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

[DryIslandBartender]

That’s the rub, what’s the point of keeping the aging core (Doughty, Kopitar, quick etc) around if they aren’t going to compete anytime soon? If Blake thinks this team has a shot at the playoffs next season, he will probably make a move for Eichel. I also think AEG will be pressuring him to do it, and Eichel won’t be the only move for Blake.

Either way, Luc/Blake tenure is at a tipping point. This summer will be very interesting.

 

[Reclamation Project]

If the team enters next season with zero moves made I'd be fine. They're 2-3 years away from actually wining a round.

 

[elchud]

Sabres fan coming in peace.

I am completely aware that Eichel isn't something you are necessarily interested in. I'm also tracking your short term and long term vision.

Here is a quantity for quality trade. There are a lot of pieces.


Eichel

Turcotte
Kupari
Grans
Quick
Maatta
2021 LAK #1
2021 LAK #2
2022 LAK #3


Not asking for Byfield/Bjornfot/Vilardi. Will take on salary. 2021 is a weird draft, and you still have a 2nd & 3rd from trades. You have center prospect redundancy, and still have Brock Faber. You have cap space for Alec Martinez and/or Jamie Oleksiak, and still have plenty of prospects to go after a high-end LHD.

 

[Rommel]

Sabres fan coming in peace.

I am completely aware that Eichel isn't something you are necessarily interested in. I'm also tracking your short term and long term vision.

Here is a quantity for quality trade. There are a lot of pieces.


Eichel

Turcotte
Kupari
Grans
Quick
Maatta
2021 LAK #1
2021 LAK #2
2022 LAK #3


Not asking for Byfield/Bjornfot/Vilardi. Will take on salary. 2021 is a weird draft, and you still have a 2nd & 3rd from trades. You have center prospect redundancy, and still have Brock Faber. You have cap space for Alec Martinez and/or Jamie Oleksiak, and still have plenty of prospects to go after a high-end LHD.

What about Reinhart?

 

[elchud]

What about Reinhart?

I'm of the mindset that you would want to clear salary if possible. Is that correct? I thought/think LHD is where you're wanting to upgrade.

You must be seeing Reinhart as 1RW?

Turcotte is still the primary ask. Reinhart for Turcotte. If you have a salary agreement for a long-term deal, Sabres add a 2nd.

If you want to dump salary (Quick/Maatta), I think that is worth Kupari. You shouldn't be paying Quick that much to be a backup for 2 seasons.

 

[KingsFan7824]

It's not really about whose team it is. Blake has made it pretty clear that he wants to return to the playoffs while Kopitar and Doughty are still with the team. His goal was 21-22. Even if he goes with a young team next year he can make the team much more competitive by adding a top 4 LHD and 1 or 2 scoring wingers. He knows how doable that is and I'm sure he's had discussions with other teams about possible trades already. The question is can he get it done.

I'm sure he'll make his intentions clearer at the next STH meeting if not sooner. I can see a lot of people on this board revolting if he says he is going to be aggressive this summer trying to make the team better with the goal of returning to the playoffs next year.

Kopitar is here until 2024, and Doughty 2027. If they don't make the playoffs before 2024, then there's a huge problem.

If the goal is to make the playoffs as soon as possible now, then this is still Kopitar and Doughty's team, and that does matter. If that's the case, then you use the cap freed up after trading most of the stale vets, you use whichever prospects you've drafted the last few years, and you use any future picks, to make the team much better for next year. Byfield, Turcotte, whoever it has to be to get real talent. If you can keep one of them for the future, that's great, but that can't be the focus. You have to do whatever you have to do to make the playoffs next year.

