2017 Offseason Thread 5.0 Summer Doldrums

[SlimCharles]

The past is the past, except when they give out a number? And what's the irony? That they think someone with the #14 skating around is going to fool people? Sort of like when they replaced Luc with Randy Robitaille?

You'd think both Robitaille and Blake would say no to giving out #14 since they both not only played with Norstrom, but were in management when Williams won the Conn Smythe. They're all in on this con job though. Sully the number just to sell a few more tickets to a few extra easily fooled idiots.

#14 is a revered number that can't be given out anymore? Please...

Don't start with the character/leadership stuff, that's just nonsense. It's a ****ing number.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

#14 is a revered number that can't be given out anymore? Please...

Don't start with the character/leadership stuff, that's just nonsense. It's a ****ing number.

Don't you remember the riots caused when Tom Gilbert wore #14 last season?

How dare they disrespect Gary Shuchuk and his legacy in such a manner.

 

[Kings4thecup]

Just think of all the disappointing #3's after Garry Galley (go Vopat)

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

If anyone in here hits the jackpot with tomorrow's Powerball lottery, they could theoretically have the funds to purchase an NHL team. Say, hasn't AEG been rumored to be looking to sell the Kings over the past few years?

 

[Sacha Baron Corbin]

The past is the past, except when they give out a number? And what's the irony? That they think someone with the #14 skating around is going to fool people? Sort of like when they replaced Luc with Randy Robitaille?

You'd think both Robitaille and Blake would say no to giving out #14 since they both not only played with Norstrom, but were in management when Williams won the Conn Smythe. They're all in on this con job though. Sully the number just to sell a few more tickets to a few extra easily fooled idiots.

Yeah I'm sure Luc and Blake think having someone wear #14 will sell out Staples Center quite the conspiracy theory you've came up with there, is your tinfoil hat covered in 14's?

Did you have this same reaction when Tom Gilbert wore 14 last year?

 

[Butch 19]

Just think of all the disappointing #3's after Garry Galley (go Vopat)

Craig Redmond can't miss!!

 

[Vamos Rafa]

I don't know where else to post this but is anyone looking forward to NHL 18? NHL 17 was pretty crap IMO. 12 was the last NHL game I enjoyed.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Yeah I'm sure Luc and Blake think having someone wear #14 will sell out Staples Center quite the conspiracy theory you've came up with there, is your tinfoil hat covered in 14's?

Did you have this same reaction when Tom Gilbert wore 14 last year?

It's not my theory. I'm the one saying Cammalleri wearing #14 isn't management trying to fool people in some way. And that's right, Gilbert had #14 last year. I forgot about that. Robitaille wasn't calling the shots then though. That was still Lombardi, with his emotional attachment to players that had won the Cup under him, giving away #14 to some scrub.

 

[kingsholygrail]

I don't know where else to post this but is anyone looking forward to NHL 18? NHL 17 was pretty crap IMO. 12 was the last NHL game I enjoyed.

Yeah, I've been out of the loop for NHL games for quite some time. They just suck now. I know it's always been a skeleton crew that worked on them at EA, but somehow it seems like they found a way to put even less effort into them.

 

[Sacha Baron Corbin]

It's not my theory. I'm the one saying Cammalleri wearing #14 isn't management trying to fool people in some way. And that's right, Gilbert had #14 last year. I forgot about that. Robitaille wasn't calling the shots then though. That was still Lombardi, with his emotional attachment to players that had won the Cup under him, giving away #14 to some scrub.

That's my bad then I totally misinterpreted your post, I actually feel really bad now sorry KF gonna go pull my head out of my ass now

Though It is amazing that parts of our fanbase are coming up with these insane conspiracies over a ****ing number. I don't remember anyone batting an eye when Dean gave Gilbert 14 last year but now Luc/Blake give it to Cammy and people are having meltdowns over it

I can't wait until we can move on from this whole "but muh character" nonsense

 

[Bandit]

Yeah, I've been out of the loop for NHL games for quite some time. They just suck now. I know it's always been a skeleton crew that worked on them at EA, but somehow it seems like they found a way to put even less effort into them.

NHL '94 FTW. Didn't hurt that it had Tomas Sandstrom on the cover...

 

[Vamos Rafa]

Yeah, I've been out of the loop for NHL games for quite some time. They just suck now. I know it's always been a skeleton crew that worked on them at EA, but somehow it seems like they found a way to put even less effort into them.

Lack of competiton. 2K completely gave up on their title. It's not like EA wasn't already winning. But they absolutely have no drive to improve. At least with FIFA, they still have to see what PES does.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

The EA games haven't changed for the better the last couple of years, still using the same old, outdated engine from the previous generation of consoles. The game still looks like and plays like it belongs on the XBOX 360 or PS3.

So I went back and installed a bunch of old, fun EA Sports hockey games that I used to enjoy on the PC. Just got done updating rosters for NHL 2002 (including Olympic Teams), so I'll preoccupy my fill for hockey gaming by playing that most of the time.

I also set NHL rosters back one-year so that I could enjoy the 2001 Kings that upset the Red Wings. As fun as the LAPD line was to watch, they unfortunately did not last very long and their only playoff run was a first round exit in a 7-game loss to the Avs.

 

[Brodeur]

NHL '94 FTW. Didn't hurt that it had Tomas Sandstrom on the cover...

I'm an NHL '95 PC guy myself. Sadly I still keep around my old computer to play it on occasion. It's too bad my old editor program didn't work past Windows XP.

There's a "World Championship" of NHL '94 happening in Vegas at the end of September. If I had been in town, I might have entered for fun.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I'm an NHL '95 PC guy myself. Sadly I still keep around my old computer to play it on occasion. It's too bad my old editor program didn't work past Windows XP.

