2016 LA Kings Offseason GDT V: Free Agent Frenzy

[h2oroosta]

There's no reason to buy out Greene. His AAV is $2.5mil. If you buy him out, his AAV is almost $900,000 for 4 years. If you stash him in the minors, his AAV $1.5 for 2 years. I'd rather have the higher AAV for two years rather than 4. I don't think you can trade him without taking at least half his AAV, or $1.25 million, for two years. May be worth $250K to have a depth player in the minors. He also may be on LTIR.

Also I'd flip Purcell to Carter's line. I think he's more of a set up guy than a goal scorer. But we should give Dowd and Mersch a chance for sure. They need to move King, he's a UFA that they won't keep next year. Hard to move Cliffy with his concussion issues.

Scuderi is definitely in minors, imo. His AAV will be like $150K when he goes down.

Purcell - Kopitar - Gaborik
Pearson - Carter - Toffoli
Mersch - Dowd - Brown
Andreoff - Lewis - Latta
Shore as the extra forward who get in against the less heavy teams
Nolan starts on IR

Muzzin - Doughty
Martinez - Folin
McNabb - Trotman
Forbort

Quick
Zatkoff

Move King and Gilbert for Folin and a pick. Mersch take King's spot. Trade or buyout Greene. Scuderi to Ontario to help the kids ala Schultz. Gravel starts in Ontario but gets to be the first call up. Trade Clifford for a 2nd or a 3rd.

Going to play some NHL 16 and see what happens!

 

[KOPITARRULEZ11]

They just signed Gilbert, and you think they're going to trade him immediately? Now that's funny.

And back to the team that bought him out too hahahahaha

 

[KingPuckChoo]

im looking at chicago's roster as is

and theirs not too hot either

i'd even say ours is a tad better...just a tad

 

[Trolfoli]

That doesn't make me feel much better. (Hawks sucking)

Kings are losing their 4th best point producer and replacing him with Purcell. When Gaborik gets hurt next year the scoring will pretty much be down to Toffoli. When this happens the Kings will have 1 dangerous line and other teams will just match their top pairing against it and the Kings offense will completely disappear.

The 3rd line will be some combo of Purcell/King/Lewis/Brown/Shore/Dowd or who ever else is in Sutter's dog house at the time (Pearson/Gaborik)... This isn't going to consistently do anything.

The D is garbage. 3 top 4 defenders, if one of them gets injured that's an automatic 10 game losing streak. Add to that Sutter is going to have choices like Greene/Scuderi to put in the lineup until Lombardi get sick enough of it that he demotes them to Ontario.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

im looking at chicago's roster as is

and theirs not too hot either

i'd even say ours is a tad better...just a tad

Quite a few of the top teams in the West haven't done much, probably because of the cap crunch and with the looming expansion draft.

The Ducks haven't improved and lost a number of players, the Blues lost some big pieces as well, like you said with the Hawks, their only addition was Brian Campbell. All Dallas added was Hamhuis, they haven't addressed their need for an upgrade in net.

Those teams are going to be carried by their top stars, just as the same can be said about the Kings. Can't really pin our hopes on the supporting cast of players.

 

[Trolfoli]

Quite a few of the top teams in the West haven't done much, probably because of the cap crunch and with the looming expansion draft.

The Ducks haven't improved and lost a number of players, the Blues lost some big pieces as well, like you said with the Hawks, their only addition was Brian Campbell. All Dallas added was Hamhuis, they haven't addressed their need for an upgrade in net.

Those teams are going to be carried by their top stars, just as the same can be said about the Kings. Can't really pin our hopes on the supporting cast of players.

Does that include Brown or not?

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Does that include Brown or not?

Of course it does. Brown hasn't been an integral part of the core in years. He's part of the supporting cast, although he isn't paid like he is.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Since there's no Ontario Reign discussion topic, might as well add this here.

 

[KingPuckChoo]

Quite a few of the top teams in the West haven't done much, probably because of the cap crunch and with the looming expansion draft.

