2017-18 Kings News/Rumors/Tidbits

[Reaper45]

I agree, however what you would give up for it? I don't see a lot of top 4 d available this deadline. I think Green is the one that could work the most but I think the asking price is going to be too high. After the whole Sekera mess I would rather the Kings keep what they have rather give up valuable assets for someone to just walk in the summer. So what is Blake willing to deal this deadline? Some AHL players like Mersch, and maybe a 2nd? Maybe a low roster player like Clifford? I don't see us getting anyone of value with that.

Then so be it. This team isn't in the upper tier of the league and is closer to rebuilding than winning a Stanley Cup. No sense in mortgaging the little bit of youth and high picks for a mediocre top 4 guy that will help the Kings maybe last 6 or 7 games in the first round.

 

[Mooy04]

Then so be it. This team isn't in the upper tier of the league and is closer to rebuilding than winning a Stanley Cup. No sense in mortgaging the little bit of youth and high picks for a mediocre top 4 guy that will help the Kings maybe last 6 or 7 games in the first round.

I agree. The cupboard still needs to be refilled with top prospects. Trading away the future isn't going to help us. I don't think we need a rebuild, but maybe a retool. We still have a solid foundation.

 

[yankeeking]

yeah, that's a stretch....

he has looked very good in the last few games , and has been the best player on the reign most nites, I know he is too old for some here but he is going to be a pretty good player , only time will tell

 

[Reaper45]

I agree. The cupboard still needs to be refilled with top prospects. Trading away the future isn't going to help us. I don't think we need a rebuild, but maybe a retool. We still have a solid foundation.

I don't think a rebuild is necessary either.

 

[KingTrouty]

All this talk about rebuilding made me hearken back to the first big "rebuild" I got to experience as a Kings fan...
Kings Like Rebuilding Progress Despite Current Inconsistency

Question: After last season's trade of Wayne Gretzky, the Kings announced that the franchise was committed to rebuilding through youth. Where are you in that process?

Answer: We have a very good young hockey club. We have eight or nine players on the roster 23 to 21 years of age, and we've picked up two first-round picks in the coming draft. And, the unique thing about this year's draft is that the first round is an exceptionally good round, so we should get two pretty good players.
We have finally built some youth in the organization. We have players at the ages of 19 to 21 who are up and coming. Three years ago, the Kings really had only one or two young players in the whole organization who had the potential to be in the NHL. Now, we have maybe [four] unsigned young juniors [right wing Pavel Rosa, center Eric Belanger, center Don McLean and left wing Josh Green] who we focus toward the NHL; and four or five 20-year-olds in the minors who will have an opportunity to play.

There are some cringey answers in that article. My first rebuild, too

 

[Stimpythecat]

Staple was the beat writer that covered the Isles before moving to the Athletic. So he's yet another hockey guy that speculates the kings could be a distination if Tavares ever becomes a UFA.

"If it’s not the Islanders, I get the sense (without much info to go on) that he might like to be out West. The Kings could be a destination, if they can sort out their perennial cap issues. The Leafs will always be in the mix because that’s home for him and they are a team on the rise. But I sense the teams that are already making some noise about pushing hard for him (Montreal, for example) aren’t that appealing."

Islanders Q & A With The Athletic's Arthur Staple • Double G Sports


Here is the Friedman article from the summer.

"If you’re Detroit, Los Angeles, Montreal, San Jose, Tampa Bay or Toronto (although I’m not sure it can actually work there anymore), aren’t you waiting to see where this is going?"

30 Thoughts: Islanders working hard on John Tavares extension pitch - Sportsnet.ca

 

[Butch 19]

he has looked very good in the last few games , and has been the best player on the reign most nites, I know he is too old for some here but he is going to be a pretty good player , only time will tell

I (obviously!) hope you're right.

 

[KingsOfCali25]

Staple was the beat writer that covered the Isles before moving to the Athletic. So he's yet another hockey guy that speculates the kings could be a distination if Tavares ever becomes a UFA.

"If it’s not the Islanders, I get the sense (without much info to go on) that he might like to be out West. The Kings could be a destination, if they can sort out their perennial cap issues. The Leafs will always be in the mix because that’s home for him and they are a team on the rise. But I sense the teams that are already making some noise about pushing hard for him (Montreal, for example) aren’t that appealing."

Islanders Q & A With The Athletic's Arthur Staple • Double G Sports


Here is the Friedman article from the summer.

"If you’re Detroit, Los Angeles, Montreal, San Jose, Tampa Bay or Toronto (although I’m not sure it can actually work there anymore), aren’t you waiting to see where this is going?"

30 Thoughts: Islanders working hard on John Tavares extension pitch - Sportsnet.ca

How? It can't happen.

