2019-20 Kings News/Rumors

[KingsofLA]

Give us some examples of skill players he's coached with the Monarchs and Reign. We'll wait.

He has been terrible with Kupari, Clague is still can defend the rush, not sure what he is doing with Sodergran. turned Rempal into an AHL 4th liner. Luff is still not useful in LA. JAD, Bjornfot, Anderson and Vilardi have looked decent this season, but I don't see much progress aside from the last handful of games as the seasons gone on. Peterson is having a hell of a time with the play of the team.

He did great during the LA Cup runs, but his teams don't look ready for games and getting scored seems to be happening a bit to often. To me its about what is happening now.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

That's a whole lot of Year 1 players, including some that have crossed the pond, and some I wouldn't consider 'skill' players at all.

I'm pretty critical of the development group as a whole but that's hardly evidence.

 

[KingsofLA]

Who are the offensive players Stother help develop lately?

 

[Reaper45]

Who are the offensive players Stother help develop lately?

Who are the offensive players the Kings have given him lately?

 

[DryIslandBartender]

I’m not onboard with the idea of just promoting Hextall. While he’s got a lot of experience and has worked with great hockey minds and wants to win more than anyone else etc.

I just think the Kings need to interview a bunch of candidates that are interested and hear what their plans are, what they see the problems of the organization is etc.

Hextall might be the guy but I’d like to see the Kings look for the best person and not repeat the mistakes after canning DL.

 

[kilowatt]

Who are the offensive players Stother help develop lately?

Who are the offensive players the Kings have given him lately?

Stothers took over in July of 2014.

Notable Kings draft picks that finished in the top 10 in scoring for the Monarchs/Reign:
2014-15: Jordan Weal (3rd, 2010), Colin Miller (5th, 2012), Michael Mersch (4th, 2011), Nick Shore (3rd, 2011), Nic Dowd (7th, 2009), Justin Auger (4th, 2013)
2015-16: Nic Dowd, Mersch, Auger, Brodzinski (5th, 2013), Kempe (1st, 2014)
2016-17: Brodzinski, Amadio (3rd, 2014), Mersch, Zach Leslie (6th, 2013)
2017-18: Mersch, Amadio, Brodzinski
2018-19: Matt Roy (7th, 2015), Kale Clague (2nd, 2016), Amadio
2019-20: Jaret Anderson-Dolan (2nd, 2017), Clague, Gabe Vilardi (1st, 2017)

Besides Kempe (and four games of Vilardi last year), this is the first year the Kings have had any kind of blue-chip talent in the AHL. Vilardi, Kupari, Bjornfot, Grundstrom, Anderson-Dolan...

Also, fun fact, the only Kings player this season with a positive +/- is not Carl Grundstrom, at a +4 in 10 games earlier in the season.

 

[Reaper45]

Stothers took over in July of 2014.

Notable Kings draft picks that finished in the top 10 in scoring for the Monarchs/Reign:
2014-15: Jordan Weal (3rd, 2010), Colin Miller (5th, 2012), Michael Mersch (4th, 2011), Nick Shore (3rd, 2011), Nic Dowd (7th, 2009), Justin Auger (4th, 2013)
2015-16: Nic Dowd, Mersch, Auger, Brodzinski (5th, 2013), Kempe (1st, 2014)
2016-17: Brodzinski, Amadio (3rd, 2014), Mersch, Zach Leslie (6th, 2013)
2017-18: Mersch, Amadio, Brodzinski
2018-19: Matt Roy (7th, 2015), Kale Clague (2nd, 2016), Amadio
2019-20: Jaret Anderson-Dolan (2nd, 2017), Clague, Gabe Vilardi (1st, 2017)

Besides Kempe (and four games of Vilardi last year), this is the first year the Kings have had any kind of blue-chip talent in the AHL. Vilardi, Kupari, Bjornfot, Grundstrom, Anderson-Dolan...

Also, fun fact, the only Kings player this season with a positive +/- is not Carl Grundstrom, at a +4 in 10 games earlier in the season.

Exactly my point. A couple of AHL scorers/NHL tweeners and 4th line NHLers. Not really screaming here's a future top 6er and Stothers ruined him imo.

 

[King'sPawn]

While I totally agree that the development system can use an overhaul, the larger issue in my mind is the dearth of good prospects. I doubt the best development system in the league would have pulled much out of the Kings system. From 2011-2016 the Kings had two 1st round draft picks, which were 29th and 30th; The Kings didn't have a 1st round draft pick between Kempe and Vilardi; Prior to Vilardi the last pick higher than 29th was Forbort, etc.