Once again, I was, and still am(one of the very few), pro-Lucic trade in 2015. It doesn't bother me that Barzal could've been here. They were trying to win a 3rd Cup in 5 years. That opportunity doesn't come around too often. I like when the team is good. I liked when they were in 1st place, top 5 in the league, the day they re-signed Kopitar to a retirement contract. I didn't want Kopitar to leave. I don't care if Robitaille somehow screwed Lombardi's negotiation with Kopitar, and handed him all that cash, because the team was really good on the day Kopitar was re-signed. I get rewarding Quick, Brown, Kopitar, and Doughty with thank you for the Cup contracts. I was excited when they re-signed Gaborik to a ridiculous contract. Not because of the ridiculous contract, but because at the time, I just wanted a couple good years for them to try to win another Cup. I liked the Kovalchuk signing. It was hey, let's give it another shot, since Kopitar just came off an MVP level year. I would've liked Pacioretty. He might've even worked well with Kopitar.

I know that sounds like I want the Kings to be Buffalo, but I don't know any other words to use.

 

[unicornpig]

Sabres fan coming in peace.

I am completely aware that Eichel isn't something you are necessarily interested in. I'm also tracking your short term and long term vision.

Here is a quantity for quality trade. There are a lot of pieces.


Eichel

Turcotte
Kupari
Grans
Quick
Maatta
2021 LAK #1
2021 LAK #2
2022 LAK #3


Not asking for Byfield/Bjornfot/Vilardi. Will take on salary. 2021 is a weird draft, and you still have a 2nd & 3rd from trades. You have center prospect redundancy, and still have Brock Faber. You have cap space for Alec Martinez and/or Jamie Oleksiak, and still have plenty of prospects to go after a high-end LHD.

Take out two of the 1sts

 

[elchud]

Take out two of the 1sts

Thanks. This confirms what I'm suspecting. We aren't getting a Kings ransom for Eichel.

I happen to think it's a very fair trade. Other Sabres fans want a hell of a lot more, with no salary included in return.

Cheers.

 

[KingTech]

I'm of the mindset that you would want to clear salary if possible. Is that correct? I thought/think LHD is where you're wanting to upgrade.

You must be seeing Reinhart as 1RW?

Turcotte is still the primary ask. Reinhart for Turcotte. If you have a salary agreement for a long-term deal, Sabres add a 2nd.

If you want to dump salary (Quick/Maatta), I think that is worth Kupari. You shouldn't be paying Quick that much to be a backup for 2 seasons.

As far as cap space not needed we have over 20 million this off season. So no need to get rid of quick or maatta

 

[Rommel]

I'm of the mindset that you would want to clear salary if possible. Is that correct? I thought/think LHD is where you're wanting to upgrade.

You must be seeing Reinhart as 1RW?

Turcotte is still the primary ask. Reinhart for Turcotte. If you have a salary agreement for a long-term deal, Sabres add a 2nd.

If you want to dump salary (Quick/Maatta), I think that is worth Kupari. You shouldn't be paying Quick that much to be a backup for 2 seasons.

Turcotte for Reinhart. It is OK for me. I would like that.

I am not concern about salary cap. Kings has a lot of space for next year. Around 20 mi and Maatta will be UFA in 2022, Brown as well.

 

[kinghock]

Sabres fan coming in peace.

I am completely aware that Eichel isn't something you are necessarily interested in. I'm also tracking your short term and long term vision.

Here is a quantity for quality trade. There are a lot of pieces.


Eichel

Turcotte
Kupari
Grans
Quick
Maatta
2021 LAK #1
2021 LAK #2
2022 LAK #3


Not asking for Byfield/Bjornfot/Vilardi. Will take on salary. 2021 is a weird draft, and you still have a 2nd & 3rd from trades. You have center prospect redundancy, and still have Brock Faber. You have cap space for Alec Martinez and/or Jamie Oleksiak, and still have plenty of prospects to go after a high-end LHD.

You are correct: Eichel isn't something Kings are necessarily interested in.
You are not correct: LA do not need Buffalo take on salary
You are not correct: Turcotte, Kupari, Grans and 2021 LAK #1 is quality not quantity
You are not correct: LA do not need Alec Martinez. They traded him year ago.
The short answer is no to your proposal.

 

[elchud]

You are correct: Eichel isn't something Kings are necessarily interested in.
You are not correct: LA do not need Buffalo take on salary
You are not correct: Turcotte, Kupari, Grans and 2021 LAK #1 is quality not quantity
You are not correct: LA do not need Alec Martinez. They traded him year ago.
The short answer is no to your proposal.

