2019-20 Kings News/Rumors

[SettlementRichie10]

I mean, it's physically possible. Is it likely? No, but you never know.

Maybe the Kings actually somehow land Lafreniere. They have a lot of cap space so maybe then they sign 2-3 very good UFAs on bridge deals to fill holes. Maybe Vilardi has a monster year (plenty of Canucks fans wanted him picked over Pettersson at the draft so he has that potential). Maybe Bjornfot steps up and has a solid year. Maybe Clague improves defensively and becomes a solid offensive d-man who can run the 2nd PP unit.

Obviously a lot of maybe's, but all of those things could legitimately happen. It's easy to be negative about everything and just automatically assume nothing will go right, but that doesn't make it wrong to be optimistic. Of course the safe bet is to say they're going to be bad again next year but honestly who knows what happens between now and October. They could be next years New York Rangers or even better. Or they could be next years Detroit. Just going to have to wait and see.

A lot of major question marks would need to fall in our favor for that to happen:

- IF we draft Lafreniere
- IF Vilardi stays healthy and plays at a high level in the NHL
- IF Bjornfot graduates
- IF Kaliyev/Turcotte graduate

Etc, etc

 

[Reaper45]

The UFA crop this offseason looks gross.

 

[kings11]

The UFA crop this offseason looks gross.

they're looking at signing 1 LHD, so its good enough

 

[Reaper45]

they're looking at signing 1 LHD, so its good enough

Zadorov is the only UFA to be that really fits this age group. They could bring back Hutton but he'll be 28.

 

[killermiller]

I see too much of the "we could have got more for this guy" and "Blake's the problem" posts around here. Does anyone remember where we were just 2 years ago? Getting swept in the first round, while having what most people thought was the worst prospect pool in the NHL.

This is from 2017 Organizational Prospects Rankings

31. Los Angeles Kings – 261
No surprise here. After years of trading away first round picks lends to a poor prospect cupboard. The addition of Gabe Vilardi at the 2016 draft instantly becomes the Kings top prospect. LA has done a great job of finding value in late rounds of drafts and has a few players from the late, late rounds but nothing to get too excited about. Only ranked 31st by one writer, the Kings highest rank was only 26th which just puts them behind the Penguins by the slightest of margins. The Kings Stanley Cup wins are in the rear view mirror now and with some of the long term contracts on their veterans the future starts to look grim for the Kings. Peter Harling
Great draft but nothing else there. Pat Quinn

We've gotten picks and prospects for almost every vet worth giving up. We don't have to see Derek Forbort play with us again (hopefully forever). Somehow we've gone from the worst prospect pool to arguably the best in 2 years and we have tons of picks in the upcoming draft (including a top 5 pick).

If we win the lottery I think we can turn this ship around pretty fast. Even if we don't, not next season but the one after we should be back in the playoff picture. I'm personally pretty excited for the future.

Did I mention we don't have to see Derek Forbort play for us?

 

[regulate]

The UFA crop this offseason looks gross.

I wouldn't mind Joel Edmundson. He will be 27, really good size (which we lack, Big Mac is a part time employee), physical, stay at home D with his name on the Cup. He could bring some stability on D for several years.

 

[Bandit]

The real X factor here is that the PACIFIC SUCKS

Yet here we are still securely in last place...

 

[tny760]

I see too much of the "we could have got more for this guy" and "Blake's the problem" posts around here. Does anyone remember where we were just 2 years ago? Getting swept in the first round, while having what most people thought was the worst prospect pool in the NHL.

This is from 2017 Organizational Prospects Rankings


We've gotten picks and prospects for almost every vet worth giving up. We don't have to see Derek Forbort play with us again (hopefully forever). Somehow we've gone from the worst prospect pool to arguably the best in 2 years and we have tons of picks in the upcoming draft (including a top 5 pick).

If we win the lottery I think we can turn this ship around pretty fast. Even if we don't, not next season but the one after we should be back in the playoff picture. I'm personally pretty excited for the future.

Did I mention we don't have to see Derek Forbort play for us?

there's a lot of shortsighted commentary around here, you don't just flip a switch and voila you're competitive again without some outrageous luck

last couple months have been a lot of good short-term decisions combined with a few long-term good decisions falling into place, there's literally almost nothing valid to complain about right now. could some of this stuff have been done a while back? sure. but its done now. always gonna be someone who wants to trade kopitar and doughty and quick and will accept nothing less but there's a reason those people aren't NHL GMs

 

[kings11]

Zadorov is the only UFA to be that really fits this age group. They could bring back Hutton but he'll be 28.

Yeah, we need size and toughness so Z seems like a good get... Not sure how Russians feel about LA given our history

 

[HookKing]

Isn't that sort of a damning indictment of whatever the Kings current system and culture though? It's not like LA is scoring 5 goals a game and needed everyone to chip in defensively. Kovi was probably the biggest offensive talent they had and instead of giving him PP time and top 6 minutes, they put him in a 3rd line role with a bunch of raw young players and wanted him to be the stabilizing veteran presence? That is the very idea of fitting a square peg in a round hole. That is fully on Blake and TMac for not adapting to the personnel they had.