It's really hard to pull high impact players out of the later rounds in drafts. Which is why those 1st round picks are so important.

What's the point of getting good prospects if you aren't developing them well, though?

At least if you develop less impact players well, you can turn them into NHLers and flip them for something else/use them to replace vets internally.

Part of the reason the core has aged so poorly is that prospects took this long to develop into NHLers.

It cycles back to my argument with K17: what's the point of trading a vet for a younger player when you aren't doing an adequate job developing them? It's like getting $1 million and spending it all on blow, instead of finding ways to help invest and letting it mature.

And this remark about the development staff isn't directed at Stothers. It's their approach as a whole.

Improving the development approach should be higher priority.

 

[KINGS17]

What's the point of getting good prospects if you aren't developing them well, though?

At least if you develop less impact players well, you can turn them into NHLers and flip them for something else/use them to replace vets internally.

Part of the reason the core has aged so poorly is that prospects took this long to develop into NHLers.

It cycles back to my argument with K17: what's the point of trading a vet for a younger player when you aren't doing an adequate job developing them? It's like getting $1 million and spending it all on blow, instead of finding ways to help invest and letting it mature.

And this remark about the development staff isn't directed at Stothers. It's their approach as a whole.

Improving the development approach should be higher priority.

Yeah, if the approach to development sucks it's not going to matter. I don't see what that has to do with keeping vets who should have been traded.

 

[DoktorJeep]

I think the fact that so many of the Kings best young players are undrafted college UFAs points to the poor results from the AHL level. All you hear is players are taught to work on defense or going to the gym or eating right and getting enough sleep. You never hear about players working on their skating or passing or shot.

Look at a guy like Amadio who has decent size, great set of hands and shows flashes of on ice vision. Problem is that he’s one to two steps too slow to be able to get shots off in the NHL and loses the majority of puck battles in the offensive zone. Instead of him working on face offs with Stolly while in Ontario the guy needed to work on his skating acceleration and stops/starts.

Mikey Anderson is working on defensive zone coverage and stick position with Sean OD. Great, who are Claugue and Durzi working with on learning how to put up points during the game? Modry?

Is Matt Luff getting skills coaching from Glenn Murray?

We heard one blurb about Adam Oates helping the team like 2 years ago and nada since. Maybe if Wagner worked out with Oates instead of Craig Johnson, he’d finish a breakaway once every 4th game.

 

[bland]

"The food here sucks."

"And such small portions."

 

[KingsCrown]

Is it reasonable to think we’ll have four 2nd round picks after the trade deadline for this upcoming draft?

Toffoli - 2nd and B+ prospect
Martinez - 2nd and 4th
Campbell - 2nd
Our own

I hope if we are trading for a player then our target is K Kapanen. Or if we do end up with the above additional picks we package some for Athanasiou.

 

[kings11]

I think the fact that so many of the Kings best young players are undrafted college UFAs points to the poor results from the AHL level. All you hear is players are taught to work on defense or going to the gym or eating right and getting enough sleep. You never hear about players working on their skating or passing or shot.

Look at a guy like Amadio who has decent size, great set of hands and shows flashes of on ice vision. Problem is that he’s one to two steps too slow to be able to get shots off in the NHL and loses the majority of puck battles in the offensive zone. Instead of him working on face offs with Stolly while in Ontario the guy needed to work on his skating acceleration and stops/starts.

Mikey Anderson is working on defensive zone coverage and stick position with Sean OD. Great, who are Claugue and Durzi working with on learning how to put up points during the game? Modry?

Is Matt Luff getting skills coaching from Glenn Murray?

We heard one blurb about Adam Oates helping the team like 2 years ago and nada since. Maybe if Wagner worked out with Oates instead of Craig Johnson, he’d finish a breakaway once every 4th game.

Look at a guy like Amadio who has decent size, great set of hands and shows flashes of on ice vision. Problem is that he’s one to two steps too slow to be able to get shots off in the NHL and loses the majority of puck battles in the offensive zone. Instead of him working on face offs with Stolly while in Ontario the guy needed to work on his skating acceleration and stops/starts.

When you really look at Amadio, he was dicked around for almost 2 seasons and was showing great strides with his development in Ontario. Inconsistent ice time, bad coaching(CJS&CWD), bad linemates..etc.. He is a prime example on why you leave kids on the farm instead of sitting them on the big club.. If there isnt an open spot for these guys they need to continue to hone their skill and craft by getting those big minutes in the A. The best thing for our kids in Onatrio right now is that they remain there, continue to play big minutes, win, build chemistry and hopefully add more talent via the TDL...
A long playoff run for our Reign would/will do wonders for their development and the future of our Kings. That's just my opinion tho

 

[YP44]

Is it reasonable to think we’ll have four 2nd round picks after the trade deadline for this upcoming draft?

