to see them both gone too cause there is no upside to their game but bottom 6 players are a dime a dozen.

If that was true (Bottom six players are a dime a dozen) King/Clifford would have been replaced by now(by cheaper alternatives).

The reality is, it's hard for AHL players to make even bottom six roles, and UFA are expensive.

So no, bottom six players are not a dime a dozen (NHL Quality ones anyway).

I believe Dowd/Gravel are still waiver exempt as well. Shore/Forbort are not

 

[damacles1156]

He has no reason to move them yet. The point of moving King and Clifford would be to free up cap space to acquire another better player. But at this point, there are no better options available for him to open up cap space. Also, considering that training camp has not even started yet, none of the younger players have yet demonstrated that they should take the spot of King or Clifford. Although King/Clifford are not great players, they have shown the ability to be serviceable bottom 6 (and with King, sometimes top 6) players. Why trade them for the sake of trading them?

With all of that said, Rosen has mentioned on a number of occasions that we should expect to see trades after training camp. There wont be a blockbuster at this stage of the offseason, but I am sure Lombardi will trade one or two of the bottom 6 forwards we have for picks to avoid losing players to waivers (e.g., trading Shore if Dowd or Latta stand out etc).

Spot on.

The biggest reason: NHL Depth guys are hard to find, and you don't move cheap ones, for prospects that have proved nothing so far.

Honestly, what would King/Clifford have fetched ? 3rd/4th round picks ? What good does that do the current Kings roster ? No one is giving up a 1st or 2nd round pick for either guy.

Free up a little cap to sign who exactly ? You have to replace them, which Lombardi has been unable to find a suitable replacement for either guy, up to this point.

 

[YP44]

In the Cap world with Vegas looming who wants players like Clifford or King? I'd like to see them both gone too cause there is no upside to their game but bottom 6 players are a dime a dozen.

with vegas looming there will be more teams looking for depth players like King and Clifford no?

I want them dealt for picks to help restock the cupboard and to free up roster spots for youth.

Would like 2 of Clifford/King/Nolan moved to free up roster spots.

 

[damacles1156]

Restocking the cupboard is moving someone like A-Mart/Carter, and getting multiple(high) picks for them,while freeing up cap space.

I don't advocate the Kings do that.

But that is a move to restock the draft board.

Moving the very definition of (depth player) that lands a pretty poor(single) draft pick, and virtually clears very little cap space(you have to replace them). Pretty poor plan to restock.

 

[Trolfoli]

Restocking the cupboard is moving someone like A-Mart/Carter, and getting multiple(high) picks for them,while freeing up cap space.

I don't advocate the Kings do that.

But that is a move to restock the draft board.

Not moving the very definition of (depth player) that lands a pretty poor(single) draft pick, and virtually clears very little cap space(you have to replace them)

meh... I'd be fine with moving AMart or Carter... Carter's getting up there in age... guess it depends on how quick the team will be competitive again. AMart's had a lot of concussions. I'd be fine with swapping him for some younger players.

Can you imagine how much Kopitar/Dowd/Shore/Andy down the middle would help the Tank!

 

[damacles1156]

meh... I'd be fine with moving AMart or Carter... Carter's getting up there in age... guess it depends on how quick the team will be competitive again. AMart's had a lot of concussions. I'd be fine with swapping him for some younger players.

Can you imagine how much Kopitar/Dowd/Shore/Andy down the middle would help the Tank!

If the Kings don't do so well this upcoming season. Moving someone like Carter/A-Mart would be ideal to re-coop some lost high-end picks. Those would assets teams would pay well to take.

But at that point, it would signal the Kings are taking a step back from (Cup Window)
It would also clear cap space.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

If you move Carter, you're opening up a pretty massive hole, and the Kings are back to a pre-2012 top six. May as well just tear down everything. Keep Kopitar, Doughty, and Toffoli.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Carter isn't the 27 year old guy with a $5m cap hit anymore. Now he's the soon to be 32 year old with a $5m cap hit, who will be getting more cash than that every year through 2018.

He's not going to get easier to trade. If you want to trade Carter, you have to do it a year too early. If the Kings have a bad year, and are up against the cap, who's taking an aging Carter signed until 2022? How much are you getting for him? I doubt you get the equivalent of Johnson and a 1st round pick back.