Thanks.

To simplify it then, and bring down the ask,

Turcotte
Kupari
2021 1st

That eliminates all enticements for salary offset. This would be a trade after both drafts. If LAK did due diligence with Eichels injury(s), is this too much to ask. 5 years of Eichel.

Edit to add, what add to Turcotte would you consider fair? On our (sabres fans) end, I think there would be disappointment from that return. On my end, I could probably accept taking out Kupari since the 1st will be in the 7-9 range.

 

[KINGS17]

Kopitar is here until 2024, and Doughty 2027. If they don't make the playoffs before 2024, then there's a huge problem.

If the goal is to make the playoffs as soon as possible now, then this is still Kopitar and Doughty's team, and that does matter. If that's the case, then you use the cap freed up after trading most of the stale vets, you use whichever prospects you've drafted the last few years, and you use any future picks, to make the team much better for next year. Byfield, Turcotte, whoever it has to be to get real talent. If you can keep one of them for the future, that's great, but that can't be the focus. You have to do whatever you have to do to make the playoffs next year.

Once again, I was, and still am(one of the very few), pro-Lucic trade in 2015. It doesn't bother me that Barzal could've been here. They were trying to win a 3rd Cup in 5 years. That opportunity doesn't come around too often. I like when the team is good. I liked when they were in 1st place, top 5 in the league, the day they re-signed Kopitar to a retirement contract. I didn't want Kopitar to leave. I don't care if Robitaille somehow screwed Lombardi's negotiation with Kopitar, and handed him all that cash, because the team was really good on the day Kopitar was re-signed. I get rewarding Quick, Brown, Kopitar, and Doughty with thank you for the Cup contracts. I was excited when they re-signed Gaborik to a ridiculous contract. Not because of the ridiculous contract, but because at the time, I just wanted a couple good years for them to try to win another Cup. I liked the Kovalchuk signing. It was hey, let's give it another shot, since Kopitar just came off an MVP level year. I would've liked Pacioretty. He might've even worked well with Kopitar.

I know that sounds like I want the Kings to be Buffalo, but I don't know any other words to use.

Why should this still be Kopitar and Doughty's team? I think making trades of young assets in the hope of getting one more playoff run out of Kopitar before his contract expires is the most foolish thing Blake could do in this situation.

 

[bland]

Why should this still be Kopitar and Doughty's team? I think making trades of young assets in the hope of getting one more playoff run out of Kopitar before his contract expires is the most foolish thing Blake could do in this situation.

It was short-sighted in 2015. In 2021 it's just blind.

 

[Reaper45]

Thanks.

To simplify it then, and bring down the ask,

Turcotte
Kupari
2021 1st

That eliminates all enticements for salary offset. This would be a trade after both drafts. If LAK did due diligence with Eichels injury(s), is this too much to ask. 5 years of Eichel.

Edit to add, what add to Turcotte would you consider fair? On our (sabres fans) end, I think there would be disappointment from that return. On my end, I could probably accept taking out Kupari since the 1st will be in the 7-9 range.

He’s a luxury that the Kings do not need at this time. 3 firsts for Eichel when we’re still rebuilding and not even close to contending is a big fat no for me.

 

[kinghock]

Thanks.

To simplify it then, and bring down the ask,

Turcotte
Kupari
2021 1st

That eliminates all enticements for salary offset. This would be a trade after both drafts. If LAK did due diligence with Eichels injury(s), is this too much to ask. 5 years of Eichel.

Edit to add, what add to Turcotte would you consider fair? On our (sabres fans) end, I think there would be disappointment from that return. On my end, I could probably accept taking out Kupari since the 1st will be in the 7-9 range.

This is fair offer, but I rather use these assets for yang star LD defenseman.
Center is not position of need for LA.

 

[elchud]

This is fair offer, but I rather use these assets for yang star LD defenseman.
Center is not position of need for LA.

