2017 Offseason Thread 4.0 - Free Agent Frenzy Time

[KingCanadain1976]

Will this cause internal rifts in the organization and help lead to Stevens, Blake and Luc's ouster as well?

I don't think seto had much to do with dean and sutters firing but you can if u want If thats what ur suggesting

 

[theMajor]

Kings are dumpster diving on an international scale now.

gotta explore all possible options!

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

The sad thing about Setoguchi's signing was that he was brought in to fill a hole in the top six (due to Gaborik's injury). Pearson was also out with an injury, so Purcell skated in his place.

Take a look at his shifts from Game 1 of the season, I'll provide a lineup below:
http://www.nhl.com/stats/shiftcharts?id=2016020004

Setoguchi-Kopitar-Brown
Purcell-Carter-Toffoli
King-Shore-Lewis
Clifford-Andreoff-Nolan

Muzzin-Doughty
McNabb-Martinez
Forbort-Greene

Quick-Zatkoff (with Zatkoff taking over after Quick went down in the 1st period)

What an absolutely dreadful lineup.

I doubt Loktionov is coming in competing for a spot in the top six. He's going to compete against the likes of Dowd and Shore, who really haven't really done enough to guarantee themselves anything yet.

 

[Johnny Utah]

That line up is exactly why Lombardi and Sutter are gone.

I expect...

Cammy-Kopitar-Toffoli
Pearson-Carter-Brown
Mersch-Dowd-Lewis
Clifford/Andreoff-Shore-Brodzinski/Nolan

 

[BigKing]

I don't think seto had much to do with dean and sutters firing but you can if u want If thats what ur suggesting

It's been mentioned several times that him making the team caused internal strife.

My comment was obviously tongue-in-cheek.

 

[KingsFan7824]

This had got to be a favor for larionov. Is he an agent for anyone else? I simply am speechless about this. Just....why?

It's a PTO. There's literally nothing wrong with it.

The sad thing about Setoguchi's signing was that he was brought in to fill a hole in the top six (due to Gaborik's injury).

I think that might be going too far. He was brought in on a PTO and won a job in camp. Then eventually lost it.

 

[KingsOfCali25]

That line up is exactly why Lombardi and Sutter are gone.

I expect...

Cammy-Kopitar-Toffoli
Pearson-Carter-Brown
Mersch-Dowd-Lewis
Clifford/Andreoff-Shore-Brodzinski/Nolan

I'd rather let the kids play...

Cammalleri--Kopitar--Brown
Pearson--Carter--Toffoli
Kempe--Shore--Brodzinski
Clifford--Dowd--Lewis
Mersch, Nolan

Forbort--Doughty
Muzzin--LaDue
Martinez--Folin
Gravel

Quick
Campbell/Kuemper

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I think that might be going too far. He was brought in on a PTO and won a job in camp. Then eventually lost it.

It's still pretty indicative of just how poor the team depth was at that point that Setoguchi won out a spot to play alongside Kopitar on opening night.

Kempe should've started the season with the team, but I guess Sutter trusted a washed up player more than Kempe.

 

[The Tikkanen]

He couldn't cut it on the Devils.

Neither could Cammy, it's a 2 for 1 special.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Let's not forget Auger.

Kings have a dilemma that Auger and Mersch would need to clear waivers. Brodzinski and Kempe do not.

Also, on D, does Gravel require waivers? MacDermid will. So that makes 8D right there limiting the forward scratches to one. Kings will have to dump 2-3 forwards.

 

[BigKing]

It's still pretty indicative of just how poor the team depth was at that point that Setoguchi won out a spot to play alongside Kopitar on opening night.

Kempe should've started the season with the team, but I guess Sutter trusted a washed up player more than Kempe.

Don't believe it was Sutter's call with Dean wanting Kempe to start in Ontario.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Don't believe it was Sutter's call with Dean wanting Kempe to start in Ontario.

I don't know who's call it was there, but would Dean really overrule his coach who is trying to ice the best team possible?

Thankfully we no longer have to worry about who made that decision. Just shows how incompetent those two had become by that point.

What a few of us predicted to happen last summer played out exactly as we predicted -- that the team was in no position to compete for a playoff spot, and they proved us right.

 

[kovacro]

Let's not forget Auger.

Kings have a dilemma that Auger and Mersch would need to clear waivers. Brodzinski and Kempe do not.

Also, on D, does Gravel require waivers? MacDermid will. So that makes 8D right there limiting the forward scratches to one. Kings will have to dump 2-3 forwards.