If I had to guess, none of these big contracts are going anywhere. The Kings are sinking or swimming with them.

 

[Kingsfan1]

I dont see Carter slowing down anytime soon. He always comes to camp in great shape and is still a very skilled player. I see him performing well into his late 30s like some players do . He will be part of that unique bunch. I think we should be fine after the expansion draft. Some rookies will hopefully surprise like Amadio, Brodzinski, Kempe and bring a new identity to the bottom 6 and we change up or game a little a bit. With the continued growth of Pearson and Toffoli we should be just fine . I say we squeeze out 2 more cups in the next 8 years.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Nothing to worry about guys. The Kings will be signing this kid who will steer the team in the right direction.

 

[mattgkg]

the offseason in full effect the trade carter talk has happened. yep. you need to go outside.

 

[Reaper45]

the offseason in full effect the trade carter talk has happened. yep. you need to go outside.

There's logic behind it. It makes sense. Do the Kings want to get stuck with another Richards/Gaborik/Brown?

 

[yankeeking]

I dont see Carter slowing down anytime soon. He always comes to camp in great shape and is still a very skilled player. I see him performing well into his late 30s like some players do . He will be part of that unique bunch. I think we should be fine after the expansion draft. Some rookies will hopefully surprise like Amadio, Brodzinski, Kempe and bring a new identity to the bottom 6 and we change up or game a little a bit. With the continued growth of Pearson and Toffoli we should be just fine . I say we squeeze out 2 more cups in the next 8 years.

that's what I'm talking about some POSITIVE juju

 

[Trolfoli]

that's what I'm talking about some POSITIVE juju

Positive?

The team is going to "Positively" be atrocious next year?

Sorry, I mean, can't wait to see how Purcell/Gilbert or any of the other 10 new guys do next year. Should be really exciting! Plus we get Greene back!!!! Let's kick some Ducks!

 

[YP44]

Restocking the cupboard is moving someone like A-Mart/Carter, and getting multiple(high) picks for them,while freeing up cap space.

I don't advocate the Kings do that.

But that is a move to restock the draft board.

Moving the very definition of (depth player) that lands a pretty poor(single) draft pick, and virtually clears very little cap space(you have to replace them). Pretty poor plan to restock.

I said help restock not to use to solely restock. If it were only for 4th round picks that could be used as currency in another del or to move up at the draft. Who the hell knows.

Plus dealing 2 depth players would create roster space for camp battles which is more important in my eyes.

 

[YP44]

meh... I'd be fine with moving AMart or Carter... Carter's getting up there in age... guess it depends on how quick the team will be competitive again. AMart's had a lot of concussions. I'd be fine with swapping him for some younger players.

Can you imagine how much Kopitar/Dowd/Shore/Andy down the middle would help the Tank!

Why in the world would LA waste prime (end of prime?) years of Kopitar and Doughty. No chance of tanking.

 

[YP44]

Carter isn't the 27 year old guy with a $5m cap hit anymore. Now he's the soon to be 32 year old with a $5m cap hit, who will be getting more cash than that every year through 2018.

He's not going to get easier to trade. If you want to trade Carter, you have to do it a year too early. If the Kings have a bad year, and are up against the cap, who's taking an aging Carter signed until 2022? How much are you getting for him? I doubt you get the equivalent of Johnson and a 1st round pick back.

If I had to guess, none of these big contracts are going anywhere. The Kings are sinking or swimming with them.

True but Johnson + a first does not get a young center signed long term anymore either

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I'd rather have a 32-year old Carter over Jack Johnson and a 1st.

This "Trade Carter" talk is as ridiculous as the Toffoli trade suggestions. Are you guys really throwing in the towel now? I'm not expecting much this season either but anything can happen while Kopitar, Carter, Doughty, Quick, Toffoli are still here.

 

[HookKing]

meh... I'd be fine with moving AMart or Carter... Carter's getting up there in age... guess it depends on how quick the team will be competitive again. AMart's had a lot of concussions. I'd be fine with swapping him for some younger players.

Can you imagine how much Kopitar/Dowd/Shore/Andy down the middle would help the Tank!

Agreed. The Kings have too much speed on the team as it is so giving up 2 of your best skaters is not so bad not to mention the team really only needs 1 puck mover instead of two when you have Drew "Norris" Doughty. Carter is definitely much too old, hell he's a mere 5 1/2 years younger than ancient stiff Joe Thornton. I honestly don't know how SJ does it.

