2019-20 Kings News/Rumors

[Ziggy Stardust]

The Kings could've kept Pearson and Kovalchuk and absolutely nothing about this team would have changed. Let's be realistic, we've already seen the best from the supposed difference makers on this team. They've already performed the best they have to offer, and those glory days are behind them. The team needs a new identity, and that isn't going to come internally with the same lot still lingering around.

 

[raswilliam]

If we are going to suck, I saw we bring in some players that can hit and fight and at least make our suck interesting. Plus all the young guys that will be on the team in the next few years will have some backup.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Forgot about Kubalik.

Also, they say we have the best prospect pool. Okay, they aren’t doing anything in the NHL right now.

Turcotte didn’t blow anyone socks off recently at WJ and is only 18. Kupari wasn’t tearing up the AHL, granted he’s only 19 and looks like McLuvin in street clothes. Vilardi is just back from what could have been or could be a career ending back injury and has been inconsistent. Clague is not a game changer, Bjornfot is only 18. There is no Mitch Marner or Mathew Tkachuk in this group.

We are stuck with Roy, Walker, Amadio, Wagner, Lizotte...all decent or mediocre prospects or young players.

I also honestly don’t see Vilardi, Turcotte or Kupari contributing for 2-3 years from now maybe more.

Honestly...good.

That'll mean we're awful for two more seasons at least and will continue to get high draft picks while trimming the fat and reassessing the organization as a whole.

Worst thing that could have happened to this team this year would have been the kind of hope that Montreal is getting right now.

 

[Bandit]

Yeah it sucks that Pearson and Kovalchuck have found success elsewhere but it wasn’t going to happen here so there’s no use letting it get you down.

 

[verbalkint47]

All Kovy is really doing is moving Montreal from a potential top 5 pick back into the black hole..

I get that it's frustrating but we need another top 5 pick the next 2 drafts.

Maybe it's easy for me to say tho cuz I don't have cable anymore

 

[Choralone]

This is going to be a long ride and a tough slog. The only reason to bemoan how a former King is doing is because we didn't maximize trade value.

 

[tny760]

If we are going to suck, I saw we bring in some players that can hit and fight and at least make our suck interesting. Plus all the young guys that will be on the team in the next few years will have some backup.

seriously

least they can do is provide entertainment if they want butts in seats

 

[HeadInjury]

All Kovy is really doing is moving Montreal from a potential top 5 pick back into the black hole..

I get that it's frustrating but we need another top 5 pick the next 2 drafts.

Maybe it's easy for me to say tho cuz I don't have cable anymore

The way they are playing recently, they may make the playoffs. I wouldn't be surprised if they hold on to Kovy. He certainly is fitting in well.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

This is going to be a long ride and a tough slog. The only reason to bemoan how a former King is doing is because we didn't maximize trade value.

Honestly, scouts, ast GMs and the like should be getting in their GM's ear "do you see what Kovalchuk, is doing? Scoring goals and winning games? ...And Jack Campbell, lifting the Leafs into the playoffs?
and Tanner Pearson, about to score 20 goals again? And that Kubalik kid, scoring hatties and the baseball swing, hitting the puck into the net, from a cross ice, 3 foot high, 70 mph pass?"

"Yes...what's this have to do with our needs? "

"Everything. Tyler Toffoli is not a 15 goal scorer...he is to LA, but to us, he's a 25 goal scorer....Alex Martinez is back again and even dropping the gloves....and he's a waste there.
To us, he solidifies LD2 and stabilizes our D...and raises his game for sure. 2 rings too." These guys could be had for the cheap, too.

"True...I knew I should have made an offer for Campbell. I think he's takes over there, Andersen back or not....I could have had Kovalchuk for nothing, too...but why didn't you sell me on the Kubalik kid, 2 years ago?"

"Boss, you haven't sent me to Europe in 3 years"

 

[crassbonanza]

I don't put too much stock in shot based metrics, but the Kings are a really interesting case this season. Despite being the 2nd worst team in the league record wise they are near the top of the league by nearly every stat. They are 4th in CF%(53.98), 2nd in FF%(53.97), 1st in SF%(53.97), 4th in xGF%(53.02), 11th in SCF%(51.69), 8th in HDCF%(52.54). If the Kings keep this up it will be a really interesting to see if people reevaluate the use of shot based metrics.