The Ducks haven't improved and lost a number of players, the Blues lost some big pieces as well, like you said with the Hawks, their only addition was Brian Campbell. All Dallas added was Hamhuis, they haven't addressed their need for an upgrade in net.

Those teams are going to be carried by their top stars, just as the same can be said about the Kings. Can't really pin our hopes on the supporting cast of players.

i'll add that the Stars actually lost on D Russell, Demers, and Goligoski, replaced only with Hamhuis so they are weaker despite some interesting prospects on D

but you're right the usual ''top teams'' will most likely see a significant decline in pts this year

and maybe we might see an emergence from teams like CGY WIN EDM ARZ...

it's pretty difficult to judge, LA has a chance like any other team, they seemed pretty weak at first but once i started comparing them with other rosters, a lot of teams seem weak in the West this season!

but God damn that Gilbert signing though lol

 

[dman3474]

Stop putting Lewis as the 3C, he cannot win face-offs. He won 40.1% of his face-offs last season, AA took more face-offs and was at 50%. Shore took the 3rd most face-offs and won 51.8% of his draws. In Dowds 5 games he won 52.9% of his draws

 

[KOPITARRULEZ11]

Stop putting Lewis as the 3C, he cannot win face-offs. He won 40.1% of his face-offs last season, AA took more face-offs and was at 50%. Shore took the 3rd most face-offs and won 51.8% of his draws. In Dowds 5 games he won 52.9% of his draws

Well mayor thinks he's a lock at 3c

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Since there's no Ontario Reign discussion topic, might as well add this here.

I remember when I was 16 playing against a team from Michigan whose leading scorer was a 13 year old.

TJ Hensick just absolutely embarrassed me that day.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Well mayor thinks he's a lock at 3c

He's also not Darryl Sutter and probably is unaware of how weak Lewis is at faceoffs. Then again, if this team has Dwight King and Dustin Brown come training camp (which they likely will) it is possible for Lewis to be pigeonholed between them because Sutter won't give him less ice time as a 4th line RW.

Which leaves the likes of Clifford, Dowd, Andreoff, Shore, Latta and Nolan (if he's healthy) to compete for the three spots on the fourth line and the two healthy scratch spots.

And that likely means that Mersch will be in Ontario when the season starts if nothing changes with the roster between now and opening night.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I remember when I was 16 playing against a team from Michigan whose leading scorer was a 13 year old.

TJ Hensick just absolutely embarrassed me that day.

Some sites have Hensick listed as 5'9". I can't imagine how tiny he was as a 13 year old.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

He's also not Darryl Sutter and probably is unaware of how weak Lewis is at faceoffs. Then again, if this team has Dwight King and Dustin Brown come training camp (which they likely will) it is possible for Lewis to be pigeonholed between them because Sutter won't give him less ice time as a 4th line RW.

Which leaves the likes of Clifford, Dowd, Andreoff, Shore, Latta and Nolan (if he's healthy) to compete for the three spots on the fourth line and the two healthy scratch spots.

And that likely means that Mersch will be in Ontario when the season starts if nothing changes with the roster between now and opening night.

Hard to fathom that we may go into next year with the same fat. At least one of Clifford/Nolan/King/Lewis/Shore should have been let go or moved.

I would imagine Dean is looking to do that, though. He's just trying to create as much competition as possible heading into camp.

 

[LaFan1967]

Just because a player is signed doesn't mean they will be on the team
waiver then AHL or new team is always possible .

Remember Sutter said he wants to team to play a faster up tempo style next
season.

 

[Trolfoli]

Hard to fathom that we may go into next year with the same fat. At least one of Clifford/Nolan/King/Lewis/Shore should have been let go or moved.

I would imagine Dean is looking to do that, though. He's just trying to create as much competition as possible heading into camp.

Seriously. The team has a few holes, so waste your time getting depth guys to force other depth guys into competing for a spot instead of fixing the holes. Even if you can't fix all the holes this summer, you can still start fixing some of them.

I really hope the plan isn't to wait until the Kings develop a top 4D from Ontario.

Just because a player is signed doesn't mean they will be on the team
waiver then AHL or new team is always possible .

