2019-20 Kings News/Rumors

[Statto]

I can see how fans who follow the team closely could view criticism of a lack of roster turnover as “piling on” the blame onto management. I think however, the timing is relevant , with it being a new year and the results, by management’s own stated goals for getting younger, not being even close to met many months later.

The fans who tune in are watching day to day rosters decisions unfold that go against the stated goals.

You can only trade a player if someone wants them.

 

[KINGS17]

This will be better for the Kings and better for Toffoli as well. He's been in the organization for a decade, it's just time to move on and get so me kind of return for him and hopefully find a spot where he can better succeed. Second and third tier players don't usually spend that long in an organization, especially one that hasn't won squat in six years. Thanks for the contributions, especially early in his career but giving Tyler Toffoli a contract extension is not a smart move for where the Kings currently are.

Toffoli with the primary assist on a cup clinching double OT goal. Not many players ever even get a whiff of that kind of moment. I'll remember him for it. It's too bad he wasn't able to be more consistent with his performance and improve as he gained more experience. I think from a skill point of view we were all hoping he would be the next Justin Williams for the Kings, but it just shows you how special the spark was in Williams' game.

 

[apadilla]

Carolina also has the Rangers' 2nd from the Adam Fox trade which could be around #40. Teams have been a bit more reluctant to give up 1st rounders for rentals in recent years. Maybe at best you can get a conditional pick like Patrick Eaves and Mats Zuccarello got.

- Eaves: 2017 2nd rounder which was upgraded to a 1st (29th overall) when Ducks made Conference Finals. For better or worse, the Ducks had interest in extending Eaves.
- Zuccarello: 2019 2nd rounder which would have been upgraded to a 1st if Dallas had made the Conference Finals (ie, the pick would have been 28th-31st)

Thanks for the info. If it were to be that 2nd pick, that's more acceptable!

 

[apadilla]

Well, if they shouldn't be stingy, that must be what it takes to get them to part with one. Awww, come on man, pleeease? Yup, that's how trades work.

Hey man, thanks for the laugh! Great way to start the weekend.

 

[BigKing]

Toffoli with the primary assist on a cup clinching double OT goal. Not many players ever even get a whiff of that kind of moment. I'll remember him for it. It's too bad he wasn't able to be more consistent with his performance and improve as he gained more experience. I think from a skill point of view we were all hoping he would be the next Justin Williams for the Kings, but it just shows you how special the spark was in Williams' game.

He was the first legit sniper prospect in ages. He was to the prospects thread what Kaliyev is now. Then he comes in and scores some beauties while becoming a key cog in the 2014 run. Then he has a season where he leads the league in plus/minus while putting up over 30 goals. Hell, I bought a jersey after they won in '14. Thought he'd be a 25 goal scorer for this team for years and years.

No ill-will towards the guy. Just gnarly how he somehow just fell off a cliff halfway through the '18 season and didn't recover until this season. I preached that holding him until this season's TDL was the right move because he could easily be putting up a 20-something goal pace heading in to the TDL and here we are. The thought of signing him long term is scary though because it does seem like his skating has fallen off from where he was earlier in his career and it was never his strong suit to begin with. That being said, he had an unsustainable 15% shooting percentage in his 30 goal season while his 20 goal seasons saw him in the 10% range. That's where he is this season and, lo and behold, he'll go over 20 again unless he craters. He was at 6% last season which is horrible and an outlier.

I'm probably one of the few that doesn't hate the guy and didn't hate him last year. I still believe in his talent as a scorer and in his hockey IQ. He has more 20+ goal seasons in him after this one but how long do you have to sign him for and for how long? Is he a good piece to have three years from now or is he washed? I mean, if they want to make the playoffs in 2022, will they have a replacement 20 goal scorer? They need another 20 goal scorer anyways and then another one to replace him.

I still think you move him because he is UFA and there are no guarantees. The Muzzin trade is easier to make though because the haul is so big. If Toffoli isn't bringing back that much, it might give cause for pause. Blake is going to do it anyways though but I wouldn't be surprised if he circles back to him when he's UFA.

