2019-20 Kings News/Rumors

[YP44]

I still think Kempe is the wrong guy to be centering that line...
It should be Amadio who has a much more mature overall game

Amadio has looked really good.
How about this: Kempe, Amadio, Kovalchuk

 

[kings11]

In Lewis' case there is nothing to showcase. He's a 4th line PK specialist. He needs just to stay healthy at the TDL and we can possibly get a 4th rounder for him. Maybe a low 3rd from a desperate GM.
Carter and Kovy have some term, they won't move this year. Both need to produce next year when maybe someone takes a chance on them.
Toffoli I can see him being showcased, get ~15 goals by TDL and we may luck out and get a 2nd + prospect.

That's not alot of open roster spots for both Wagner and Grundstrom. They will pretty much have to wait for injuries to stay in the lineup. They'll play musical bench chairs while Iafallo and Kempe struggle to produce playing in our top 6, and we "showcase" the vets for trades that may never happen.

Carter and Kovy with decent seasons aka 45pts for Carts(2Yrs left) and 20goals for Kovy(1Yr left) plus 30%-50% retention gets them both off the team with a mid round pick coming back... Or we keep them to help us reach the floor which is another factor you must consider.
Toffoli and Lewis are absolute goners and will return a 2nd and 4th in a very deep draft.
^^^ Those are the spots Grundstrom and Wagner will take post trades^^^

 

[kings11]

Amadio has looked really good.
How about this: Kempe, Amadio, Kovalchuk

Coul dwork but i think when AK plays uptempo and teammates can keep up he doesnt think as much..

Kovalchuk-Amadio-Carter
Kempe-Lizotte-Toffoli???

 

[YP44]

Coul dwork but i think when AK plays uptempo and teammates can keep up he doesnt think as much..

Kovalchuk-Amadio-Carter
Kempe-Lizotte-Toffoli???

Would be good with this too. Lizotte really seemed to be moving yesterday. Kmepe and Kovalchuk looked good to me so I don't know abotu breaking them up but maybe.

 

[Fishhead]

Toffoli looked rejuvenated last night. I don't expect them to re-sign him, but his value will increase if he keeps it up.

 

[YP44]

Toffoli looked rejuvenated last night. I don't expect them to re-sign him, but his value will increase if he keeps it up.

agree

 

[KINGS17]

I have heard this before and it sounds nice but when exactly would that have been?

-2014: Can't trade him after a cup
-2015: Team finishes with 95 points and somehow misses playoffs. Most reporters and writers felt if LA could have got in they would have done damage. Plsu they were so close given all the off ice **** was impressive. Hard to deal him then
-2016: Kings get over 100 points and looks legit again. Tough first round match with a team that would got the stanley cup final. Window still seems open
-2017: Could maybe get behind this year as team misses the playoffs. Carter lead the team in points and goals, so this means either he could be part of solution or this would have been time to maximize return. After all his cap hit is seen as a steal at this point. Sutter era needs to end and everyone knew it caused issues (locking a coach out of the room what?)
-2018: LA returns to playoffs despite Carter being injured. Hard to trade an injured dude, and thought was team would be better with the 2017 leading scorer in the lineup in 2019
-2019: Well **** that didn't work. Wheels fall off and it now appears his injury has caused him to be too slow and not worth his cap hit.
-2020: We pray for some resurgence so that he can have some value

I like the idea of trading Carter back when they could get a premium but I just do not see where someone who is being realistic would have done that. There are arguments both ways.

When they were swept by Vegas in the first round the writing was on the wall. I posted that at the time, but 2017 at the deadline was probably the expiration date for a trade.

Seems pretty realistic to me to pull the trigger, especially in 2017, because it was clear this roster wasn't going to contend again.

 

[Bandit]

Can't believe I'm saying this out load but is there any word on when Forbort might be ready?

 

[Kingspiracy]

Can't believe I'm saying this out load but is there any word on when Forbort might be ready?

Shame, shame,shame,shame,shame...

 

[Herby]

I have heard this before and it sounds nice but when exactly would that have been?

-2014: Can't trade him after a cup
-2015: Team finishes with 95 points and somehow misses playoffs. Most reporters and writers felt if LA could have got in they would have done damage. Plsu they were so close given all the off ice **** was impressive. Hard to deal him then
-2016: Kings get over 100 points and looks legit again. Tough first round match with a team that would got the stanley cup final. Window still seems open
-2017: Could maybe get behind this year as team misses the playoffs. Carter lead the team in points and goals, so this means either he could be part of solution or this would have been time to maximize return. After all his cap hit is seen as a steal at this point. Sutter era needs to end and everyone knew it caused issues (locking a coach out of the room what?)
-2018: LA returns to playoffs despite Carter being injured. Hard to trade an injured dude, and thought was team would be better with the 2017 leading scorer in the lineup in 2019
-2019: Well **** that didn't work. Wheels fall off and it now appears his injury has caused him to be too slow and not worth his cap hit.
-2020: We pray for some resurgence so that he can have some value

I like the idea of trading Carter back when they could get a premium but I just do not see where someone who is being realistic would have done that. There are arguments both ways.