 

[YP44]

I'd rather have a 32-year old Carter over Jack Johnson and a 1st.

This "Trade Carter" talk is as ridiculous as the Toffoli trade suggestions. Are you guys really throwing in the towel now? I'm not expecting much this season either but anything can happen while Kopitar, Carter, Doughty, Quick, Toffoli are still here.

Agreed 100%.

This is still an upper echelon team, maybe not a cup contender but a team other teams do not want to play in the playoffs. Christ people forget 2004-2010 and how crap some of those teams were.

It is a great time to be a kings fan but you sure cannot tell it but some posts.

I am all up for tinkering but trading the core makes zero sense.

 

[KingsFan7824]

True but Johnson + a first does not get a young center signed long term anymore either

Of course, it's all about timing. In 2012, the Kings didn't have too many older guys with half a decade left on their contracts. Now they're up to 3, and they have a $10m center, which they also didn't have before. They're just losing roster flexibility. Whether it's keeping the big contracts, buying them out, retaining 50%, there's not much you can do.

The best path might be to hold onto these contracts until they're done(if there's even a choice in some cases). They got their Cups, you don't want more dead cap space years and years from now, Sekera and Lucic didn't work, you want to keep your young guys, you want to keep your picks. Put the best team you can out there for the next 5 years with cheap free agents and guys from the AHL, and whatever the Kings are they are.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Of course, it's all about timing. In 2012, the Kings didn't have too many older guys with half a decade left on their contracts. Now they're up to 3, and they have a $10m center, which they also didn't have before. They're just losing roster flexibility. Whether it's keeping the big contracts, buying them out, retaining 50%, there's not much you can do.

The best path might be to hold onto these contracts until they're done(if there's even a choice in some cases). They got their Cups, you don't want more dead cap space years and years from now, Sekera and Lucic didn't work, you want to keep your young guys, you want to keep your picks. Put the best team you can out there for the next 5 years with cheap free agents and guys from the AHL, and whatever the Kings are they are.

It's the curse of having a successful team and finding ways to retain the most important pieces. No different than what's happened in Chicago and Pittsburgh. Have to find success from other sources in addition of the top paid players.

 

[KingsFan7824]

It's the curse of having a successful team and finding ways to retain the most important pieces. No different than what's happened in Chicago and Pittsburgh. Have to find success from other sources in addition of the top paid players.

Yeah, it's been a cascading series of events. Brown wasn't supposed to fall off the planet. Because he did, they took a chance on Gaborik. He was tremendous, and it's tough to let the guy walk at the time. Now there's almost $11m in two wingers, one of which can't score anymore, and the other will be 35 and you never know how many games he'll play. Now Toffoli and Pearson will be looking for deals, and nobody is going to help you with the two old guys.

Brown - one of the worst contracts in the league.
Richards - got 2.5 years out of trading Simmonds and Schenn.
Voynov - young, right handed, relatively cheap.
Lombardi's emotional loyalty

Brown wasn't supposed to fall off the planet. You didn't think you'd only get 2.5 years out of Richards. Nobody could've predicted Voynov.

The 4 horsemen of the Kings apocalypse. Those are the reasons the golden age may have lasted just 3 years. The Kings are currently looking for a winger that can score, a top 3 center, and a top 4 d-man, preferably right handed. Lombardi believed in the team enough to trade two 1st's for Sekera and Lucic, and the dead cap space for Richards. Can't take those 3 years away from them though.

 

[yankeeking]

Positive?

The team is going to "Positively" be atrocious next year?

Sorry, I mean, can't wait to see how Purcell/Gilbert or any of the other 10 new guys do next year. Should be really exciting! Plus we get Greene back!!!! Let's kick some Ducks!

Of course it's exciting it's the unknown, this is what sports is about , read one of the other threads about greatest free agent signings re: simmer career ahl guy who given a chance turns into to 50 goal scorer on one of the greatest lines in nhl history, try to enjoy this season you never know what is going to happen

 

[damacles1156]

Nobody is advocating the Kings trade Carter.

I simply mentioned it, as a better way of restocking draft picks, over trading depth players for 3rd/4th round poor picks. Provided the Kings have a poor season, and actually want to go that route.

You would get way more value out of players like Carter/A-Mart.