Only 1 problem with this, he scored slightly more (per ice time) here than in Montreal. He was clearly a liability on the ice here and demonstrated zippo on the pp. With him gone up and coming prospects got the ice time.

 

[KopitarGOAT420]

A lot of major question marks would need to fall in our favor for that to happen:

- IF we draft Lafreniere
- IF Vilardi stays healthy and plays at a high level in the NHL
- IF Bjornfot graduates
- IF Kaliyev/Turcotte graduate

Etc, etc

Oh I completely agree. It's a lot of IF's and a lot that would need to go right for the Kings. Was more just trying to show how it is possible that the team could be significantly better if a lot of things go right.

Chances are, not all of those things will happen, and chances are the Kings won't make the playoffs.. but we'll see.

 

[KingCanadain1976]

One interesting thing about Blake's deal this years is they are mostly within division (other than Clifford and Campbell). I am assuming this is because these teams offered the most for our players which is the right approach to have IMO. But what is curious to me is why Vancouver and Vegas offered more than other teams. Is it because they see LA more than other teams, is it just coincidence or did Blake just deal with teams reverse alphabetical style.

I'm going to guess that with the way the west is right now the picks will turn out to be better then playoff teams in the east. There is still a chance vegas or van misses the playoffs all together. There picks could end up in the 45 - 54 range This would be better then getting the same pick n he late 50s

 

[Cook24]

Zadorov or Edmondson definitely would be good
fits...

 

[YP44]

Zadorov or Edmondson definitely would be good
fits...

i think there are a lot of UFA d-men that would be suitable for a 2 year deal to help bridge the gap this year.

Not looking for a stud just a service 4/5 guy or two

 

[FrozenKing18]

Zadorov is the only UFA to be that really fits this age group. They could bring back Hutton but he'll be 28.

Would be awesome if Zadorov signs here in the offseason. Doubt it though

 

[bland]

The most likely outcome is that 20-21 will see the Kings lowest points total in 40 years.

Playoffs are several seasons away.

 

[fsanford]

The UFA crop this offseason looks gross.

Well when you not in the market to harvest, a bad crop does not kill ya

 

[KingsFan7824]

Are some thinking they're going to sign a long term solution at LHD? I don't think they're in the investing in the roster phase just yet. The more Hutton's or Ryan's you can bring in next year, the better. They kill time, or at worst, easily get sent down/traded as needed. It'll be another boring summer. Like Carter isn't going anywhere yet either, other than through a buyout.

 

[Statto]

The most likely outcome is that 20-21 will see the Kings lowest points total in 40 years.

Playoffs are several seasons away.

I’m not expecting a great season and another lottery pick would not be a surprise or a disaster for that matter.

However if Vilardi in particular comes in and looks the part at 2c or 3c and our 1st rounder this year steps straight in (because they are ready not rushed) then we could make some great strides. I think several of the guys that have been in Ontario are better right now than guys we’ve had on the NHL roster. They’ve been left in Ontario to play in all situations and maximise their development window. Grundström, Björnfot and JAD are good enough to be on the Kings right now if you judge simply by comparing to certain players on the Kings. However, we are best served long term by them getting minutes in the AHL. The team becomes better by simply sliding these guys into the lineup next year and moving on from some of the weaker pieces we are using right now.

It’s quite easy to see the 20/21 Kings being better than the 19/20 incarnation. However if we have some teething troubles and end up with another lottery pick then so be it.

 

[Statto]

Are some thinking they're going to sign a long term solution at LHD? I don't think they're in the investing in the roster phase just yet. The more Hutton's or Ryan's you can bring in next year, the better. They kill time, or at worst, easily get sent down/traded as needed. It'll be another boring summer. Like Carter isn't going anywhere yet either, other than through a buyout.

Agreed. Any UFA’s we sign will be bridge signings to fill spots the kids aren’t yet ready for.

 

[crassbonanza]

The most likely outcome is that 20-21 will see the Kings lowest points total in 40 years.

Playoffs are several seasons away.

What do you base this off of? The underlying analytics show that the Kings dominate possession and they likely are going to be adding significantly more skill this upcoming season. I don't expect them to be a playoff team, but they should improve upon this season unless we have significant drop in play from Kopi. Even then, I can't see them putting up less than 54 points just by virtue of playing in the relatively weak pacific.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Anyone who witnessed a blueline featuring the likes of Steven Finn, John Slaney, Doug Zmolek, Aki Berg, Rob Cowie, Chris Snell, Arto Blomsten, Ruslan Batyrshin, Denis Tsygurov, should know what bad is.

While there isn’t much good about the current Kings, there’s been much worse, and there’s no f***ing way they finish with their worst record in 40 years. They no longer have Forbort playing top pairing minutes to help accomplish that.

Finishing in a position to draft a franchise player is what helped turn this franchise around in 2008. The team being put in that position is a step in the right direction.

 

[kovacro]

Ziggy, I can’t believe you forgot Peter Ahola, Jan Vopat and Michel Petit. ​

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Ziggy, I can’t believe you forgot Peter Ahola, Jan Vopat and Michel Petit. ​

I wish I could say I did forget about them. The Kings have a hall of fame class of bad defensemen throughout their history.

 

[BigKing]

@Ziggy Stardust

Will you stop sullying Zmolek's name! I don't understand his inclusion in that list haha