 

[bland]

I guess bringing in five young players is something to scoff at, while moving on from a bunch of older players who are past their expiration date. You’re another one of those parrots who are hung up on Blake since 2001. Get over yourselves.

Iafallo costs half of Pearson’s contract and is just as productive, Kempe is also getting more ice time on LW with Pearson gone. The double talk here is funny, you have people saying the Kings need to move on from the players who were around from the last Cup run, then turn around and whine when they go ahead and do that.

As usual, you are adding 2 and 2 and getting 4,000.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

This will be better for the Kings and better for Toffoli as well. He's been in the organization for a decade, it's just time to move on and get so me kind of return for him and hopefully find a spot where he can better succeed. Second and third tier players don't usually spend that long in an organization, especially one that hasn't won squat in six years. Thanks for the contributions, especially early in his career but giving Tyler Toffoli a contract extension is not a smart move for where the Kings currently are.

Well, this made me feel old. Wow.

He was the first legit sniper prospect in ages. He was to the prospects thread what Kaliyev is now. Then he comes in and scores some beauties while becoming a key cog in the 2014 run. Then he has a season where he leads the league in plus/minus while putting up over 30 goals. Hell, I bought a jersey after they won in '14. Thought he'd be a 25 goal scorer for this team for years and years.

No ill-will towards the guy. Just gnarly how he somehow just fell off a cliff halfway through the '18 season and didn't recover until this season. I preached that holding him until this season's TDL was the right move because he could easily be putting up a 20-something goal pace heading in to the TDL and here we are. The thought of signing him long term is scary though because it does seem like his skating has fallen off from where he was earlier in his career and it was never his strong suit to begin with. That being said, he had an unsustainable 15% shooting percentage in his 30 goal season while his 20 goal seasons saw him in the 10% range. That's where he is this season and, lo and behold, he'll go over 20 again unless he craters. He was at 6% last season which is horrible and an outlier.

I'm probably one of the few that doesn't hate the guy and didn't hate him last year. I still believe in his talent as a scorer and in his hockey IQ. He has more 20+ goal seasons in him after this one but how long do you have to sign him for and for how long? Is he a good piece to have three years from now or is he washed? I mean, if they want to make the playoffs in 2022, will they have a replacement 20 goal scorer? They need another 20 goal scorer anyways and then another one to replace him.

I still think you move him because he is UFA and there are no guarantees. The Muzzin trade is easier to make though because the haul is so big. If Toffoli isn't bringing back that much, it might give cause for pause. Blake is going to do it anyways though but I wouldn't be surprised if he circles back to him when he's UFA.

Well, now we know who to blame! Get him, guys!

 

[kilowatt]

Fun fact: McDavid (70 points) has more points than our top two scorers, Kopitar (40 points) and Toffoli (27 points) combined. Pastrnak has 5 fewer goals (35) than Kopitar has points (40).

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

As usual, you are adding 2 and 2 and getting 4,000.

And you complain if Blake does anything while at the same time complain that he isn't doing enough.

He trades an underachieving and overpaid player, suddenly he moved a valuable asset (despite the fact that a second team gave up on him). He brings in a number of younger players and the average age of the team drops by a year, yet somehow they still haven't taken enough steps to get younger and should force prospects who aren't NHL ready into significant roles according to the armchair GMs.

Blake truly is damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. The trade deadline is still a month away, we all knew this would be yet another transition season, yet we still have irrational fans wringing their hands towards the sky, complaining about something.

Let's hear these well thought out plans that you guys have concocted that this GM is too f***ing stupid to execute on.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Kovalchuk, Phaneuf, Muzzin, Hagelin, Thompson, Fantenberg, Pearson. All 27+ years old, in the line-up last year, now gone.

The oldest addition to the team this year was Ben Hutton who doesn't turn 27 until April.

Apparently that isn't enough. They still have to trade Kopitar, Doughty, Quick, Brown, Carter, Toffoli, Martinez, Iafallo, Kempe, Clifford, Campbell, Lewis, and the guy who collects the towels.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Toffoli with the primary assist on a cup clinching double OT goal. Not many players ever even get a whiff of that kind of moment. I'll remember him for it. It's too bad he wasn't able to be more consistent with his performance and improve as he gained more experience. I think from a skill point of view we were all hoping he would be the next Justin Williams for the Kings, but it just shows you how special the spark was in Williams' game.

