2017 Offseason Thread 5.0 Summer Doldrums

[kilowatt]

People are complaining about Clifford when Nick Shore and Jordan Nolan are also probably making the team?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

There is another Kingspiracy me. As the having him as my profile pic shows I am one of his biggest fans in here. Nice to see another

Nope, I love Clifford. I don't think people actually hate him, I just think his problem is that there are roster redundancies. Replace the name Clifford with Nolan/Andreoff/etc. and the complaint is the same. Personally though I think Clifford is a rare one, not at all a liability, and obviously the team loves him. I think Nolan is more 'skilled' but a bigger liability defensively and on penalties. I think Andreoff has something to show but he's rarely shown it. Clifford gives you stability.

 

[Kingsfan1]

Pearson-Kopitar-Carter
Muzzin-Doughty

Gaborik-Dowd-Toffoli
Martinez-LaDue

When Iginla came in he got some PP ice time as well.

http://www.nhl.com/stats/player?agg...ter=gamesPlayed,gte,1&sort=ppTimeOnIcePerGame

Thanks. I think I like our new lines little bit more but so much depends on how Brown performs and Brodzinski. If they are going to emphasize driving up the middle of the ice and creativity then I can't wait to see how Kempe does. Gaborik-Kempe-Brodzinski can work great together with Gaborik and Kempe having speed and more freedom.

Also I always said having Shore and Lewis on the 4th line will make for one of the best 4th lines in the league as they are both defensively responsible

 

[Sol]

Clifford is useless... He provides nothing that warrants his contract.

 

[BigKing]

Andreoff hasn't done jack **** physically to prove he can "Do what Clifford does" at the NHL level. Until then, it's just hoping and wishing.

Imama is pegged as the replacement but he may never be NHL caliber. Hope he is but he definitely is not ready right now. Should spend a year handling the rough stuff in Ontario and working on his game.

So Clifford makes too much money. We get it. Kings are also sitting on a bunch of cap space at the moment. Clifford's cap hit isn't keeping them from making a move. As for not fighting much anymore, he was 8th overall in the NHL last season.

 

[Sol]

People are complaining about Clifford when Nick Shore and Jordan Nolan are also probably making the team?

Really? Nolan himself has better hands, better offensive instinct, hits hard, and fights better. He's already a better player than Clifford. It's not even up for debate imo. People love their vets. Clifford is an awful fighter. He has concussion issues.


For an offensively inept team I'm surprised about the unwarranted infatuation people have with a black hole like Clifford who has zero offensive instinct.

 

[Bandit]

PP units are looking like

Cammalleri-Kopitar-Carter
Toffoli-Doughty

Pearson-Kempe-Brown
Muzzin-Martinez

Doughty should be on the 3rd powerplay...


Has there been any word on the tv schedule for the preseason yet?

 

[damacles1156]

Really? Nolan himself has better hands, better offensive instinct, hits hard, and fights better. He's already a better player than Clifford. It's not even up for debate imo. People love their vets. Clifford is an awful fighter. He has concussion issues.


For an offensively inept team I'm surprised about the unwarranted infatuation people have with a black hole like Clifford who has zero offensive instinct.

He is not paid for offensive hockey.

Also The Kings 4th line is average or above for production compared to the rest of the NHL.

Don't start the myth again about "The Kings have the worst bottom six". Cause that myth has been debunked several times.

Clifford does exactly what he is suppose to do, and paid to do. It's why he still remains a roster player as of right now.

That could change this year though.

 

[damacles1156]

Nope, I love Clifford. I don't think people actually hate him, I just think his problem is that there are roster redundancies. Replace the name Clifford with Nolan/Andreoff/etc. and the complaint is the same. Personally though I think Clifford is a rare one, not at all a liability, and obviously the team loves him. I think Nolan is more 'skilled' but a bigger liability defensively and on penalties. I think Andreoff has something to show but he's rarely shown it. Clifford gives you stability.

At this point in time If someone was better than Clifford they would have already beat him out for the roster spot. So far no one has taken Clifford's spot from him. Clifford has played 7 Full seasons as a King.

 

[KingCanadain1976]

Make that three.