There's a "World Championship" of NHL '94 happening in Vegas at the end of September. If I had been in town, I might have entered for fun.

I have NHL '95 running on my Windows 10 PC by using dosbox, and Toni Whilen's NHLINFO editor works as well.

 

[Brodeur]

I have NHL '95 running on my Windows 10 PC by using dosbox, and Toni Whilen's NHLINFO editor works as well.

Hrm, I haven't tried dosbox on my new Windows 10 computer yet. I might have to look that up (you may have opened up Pandora's Box for me).

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2017/08/24/daunting-drew-doughty-decision-looms-for-kings/

The question the Kings face isn’t really about re-signing Doughty.

Instead, it’s the difficult riddle of trying to squeeze out more runs with this current core or giving a rebuild a bold shot in the arm by – wait for it – trading Doughty sometime during the next season or two.

Los Angeles could conceivably gain a lot in trading Doughty, especially if GM Rob Blake is creative. In making such a courageous move, the Kings could enjoy some combination of:

Salary cap relief, in convincing a trade partner to eat ugly deals in Dustin Brown ($5.875M through 2021-22) and/or Marian Gaborik ($4.875M through 2020-21) as part of a Doughty deal.
Gain precious draft assets and/or prospects. Much like other contenders, the Kings’ farm system took some hits as they angled to contend with this current group. It was generally worth it, but now Blake & Co. need to pick up the pieces.
Trading for roster players who are young and cheap.

Let’s not forget just how old this team looks. By the end of Doughty’s contract, Brown and Jeff Carter will both be 34. Anze Kopitar, who just turned 30, will be 32. Jake Muzzin will be 30 and will only have one year remaining on his bargain $4M deal. Alec Martinez will be 32. Jonathan Quick will be 33. Gaborik will be 37 and, barring a buyout or move, will still be on the books for two more seasons.

We’ve already seen Kopitar struggle, and while Carter’s been resoundingly productive at a great rate, Father Time seems to punish snipers as much as anyone.

Even Doughty would be close to 30 by then.

It’s unclear how many of these Kings deals are easy to move, and to some, that might serve as a signal to just go for it and then suffer through a rebuild.

Still, you wonder how desirable it would be for Doughty to stay if Los Angeles really starts to slide, although it wouldn’t be surprising if he remained loyal to a squad he won two Stanley Cups with.

 

[volcom92886]

https://www.facebook.com/NHL/videos/vb.61652252465/10154705236977466/?type=2&theater&comment_id=10154708537027466&notif_t=video_reply&notif_id=1503621768783469

Anyone else see this, the NHL's facebook page is asking if Doughty is currently a top 20 Dman in the NHL

 

[King'sPawn]

Trading away the youngest core player isn't a rebuild or a shot in the arm.

 

[kingsholygrail]

We desperately need more picks and prospects because those can be anything, even a boat.

 

[Basilisk]

https://www.facebook.com/NHL/videos/vb.61652252465/10154705236977466/?type=2&theater&comment_id=10154708537027466&notif_t=video_reply&notif_id=1503621768783469

Anyone else see this, the NHL's facebook page is asking if Doughty is currently a top 20 Dman in the NHL

Is the NHL currently a top 20 sporting league on the planet Earth? Probably not.....

 

[KINGS17]

Trading away the youngest core player isn't a rebuild or a shot in the arm.

What should we call being set up to finish 4th in the Pacific Division?

Do you want to wait to make a move on any of these players until they are of an age and have contracts no other team would want?

Sometimes an honest assessment of where the team stands against its opponents in the division and the rest of the conference has to be made, and then you act accordingly.

Does having Drew Doughty on the roster make the Kings contenders? How will the Kings improve the roster to make the Kings contenders over the length of Doughty's next contract?

Hey, if it were me I would have gone to Doughty before the Kopitar signing and told him I wanted to reload around him, and asked him if he would be on board with it, because it would take some time. Too late now.

 

[Herby]

The first choice would be to re-sign Doughty, the odds of Drew pulling a Richards or Brown is very low, this is probably a guy who will be an elite player well into his 30's like Lidstrom, Pronger, Bourque were.

But if he wants to test the market the Kings have to trade him next summer and turn the page on the championship teams. Letting Drew walk for nothing would be a total disaster for the Kings.

 

[Rusty Batch]

I dont expect the kings to contend next year. But its not so hard to come up with a scenario where they are competing again the following year. For example, Vilardi becomes an impact player and Voynov comes back. That alone would bring the kings back to a similar talent level to their cup teams.

Kings are a few pieces away but it seems like they just have a couple gaping holes on the top line wings and are missing a true #2 dman. Those are pieces that we can aquire.

That would be the argument for not blowing up the kings. And its completely reasonable.

 

[King'sPawn]

What should we call being set up to finish 4th in the Pacific Division?

Do you want to wait to make a move on any of these players until they are of an age and have contracts no other team would want?

Sometimes an honest assessment of where the team stands against its opponents in the division and the rest of the conference has to be made, and then you act accordingly.

Does having Drew Doughty on the roster make the Kings contenders? How will the Kings improve the roster to make the Kings contenders over the length of Doughty's next contract?

Hey, if it were me I would have gone to Doughty before the Kopitar signing and told him I wanted to reload around him, and asked him if he would be on board with it, because it would take some time. Too late now.

I think you misunderstand. I'm not saying the Kings can't trade core players.

I'm saying that of all moves to be made, trading away the youngest of the core players does not make it a rebuild or give the core a shot in the arm.

If the Kings want to trade Doughty, Kopitar, Quick, etc. That's one thing. I may not completely agree with it. But if they want to go that route, okay. But Doughty is the youngest of the core players that the Kings have built around. Trading him away ages the core, it doesn't make a rebuild.

Just don't call it a rebuild is all I'm saying.