There’s a term in basketball called a “unicorn” for one of a kind players, and Williams may be that kind of player. He just had such a unique set of skills and intangibles without possessing some ungodly physicality or speed.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Apparently that isn't enough. They still have to trade Kopitar, Doughty, Quick, Brown, Carter, Toffoli, Martinez, Iafallo, Kempe, Clifford, Campbell, Lewis, and the guy who collects the towels.

The guy who collects the towels is clearly way past his prime, though. Time to move on.

 

[kovacro]

Saw this posted on the main board so make of it what you will.

Friedman: Bruins know they’ve got a deal for Toffoli ‘in their hip pocket’

 

[kingsfan28]

Saw this posted on the main board so make of it what you will.

Friedman: Bruins know they’ve got a deal for Toffoli ‘in their hip pocket’

I hope Blake tells them to pound sand after flipping Jones to the Sharks in 2016. [yes i'm still pissed]

 

[crassbonanza]

I hope Blake tells them to pound sand after flipping Jones to the Sharks in 2016. [yes i'm still pissed]

Looking back it was pretty obvious it was going to happen. The Bruins had no need for a starting goalie and there were rumors that the Sharks were going to offer sheet him before the trade. Not sure what Dean was thinking there. You would think that the 13th overall would have easily been enough, that alone would have been a bit of an overpay.

 

[Herby]

Looking back it was pretty obvious it was going to happen. The Bruins had no need for a starting goalie and there were rumors that the Sharks were going to offer sheet him before the trade. Not sure what Dean was thinking there. You would think that the 13th overall would have easily been enough, that alone would have been a bit of an overpay.

When I was a kid I used to think about how stupid the whole McSorely/McEachern/Sandstrom debacle of the mid 90's was. Where the Kings essentially traded Tomas Sandstrom for Jim Paek.

The Lucic trade is on that level (actually probably worse), even almost five years later I still struggle to wonder what Lombardi was thinking and why one of his assistants didn't step in and have an intervention before that trade went down. It has to be up there for the worst trade in the NHL this decade. Thankfully Jones didn't lead them to the Cup in 2016 and has greatly fallen off.

 

[Master Yoda]

I hope Blake tells them to pound sand after flipping Jones to the Sharks in 2016. [yes i'm still pissed]

If they want to give us a first round pick, then no hard feelings.

 

[kingsfan28]

When I was a kid I used to think about how stupid the whole McSorely/McEachern/Sandstrom debacle of the mid 90's was. Where the Kings essentially traded Tomas Sandstrom for Jim Paek.

The Lucic trade is on that level (actually probably worse), even almost five years later I still struggle to wonder what Lombardi was thinking and why one of his assistants didn't step in and have an intervention before that trade went down. It has to be up there for the worst trade in the NHL this decade. Thankfully Jones didn't lead them to the Cup in 2016 and has greatly fallen off.

this is very true. It was terrible asset management anyway you cut it. we needed that first rounder, who by all account is doing really well as a pro. Miller had a high value at the time and could gotten something. and with Jones we'd still gotten a good pick as compensation for the offer sheet. i find it really hard to believe no other east coast team needed a soild goalie. at least put in a condition that if you flip him, we get a pick or the 1st becomes a 2nd/3rd rounder.

 

[Sleeping Dog]

This whole “I’ve got to trade my players out of my conference thing” is a joke. You need to get the best value for your player in a trade. If EDM has a trade offer that is better than BOS, then you make the trade with the Oilers. Dean tried to keep Jones away from SJ, which ended up having him make a horrible trade for Lucic.
Do I care if Jones is with SJ or Pearson is with VAN? No - just give me the best assets I can get in a deal.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Lombardi was still trying to win in 2015. He wasn't concerned with the future. They missed the playoff by a couple points, and the glory days were still too recent. Despite falling flat in 14-15, there was still that just get in/cockroach aura around the team. He was also trying to take advantage of what at the time was still a good contract for Kopitar. Had to strike while that iron was hot. Can't give away one last $6.8m season.

