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

[SFKingshomer]

Blake tried to improve the roster after the loss to Vegas and the team fell flat on its face, Kopitar and Doughty included. He had no choice but to blow it up because he had little to no cap space and no assets to trade. Doughty and Kopitar need to look in the mirror because they’re just as responsible as anyone for where the team is at. No way in hell they should listen to those 2 about roster decisions when it’s clear they can’t lead the team to contention. The worst mistake Blake can make is build the team around 2 high dollar players past their prime production years.

 

[Gjwrams]

Some of this moot if the Kings didn't crap the bed the last two months of the season. Let's say the went 12-9-3 or something like that. I think the whole narrative is different. The fact they seemed to regress and play poorly (or continue to not being able to put a puck in the net to save their lives) beckons the question for some "Are our kids any good". Are they game changers?

Byfield. #2 pick. There are some on this board who feel the #2 pick in the draft should be starting in the NHL and being impactful. He wasn't here for most of the year so therefore he is not as good as Austin Matthews or other young top line centerman.
Turcotte #5 pick. Can't stay healthy. Some on this board think he is going to be a marginal middle 6 guy because of this.
Vilardi #11. Really laid an egg this season. Some on this board will equate that to being a middle 6 guy because of this.

Where do I stand. I won't lie, I was very disappointed at the end of the year, and I think Doughty was as well, which led to his "quote" and like him, I don't think the team is any closer to the playoffs then last year in my opinion, even with some expected "growth" from the kids. They need to make a move. If they can get Eichel, without giving up Byfield. I do it. That is just me if I get to play Blake.

WE HAVE TO GET GUYS THAT CAN PUT PUCKS IN THE NET!

On the blueline and in the nets. I'd like to see them get another puck moving defenseman. Maybe a Devon Toews from Colorado? I am also very concerned with how poorly Cal Petersen played down the stretch. I am hoping he was playing hurt, because a lame duck goalie really hampers playoff aspirations in the future.

 

[The Lukeman]

No team with multiple monster salaries at 10 mill per or more has won a cup and now we want a 3rd.

Food for thought: 10 million is 12.5% salary. Winners with ~11-13% of cap space dedicated to players are:

2020 Tampa 2
2019 St Louis 0
2018 Washington 1
2017 Pittsburg 2
2016 Pittsburg 2
2015 Chicago 2 (Toews and Kane accounted for an insane 30%)

In recent memory, teams with that kind of spending are winning more than teams without that spending. But 2010-2014, there were 0 teams with that high spending.

Best teams today (Toronto, Edmonton, Vegas, Colorado, Tampa, Florida, Pittsburg, Washington) all have at least 1 contract taking more than 10% of their cap space. Most of them have 2. Carolina and Boston are probably the best 2 who don't have any. We spend on 2 and we are one of the worst. At least we aren't stuck as bad as San Jose.

 

[AlphaBravo]

Some of this moot if the Kings didn't crap the bed the last two months of the season. Let's say the went 12-9-3 or something like that. I think the whole narrative is different. The fact they seemed to regress and play poorly (or continue to not being able to put a puck in the net to save their lives) beckons the question for some "Are our kids any good". Are they game changers?

Byfield. #2 pick. There are some on this board who feel the #2 pick in the draft should be starting in the NHL and being impactful. He wasn't here for most of the year so therefore he is not as good as Austin Matthews or other young top line centerman.
Turcotte #5 pick. Can't stay healthy. Some on this board think he is going to be a marginal middle 6 guy because of this.
Vilardi #11. Really laid an egg this season. Some on this board will equate that to being a middle 6 guy because of this.

Where do I stand. I won't lie, I was very disappointed at the end of the year, and I think Doughty was as well, which led to his "quote" and like him, I don't think the team is any closer to the playoffs then last year in my opinion, even with some expected "growth" from the kids. They need to make a move. If they can get Eichel, without giving up Byfield. I do it. That is just me if I get to play Blake.

WE HAVE TO GET GUYS THAT CAN PUT PUCKS IN THE NET!

On the blueline and in the nets. I'd like to see them get another puck moving defenseman. Maybe a Devon Toews from Colorado? I am also very concerned with how poorly Cal Petersen played down the stretch. I am hoping he was playing hurt, because a lame duck goalie really hampers playoff aspirations in the future.