Thanks. Thats why I thought salary dumps so you could make another trade for LD defense, maybe Chabot for Vilardi+

At this point it is all on Kings management. LA is correctly identified as a good trade partner. An impatient front office is the best bet for a trade to go down.

As a Sabres fan im resigned to being disappointed by whatever we end of getting for Eichel/Reinhart. Cheers.

 

[The Lukeman]

Thanks.

To simplify it then, and bring down the ask,

Turcotte
Kupari
2021 1st

That eliminates all enticements for salary offset. This would be a trade after both drafts. If LAK did due diligence with Eichels injury(s), is this too much to ask. 5 years of Eichel.

Edit to add, what add to Turcotte would you consider fair? On our (sabres fans) end, I think there would be disappointment from that return. On my end, I could probably accept taking out Kupari since the 1st will be in the 7-9 range.

This is an offer I think a lot more people here would be comfortable with, but I was Buffalo, I wouldn't accept that for Eichel. I don't see a middle ground where both teams would be satisfied enough for a trade

 

[King'sPawn]

Why should this still be Kopitar and Doughty's team? I think making trades of young assets in the hope of getting one more playoff run out of Kopitar before his contract expires is the most foolish thing Blake could do in this situation.

Because nobody else has stepped up to take over.

Just now Vilardi, Anderson, and Andersson might be starting to do so and get it.

 

[KingsFan7824]

That’s the rub, what’s the point of keeping the aging core (Doughty, Kopitar, quick etc) around if they aren’t going to compete anytime soon?

There aren't many options to trade them.

Why should this still be Kopitar and Doughty's team? I think making trades of young assets in the hope of getting one more playoff run out of Kopitar before his contract expires is the most foolish thing Blake could do in this situation.

I'm not saying it should be their team, but if they were to get Eichel, then that means it still is about them. Any decent prospects left are then just along for the ride and not the centerpiece.

Then you have to spend the rest of the cap as well, since you're not brining in Eichel to waste more of his time, let alone that of AK and DD.

 

[tomd]

Kopitar is here until 2024, and Doughty 2027. If they don't make the playoffs before 2024, then there's a huge problem.

If the goal is to make the playoffs as soon as possible now, then this is still Kopitar and Doughty's team, and that does matter. If that's the case, then you use the cap freed up after trading most of the stale vets, you use whichever prospects you've drafted the last few years, and you use any future picks, to make the team much better for next year. Byfield, Turcotte, whoever it has to be to get real talent. If you can keep one of them for the future, that's great, but that can't be the focus. You have to do whatever you have to do to make the playoffs next year.

Once again, I was, and still am(one of the very few), pro-Lucic trade in 2015. It doesn't bother me that Barzal could've been here. They were trying to win a 3rd Cup in 5 years. That opportunity doesn't come around too often. I like when the team is good. I liked when they were in 1st place, top 5 in the league, the day they re-signed Kopitar to a retirement contract. I didn't want Kopitar to leave. I don't care if Robitaille somehow screwed Lombardi's negotiation with Kopitar, and handed him all that cash, because the team was really good on the day Kopitar was re-signed. I get rewarding Quick, Brown, Kopitar, and Doughty with thank you for the Cup contracts. I was excited when they re-signed Gaborik to a ridiculous contract. Not because of the ridiculous contract, but because at the time, I just wanted a couple good years for them to try to win another Cup. I liked the Kovalchuk signing. It was hey, let's give it another shot, since Kopitar just came off an MVP level year. I would've liked Pacioretty. He might've even worked well with Kopitar.

I know that sounds like I want the Kings to be Buffalo, but I don't know any other words to use.

I guess I'm just not sure why the team would wait another year or two to make moves to improve. Adding a top 4 LHD and a couple of legit scoring wingers will make everyone better...including kids like Byfield and Vilardi. The old adage that "if you're not improving you're getting worse" is very true. Another year of non-improvement almost guarantees that Kopitar and Doughty check out emotionally. OTOH, I think an energized Doughty and Kopitar can extend their careers and their effectiveness. But if they check out emotionally then the team is going to take another slide backwards and they will become Buffalo West. We see that happen in sports all the time and we see the panic moves that result in its aftermath.

