Speculation: 2020-21 LA Kings News/Roster/Rumors Discussion Part VI

[bland]

Just a thought.

Do you think we would be contenders with: Pearson-Toffoli -Muzzin-Martinez-Clifford-Campbell-Carter with their current level of play. I would say playoff bound for sure. Makes you wonder why players excel once they leave the Kings. Is it a structure\culture thing? How do we change that.

They excelled here. The problem was the team had no - zero -cost controlled assets coming in behind those players to supplement them. No assets, no cap space, they were dead in the water and had to make changes.

The other issue, one they are still dealing with, is that no one in the "core " is the kind of "leader" who demands or instills accountability out of their teammates. It became the same country club enviornment Lombardi cautioned about when he got here, then later pretty much cemented by giving out way, way too many retirement contracts. That "core" quit on Murray, Sutter, Stevens and never showed up for Desjardins.

It had to be torn down, and effective players whose contracts were coming up were the obvious ones to move.

 

[tomd]

They excelled here. The problem was the team had no - zero -cost controlled assets coming in behind those players to supplement them. No assets, no cap space, they were dead in the water and had to make changes.

The other issue, one they are still dealing with, is that no one in the "core " is the kind of "leader" who demands or instills accountability out of their teammates. It became the same country club enviornment Lombardi cautioned about when he got here, then later pretty much cemented by giving out way, way too many retirement contracts. That "core" quit on Murray, Sutter, Stevens and never showed up for Desjardins.

It had to be torn down, and effective players whose contracts were coming up were the obvious ones to move.

What happens when you tear something down and then rebuild it on the same rotten foundation?

 

[YP44]

What happens when you tear something down and then rebuild it on the same rotten foundation?

you get the Sabers

 

[tomd]

you get the Sabers

Exactly. And it is going to happen in LA as well. Rotten foundation with no accountability.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Exactly. And it is going to happen in LA as well. Rotten foundation with no accountability.

You make this determination before a good majority of the players the Kings have drafted over the last couple of years have yet to step foot in the NHL, and they're still in year two of a rebuild.

Very sound logic and reasoning. The Kings should've just held onto the previous players who weren't leading them anywhere and continue their struggles with an older, more expensive payroll.

 

[KINGS17]

You make this determination before a good majority of the players the Kings have drafted over the last couple of years have yet to step foot in the NHL, and they're still in year two of a rebuild.

Very sound logic and reasoning. The Kings should've just held onto the previous players who weren't leading them anywhere and continue their struggles with an older, more expensive payroll.

I think he is referring to Robitaille and Blake's resumes when it comes to winning in the NHL.

 

[Yog S'loth]

Since I've been a Kings fan - which is 1993 - there have been four coaches I've given a crap about.

Barry Melrose, Larry Robinson, Andy Murray, and Daryl Sutter.

I couldn't even name hardly any of the other guys we've had back there, floundering and whining about "moral victories" and how well we played despite losing 5-1. I know there was a guy with my same last name, and that's all I remember about him. I think we had a guy whose name started with "G", right? Guido? Giuliani? No, that's somebody else.

The current guy is just another coaching fish, flip-flop-flooping around on dry land, his mouth going O, O, O, talking inane nonsense while the team sleepwalks to another top-five draft pick. I'll forget his name the instant he's inevitably fired, which will probably be Thursday.

 

[Lt Dan]

I think he is referring to Robitaille and Blake's resumes when it comes to winning in the NHL.

Then I am confused

 

[BigKing]

Exactly. And it is going to happen in LA as well. Rotten foundation with no accountability.

Blake needs to start adding character to the team as he moves out some of these placeholder type players. Yes, I feel he needs to start doing that during this upcoming offseason or risk poisoning the well with the youth that will be coming up.

If the only thing that happens this off-season is another Hutton/Maata type addition and the idea of more rookies in the lineup, we're going to have a problem.

Who are these guys to add though? I really have no f***ing clue since I pretty much never watch other games around the league. Back in the DL rebuild, I knew everyone but now I don't have as good of a grasp on what's going on. So, with that said, I don't know how many "fits" are out there but Blake needs to really be looking into this.

 

[tomd]

You make this determination before a good majority of the players the Kings have drafted over the last couple of years have yet to step foot in the NHL, and they're still in year two of a rebuild.

Very sound logic and reasoning. The Kings should've just held onto the previous players who weren't leading them anywhere and continue their struggles with an older, more expensive payroll.