Some people on these boards just have to ***** and moan about everything.

And I'm actually a fan of that projected line-up if thats what Stevens is going for.

Welcome aboard the Clifford fan club I am a fan of any lineup without Dwight King in and looking forward to seeing top 6 forwards playing mins with skill

 

[KingCanadain1976]

Nope, I love Clifford. I don't think people actually hate him, I just think his problem is that there are roster redundancies. Replace the name Clifford with Nolan/Andreoff/etc. and the complaint is the same. Personally though I think Clifford is a rare one, not at all a liability, and obviously the team loves him. I think Nolan is more 'skilled' but a bigger liability defensively and on penalties. I think Andreoff has something to show but he's rarely shown it. Clifford gives you stability.

I think Clifford is miles ahead nolan Andreoff etc. He does what his coach asks of him. He is always one of the last people off the ice His conditioning is always among the top of King players. I am also sure if asked to play more of a offensive role he could. However he has never really put in a position to do so for very long. Yes he may have gotten a period or two playing with top 6 players its never long enough imo to develop the chemistry that is needed. This is a player that bleeds kings colors He was asked by sutter to be physical and has given up his body for the good of all king fans. He has done all that has been ask by his coach. The problem is not Clifford for the kings recent drop off in goals its the top 6 players that no one here seems to want to say

 

[KingCanadain1976]

Andreoff hasn't done jack **** physically to prove he can "Do what Clifford does" at the NHL level. Until then, it's just hoping and wishing.

Imama is pegged as the replacement but he may never be NHL caliber. Hope he is but he definitely is not ready right now. Should spend a year handling the rough stuff in Ontario and working on his game.

So Clifford makes too much money. We get it. Kings are also sitting on a bunch of cap space at the moment. Clifford's cap hit isn't keeping them from making a move. As for not fighting much anymore, he was 8th overall in the NHL last season.

very well put

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Andreoff is one of the more useless players to put on a Kings uniform. I can't think of anything he does that stands out as being slightly above average.

 

[Sol]

He is not paid for offensive hockey.

Also The Kings 4th line is average or above for production compared to the rest of the NHL.

Don't start the myth again about "The Kings have the worst bottom six". Cause that myth has been debunked several times.

Clifford does exactly what he is suppose to do, and paid to do. It's why he still remains a roster player as of right now.

That could change this year though.

But no one can tell me what he's paid to do.

 

[KingCanadain1976]

But no one can tell me what he's paid to do.

He is paid to play physical hockey. For the 9 mins a game he plays he is among nhl leaders in hits per min of ice time during his nhl career Al thou is loses most of his fights he is still among the leaders in fights in the nhl. That is what he is paid for.

He plays the type of physical hockey that la is known for He is one of the few left that can do it.

 

[Stimpythecat]

He is not paid for offensive hockey.

Also The Kings 4th line is average or above for production compared to the rest of the NHL.

Don't start the myth again about "The Kings have the worst bottom six". Cause that myth has been debunked several times.

Clifford does exactly what he is suppose to do, and paid to do. It's why he still remains a roster player as of right now.

That could change this year though.

Yup. The 4th line did their job. It was the top 6 that fell off the cliff for whatever reason you wish to attribute that to.

https://hockey-graphs.com/2016/06/03/how-much-is-the-best-fourth-line-in-hockey-worth/

 

[KingCanadain1976]

Yup. The 4th line did their job. It was the top 6 that fell off the cliff for whatever reason you wish to attribute that to.

https://hockey-graphs.com/2016/06/03/how-much-is-the-best-fourth-line-in-hockey-worth/

waits for the clifford haters to twist the facts or flat out ignore facts and continue the hate

 

[Kingsfan1]

Andreoff hasn't done jack **** physically to prove he can "Do what Clifford does" at the NHL level. Until then, it's just hoping and wishing.

Imama is pegged as the replacement but he may never be NHL caliber. Hope he is but he definitely is not ready right now. Should spend a year handling the rough stuff in Ontario and working on his game.

So Clifford makes too much money. We get it. Kings are also sitting on a bunch of cap space at the moment. Clifford's cap hit isn't keeping them from making a move. As for not fighting much anymore, he was 8th overall in the NHL last season.