Remember Sutter said he wants to team to play a faster up tempo style next
season.

What does "fast" look like to a tortoise? I'm not sure that tortoise has the same definition of "fast" as everyone else.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Seriously. The team has a few holes, so waste your time getting depth guys to force other depth guys into competing for a spot instead of fixing the holes. Even if you can't fix all the holes this summer, you can still start fixing some of them.

I really hope the plan isn't to wait until the Kings develop a top 4D from Ontario.

If they don't have to fix all the holes this summer, then they have time to wait and see if any top 4D emerges from Ontario. That could be a way to start fixing that hole. Maybe Gravel is that guy. Maybe Trotman is that guy. Maybe they're both that guy, and then they can finally trade Martinez or Muzzin, which you've been in favor of.

 

[YP44]

been away for a little bit.
I wanted Hamhuis, but I am happy with the low risk signings LA has done.

If the team is left as is some players will be exposed to waivers at the start of the year, but I am ok with that as it will mean there are camp battles and the best players will earn roster spots.

 

[YP44]

Seriously. The team has a few holes, so waste your time getting depth guys to force other depth guys into competing for a spot instead of fixing the holes. Even if you can't fix all the holes this summer, you can still start fixing some of them.

I really hope the plan isn't to wait until the Kings develop a top 4D from Ontario.




What does "fast" look like to a tortoise? I'm not sure that tortoise has the same definition of "fast" as everyone else.

The plan could be that no top 4 D are available. So best thing DL can do is ensure LA has cap space available for when one does

 

[Basilisk]

Has Dowd been re-signed yet? What's the hold up?

 

[Herby]

Dowd could be weighing the option of playing in Europe if the Kings won't give him a one-way deal for atleast part of his contract.

Dowd is 26 years old, he isn't a kid anymore, has to look out for his financial future.

 

[bob77]

Dowd could be weighing the option of playing in Europe if the Kings won't give him a one-way deal for atleast part of his contract.

Dowd is 26 years old, he isn't a kid anymore, has to look out for his financial future.

Yes I agree. There's also the Group 6 UFA scenario for players at the end of next year. Dowd, Mersch, Gravel, and Forbort would be eligible because they wouldn't have played 80 NHL games. Of course all of them could reach 80 Nhl games this year, but I really doubt it. I'd be surprised if even one made it. So, at a point when most teams have a 25 yr old they are still possibly interested in being RFA, the Kings set here will all be UFA. Trotman must have just been a Group 6 UFA.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Guys DL has done several signings in the last week plus. Someone (Dowd) being unsigned right now could just be logistics, it doesn't have to be something black-cloud-ominous.

 

[Trolfoli]

If they don't have to fix all the holes this summer, then they have time to wait and see if any top 4D emerges from Ontario. That could be a way to start fixing that hole. Maybe Gravel is that guy. Maybe Trotman is that guy. Maybe they're both that guy, and then they can finally trade Martinez or Muzzin, which you've been in favor of.

I may get abducted by Aliens too! I'm not holding out a lot of hope for Gravel and/Trotman. They might turn into a top 4D, might take a couple of years to find out. This is the problem. Some of the older guys are going to be joining Brown in the retirement home soon. Time isn't really a luxury the Kings have right now. They need to pull off a fast turnaround.

Also if the plan is to wait and see in a couple years how things go, Muzzin & Martinez need to be moved. Martinez is getting up there in the number of concussions he's had. Muzzin plays the shutdown role and struggles when it comes to moving the puck up the ice, as demonstrated by what happened in the playoffs after Martinez got injured. LHD Shutdown guys are easier to find and acquire. The bigger challenge is to find the offensive guy that can move the puck up the ice. The role Muzzin plays is much easier to fill.

The plan could be that no top 4 D are available. So best thing DL can do is ensure LA has cap space available for when one does

This may be, but we've already seen quite a few RHD move this year.

Edit: A Muzzin/Trouba swap would work wonders. Martinez/Trouba second pair, WPG saves money on the signing... costs the Kings a couple million in cap space, but they get a younger D.