I don't follow all the media so it's very possible I didn't see it but did anyone in the Kings organization discuss the importance of winning the recent games against SJ and Arizona? How important it was to play well in important games as a measure of the team's progress? Did they say how it was important to develop a winning culture and make positive steps? After those two losses, did anyone in Kings management call out the players or even express any disappointment or displeasure at the results? Did they apologize to the fans for two very lackluster efforts? Did any in the organization (players, coaches, management) say anything that even vaguely resembles holding themselves accountable for two horrendous efforts?

 

[Lt Dan]

Since I've been a Kings fan - which is 1993 - there have been four coaches I've given a crap about.

Barry Melrose, Larry Robinson, Andy Murray, and Daryl Sutter.

I couldn't even name hardly any of the other guys we've had back there, floundering and whining about "moral victories" and how well we played despite losing 5-1. I know there was a guy with my same last name, and that's all I remember about him. I think we had a guy whose name started with "G", right? Guido? Giuliani? No, that's somebody else.

The current guy is just another coaching fish, flip-flop-flooping around on dry land, his mouth going O, O, O, talking inane nonsense while the team sleepwalks to another top-five draft pick. I'll forget his name the instant he's inevitably fired, which will probably be Thursday.

I am confused here too. Literally no coaches who's first or last name started with a G since 1993. Fred Glover was 71-72

With your tenure, you clearly can't mean Rogie. I am going to randomly guess that you think it is John Torchetti

 

[BigKing]

@LT Dan

Dudes joined super stacked teams with strong leadership in place.

Then Luc was President of Business Operations and Blake was AssGM for the Kings ones.

I'm not going to blame them, however, for being on mostly bad Kings teams and not leading them to success. I do feel like Rob Blake has eventually always f***ed this franchise so it does feel inevitable that it will happen again but I sure hope not.

Let us not forget that everything has gone to shit since the August 2014 decision to retire his jersey. All this talk about a Taylor Swift curse when the real culprit is way more obvious.

 

[Lt Dan]

@LT Dan

Dudes joined super stacked teams with strong leadership in place.

Then Luc was President of Business Operations and Blake was AssGM for the Kings ones.

I'm not going to blame them, however, for being on mostly bad Kings teams and not leading them to success. I do feel like Rob Blake has eventually always f***ed this franchise so it does feel inevitable that it will happen again but I sure hope not.

Let us not forget that everything has gone to shit since the August 2014 decision to retire his jersey. All this talk about a Taylor Swift curse when the real culprit is way more obvious.

It still counts as championship pedigree. Both of those teams won multiple cups, had strong leadership, character guys.
Both Rob and Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc got to watch DL in action and hear his manifestos on character and the Peloponnesian war.
They aren't flying this ship blind.


P.s. Taylor Swift is the devil. Never trust someone with a last name for a first name. Only one Taylor banner should be hung at Staples

 

[Yog S'loth]

I am confused here too. Literally no coaches who's name started with a G since 1993. Fred Glover was 71-72

With your tenure, you clearly can't mean Rogie. I am going to randomly guess that you think it is John Torchetti

View attachment 427189

Nah nah, that guy with the hair and the face that made you want to put your boot in it. He looked like a McDonaldland character. Maybe it wasn't a G.

I don't know, man, it all blurs together.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I don't follow all the media so it's very possible I didn't see it but did anyone in the Kings organization discuss the importance of winning the recent games against SJ and Arizona? How important it was to play well in important games as a measure of the team's progress? Did they say how it was important to develop a winning culture and make positive steps? After those two losses, did anyone in Kings management call out the players or even express any disappointment or displeasure at the results? Did they apologize to the fans for two very lackluster efforts? Did any in the organization (players, coaches, management) say anything that even vaguely resembles holding themselves accountable for two horrendous efforts?

McLellan said this after the Arizona loss:
"... if you can’t bring that self-pride to the rink, want to get better, prove that you belong…everybody’s asking for more, wants more, well let’s see it from you. That should be a real good motivating factor for everybody that’s in the lineup, from the older player on down through the youngest player."

The Kings have 12 players in the lineup who have less than three full seasons under their belt. It's as if you are completely oblivious to the fact that this isn't a playoff contending team, but a rebuilding team that is going through a transition.

 

[Lt Dan]

Nah nah, that guy with the hair and the face that made you want to put your boot in it. He looked like a McDonaldland character. Maybe it wasn't a G.

I don't know, man, it all blurs together.

And this was a head coach?

I am leaving out Larry Robinson because I am pretty sure you would be able to name him

Pick your poisin

 

[Yog S'loth]

And this was a head coach?