I think Blake knows the risk that that could happen is very real. I know a lot of posters on this board will cheer a regression from black hole this year to bottom 5 next year. If that happens, however, I don't see a playoff appearance until the mid-2020's.

 

[Statto]

I'm sure he'll make his intentions clearer at the next STH meeting if not sooner. I can see a lot of people on this board revolting if he says he is going to be aggressive this summer trying to make the team better with the goal of returning to the playoffs next year.

The goal isn’t the play-offs, it’s the Stanley Cup. They are the moves that need to be done, decisions that in a few years will give us a shot at the cup. I’m not interested in doing something short sighted that blows a shot at the cup just to get into the First round. If he can make a move that contributes to the long term aim, then great I’m on board. However I have zero interest in a move that gets every one excited for a few weeks and maybe gets us in the play-off next year but then strips us of several key prospects that would have driven our culture, depth and skill set.

We have great prospect depth at C, it’s the one position we have no need at all. Adding Eichel makes zero sense, none, because it does not fill a hole that we have in any projected future lineup, as those prospects will be fully fledged NHL players by then team is ready to challenge. I accept that there are no guarantees on the development of those players even though they are progressing nicely. However, there are no guarantees that Eichel won’t continue being a ‘squeaky wheel’, won’t have long term fitness issues and will suddenly become an effective leader... Let’s not forget the Sabres fans are often critical of his effort and intangibles at times, it’s not a new thing.

Acquiring Eichel won’t bring the Championship timeline forward, but will create holes elsewhere in depth and talent. We know we have a hole a #1LD so that is where you target any big move but such a player is not going to be easy to acquire as most teams won’t move them, as we all know. However, if such a player did become available and we couldn’t get them because we wasted our chips on bringing in a Center, it would be utterly idiotic.

 

[Fat Elvis]

Colorado has a plethora of defensemen. Guys like Toews or Graves and even Byrum could be available.

I have no interest in Eichel, the guy has more problems than not lately. Better uses of assets are out there. Should make for an event filled golf season.

 

[tomd]

The goal isn’t the play-offs, it’s the Stanley Cup. They are the moves that need to be done, decisions that in a few years will give us a shot at the cup. I’m not interested in doing something short sighted that blows a shot at the cup just to get into the First round. If he can make a move that contributes to the long term aim, then great I’m on board. However I have zero interest in a move that gets every one excited for a few weeks and maybe gets us in the play-off next year but then strips us of several key prospects that would have driven our culture, depth and skill set.

We have great prospect depth at C, it’s the one position we have no need at all. Adding Eichel makes zero sense, none, because it does not fill a hole that we have in any projected future lineup, as those prospects will be fully fledged NHL players by then team is ready to challenge. I accept that there are no guarantees on the development of those players even though they are progressing nicely. However, there are no guarantees that Eichel won’t continue being a ‘squeaky wheel’, won’t have long term fitness issues and will suddenly become an effective leader... Let’s not forget the Sabres fans are often critical of his effort and intangibles at times, it’s not a new thing.

Acquiring Eichel won’t bring the Championship timeline forward, but will create holes elsewhere in depth and talent. We know we have a hole a #1LD so that is where you target any big move but such a player is not going to be easy to acquire as most teams won’t move them, as we all know. However, if such a player did become available and we couldn’t get them because we wasted our chips on bringing in a Center, it would be utterly idiotic.

Funny thing is that I haven't mentioned Eichel at all in the last couple of weeks so I'm not sure why you made it your centerpiece in your response to my post. As to your other point about the SC, I agree. But even Jim Fox has been repeatedly saying that the teardown phase of the rebuild is "over". The time to start improving is here. He didn't say that the "do nothing" phase is here. As I mentioned above, if you're not improving you're getting worse.

 

[SFKingshomer]

Eichel is a move you make when you're a playoff team looking to take the next step. Trading for him now would be like LA trading for Richards before Doughty came aboard. I'd rather see them re-sign AA, grab a decent middle 6 guy with some grit, and trade for a PP defenseman like Ristolainen.