2017 Offseason Thread 4.0 - Free Agent Frenzy Time

[Ziggy Stardust]

Unless you think Amadio is going to be ready for 3C duty very soon, then I think adding someone like Hanzal in free agency makes plenty of sense.

I still don't understand why people are upset about the signings of Purcell, Zatkoff, Gilbert, Trotman, Latta and Setoguchi. They're ZERO risk. You're throwing some **** against the wall and seeing if any of it sticks. If it doesn't, so what?

Every one of those signings wound up as minor league players. That's a pretty bad miss given the fact that they had nobody to call up and were crowding up Ontario with a bunch of overage players.

Hanzal is getting almost $5M and is injury prone. He hasn't appeared in 70+ games since 2009-10. You guys want to see the Kings in cap hell? How does that contract on this team make any sense? Are any of you aware that he's getting $4.75M?

 

[johnjm22]

Every one of those signings wound up as minor league players. That's a pretty bad miss given the fact that they had nobody to call up and were crowding up Ontario with a bunch of overage players.

They're zero risk signings. I don't see what the problem is.

Hanzal is getting almost $5M and is injury prone. He hasn't appeared in 70+ games since 2009-10. You guys want to see the Kings in cap hell? How does that contract on this team make any sense? Are any of you aware that he's getting $4.75M?

As you said, I'm not losing any sleep over "missing" out on him or any other UFA's, but I do think Hanzal would have been a reasonable option if Blake wanted to go that route. It's only 3 years.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Doughty's deal is up in two years, committing another $4.75M on top of the Brown and Gaborik contracts... not a good idea.

 

[johnjm22]

Doughty's deal is up in two years, committing another $4.75M on top of the Brown and Gaborik contracts... not a good idea.

It's a concern for sure.

But I'm also concerned that if we don't have some success here over the next two years Doughty won't want to stay here.

 

[Winger23]

It's a concern for sure.

But I'm also concerned that if we don't have some success here over the next two years Doughty won't want to stay here.

With what he's going to get paid that might be a good thing for the kings as they should be close to rebuild at that point imo.

Now that I got a taste of the cup I don't want the kings just to be a playoff team anymore. Signing single players to that much money regardless of how good they are just handicaps the team. I'd rather have 2 stud defensemen over 1 elite guy.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I don't know if he's ready for the role but I'm wondering if Kempe is being considered for that #3 center spot while Dowd and Shore compete for the #4 center spot.

If Kempe can at the very least become another Jarnkrok, the Kings will be set down the middle, but it's a big if.

Cammalleri-Kopitar-Brodzinski
Pearson-Carter-Toffoli
Gaborik-Kempe-Brown
Clifford/Nolan-Shore/Dowd-Lewis

That's a somewhat balanced lineup that spreads offense around and gives some young players an opportunity to prove themselves.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

It's a concern for sure.

But I'm also concerned that if we don't have some success here over the next two years Doughty won't want to stay here.

Exactly. This season will be sink or swim in regards to Doughty staying. Because if we miss the playoffs again, it's going to affect Doughty's decision. Blake will start negotiating as soon as he can.

If there's any indication that Doughty wants to leave, he should be traded next offseason with a year remaining on his current contract to maximize the return.

 

[Stimpythecat]

Unless you think Amadio is going to be ready for 3C duty very soon, then I think adding someone like Hanzal in free agency makes plenty of sense.

I still don't understand why people are upset about the signings of Purcell, Zatkoff, Gilbert, Trotman, Latta and Setoguchi. They're ZERO risk. You're throwing some **** against the wall and seeing if any of it sticks. If it doesn't, so what?

I agree.

Better free agents want term. Term is something we could not do since we were expected to be right up to the cap this season. Only an injury season to toffoli cut his RFA signing cost down. At the start of the season we were looking at $10 million for both toffoli and pearson. We got them at $8.35. Plus the cap went up by $2 million when it could have been flat. If not for those two things, we'd be right at the cap after signing our current RFAs. At the cap and that's without a UFA signing last summer.

We simply could not offer term. Thus, we were not getting the better UFAs last offseason.