Doughty $11m
Kopitar $10m
Tavares $10m

No way in hell would LA afford that unless they move Carter, Brown and Gaborik (or retires) and they fill with Vilardi and cheap wingers

 

[Stimpythecat]

It would require cap dumping Gaborik. Luckily the kings don't have any major UFA/RFAs to sign over the summer. So even with Shore, LaDue, Folin, Gravel, Fantenberg needing new contracts, they will not break the bank. The kings have $7.5 million to sign them. The kings should have $1.5 million left over or so.

The cap is expected to go up to $78-82 million. if a partial escalator is used then $5 million seems possible.

Gaborik - $4.8 million
cap space - $1.5 million
cap increase - $5 million
Total = $11+ million

Summer 2019
partial escalator and Greene's buyout cap hit = $ 3 million
May require trading one of Muzzin/Martinez

 

[Stimpythecat]

If the kings were considering trading one of Muzzin/Martinez earlier for forward scoring help, then absolutely this should be considered.

And Vilardi is already being talked about as being on the team next season.

Edit: There was prior discussion that at some point Carter may need to be moved to wing to reduce the wear and tear of the center position and extend his career. But that talk was prior to his injury. Is he going to fully recover? If not, then moving him to wing would need to be done sooner rather than later. And that means we need a 2C.

 

[Cook24]

If cap goes up to 82 mil, and Kings were able to move Gaborik(picks going other way), they could definitely fit Tavares at 10 mil.

Campbell as our backup and Vilardi being on a cheap ELC would help. Someone do the cap calculator for me haha...

 

[Stimpythecat]

Campbell is signed for 2 more seasons at $675,000. With the season Kuemper is having, the kings can't afford him and he'd want to start.

Then there's the question of Voynov coming back. If so, what salary does he get? He could be the replacement for whoever of Muzzin/Martinez gets traded.

 

[KingsFan7824]

How? It can't happen.

Doughty $11m
Kopitar $10m
Tavares $10m

No way in hell would LA afford that unless they move Carter, Brown and Gaborik (or retires) and they fill with Vilardi and cheap wingers

So it could happen.

Gaborik isn't going anywhere. Brown isn't going anywhere. One of Carter or Toffoli would have to go. Probably cheaper than you'd hope. Then the following season someone else would have to go. Carter or Toffoli, whoever wasn't already gone, especially if Vilardi did show something. Or, Martinez or Muzzin. Pearson. Could nibble at the edges if need be after the bigger bites. Could get rid of $2m with Lewis. Retain half on Clifford and/or Forbort, that's another million or two.

Eventually Kempe or Iafallo would have to be signed, and if they produce, they won't be terribly cheap.

Could happen, but it would take some creativity. Probably too much of it, so more likely it won't happen. Could though.

 

[Cook24]

CapFriendly.com Armchair-GM User-Generated Roster
FORWARDS (14)
Rightwing: T. Toffoli ($4,600,000) - G. Vilardi ($800,000) - D. Brown ($5,875,000) - T. Lewis ($2,000,000)
Centre: A. Kopitar ($10,000,000) - J. Tavares ($10,000,000) - J. Carter ($5,272,727) - M. Amadio ($717,500) - J. Brodzinski ($650,000)
Leftwing: A. Kempe ($894,167) - T. Pearson ($3,750,000) - A. Iafallo ($925,000) - K. Clifford ($1,600,000) - A. Andreoff ($677,500)
DEFENSE (4)
Right: D. Doughty ($7,000,000) - A. Martinez ($4,000,000)
Left: J. Muzzin ($4,000,000) - D. Forbort ($2,525,000)
GOALTENDER (2)
J. Quick ($5,800,000) - J. Campbell ($675,000)
BUYOUTS
M. Greene ($0)
DETAILS
Roster Size: 20
NHL Salary Cap: $82,000,000
Recapture Penalty: $1,320,000
Cap Hit: $73,915,227
Cap Space: $8,084,773

8 mil in cap but we need to save 3-4 mil of that for doughty extension. So 3-4 mil left for the last 2 D spots and the extra defenseman...

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

If Tavares did hit the open market, I'm sure the Kings will look into it, but I highly doubt they'll be his landing spot.

He'll remain an Islander. I think of all the teams out there, the most desperate ones to throw an aggressive offer at him will be Detroit, Montreal, and possibly Florida. These are teams who need a #1 center in a bad way.

 

[KINGS17]

If cap goes up to 82 mil, and Kings were able to move Gaborik(picks going other way), they could definitely fit Tavares at 10 mil.

Campbell as our backup and Vilardi being on a cheap ELC would help. Someone do the cap calculator for me haha...

What happens during the Kopitar, Doughty, and Tavares contracts (all of which will have at least 3-5 years left on them) when the contracts of players with ELCs expire, or is the cap just going to $100M in a few years?