Andreoff sucks too I'm just trying to say he can provide Clifford's point totals and fighting. Sure Clifford is more consistent and yes he fights still but he is not good at it. Teams are using 4 lines now , he is easily replaceable . Bottom 6 players should be cycled out frequently and their cap hits should be kept at million or less . Imama I'm not sold on either . Right now unfortunately Clifford is the best option for 4th line lw but I'm sure we could have signed someone in free agency that would have brought more to the table .

 

[Kingsfan1]

waits for the clifford haters to twist the facts or flat out ignore facts and continue the hate

It's not about being a Clifford hater it's more about being a die hard Kings fan and caring about the success of the team unfortunately lol

 

[damacles1156]

Andreoff sucks too I'm just trying to say he can provide Clifford's point totals and fighting. Sure Clifford is more consistent and yes he fights still but he is not good at it. Teams are using 4 lines now , he is easily replaceable . Bottom 6 players should be cycled out frequently and their cap hits should be kept at million or less . Imama I'm not sold on either . Right now unfortunately Clifford is the best option for 4th line lw but I'm sure we could have signed someone in free agency that would have brought more to the table .

If that was true the Kings would have replaced Clifford already by means of UFA.

Although, that doesn't mean Clifford won't get beat out this season for his spot. That might happen, might not.

Kings still haven't replaced Jarret Stoll.

 

[KINGS17]

At the time Clifford was drafted he was called a hard worker and a culture changer. Nothing I have seen on the ice would suggest it wasn't true then and doesn't hold true today. He may have developed some offensive touch had he played in the AHL for a couple of seasons, but the guy was an NHL-ready tough man when he was 20 years old and the Kings needed him badly on the NHL roster.

Clifford will turn 27 next season and is having a very good NHL career. He isn't the problem on this roster.

 

[Kingsfan1]

If that was true the Kings would have replaced Clifford already by means of UFA.

Although, that doesn't mean Clifford won't get beat out this season for his spot. That might happen, might not.

Kings still haven't replaced Jarret Stoll.

They definitely haven't replaced Stoll but this is the first season we have cap space so then again maybe they will finally replace him next offseason. All this time we couldn't because of cap space. Regarding Clifford ; not necessarily because loyalty plays a factor too and also because we have so many waiver wire prospects . Maybe Blake wants to see what he has before making moves . Next offseason should be more interesting but I'm hoping we win the cup this year. I always have faith we will and people on the main boards don't realize that we missed by 5 games and had no Quick for a full year and Kopitar and Toffoli had their worst years .

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Really? Nolan himself has better hands, better offensive instinct, hits hard, and fights better. He's already a better player than Clifford. It's not even up for debate imo. People love their vets. Clifford is an awful fighter. He has concussion issues.


For an offensively inept team I'm surprised about the unwarranted infatuation people have with a black hole like Clifford who has zero offensive instinct.

I think Nolan has better raw skill but he's also chronically injured and a huge liability defensively. Clifford's metrics are stronger and he can take a regular shift with anyone. Nolan leaves me thinking he can be much more but being so high on Nolan while calling Clifford a black hole makes zero sense when Kyle has outscored Jordan every single year but once. You can say it's not up for debate but plain facts disagree with you before we even get to opinions.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

The problem with Clifford is his contract. It isn't his fault that he is overpaid by more than half a million, credit that to Lombardi and some of those questionable contracts that he gave out, like that odd John Zeiler extension, or signing Cloutier to an extension before he even appeared in a single game (and he turned out to be more disastrous than any of us thought!).

 

[KingsHockey24]

The problem with Clifford is his contract. It isn't his fault that he is overpaid by more than half a million, credit that to Lombardi and some of those questionable contracts that he gave out, like that odd John Zeiler extension, or signing Cloutier to an extension before he even appeared in a single game (and he turned out to be more disastrous than any of us thought!).

I don't even think that contract is a problem. He's overpaid by what 400-500k? Where we stand today we have plenty of cap space. Gaborik and Brown being paid 10M for only 10-15 goals a piece is the problem.