Pretty sure Gravel does not require waivers to be sent down.

 

[BigKing]

I don't know who's call it was there, but would Dean really overrule his coach who is trying to ice the best team possible?

Thankfully we no longer have to worry about who made that decision. Just shows how incompetent those two had become by that point.

What a few of us predicted to happen last summer played out exactly as we predicted -- that the team was in no position to compete for a playoff spot, and they proved us right.

Not sure either, but I think it is the GMs call when it comes to the prospect development. I think the story was that Sutter wasn't pleased to have Seto over someone else.

 

[bob77]

Pretty sure Gravel does not require waivers to be sent down.

He is only about 8 games away. This is his last year for it. His years have not expired because his first pro contract for one year was AHL only. This year didn't count for the waiver rule.

 

[go4hockey]

I'd rather let the kids play...

Cammalleri--Kopitar--Brown
Pearson--Carter--Toffoli
Kempe--Shore--Brodzinski
Clifford--Dowd--Lewis
Mersch, Nolan

Forbort--Doughty
Muzzin--LaDue
Martinez--Folin
Gravel

Quick
Campbell/Kuemper

I'm all on board with this lineup I would swap Merch in for Clifford and see who plays well the first month or so then make adjustments as needed.

 

[johnjm22]

Kempe should've started the season with the team

Based on what? He was a 19 year old that hadn't even produced well in the minors.

 

[KingsOfCali25]

I'm all on board with this lineup I would swap Merch in for Clifford and see who plays well the first month or so then make adjustments as needed.

That's what I was gonna do but I figured Clifford would give the team some "grit/physical" presence. I'd rather see them trade/let go of Clifford, Andreoff, Nolan. I'd rather have Loktionov than the 3 of them.

 

[KingsOfCali25]

Based on what? He was a 19 year old that hadn't even produced well in the minors.

Based on that he had a better camp than King, Nolan, Clifford, Andreoff, Shore and Dowd. Just like LaDue should have got a spot to start the year because he had a better camp than any dman other than Doughty and Martinez.

If you're going to put the best team on the ice to win games. You put the guys on the ice that won the jobs.

 

[Kingspiracy]

I'd rather let the kids play...

Cammalleri--Kopitar--Brown
Pearson--Carter--Toffoli
Kempe--Shore--Brodzinski
Clifford--Dowd--Lewis
Mersch, Nolan

Forbort--Doughty
Muzzin--LaDue
Martinez--Folin
Gravel

Quick
Campbell/Kuemper

That first line looks sexy as hell ten years ago

 

[johnjm22]

Based on that he had a better camp than King, Nolan, Clifford, Andreoff, Shore and Dowd. Just like LaDue should have got a spot to start the year because he had a better camp than any dman other than Doughty and Martinez.

If you're going to put the best team on the ice to win games. You put the guys on the ice that won the jobs.

That's short term thinking. When we're talking about prospects you have to do what's best for their development. Just because a prospect is better than some of your teams crappy players doesn't mean it's best to throw him into the NHL. It just means your roster sucks.

 

[The Tikkanen]

Based on that he had a better camp than King, Nolan, Clifford, Andreoff, Shore and Dowd. Just like LaDue should have got a spot to start the year because he had a better camp than any dman other than Doughty and Martinez.

If you're going to put the best team on the ice to win games. You put the guys on the ice that won the jobs.

Not with Sutter coaching. Safe vets that could rub the boards with their butts and possess the puck would always get the job.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Kempe took Kopitar's spot in the preseason while Kopi was away at the WC (and took a break afterwards) and Carter was also nursing an injury. He was given a very long look and I believe appeared in every preseason game and looked like he belonged. His performance dictated that he should've stuck around.

 

[TwzKing]

That first line looks sexy as hell ten years ago

I dont remember that being sexy 10 years ago

 

[kingsboy11]

Kempe took Kopitar's spot in the preseason while Kopi was away at the WC (and took a break afterwards) and Carter was also nursing an injury. He was given a very long look and I believe appeared in every preseason game and looked like he belonged. His performance dictated that he should've stuck around.

I also thought Kempe should've made the team because of his preseason play, but mostly because Pearson was suspended to start the year. I would've given Kempe those minutes and then send him down when Pearson got back. Just to give him a little taste of the league and see what its like. We will never know if it would've made a difference or no, but I think it would've been a good learning experience for rather than calling him up near the end of the season and expecting offense from him when he wasn't producing all season.