 

[kings11]

Unless you think Amadio is going to be ready for 3C duty very soon, then I think adding someone like Hanzal in free agency makes plenty of sense.

I still don't understand why people are upset about the signings of Purcell, Zatkoff, Gilbert, Trotman, Latta and Setoguchi. They're ZERO risk. You're throwing some **** against the wall and seeing if any of it sticks. If it doesn't, so what?

Hanzal makes no sense with his injury history and the fact that we'll likely have two top notch prospects in Amadio and Vilardi how will likely be ready by the second year of a proposed contract...

Cammalleri - Kopitar - Toffoli
Pearson - Carter - Brown
Kempe - Dowd - Brodzinski
Lewis - Shore - Nolan
LTIR Gabby, trade Clifford and have AA ride the pine

Forbort - Doughty
Muzzin - LaDue
Frolin - Martinez
Fantenberg - Gravel
MacDermid..... he needs to be our muscle

Vilardi and Amadio will be ready within the next 2 years ...

 

[johnjm22]

I hate to break the news, but Mike Amadio is not a top notch prospect and Gabe Vilardi is an unknown.

Centers are generally flexible positionally so even if you have a lot of them in the system that doesn't mean you have a log jam.

Also, Kempe shouldn't be in the NHL. Shore is our 3rd line center at the moment. Dowd isn't good enough to play center in the NHL right now.

 

[Sol]

Doughty is gonna get 11million at least.

 

[kings11]

I hate to break the news, but Mike Amadio is not a top notch prospect and Gabe Vilardi is an unknown.

Centers are generally flexible positionally so even if you have a lot of them in the system that doesn't mean you have a log jam.

Also, Kempe shouldn't be in the NHL. Shore is our 3rd line center at the moment. Dowd isn't good enough to play center in the NHL right now.

Hate to break it to you but if you can't see what the kids are you have no business even commenting on here guy.... as for Vilardi, heck if GMs weren't so spooked about his ugly skating he would have been a legit candidate for the #1 OA this past draft...

Vilardi projects to be a Jason Spezza type player while Amadio seems Mike Richards lite.... and having seen Amadio down in Ontario the kid is pretty close to that assessment....

 

[johnjm22]

Hate to break it to you but if you can't see what the kids are you have no business even commenting on here guy.... as for Vilardi, heck if GMs weren't so spooked about his ugly skating he would have been a legit candidate for the #1 OA this past draft...

Vilardi projects to be a Jason Spezza type player while Amadio seems Mike Richards lite.... and having seen Amadio down in Ontario the kid is pretty close to that assessment....

You're counting your chickens before they hatch.

I don't think anyone's higher on Vilardi than I. I wanted the Kings to trade up to get him. That said, he's still an unknown. Even if he becomes a solid NHLer, we don't even know if it's going to be as a center.

Amadio's floor isn't very low. He's probably going to be an NHL player, but his ceiling isn't exactly high. He's certainly not a top notch prospect.

I can't tell you how many times over the years I've heard posters say "prospect x" and "prospect y" will be ready in 2 years.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Kings need to sign Jagr.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

I think Vilardi is a pretty safe bet for a top sixer. The question is whether or not he'll be a fringe 40 point forward at his best, or better.

Amadio is even more wide open.

 

[kings11]

You're counting your chickens before they hatch.

I don't think anyone's higher on Vilardi than I. I wanted the Kings to trade up to get him. That said, he's still an unknown. Even if he becomes a solid NHLer, we don't even know if it's going to be as a center.

Amadio's floor isn't very low. He's probably going to be an NHL player, but his ceiling isn't exactly high. He's certainly not a top notch prospect.

I can't tell you how many times over the years I've heard posters say "prospect x" and "prospect y" will be ready in 2 years.

Oh I've been on here long enough to know that ... I will tell you this, Amadio is that unique prospect that blossomed when more responsibility was assigned but didn't come into his own until after his draft year.... the kid is a player

The 3 centers we have are not only likely to make the NHL they all project as top 9 guys and when you add Prokhorkin and Dergachyov then we have 5 NHL caliber players....I am not a scout or GM but I do usually come close with my assessments with regards to how they project and their fit with our team...