I am leaving out Larry Robinson because I am pretty sure you would be able to name him

Let's see

The first guy, no joking, I have no idea who that is, I can't recall ever seeing him before

The second guy is the one with the personality of a piece of felt who would always talk endlessly about how much he loved losing

The third guy looks like The Grimace

The fourth was that angry yellsalot meaner potato

so

Number three is the one I'm thinking of!

 

[Lt Dan]

Let's see

The first guy, no joking, I have no idea who that is, I can't recall ever seeing him before

The second guy is the one with the personality of a piece of felt who would always talk endlessly about how much he loved losing

The third guy looks like The Grimace

The fourth was that angry yellsalot meaner potato

so

Number three is the one I'm thinking of!

Three was our last coach Willie Desjardins


I totally get you not recognizing the first guy (John Torchetti). He was only the coach for 12 games in the end of the DT era

 

[Yog S'loth]

Three was our last coach Willie Desjardins

Yeah, that was him!

Willie Gesgardins

 

[BigKing]

It still counts as championship pedigree. Both of those teams won multiple cups, had strong leadership, character guys.
Both Rob and Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc got to watch DL in action and hear his manifestos on character and the Peloponnesian war.
They aren't flying this ship blind.


P.s. Taylor Swift is the devil. Never trust someone with a last name for a first name. Only one Taylor banner should be hung at Staples

View attachment 427190

Then Rob decided to leave that franchise to come back and surf for a couple of seasons.

I'm not saying they are flying this ship blind. I pretty much think they are trying to do the same thing and are kind of following the DL model as far as accumulating assets etc. That isn't rocket science though so that is why it is very interesting to see what Blake does next. I know some on here don't care about making the playoffs next season and want to be bad for longer and I get it; however, another listless season like the last few could have a lasting negative impact.

I think there needs to be an addition that moves the needle a bit and makes it seem like it isn't just lip service when they talk about making the playoffs.

 

[Master Yoda]

McLellan said this after the Arizona loss:
"... if you can’t bring that self-pride to the rink, want to get better, prove that you belong…everybody’s asking for more, wants more, well let’s see it from you. That should be a real good motivating factor for everybody that’s in the lineup, from the older player on down through the youngest player."

The Kings have 12 players in the lineup who have less than three full seasons under their belt. It's as if you are completely oblivious to the fact that this isn't a playoff contending team, but a rebuilding team that is going through a transition.

Yea, McLellan was very critical of the team's effort and play several times over the last few weeks, doing everything but naming players.
And Doughty did the same at least once.

 

[KINGS17]

Then I am confused

Robitaille won nothing with the Kings. He joined one of the two teams with the most talented rosters in the NHL in those days (Detroit and Colorado) and won a cup playing on the third line. Hardly inspirational. Same with Blake and Colorado.

Two situations tailor made for each of them to win a cup. They weren't the foundation or the core of those teams.

A little inside baseball, Dean wanted nothing to do with Luc during his tenure with the Kings.

 

[KINGS17]

Then Rob decided to leave that franchise to come back and surf for a couple of seasons.

I'm not saying they are flying this ship blind. I pretty much think they are trying to do the same thing and are kind of following the DL model as far as accumulating assets etc. That isn't rocket science though so that is why it is very interesting to see what Blake does next. I know some on here don't care about making the playoffs next season and want to be bad for longer and I get it; however, another listless season like the last few could have a lasting negative impact.

I think there needs to be an addition that moves the needle a bit and makes it seem like it isn't just lip service when they talk about making the playoffs.

As I said up to this point Blake has been playing checkers. Soon, they will put the chess pieces on the board.

 

[tomd]

McLellan said this after the Arizona loss:
"... if you can’t bring that self-pride to the rink, want to get better, prove that you belong…everybody’s asking for more, wants more, well let’s see it from you. That should be a real good motivating factor for everybody that’s in the lineup, from the older player on down through the youngest player."

The Kings have 12 players in the lineup who have less than three full seasons under their belt. It's as if you are completely oblivious to the fact that this isn't a playoff contending team, but a rebuilding team that is going through a transition.

You realize that the two teams they were playing were also young teams in transition, right?

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

You realize that the two teams they were playing were also young teams in transition, right?

And I guess you don’t realize that Minnesota and Arizona were playoff teams last season and were both over .500 in 2019-20. Try again.

The Wild also have the sixth best record in the league this season, but I wouldn’t expect you to know that.