 

[Stimpythecat]

CapFriendly.com Armchair-GM User-Generated Roster
FORWARDS (14)
Rightwing: T. Toffoli ($4,600,000) - G. Vilardi ($800,000) - D. Brown ($5,875,000) - T. Lewis ($2,000,000)
Centre: A. Kopitar ($10,000,000) - J. Tavares ($10,000,000) - J. Carter ($5,272,727) - M. Amadio ($717,500) - J. Brodzinski ($650,000)
Leftwing: A. Kempe ($894,167) - T. Pearson ($3,750,000) - A. Iafallo ($925,000) - K. Clifford ($1,600,000) - A. Andreoff ($677,500)
DEFENSE (4)
Right: D. Doughty ($7,000,000) - A. Martinez ($4,000,000)
Left: J. Muzzin ($4,000,000) - D. Forbort ($2,525,000)
GOALTENDER (2)
J. Quick ($5,800,000) - J. Campbell ($675,000)
BUYOUTS
M. Greene ($0)
DETAILS
Roster Size: 20
NHL Salary Cap: $82,000,000
Recapture Penalty: $1,320,000
Cap Hit: $73,915,227
Cap Space: $8,084,773

8 mil in cap but we need to save 3-4 mil of that for doughty extension. So 3-4 mil left for the last 2 D spots and the extra defenseman...

greene's buyout comes off the books after next season. The cap could go up via a partial escalator. So an additional $3 million or so for Doughty's contract. We'd only need to save $2 million.

How much will the Seattle expansion affect the cap?

 

[KingsFan7824]

If cap goes up to 82 mil, and Kings were able to move Gaborik(picks going other way), they could definitely fit Tavares at 10 mil.

Campbell as our backup and Vilardi being on a cheap ELC would help. Someone do the cap calculator for me haha...

How many 1st round picks are we talking about? Nobody needs the 3 years of Gaborik's deal, so at least three 1st's? Would you take him for less? No team would help the Kings like that if they signed Tavares. They would have to trade a significant player with a significant cap hit, not just a significant cap hit.

Either trade Carter and keep Toffoli, or trade Toffoli and move Carter to wing. Or, if you found a cheap winger, have the deepest C lineup in the league if you keep Carter.

Hard cap league. Can't keep everyone.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

There are some cringey answers in that article. My first rebuild, too

The prospects named by Sam McMaster showed just how poorly that team was managed. It's pretty reminiscent of what is going on today (though not as bad).

In '91, '92, and '93, the Kings had no first round draft selections, granted, two of those said picks were involved in the Gretzky trade, and the other was involved in the Paul Coffey trade.

Their highest pick in all three of those drafts were second round selections, which turned into Guy Leveque, Justin Hocking, and Shayne Toporowski. All three players combined appeared in 21 games in the NHL. Now that is some horrendous scouting.

In their entire stretch of second round picks in the 90s, the only players to appear in 100+ NHL games were Matt Johnson and Josh Green. And even during Taylor's era, the only two second round selections he had any success with were Michael Cammalleri and Andreas Lilja. That's it.

It emphasizes just how critical draft success is in team building. Those Kings teams had no future because they hardly had anyone worth a damn come up and play important roles. All of the top positions were mostly filled by outside acquisitions back then.

It is even more crucial nowadays in the post-cap era.

 

[Stimpythecat]

Would a team take a cap dump if one of Muzzin/Martinez and the 2018 1st were included?

Just looking at what goes out and what comes in...
I think most people would trade Gaborik, a 1st, and one of muzzin/martinez if it got Tavares in return - especially if voynov returned to fill the vacant d spot

 

[Cook24]

If a rebuilding team needed to hit the cap floor, why would it be out of the question for one of them to take Gaborik off our hands for a couple draft picks?

Not only does he help them reach the cap floor, but they get a couple picks to help with the rebuild. Plus there’s the off chance that Gaborik could actually be a decent player(unlikely, obviously) for them. Hell, we could eat up 1 mil of his cap if needed...

I’d think a 3rd this year and 2nd next year could get it done?

 

[johnjm22]

If I was Tavares no way would I re-sign with the Islanders. (Why would he?)

 

[Ollie Weeks]

This is insanity.

Long term we can indeed fit another contract in, but NOT in the range a guy like Tavares will demand, and NOT without getting rid of most or all of Gaborik’s money. Without spending draft picks.

Everything hinges on the offseason after next, and Doughty’s contract demands. They need to thread the needle and keep all options open to sort through that mess while helping the team in any viable way it can between now and then. Which is difficult basednon our cap situation and lack of assets not named Vilardi.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

If I was Tavares no way would I re-sign with the Islanders. (Why would he?)

Considering his entire career has been spent there and he's established his roots there, it might be compelling enough for Tavares to remain an Islander.

 

[Stimpythecat]

I believe he probably stays with the NYI. Money, familiarity, etc. I just think if he hits UFA, the kings should get him (or at least seriously consider it) or else the sharks/ducks could snag him and that would not be good.