This Kings team of ours has had some great luck with the last few drafts and the results will start to show really soon guys ...

 

[johnjm22]

I'll be shocked if we ever see Porkins in the NHL. If we do it will probably be with another team.

Dergachyov I'm holding out some hope. He only has this upcoming season left on his KHL contract. After the season hopefully he can come over and play for Ontario in the playoffs then spend a full season in the AHL the following year.

 

[KINGS17]

Kings need to sign Jagr.

Agreed. He would make a great personal trainer for Kopitar.

 

[Reclamation Project]

I think he'd be a great swift kick in the ass for this entire team. Oldest player in the league and the hardest working. He practices after games with a weighted vest!

 

[kovacro]

I think he'd be a great swift kick in the ass for this entire team. Oldest player in the league and the hardest working.He practices after games with a weighted vest!

Sounds like he watched the Rocky Balboa training montage from Rocky 4 one too many times.

"Hearts on Fire"

I do love his commitment.

 

[kovacro]

I hate to break the news, but Mike Amadio is not a top notch prospect and Gabe Vilardi is an unknown.

Agreed on Amadio. Seems like he gets a little too much love here. To me, he is atleast 2 years away from potentially finding his way to the big club. Still needs plenty of seasoning in Ontario.

Got a chance to see him a few times in person during his time in the OHL and I was not all that impressed with his game.

I wouldn't go so far to say Vilardi is an unknown. The key as with most guys coming up the ranks from junior hockey will be how successful he can translate his game to the pros. We are still a few years away from that but in the meantime you just hope he can continue to develop his game and dominate in the OHL on a nightly basis.

Looking forward to seeing the Spits come to Hamilton this year. Will definitely be checking that one out.

 

[Sacha Baron Corbin]

I hate to break the news, but Mike Amadio is not a top notch prospect and Gabe Vilardi is an unknown.

Centers are generally flexible positionally so even if you have a lot of them in the system that doesn't mean you have a log jam.

Also, Kempe shouldn't be in the NHL. Shore is our 3rd line center at the moment. Dowd isn't good enough to play center in the NHL right now.

So Kempe shouldn't be in the NHL while we play two centers who are already worse players than Kempe?

 

[The Tikkanen]

They're zero risk signings. I don't see what the problem is.


As you said, I'm not losing any sleep over "missing" out on him or any other UFA's, but I do think Hanzal would have been a reasonable option if Blake wanted to go that route. It's only 3 years.

Zero risk? Isn't missing the playoffs a risk? If we're merely counting dollars and cents don't the Kings risk losing quite a bit of money if they miss the playoffs versus Cammy's 1 million dollar deal? Missing the playoffs for 2 straight years and then that forcing Doughty to sign with a team committed to winning championships, is that not a risk? If King fans are gonna be accountants then let's take a look back at the Purcell signing and see how many posters said it was a low risk/high reward signing then he went on to put up 2 assists, where was the reward? You're paying Sutter and Lombardi to sit at home and the Kings still miss the playoffs? No risk? Seems to me the Kings as of right now are set to lose a lot of money this season.

 

[johnjm22]

Zero risk? Isn't missing the playoffs a risk? If we're merely counting dollars and cents don't the Kings risk losing quite a bit of money if they miss the playoffs versus Cammy's 1 million dollar deal? Missing the playoffs for 2 straight years and then that forcing Doughty to sign with a team committed to winning championships, is that not a risk? If King fans are gonna be accountants then let's take a look back at the Purcell signing and see how many posters said it was a low risk/high reward signing then he went on to put up 2 assists, where was the reward? You're paying Sutter and Lombardi to sit at home and the Kings still miss the playoffs? No risk? Seems to me the Kings as of right now are set to lose a lot of money this season.

Are you drunk? I'm not sure I understand what you're saying here. The UFA signings last off season are irreverent and zero risk. Let it go.

 

[The Tikkanen]

Are you drunk? I'm not sure I understand what you're saying here. The UFA signings last off season are irreverent and zero risk. Let it go.

Teddy Purcell-61-11-21-32 -9 8.5 shooting percentage
Michael Cammalleri-61-10-21-31 -9 7% shooting percentage