The 15-16 team had the highest point% of any Kings team since 90-91. They were 4th overall the day Kopitar signed his extension. Then fell to 13th overall the rest of that season, while Anaheim had the best points% from 1/17/16 to the end of the season. DL was still all in.

Hell, the 14-15 team had the most regulation wins of any Lombardi-era Kings team. They had the 4th best home record in the league that year too.

Miller did enough in Boston to be left exposed in the expansion draft. Jones has little value to the Kings, and all he brought the Bruins is a 4th liner, and a guy picked in the 1st round who hasn't done anything. He wasn't in a position to be demanding anything with Jones. With the way Lombardi was drafting, there's no guarantee whoever the Kings would've taken in 2015 is the guy everyone wants. To not get what Lombardi was doing at the time, it's overthinking the situation. He was still in win mode, trying to take advantage of a cheap Kopitar, and was able to replace Williams(I know, I know, nothing can replace that dreamboat), for the same amount of money, without subtracting anything from the NHL roster, other than the backup goalie who was an RFA and wasn't going to re-sign here.

Neither Barzal or Connor play regularly until Oct 2017, which doesn't help Lombardi in Oct 2015. Sure, the run was already over. The run was over the day Lombardi couldn't let go of Richards. But that's not how he saw it. He still saw a team that he thought had whatever "it" is. Again, 4th overall on 1/16/16, with no reason to think Anaheim, who were sitting 21st on that same day, would eventually catch and pass them in the standings. That's not McSorley/Sandstrom. The Kings finished 5th worst in 93-94.

 

[KingsFan7824]

This whole “I’ve got to trade my players out of my conference thing” is a joke. You need to get the best value for your player in a trade. If EDM has a trade offer that is better than BOS, then you make the trade with the Oilers. Dean tried to keep Jones away from SJ, which ended up having him make a horrible trade for Lucic.
Do I care if Jones is with SJ or Pearson is with VAN? No - just give me the best assets I can get in a deal.

If that were the case, then why would he trade him to a team with a $7m Tuukka Rask on it? Who also had a full NMC, and was still signed for 6 more seasons? Knowing that Jones wanted a no question about it #1 job? In Lombardi's mind, it seems the Boston trade was the best value. I don't know what other options he had to compare them, but Boston would've been the last team to trade Jones to if you were trying to keep him away from the Sharks.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Starting to question a few of Blake’s moves.

Pearson was a former first and all he fetched was Carl Hagelin? Thank god he parlayed him for a 3rd. But still, terrible asset management for a former first the kings developed and is having a great year in Vancouver.

Dominik Kubalík. What happened here? How come the Kings couldn’t get him to sign here? 14 goals and 24 points in Chicago.

Kovalchuk. No comment needed. Terrible move. Stuck with the cap hit now and I’m sure ownership isn’t happy they shelled out 4 million a few weeks back for nothing.

 

[KopitarFAN]

I hope Blake tells them to pound sand after flipping Jones to the Sharks in 2016. [yes i'm still pissed]

Not if they were offering their 1st, they might be the only team to do so because it could be so much later than the others.

 

[Matt13]

Saw this posted on the main board so make of it what you will.

Friedman: Bruins know they’ve got a deal for Toffoli ‘in their hip pocket’

I really don’t want to give up on Toffoli. Last off seasons Pilates training is starting to pay dividends. I think we would really be selling on the low. Imagine 2 offseason of Pilates? Maybe a little Jazzercise, even.

 

[LAKings88]

Starting to question a few of Blake’s moves.

Pearson was a former first and all he fetched was Carl Hagelin? Thank god he parlayed him for a 3rd. But still, terrible asset management for a former first the kings developed and is having a great year in Vancouver.

Dominik Kubalík. What happened here? How come the Kings couldn’t get him to sign here? 14 goals and 24 points in Chicago.

Kovalchuk. No comment needed. Terrible move. Stuck with the cap hit now and I’m sure ownership isn’t happy they shelled out 4 million a few weeks back for nothing.

Pearson was a cap dump/non-factor for awhile. Even Pitt fans gave up on him. Good on him for improving this year.

Kubalik didn’t want LA.

Kovy was a free asset they thought would add offense and improve the PP. He was a bust.