2017-18 Kings News/Rumors/Tidbits

[kingsfan28]

It would also afford the option of trading either Muzzin or Martinez for an ELC Dman thats ready to step in.. my preference would have been Chabot but thats a long shot but you get the idea..securing Doughty which i think happens and signing Carlson gives us a huge boost.. Also, with Gaborik and Brown looking like the production is staying at its current pace we could move one to further create cap space even though its going up a few million... Add in Amadio who looks ready... wow

Just looking at what we could have defensively next season is pretty interesting...
Chara - Doughty
Forbort - Carlson
Gravel - LaDue
MacDermid
unless of course you keep one of Muzz/Marts instead of trading them...

Why would you want that old, slowass guy playing with Doughty? His best days are long behind him.He'd be a waste of capspace.

 

[kings11]

Why would you want that old, slowass guy playing with Doughty? His best days are long behind him.He'd be a waste of capspace.

because as old as he is, he's still better defensively than every Kings defenseman not named Drew Doughty..... and if you haven't noticed, we need to solidify the defensive side of the D corps...

 

[KingsOfCali25]

Yes he is ... in the $6.5-$7 million range and honestly, he is worth it...
I plugged him into CF to get an idea of what our team could look like and its a contender....
Pearson - Kopitar - Brown
Kempe - Carter - Toffoli
Iafallo - Amadio - Lewis
Clifford - Shore - Brodzinski
Muzzin - Doughty
Forbort - Carlson
Martinez - Ladue
MacDermid/Gravel
Quick
Campbell
And the team would still have roughly $3 million to add back a Jokinen/Mitchell/Fanteberg/Frolin or whatever.... Then if Doughty is signed and depending on the terms we could keep this team for another season before guys need to be traded.... keep in mind Vilardi, Wagner, Clague and Petersen will be in the mix and we could package Gabby with Shore and our 1st if we needed immediate cap relief.. plus AA and Clifford... while Lewis will be a UFA again and thats another $2 million freed up there.... so realistically in 2 years we could look like this..

Pearson - Kopitar - Brown
Kempe - Vilardi - Carter
Iafallo - Amadio - Toffoli
Wagner - Veteran - Brodzinski

Forbort - Doughty
Martinez - Carlson
Gravel - LaDue/Clague
MacDermid

Quick
Petersen

I'd like to have Carlson but at 6.5-7m Washington will resign Carlson. He should easily get 7.5-8m on the open market and I'd give him that in LA.

 

[kings11]

I'd like to have Carlson but at 6.5-7m Washington will resign Carlson. He should easily get 7.5-8m on the open market and I'd give him that in LA.

From some of his comments i don't think he wants to stay there and honestly that team is finished...
he'll get shatty monies, i don't see anyone giving him $7.5-$8 million per... I think at most he tops out at $7-$7.25... He should be on Blake's radar...

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I don't doubt it, the problem is Carlson is on EVERYONE'S radar, and some teams need him. Edmonton, for example.

 

[kilowatt]

There’s no way the Kings sign Carlson. Can’t afford it. Also, no way the Kings ever trade Lewis or let him walk as a UFA.

 

[King'sPawn]

I wanted Martinez traded back when the Kings had Sekera and Martinez was a bottom pairing defenseman.

As far as signing Carlson, why? When there's a league wide bidding war for a highly sought UFA, how often does the winning bid lead to a winning team? Last I can think of is Chara with Boston.

 

[regulate]

because as old as he is, he's still better defensively than every Kings defenseman not named Drew Doughty..... and if you haven't noticed, we need to solidify the defensive side of the D corps...

Carlson is not in the budget. That's the reality. After the Kings pay Doughty, a few years down the road others will need to be paid, including Kempe, Vilardi etc. And in case you haven't noticed, we still have the best defense in the league statistically. I'm not saying there isn't room for improvement, but you have to stay within the budget forward planning wise, and Blake has already said they are done mortgaging the future (no more trading our 1st rounders).

 

[lexlavender]

We statistically give up the least goals because we have the best goaltending in the league, not the best defense. I can't imagine how little we'd give up if we had the same goaltending an a D-corp capable of producing Sutter levels of possession.

 

[Maynard]

_We statistically give up the least goals because we have the best goaltending in the league, not the best defense.

?? These two things are co-dependent on each other. You can't separate them.

 

[KingCanadain1976]

We statistically give up the least goals because we have the best goaltending in the league, not the best defense. I can't imagine how little we'd give up if we had the same goaltending an a D-corp capable of producing Sutter levels of possession.

i disagree when Quick was out last year Budja put up great numbers for a goalie and it has everything to do with the defense not him as he never put up similar numbers ever anywhere else

 

[Fishhead]

i disagree when Quick was out last year Budja put up great numbers for a goalie and it has everything to do with the defense not him as he never put up similar numbers ever anywhere else

Yea there were something like 6th in the league without Quick playing the majority of the year.


The numbers since 11-12 are pretty impressive:

GA/GP

LA: 2.28
StL: 2.34
NYR/BOS: 2.43

Over that same span, Quick is 9th in Sv% and 1st in GAA. It works so well because of the synergy between Quick and the defense. Almost all the guys in front of him have been either home grown or vets who fit the system like a glove. Same thing with forwards.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

i disagree when Quick was out last year Budja put up great numbers for a goalie and it has everything to do with the defense not him as he never put up similar numbers ever anywhere else

That's was a completely different system, one in which we sold out completely for defense and our defensive metrics reflected it as we led the league by several percent.

Contrast that with this year when we're actually in the bottom-10 league wide on high danger chances and the like and it's night and day.

This year, it's the goaltending, though the defending in our own zone is catching up quickly and the puck possession is improving.

