2017-18 Kings News/Rumors/Tidbits
- Thread starter Ziggy Stardust
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WHOneedsSOX
Registered User
- Mar 1, 2015
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Shellz
Registered User
Random anecdote, but this reminded me of a story from Phil Esposito's autobiography. Esposito was GM of the expansion Tampa Bay Lightning who were owned by some mysterious Japanese conglomerate. Tampa was hemorrhaging money, so the owners were looking to sell. The Maloof Brothers (who would later buy the Sacramento Kings and are minority owners of the Knights) were interested.
Things got to the point where the Maloofs sent one of their cronies to shadow Esposito as a consultant. Apparently the guy would make helpful suggestions like "Hey man, you should trade for Paul Kariya" to the annoyance of Esposito.
We'll see if Dundon goes full Mark Cuban mode as an owner. There are some stories coming out now about Ron Francis being too much of a micromanager. One long time poster on the Carolina board said that he's heard Francis wouldn't sign off on a draft pick unless he had personally seen him play. As much as we want to credit GMs for every draft pick, your typical GM is too busy with stuff at the NHL level to go watch a bunch of amateur games.
I think Futa knows he can choose his next job essentially. I doubt he goes to Carolina unless he's allowed freedom.
I like Carrlyn Bathe personally....Isn't she the daughter of a Flyer during the broadstreet era? Shes like that cute emo chick who didn't get attention in high school and is now smoking. Think she is shacked up with one of the founders of Violent Gentlemen.
Reaper45
Registered User
BigKing
Blake Out of Hell III: Back in to Hell
Anyone else read the AMA with Hoven?
Talked about the hawks game, vilardi, clague, doughty, Carter, Brown, Kings free agents, etc.
Talked about the hawks game, vilardi, clague, doughty, Carter, Brown, Kings free agents, etc.
kingsfan28
Its A Kingspiracy !
He might've been the first choice before Blake and turned it down as well as other jobs. Why would he want to run a team that he can't run because the owner will call all the shots?
Hope Futa stays but he deserves an opportunity to be a GM if that is what he wants.
Butch 19
Go cart Mozart
For years, the Kings have basically been fighting for the #8 playoff spot.
Does it really matter who in management moves elsewhere / who comes here?
KingCanadain1976
Registered User
Yes it does to me Futa imo is a huge part of why we have two cups in our past. He found late round gems to many to really start talking about. Most of our current team is picks he made. I would be upset to see him go altho i would be happy that he got his shot to run a team his way.
Reaper45
Registered User
KingCanadain1976
Registered User
I agree all our scouting staff deserves credit However the topic was only Futa so i wasn't thinking about others but yes i couldn't agree more
KINGS17
Smartest in the Room
- Apr 6, 2006
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Yeah, it does matter. Without maintaining the infrastructure put into place by Lombardi, the Kings will go back to being the dregs of the NHL.
At this point in time the Kings are having problems because they have an aging core and the "young" players really aren't that young or talented in terms of being top six or top four material. It happens and is part of the cycle when you move assets to go for the cup. Thankfully, Dean pulled the right levers twice.
I expect Futa will move on at some point, but the philosophy and commitment to the development program has to remain in order for the Kings to win it all again some day.
Butch 19
Go cart Mozart
Why couldn't he help assemble a team that could win a division once in a while.... ??
(not a trick question)
King'sPawn
Enjoy the chaos
- Jul 1, 2003
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He helped assemble a team that won the cup twice. He was a part of the team that worked wiyhin the confines of Lombardi's vision to make it happen. Isn't that enough?
KingCanadain1976
Registered User
Because Lombardi and company lost trust in the pipeline he built. How many young players got a chance? Also traded away 1st round picks all of which is not on Futa. Futa can only draft the players Management needs to give them the chance to play which until this year they really didn't.
KINGS17
Smartest in the Room
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I don't agree. The management team didn't lose faith in the pipeline. They can assess talent and they knew the pipeline wasn't that great. It's ok, it's what happens when you give up top prospects and picks to go after and win the Stanley Cup twice.
For example, everyone here is heralding Paul LaDue as a top 4 defenseman. Chances are very slim he will be a legit top 4. Why? He isn't that talented.
Butch 19
Go cart Mozart
Well, no. DL is hands down the best GM this team has ever had, and we ALL thought the team culture had turned the corner when we won 2 Cups. The Kings had just won 2 Cups in 3 years - the years of playoffs / Cups were ours for the taking. But they obviously just got hot at the exact right time.
As the wings were about to end their 25 year playoff run, the Kings were just starting their own playoff appearance run, right?? Not so fast.... reality hits pretty hard when you're just fighting for #8 year after year.
KingCanadain1976
Registered User
Look at each year we won the cup we had rookies steeping up. 2012 slava king nolan 2014 pearson and toffoli Who made the team in 2015-16 no one that is where we failed and we had no one because they traded away pics and put in fillers like setogushi purcell etc instead of putting in players like Mersch and a couple others i cant remember None of which is Futa fault it was management chasing cups by trading prospects and picks. Look at any of the cup winners in the last decade i ll show u a few rookies contributing we had plugs filling in instead.
KINGS17
Smartest in the Room
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Mersch? He isn't even close to being on the same level as Pearson or Toffoli, or even Dwight King. Mersch is not a talented enough player to find a role on a Kings team which has won one playoff game in 3 years. I agree with the idea any cup winning team has at least one and probably up to three first or second year players making some type of contribution, but those players have to be talented enough to do it.
KingCanadain1976
Registered User
I disagree on him If he was given the same time King had on ice he would have produced more You have him playing top 6 mins in the ahl and producing better numbers then King did. He got bottom 6 mins in his limited time up . He also needs to play with top 6 type players his 7 - 10 mins he got when he was up was playing with shore clifford Andreoff also no pp time. He needed to be put in a situation he could succeed if you think he had a chance to I have nothing to say because there is no use arguing with crazy.
KINGS17
Smartest in the Room
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Mersch is a bottom six player in the NHL. He isn't talented enough to be a top sixer. King succeeded because his game fit on the Kings third line. Mersch is a good AHL player, not a good NHL player.
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