You answered your own question.

It should have been after 2017, the team had one playoff win in three seasons and the window was clear as day shut.

You can make a case for 2016 also, but it pretty clearly should have happened after 2017.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

I’ve always thought the window shut after that 2016 Sharks series. Lombardi went all in on Lucic and that team still rolled over for the Sharks in the first round.

For me personally that was the end of the Glory Years. It was obvious even at the time. I jumped wholesale onto the rebuild train starting in May 2016.

 

[KINGS17]

Can't believe I'm saying this out load but is there any word on when Forbort might be ready?

Forbort will be back by Christmas.

 

[Lt Dan]

Forbort will be back by Christmas.

Ha Ha Well played

 

[Bandit]

Forbort will be back by Christmas.

 

[KINGS17]

It's timeless.

 

[Bandit]

It's timeless.

A three way with two college sophomores is timeless.

 

[KINGS17]

A three way with two college sophomores is timeless.

How much money did that cost you?

 

[Bandit]

How much money did that cost you?

Just a bottle of vodka and a smile. So you know, far less than your last refill of Viagra.

 

[KINGS17]

Just a bottle of vodka and a smile. So you know, far less than your last refill of Viagra.

...and how much for the roofies?

 

[Bandit]

...and how much for the roofies?

I wouldn’t know. Keep making those grandad jokes though.

 

[KINGS17]

I wouldn’t know. Keep making those grandad jokes though.

Come back after you have found a whetstone for your wit.

 

[Bandit]

Come back after you have found a whetstone for your wit.

I have no idea why you decided to once again be a prick for no reason but I’m done entertaining it.

 

[Frank8]

Sens fan here so take this with a grain of salt - A Kings rebuild seems inevitable and with the 2020 draft looking strong, why not start now? Kopitar's current situation reminds me of Alfie's in his last few years - trying to do everything himself with mostly mediocre talent around him and time catching up. Alfie should have been traded to a cup contender while he had value.

The first fit that comes to mind is the Rangers who are in need of a second line C. Kakko and Kreider/Kravtsov would be upgrades for Kopi and that line would feast on second pairing match ups. Chytil and a 1st? Just one possibility but you get the idea.

It's so hard to let go of your franchise guy and few teams seem able to do it, but in the not too distant future they could be asking themselves why they didn't do more when they could.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Carter was already 31, with 6 years remaining on his contract, after the 15-16 season. Teams that sign free agents to a contract like that, at that age, are ripped. Imagine giving up an actual asset. Even Kessel only has 3 years left. The only reason he was dealt was because Malkin doesn't like him. And he went to the team where a former coach is the coach. After the sulking Carter did in Columbus, maybe some teams wouldn't have wanted him, on the chance that he wouldn't be happy.

Sens fan here so take this with a grain of salt - A Kings rebuild seems inevitable and with the 2020 draft looking strong, why not start now? Kopitar's current situation reminds me of Alfie's in his last few years - trying to do everything himself with mostly mediocre talent around him and time catching up. Alfie should have been traded to a cup contender while he had value.

The first fit that comes to mind is the Rangers who are in need of a second line C. Kakko and Kreider/Kravtsov would be upgrades for Kopi and that line would feast on second pairing match ups. Chytil and a 1st? Just one possibility but you get the idea.

It's so hard to let go of your franchise guy and few teams seem able to do it, but in the not too distant future they could be asking themselves why they didn't do more when they could.

Maybe in a non-cap league. He's got 5 years left, at $10m the cap. Even the Rangers can't just absorb that. He's got a full NMC for the rest of this season, and he's not going to up his life in the middle of a season. He's got 2 Cups. He's not chasing anything. There has been nothing about him being unhappy here, due to the state of the franchise, or any other reason. Very few would be opposed to Kopitar being traded at this point, but it's just not realistic in any way. He's 32. He's not going anywhere. Very, very likely he retires as a King.

 

[Frank8]

Carter was already 31, with 6 years remaining on his contract, after the 15-16 season. Teams that sign free agents to a contract like that, at that age, are ripped. Imagine giving up an actual asset. Even Kessel only has 3 years left. The only reason he was dealt was because Malkin doesn't like him. And he went to the team where a former coach is the coach. After the sulking Carter did in Columbus, maybe some teams wouldn't have wanted him, on the chance that he wouldn't be happy.



Maybe in a non-cap league. He's got 5 years left, at $10m the cap. Even the Rangers can't just absorb that. He's got a full NMC for the rest of this season, and he's not going to up his life in the middle of a season. He's got 2 Cups. He's not chasing anything. There has been nothing about him being unhappy here, due to the state of the franchise, or any other reason. Very few would be opposed to Kopitar being traded at this point, but it's just not realistic in any way. He's 32. He's not going anywhere. Very, very likely he retires as a King.

I agree it isn't a likely scenario but if there was the will there NY could make it work - Kreider comes back, Smith or Staal get bought out, LA retains a bit, etc. They just cleared Namestnikov's 3 million plus - there are ways. As for not chasing anything, I don't think that hunger goes away. As much as he'd probably like to retire a King, winning another cup would probably be more ideal.