2019-20 Kings News/Rumors

[The Tikkanen]

Arthur Staple covers the Islanders for the Athletic. He wrote today about trade targets and included Toffoli. The interesting bit is the part where he writes that there may be a front office change coming this off season.

Wouldn’t be shocked to see Blake quit and go take a job being GM of the Ducks.

It's hard to take what he says seriously when he states that Toffoli, the softest soft body hockey player I've seen since West Covina roller hockey can play a heavy style.

 

[bland]

It's hard to take what he says seriously when he states that Toffoli, the softest soft body hockey player I've seen since West Covina roller hockey can play a heavy style.

Toffoli is and has been the Kings best board play winger since Frolov.

There is a lot more to playing "heavy" than knocking bodies around.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

That would be fine, then they can fire Robitaille and start getting serious about an actual rebuild.

Plot twist, Robataille is new GM.

It's hard to take what he says seriously when he states that Toffoli, the softest soft body hockey player I've seen since West Covina roller hockey can play a heavy style.

I saw the biggest body check I've ever seen in roller hockey take place at that rink though! Dude got driven right out the rink door

 

[ru4reals]

It's hard to take what he says seriously when he states that Toffoli, the softest soft body hockey player I've seen since West Covina roller hockey can play a heavy style.

Talk about blast from the past use to play in that league a long time ago. Good times good times.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Here’s the Toffoli blurb. Sounds more like gossip, then again, shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic wouldn’t surprise me. That said, they’re rebuilding and it’s been less than two years under reconstruction. Why make changes now?

Tyler Toffoli, forward, Kings: A consistent point-every-other-game scorer over his seven-plus seasons in L.A., he’s also got consistently strong metrics and can play a heavier style that the Islanders prefer. The Kings are rumored to be in some front-office flux — a league source indicated there could be a GM change coming at season’s end, so that may change the view on some of the vets. But the Kings are in sell mode, it seems, and the Islanders need a productive winger to solidify their top nine.

Exec’s take: “I’ve heard there hasn’t been much talk there because the cost is still pretty high, but it sure seems like they’re going to move him. Should pick up after the break.”

Projected cost: Much like with Pageau, surrendering a first for a rental seems foolish for the Isles, given where they are and the state of their prospect pool. If one of the league heavyweights (St. Louis, Boston), or a team like the Avalanche, decides surrendering a late first is worth the risk, the Isles can’t really counter.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

Talk about blast from the past use to play in that league a long time ago. Good times good times.

I played there a few times..but was closer to Duarte, as I lived in Monrovia and played at the Duarte rink, around 1978. lol. My first game there, I was 15 and most were 18 yr olds . I was the smallest
one and no one knew me and my older brother, who was 18. He got me the puck a lot and I had 4 goals...they started playing me hard after my third. I felt like Lizotte out there, though.
I had played since I was 10, so had some decent skills at 15. I took real pucks to a school and shot real pucks for like an hour...so when games used the lighter pucks, could tag them pretty
good for my age. My first skates were those Ralph Backstrom in-line skates...before they started making inline skates...must have been 1973, I think. I didn;t play ice until I was 29 and played
2 years...when I started working in film in a post production place and had to work 5 pm to 3 am, could no longer play ice. I also went to Santa Monica and played there many Saturdays. early 80s.

Man I feel old right now...

 

[KINGS17]

Plot twist, Robataille is new GM.

How is Robitaille going to find time for it when he has to design uniforms?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

How is Robitaille going to find time for it when he has to design uniforms?

I'm sure he can delegate to a fruit bat.

 

[TopT]

It's my biggest criticism of the development staff. I know higher picks helps, but the top player developed by the Kings and stayed with the team is Tyler Toffoli.

The development staff just doesn't develop certain skillsets which create successful high-end forwards at the NHL level. They create pros, which is also admirable, but there's an element that's lacking

I think that a lot has to do with the profile we are drafting, just not enough (if any ) skilled creative guys; I hope this changes this year, size is overrated

 

[Kingspiracy]

Plot twist, Robataille is new GM.

......

Double plot twist, back comes Lombardi for round two!

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Double plot twist, back comes Lombardi for round two!

Nothing would make me happier.

 

[Matt13]

Double plot twist, back comes Lombardi for round two!

It’ll be Hextall

 

[ibleedkings]

Double plot twist, back comes Lombardi for round two!

No thanks!

 

[Bandit]

How is Robitaille going to find time for it when he has to design uniforms?

Because he didn’t say which Robitaille. Stacia will be GM and Luc will be costume designer.

 

[Reaper45]

Maybe Blake takes a front office job ala Robitaille vice president of some such bullshit and either Futa or Hextall takes over.

 

[crassbonanza]

Nothing would make me happier.

Oh man, I couldn't wait for Deano to trade Cal Petersen, Mikey Anderson and our 1st round pick for Ryan Dzingle in the offseason.

 

[KINGS17]

Oh man, I couldn't wait for Deano to trade Cal Petersen, Mikey Anderson and our 1st round pick for Ryan Dzingle in the offseason.

What is funny is that some of you think Dean Lombardi is a stupid man and isn't capable of critical self evaluation. In fact, I know by speaking with him several times he is very good at it. While stubbornly loyal and sticking with the players who won the cups, he had recognized his mistake. This was obvious by his comment regarding players being commodities and assets and he was going to start viewing them as such.

The organization nepotism from the days of failure with which Robitaille and Blake are well acquainted is a problem and a very big part of will take years to correct.

There may be hope for Blake, but Robitaille needs to go.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Remember when Dean Lombardi tried hard to re-sign Milan Lucic? Or when he didn't make any move to signal that the team was going to rebuild after they were embarrassed in the first round by San Jose in 2017?