 

[Johnny Utah]

I’m not saying Pearson and Kovy should be on the team - but we traded Pearson for Hagelin? And turned that into only a 3rd. We should have never signed Kovy.

We let Keumper go for nothing, Kubalik for a 5th...Blake’s moves are starting to add up.

Also, the Gaborik trade isn’t looking good either - we could have put Gabby on LTIR or bought him out now we are stuck with Phaneuf buy out - which is even more money and term. Shore or Thompson was a wash - all we did is upgrade a 5th from a 4th round pick.

 

[verbalkint47]

The way they are playing recently, they may make the playoffs. I wouldn't be surprised if they hold on to Kovy. He certainly is fitting in well.

It's possible but to what end? Is Montreal getting past Boston or Tampa? Are they a legit contender?

What is better for us in the long run? Pushing to finish 8th to 10th in the conference or getting top 5 picks?

 

[crassbonanza]

but we traded Pearson for Hagelin? And turned that into only a 3rd.

That 3rd became Parik who is a very exciting goalie. Not to mention the Penguins ended up essentially trading Pearson for a 7th round pick just a few months later.

Kubalik for a 5th

They got some value out of a player who wouldn't sign.

Also, the Gaborik trade isn’t looking good either - we could have put Gabby on LTIR or bought him out now we are stuck with Phaneuf buy out - which is even more money and term

Why does the cap space matter?

 

[HeadInjury]

Even if they trade Kovy, Montreal is still going to be in the middle of the standings. They aren't close to having a shot at a high trade pick. If they can get a 2nd for Kovy, it's going to be at the very end of the round. Basically a high 3rd rounder.

To answer your question, a top 5 pick is better for us, but let's not forget the 2001 and 2012 seasons. Sometimes a team squeaks in and does well.

 

[Bandit]

I don't put too much stock in shot based metrics, but the Kings are a really interesting case this season. Despite being the 2nd worst team in the league record wise they are near the top of the league by nearly every stat. They are 4th in CF%(53.98), 2nd in FF%(53.97), 1st in SF%(53.97), 4th in xGF%(53.02), 11th in SCF%(51.69), 8th in HDCF%(52.54). If the Kings keep this up it will be a really interesting to see if people reevaluate the use of shot based metrics.

They’ve touched on this on the broadcast. MaClellan has said they don’t have the talent and need three golden chances to score when other teams only need one. Perfectly illustrated yesterday where the kings and devils both posted about the same number of shots (30+) and the devils came away with 3 goals and the kings got dick.

 

[crassbonanza]

They’ve touched on this on the broadcast. MaClellan has said they don’t have the talent and need three golden chances to score when other teams only need one. Perfectly illustrated yesterday where the kings and devils both posted about the same number of shots (30+) and the devils came away with 3 goals and the kings got dick.

Good to know they mentioned it, I typically mute the broadcast so I missed that. I do find it really interesting and it will be a great example of why shot based metrics are flawed.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I don't put too much stock in shot based metrics, but the Kings are a really interesting case this season. Despite being the 2nd worst team in the league record wise they are near the top of the league by nearly every stat. They are 4th in CF%(53.98), 2nd in FF%(53.97), 1st in SF%(53.97), 4th in xGF%(53.02), 11th in SCF%(51.69), 8th in HDCF%(52.54). If the Kings keep this up it will be a really interesting to see if people reevaluate the use of shot based metrics.

Good to know they mentioned it, I typically mute the broadcast so I missed that. I do find it really interesting and it will be a great example of why shot based metrics are flawed.

The metric isn't flawed, though. The interpretation is flawed. As I posted in another thread:



Being able to be dominant (relatively) on the shot clock but not in results is illustrative of a low-talent team, and that's consistent with past year's shooting/finish as well, the "new" wrinkle is overall bad goaltending and defense.

 

[crassbonanza]

The metric isn't flawed, though. The interpretation is flawed. As I posted in another thread:



Being able to be dominant (relatively) on the shot clock but not in results is illustrative of a low-talent team, and that's consistent with past year's shooting/finish as well, the "new" wrinkle is overall bad goaltending and defense.