Toffoli - 2nd and B+ prospect
Martinez - 2nd and 4th
Campbell - 2nd
Our own

I hope if we are trading for a player then our target is K Kapanen. Or if we do end up with the above additional picks we package some for Athanasiou.

i don't see Campbell getting a 2nd but hope I am wrong

 

[kilowatt]

Exactly my point. A couple of AHL scorers/NHL tweeners and 4th line NHLers. Not really screaming here's a future top 6er and Stothers ruined him imo.

Agreed. We haven't had talent in the AHL since maybe Pearson, Toffoli, Muzzin, and Voynov in 2012-13? Also, crazy enough, Prokhorkin played a few games with the Monarchs in 2012-13 as well.

 

[KopitarGOAT420]

How can we say that the Kings development system needs to be changed when at this point we don't really know whether it's working or not??? As people have pointed out, there wasn't a lot of high end talent (if any) coming through the development system up until the last year or so. So it makes sense that we haven't seen impact players coming up through the system.

Honestly, sometimes I think we're just bored as fans since there's nothing to follow with the big club so we're trying to find problems where problems might not even exist. From what I've seen/read/heard there's not much that points to the Kings development system failing with players like JAD, Clague, Vilardi, Grundstrom, Bjornfot, Anderson, Kupari, etc.

Bjornfot and Kupari are both super young and playing in NA for the first time (which largely explains why Kupari was struggling before he was injured). Vilardi is doing well especially after not playing hockey for a year. Clague seems to be developing well, same could be said for JAD and Anderson.

Am I missing something here??

 

[kingsboy11]

Couple of Kings nuggets in here.

• Tmac wants Toffoli to be extended, but looks likely to be traded. Boston and Calgary still interested with Flyers as a possibility.
• Martinez also likely dealt with Nashville, Florida and Vegas interested.
  
• Leafs will explore goalie market, but won't trade unless its a significant upgrade. Dubas has traded for Jack Campbell in the past and could be an option for them.

 

[raswilliam]

Trade Watch List 2020 — The Fourth Period

 

[Fat Elvis]

Trade Watch List 2020 — The Fourth Period

On going theme appears to be "No contract talks have taken place". Which is fine by me.

 

[crassbonanza]

What's the point of getting good prospects if you aren't developing them well, though?

I guess my question would be, who have they failed to develop well?

I think it is the old chicken or the egg problem. Are we not developing prospects because development sucks or because we are not providing prospects that are good enough?

 

[King'sPawn]

How can we say that the Kings development system needs to be changed when at this point we don't really know whether it's working or not??? As people have pointed out, there wasn't a lot of high end talent (if any) coming through the development system up until the last year or so. So it makes sense that we haven't seen impact players coming up through the system.

Honestly, sometimes I think we're just bored as fans since there's nothing to follow with the big club so we're trying to find problems where problems might not even exist. From what I've seen/read/heard there's not much that points to the Kings development system failing with players like JAD, Clague, Vilardi, Grundstrom, Bjornfot, Anderson, Kupari, etc.

Bjornfot and Kupari are both super young and playing in NA for the first time (which largely explains why Kupari was struggling before he was injured). Vilardi is doing well especially after not playing hockey for a year. Clague seems to be developing well, same could be said for JAD and Anderson.

Am I missing something here??

Because the best player developed since 2010 is Tyler Toffoli. And even he hasn't completely supplanted a 35 year-old Brown.

The drafting team has nabbed talent who either needed little development time or have had good careers elsewhere for different reasons: Doughty, Simmomds, Schenn, Miller, Kubalik, Cernak. Tanner Pearson is going to hit a career high after hitting a wall here.

The drafting team has shown results of drafting high skill when it's been a requirement.

The development as a whole needs to be improved. Not that anyone needs to go, but there are skills not being fine-tuned.

 

[regulate]

He has been terrible with Kupari, Clague is still can defend the rush, not sure what he is doing with Sodergran. turned Rempal into an AHL 4th liner. Luff is still not useful in LA. JAD, Bjornfot, Anderson and Vilardi have looked decent this season, but I don't see much progress aside from the last handful of games as the seasons gone on. Peterson is having a hell of a time with the play of the team.