Remember the team he assembled away from the Kings for the World Cup that was horrendous and couldn't even keep up against other teams like Team Europe and the Young Stars team? Can't wait to go backwards yet again.

 

[KINGS17]

Remember when Dean Lombardi tried hard to re-sign Milan Lucic? Or when he didn't make any move to signal that the team was going to rebuild after they were embarrassed in the first round by San Jose in 2017?

Remember the team he assembled away from the Kings for the World Cup that was horrendous and couldn't even keep up against other teams like Team Europe and the Young Stars team? Can't wait to go backwards yet again.

Yes, I remember all of this. Still doesn't change my opinion Lombardi is an intelligent man and learns from his mistakes. I am assuming you have no personal knowledge or evidence that he doesn't. I don't think Lombardi will be the Kings GM again, but it doesn't mean he isn't capable of having great success if given another opportunity.

The Kings have gone beyond backwards in promoting Robitaille.

 

[crassbonanza]

What is funny is that some of you think Dean Lombardi is a stupid man and isn't capable of critical self evaluation. In fact, I know by speaking with him several times he is very good at it. While stubbornly loyal and sticking with the players who won the cups, he had recognized his mistake. This was obvious by his comment regarding players being commodities and assets and he was going to start viewing them as such.

Lombardi went all in in 2014-2015, 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 and made the playoffs once, winning just one playoff game.

During that stretch he payed the following for rentals: 2015 1st, 2016 1st, Roland McKeown, Martin Jones, Colin Miller, Jordan Weal, 2016 3rd, Valentin Zykov, Eric Cernak, 2017 4th, 2016 5th.

Lombardi was without a doubt the greatest GM in franchise history and he is a really smart guy, but let's not act like he is not 100% at fault for where this franchise is right now. This team that is completely devoid of young offensive talent is because of him emptying the cupboard constantly. He may have eventually stopped, but how many chances does he get?

One more thing, I am actually pretty happy that Dean isn't in charge of our drafts during this tanking season. He had six top 15 draft picks during his tenure as GM, with those the Kings ended up with Jonathan Bernier, Thomas Hickey, Drew Doughty, Colton Teubert, Brayden Schenn, and Derek Forbort. That is not exactly a wild success rate.

 

[KINGS17]

Lombardi went all in in 2014-2015, 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 and made the playoffs once, winning just one playoff game.

During that stretch he payed the following for rentals: 2015 1st, 2016 1st, Roland McKeown, Martin Jones, Colin Miller, Jordan Weal, 2016 3rd, Valentin Zykov, Eric Cernak, 2017 4th, 2016 5th.

Lombardi was without a doubt the greatest GM in franchise history and he is a really smart guy, but let's not act like he is not 100% at fault for where this franchise is right now. This team that is completely devoid of young offensive talent is because of him emptying the cupboard constantly. He may have eventually stopped, but how many chances does he get?

One more thing, I am actually pretty happy that Dean isn't in charge of our drafts during this tanking season. He had six top 15 draft picks during his tenure as GM, with those the Kings ended up with Jonathan Bernier, Thomas Hickey, Drew Doughty, Colton Teubert, Brayden Schenn, and Derek Forbort. That is not exactly a wild success rate.

I would dispute the 100% at fault assessment. Lombardi definitely shoulders a large percentage of the blame. The players quit on two coaches, and are just as culpable.

 

[HeadInjury]

Remember when Dean Lombardi tried hard to re-sign Milan Lucic? Or when he didn't make any move to signal that the team was going to rebuild after they were embarrassed in the first round by San Jose in 2017?

Remember the team he assembled away from the Kings for the World Cup that was horrendous and couldn't even keep up against other teams like Team Europe and the Young Stars team? Can't wait to go backwards yet again.

Remember when it came out that he was hoping to re-sign Bishop? For me, that what the moment when I realized that he had simply lost it. It took me awhile to accept that, because I loved the guy and obviously he got us two Cups.

He got a real tough break with the Voynov situation. So I had no criticism of the Sekera trade. He overpaid for Lucic, but I thought Lucic played pretty well until he disappeared in the playoffs. I knew DL wouldn't be able to re-sign him, so I wasn't concerned that he tried.

Dean had always been mistake prone. Hickey, Beachball, Crawford, etc. But eventually you ask: When was the last time he made a good decision? And then you realize he hadn't made a decision in years that had any impact in a good way.

 

[crassbonanza]

I would dispute the 100% at fault assessment. Lombardi definitely shoulders a large percentage of the blame. The players quit on two coaches, and are just as culpable.

Yeah, I suppose that is fair. The players do bear some responsibility.

 

[kings11]

What is funny is that some of you think Dean Lombardi is a stupid man and isn't capable of critical self evaluation. In fact, I know by speaking with him several times he is very good at it. While stubbornly loyal and sticking with the players who won the cups, he had recognized his mistake. This was obvious by his comment regarding players being commodities and assets and he was going to start viewing them as such.

The organization nepotism from the days of failure with which Robitaille and Blake are well acquainted and a very big part of will take years to correct.

There may be hope for Blake, but Robitaille needs to go.

We've had this talk awhile ago as well, Robitaille is the cancer that's killing this team.. I thnk he undermines Rob and Co with his cheerleadering antics and from having the unfortunate chance to talk to him... He makes Gomer Pyle look like a genius

 

[Fat Elvis]

I would dispute the 100% at fault assessment. Lombardi definitely shoulders a large percentage of the blame. The players quit on two coaches, and are just as culpable.

Same players still on the roster that many here deem "untouchable"