 

[Herby]

It is clear, when Stevens talks about it, he has great admiration for what they accomplished. But he has another theory, which is epitomized by a new slogan in the dressing room: Enjoy the Grind.

“We used to do that,” Stevens said. “Now we have to enjoy it again. We had it translated into Chinese when we went there before the season.” Stevens added that during exhibition games, he saw goals followed by no celebration. So he showed it to the team. “What is this?” he told them. “The last time I checked, when someone scores you put your arms in the air. There are people who believe if you have fun, you’re to working. Or, if you’re working, you can’t have fun. I believe you can do both. You are humans, not machines.”

That leads to questions about Darryl Sutter, but Stevens deflects them. “Darryl (and Dean Lombardi) are two terrific people. Everything (Darryl) did in his power was to make the team better. I’m not different, I’m just me. With three new assistants, there are fresh ideas and new personalities. That changes the mood.”

Dean and Darryl did great things for the Kings but it really was time for those relationships to both end. No way would this team be where they are right now had nothing changed.

BTW, mentioned this in one of the GDT's. Is there any place that tracks how goals are scored? The difference between this years and last years goals off the rush must be massive.

 

[AlphaBravo]

That's was a completely different system, one in which we sold out completely for defense and our defensive metrics reflected it as we led the league by several percent.

Contrast that with this year when we're actually in the bottom-10 league wide on high danger chances and the like and it's night and day.

This year, it's the goaltending, though the defending in our own zone is catching up quickly and the puck possession is improving.

This is correct. Although Budaj had good numbers, the team basically played shell hockey, sacrificing all offense to play a stifling defensive system. With Quick in net, however, the Kings are more willing to take chances on the rush at the risk of odd man rushes the other way because they have confidence that Quick will bail them out. Also, unlike last year, I don't see soft goals every other game, which cost us many games last year. I recall on numerous occasions that the Kings would play a solid game, and Budaj would be making the saves he is supposed to save, but one bad goal by Budaj would end up completely taking away all momentum we had in that game. I don't see that this year other than on a couple of occasions.

 

[BigKing]

Correct. Defense was inflated due to not taking any chances on offense since they didn't trust Budaj.

Quick came back, they started to take a little bit more chances and wound up getting scored on more, or so it felt.

 

[Choralone]

Didn't see this mentioned on the thread, but listening to the radio broadcast a few games ago, it was mentioned Gravel was unable to get into shape over the summer after a serious bout and diagnosis with Crohn's disease. That illness is no joke, but if it stays dormant there's no reason it can't hold him back in the future. Theo Fleury had it, for instance. I know everyone was writing him off, but I think he's worth giving some leeway to and a limited re-signing based on what he showed us last yer.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Didn't see this mentioned on the thread, but listening to the radio broadcast a few games ago, it was mentioned Gravel was unable to get into shape over the summer after a serious bout and diagnosis with Crohn's disease. That illness is no joke, but if it stays dormant there's no reason it can't hold him back in the future. Theo Fleury had it, for instance. I know everyone was writing him off, but I think he's worth giving some leeway to and a limited re-signing based on what he showed us last yer.

It did pop up somewhere on this forum. Rosen reported it as well, and pointed out that Gravel had lost 40(IIRC?) pounds...which made a lot of sense why he was out of sorts to start the year. There was a really good interview with him as well. lemme dig it up for you.

Edit: Recovered & healthy, Gravel talks about battling Crohn's disease last summer - LA Kings Insider

 

[Choralone]

Thanks. It looks like I didn't dig deep enough here.

 

[tsanuri]

It did pop up somewhere on this forum. Rosen reported it as well, and pointed out that Gravel had lost 40(IIRC?) pounds...which made a lot of sense why he was out of sorts to start the year. There was a really good interview with him as well. lemme dig it up for you.

Edit: Recovered & healthy, Gravel talks about battling Crohn's disease last summer - LA Kings Insider

And 20 of those in 3 days was mentioned.

 

[regulate]

And to add about Gravel, 4 more NHL games and he'll have to clear waivers. Not sure what the Kings plans are.

 

[Stimpythecat]

Isn't Folin just about ready to come off the IR? 2 more games until the bye week so Folin has 10 more days or so before Gravel needs to clear waivers.

 

[Cook24]

Trade for Mike Green and Tomas Tatar, using our 1st or 2nd in this years draft, Campbell(Detroit’s goalie situation is bad), and one or two of Ladue/Brodzinski/Amadio

Tatar-Kopitar-Brown
Pearson-Carter-Toffoli
Gaborik-Kempe-Lewis
Clifford/Jokinen-Mitchell-Shore(faceoff % is weak)

Iafallo to Ontario and Andreoff to waivers/Ontario

Muzzin-Doughty
Forbort-Green
Martinez-Folin
MacDermid/Fantenberg

 

[Herby]

Trade for Mike Green and Tomas Tatar, using our 1st or 2nd in this years draft, Campbell(Detroit’s goalie situation is bad), and one or two of Ladue/Brodzinski/Amadio

Tatar-Kopitar-Brown
Pearson-Carter-Toffoli
Gaborik-Kempe-Lewis
Clifford/Jokinen-Mitchell-Shore(faceoff % is weak)

Iafallo to Ontario and Andreoff to waivers/Ontario

Muzzin-Doughty
Forbort-Green
Martinez-Folin
MacDermid/Fantenberg

That's a lot to give up for Tatar and Green.

And Forbort and Green would be a pretty scary 2nd defense pairing. Opposing coaches would exploit that matchup in the playoffs.

 

[Fishhead]

And to add about Gravel, 4 more NHL games and he'll have to clear waivers. Not sure what the Kings plans are.

Given he hasn't looked good and was dealing with a disease, I would say odds are low he is claimed.