I mean, in your link Tierney is still calling the Kings shooting results "luck". This is my main issue with shot based metrics, they assume that xGF not equaling GF is due to luck. It's the same thing with PDO, they consider any team with a low PDO to be unlucky.

I think shot based metrics are largely ignored at this point around the league, Treliving described them as 5 second with the lights on every minute.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I mean, in your link Tierney is still calling the Kings shooting results "luck". This is my main issue with shot based metrics, they assume that xGF not equaling GF is due to luck. It's the same thing with PDO, they consider any team with a low PDO to be unlucky.

I think shot based metrics are largely ignored at this point around the league, Treliving described them as 5 second with the lights on every minute.

I see. I thought you just meant the raw metrics. I loathe "X"-anything metrics. But as far as CF% and things like that, they're useful numbers, you just can't take them too far. It might be 'luck' when it's unusual but the Kings have had 'bad luck' for too many years for it to be anything but a lack of shooting talent.

But what are they going to re-evaluate to? They're useful for examining game flow. The move to XGF was an attempt to supplant that but it's a trash move. It's like people complaining about +/-; of course you can misuse it. Just use it as a part of the picture, not as the be-all end-all.

 

[Statto]

Basically the shot metrics are saying that the coaching staff are heading in the right direction but we don’t have the talent to make the most of it. So the metrics are encouraging for me, it says that as the talent level increases the scoring should follow.

There is still plenty of work to do with the coaching it’s far from a finished, perfect system but they are in general doing a decent job of polishing the turd.

 

[Statto]

I see. I thought you just meant the raw metrics. I loathe "X"-anything metrics. But as far as CF% and things like that, they're useful numbers, you just can't take them too far. It might be 'luck' when it's unusual but the Kings have had 'bad luck' for too many years for it to be anything but a lack of shooting talent.

But what are they going to re-evaluate to? They're useful for examining game flow. The move to XGF was an attempt to supplant that but it's a trash move. It's like people complaining about +/-; of course you can misuse it. Just use it as a part of the picture, not as the be-all end-all.

Correct. It’s just an extension of the +/- argument when people say it’s a bad stat. It’s not the stat it’s how people try to use it that is the issue.

 

[lumbergh]

I don't put too much stock in shot based metrics, but the Kings are a really interesting case this season. Despite being the 2nd worst team in the league record wise they are near the top of the league by nearly every stat. They are 4th in CF%(53.98), 2nd in FF%(53.97), 1st in SF%(53.97), 4th in xGF%(53.02), 11th in SCF%(51.69), 8th in HDCF%(52.54). If the Kings keep this up it will be a really interesting to see if people reevaluate the use of shot based metrics.

"People" was me a month and a half ago. And it's not just the Kings. There's little to no correlation between point percentage and any of those stats this season.

 

[Papa Mocha 15]

The metric isn't flawed, though. The interpretation is flawed. As I posted in another thread:



Being able to be dominant (relatively) on the shot clock but not in results is illustrative of a low-talent team, and that's consistent with past year's shooting/finish as well, the "new" wrinkle is overall bad goaltending and defense.

What gets me is that we are going to eventually draft a scorer and then punish him for not playing enough defense or being a two way player and then ruin him. Team needs a new identity and sense of direction.

 

[kingsfan28]

9 goals in half a season with Pittsburgh, on pace for 18 over the course of a full season. That would've been his 2nd highest goal total as an LA King.

but that's the thing , he wasn't scoring at all.NOTHING! He was done in LA and certainly wasn't gonna put up 18 last season. 0-17 in LA, 9-51 games with Pitt. Then traded. AGAIN. It was his career wake up call.

 

[kingsfan28]

What gets me is that we are going to eventually draft a scorer and then punish him for not playing enough defense or being a two way player and then ruin him. Team needs a new identity and sense of direction.

Player have to be accountable at every level, and just can't freewheel all over the ice. Look at all the scorers, they are taught at the pro level to play defense, even Ovi had to learn to back check. Imagine that young scorer who has the option of making the safe play or padding his stats. he decides to pad his stats, turns it over and cost the team the game. You really want to ignore that and not punish him for being selfish?