He did great during the LA Cup runs, but his teams don't look ready for games and getting scored seems to be happening a bit to often. To me its about what is happening now.

It makes me wonder how many Reign games you watch in person or on AHL Live or if you have very unrealistic expectations that young players are going to come in and dominate in a men's league that is one of the best in the world. Kupari is 19, his first games on a smaller rink. He was just starting to play better before he went to to WJC tourney, and as I've posted many times before, it takes about until Christmas for players to figure it out somewhat there first pro season in the AHL if they have the skill set. Many take a lot longer than that if they have what it takes. Kupari was still trying to skate his way through three defenders at center ice or in the opponents zone for the first few months. He was turning over the puck regularly and was terrible defensively. He was finally figuring out you can't do that on the smaller rink. You don't think the coaching and development staff have tried to punch that into his head? It's up to the player to make the adjustment. He was starting to do that before the unfortunate injury. He was given every opportunity and was centering the 1st line at the start of the season. He was demoted to the 2nd and even the 3rd line based upon his performance. Reign have development staff (outside of practice) work with the players every week (I think it's usually on Tuesday's). Stothers is also not afraid to bench guys who don't go along with what they are being taught. Ask Adrian Kempe about when he was scratched for two consecutive games in the AHL.

Clague made the AHL all-star team this year. Yes, I agree he has trouble defensively, especially with his consistency, but he's come a long way since the start of last season. He still has deficiencies, he's only 21 (if he was 23/24 yes, we have a problem), and he had two really bad games in early January, otherwise he'd be about even for the season plus/minus. The knock on Clague coming out of juniors was his defense. It's still a work in progress. I think Bowen Byram is a good example here. A player with a lot of offensive talent that really struggles defensively and will take some time to make the NHL.

Sodergran. I'm not sure what you expected here from a 6th rounder. He was a bottom line grinder in the SHL, he was a bottom line grinder in the WJC tourney for Sweden, and he's a bottom line grinder on the Reign that has a limited skill set. He had some games playing on the top two lines, but his offensive skill set is not that good, especially his puck handling. Maybe they can turn him into an NHL 4th liner, we'll have to wait and see how he progresses.

Rempal was paired with the top guys to start last season (Amadio, Moulson and Maillet much of the time), and started out on fire last year. But when you don't have as much talent around that are excellent puck distributors (they are all gone) you're gonna struggle. Rempal has been given every opportunity this year on the top two lines and on the PP and wasn't getting the job done. He went 50 games without scoring a goal. He's easily knocked off the puck. He's not an NHL talent. And Luff was an undrafted camp invitee who got a contract and has overachieved for his limited hockey IQ due to his excellent shot release. Again, I think your expectations are too high. We have had a lack of blue chip talent in the AHL for years in this organization. You're just starting to see a few guys trickle in (Bjornfot, Vilardi, Clague), and Petersen has been solid, no room at the inn. I disagree with your assessment.

 

[kings11]

Couple of Kings nuggets in here.

• Tmac wants Toffoli to be extended, but looks likely to be traded. Boston and Calgary still interested with Flyers as a possibility.
• Martinez also likely dealt with Nashville, Florida and Vegas interested.
  
• Leafs will explore goalie market, but won't trade unless its a significant upgrade. Dubas has traded for Jack Campbell in the past and could be an option for them.

• Tmac wants Toffoli to be extended, but looks likely to be traded. Boston and Calgary still interested with Flyers as a possibility. I'd trade Toffoli to Philly for Brink and a 2nd
• Martinez also likely dealt with Nashville, Florida and Vegas interested. Tippett and a 3rd

would be my asks, longshots? kinda, but we have to ask...

 

[King'sPawn]

I guess my question would be, who have they failed to develop well?

I think it is the old chicken or the egg problem. Are we not developing prospects because development sucks or because we are not providing prospects that are good enough?

Toffoli and Pearson were #2 and #3 in OHL scoring in 2012. That neither became a more reliable top-six player is disappointing. Mike Amadio had a 50-goal season in juniors.

Kale Clague still has hope, but is falling down the depth chart.

A 23 year-old undrafted free agent in Alex Iafallo has been the top line left wing for multiple seasons. 21 year-old undrafted free agent Blake Lizotte made the team right away. Both of these guys had minimal time in the minors.

I don't expect every prospect to be world breakers, but I don't see how anyone can argue the amateur scouts have failed at picking the talent needed to develop.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

As a secondary Vegas fan, Martinez would be a good fit for us. Though our glaring need is still a bonafide #1.