This is exactly how I feel. Could these prospects be good? Of course. But let’s be real. The odds of any one of them turning into Eichel is slim to none. That said, we can’t drain the entire farm for one Eichel. We also need depth. But because we have so many prospects and cap space to add, we can afford to lose Vilardi, Turcotte and a 1sr.

 

[DoktorJeep]

I’m hoping for some B / C level moves in the offseason, with two trades being made. Id target medium risk, medium ceiling players. With non premium player, picks and prospects going back the other way. If we target some players who are looking to bounce back, there may be some good values available.

First guy I’d look for is Kuznetzov. I’d trade Kupari and Walker for him. Now you have a good 2C who should take some load of off Kopitar and help buffer Vilardi / Byfield.

The other guy is Nate Schmidt. I think he could be had for a second and Grundstrom. He’ll improve the top four and should more than make up for the loss of Walker.

 

[Reclamation Project]

I would have done Nate Schmidt for a second last season. Great locker room guy, was very solid in Vegas, and has tons of experience. A prospect would have even worked with Vegas.

 

[Kingspiracy]

I would have done Nate Schmidt for a second last season. Great locker room guy, was very solid in Vegas, and has tons of experience. A prospect would have even worked with Vegas.

Would they have traded him here though? Was Scmidt the guy that had a bump in stats after vegas's questionable chemistry set?

 

[Bandit]

This thread:

never ceases to amaze me how some of you just absolutely love repeating yourselves for ever…

And ever.
And ever and ever and ever…

 

[SettlementRichie10]

I guess, but if we were given the list of free agents for this year and it included Kopitar and Doughty, everyone here would be clamoring for Kopitar and Doughty.

I wouldn’t be clamoring for any big name free agents. I suppose that’s my point.

Edit: And to be super clear, this is not a hill I’m willing to die on. Keep Kopitar Doughty, trade Kopitar Doughty, who knows how much of a difference that makes in the long run. But I am frustrated with the leadership of both players post-2014, and I think it’s more than fair to criticize them. The Kings in the Kopitar captaincy era have sucked. Plain and simple.

 

[No Name The Nameless]

I'm still totally clueless when everyone talks about his lack of leadership and intangibles. Buffalo is an absolute DUMPSTER FIRE and it's gotten worse. Show me one player that wouldn't say enough's enough after the last year. I don't blame him at all, Buffalo needs to be completely blown up, top to bottom. Everyone needs to go. When you see how horribly the team's managed, I wouldn't trust their medical staff either.

His 2019-2020 season is the best indication of what he can do when somewhat healthy - 68 games played, 36 goals, 78 points. He's a 40/100 player on a stable team.

People are trying to make DD the captain because he is vocal about the Kings failures. How can we slap down?

 

[Fishhead]

I wouldn’t be clamoring for any big name free agents. I suppose that’s my point.

Edit: And to be super clear, this is not a hill I’m willing to die on. Keep Kopitar Doughty, trade Kopitar Doughty, who knows how much of a difference that makes in the long run. But I am frustrated with the leadership of both players post-2014, and I think it’s more than fair to criticize them. The Kings in the Kopitar captaincy era have sucked. Plain and simple.

The Kings were worse during the Norstrom captaincy, probably the worst they've ever been. And they sucked during the Taylor captaincy. I'm not sure how much that is an indicator of leadership.

I think the captaincy is completely overrated. People love the captain when they are winning, but look how fast people turned on Brown when nothing had changed except for his poor play. The last couple of seasons didn't have anything to do with leadership, it's more that the rosters were just shitty. Ted Lindsay could have been the captain the last 5 years and they would have missed the playoffs.

 

[Rusty Batch]

Blake tried to improve the roster after the loss to Vegas and the team fell flat on its face, Kopitar and Doughty included. He had no choice but to blow it up because he had little to no cap space and no assets to trade. Doughty and Kopitar need to look in the mirror because they’re just as responsible as anyone for where the team is at. No way in hell they should listen to those 2 about roster decisions when it’s clear they can’t lead the team to contention. The worst mistake Blake can make is build the team around 2 high dollar players past their prime production years.

Lol management is intentionally tanking. Kings are actively trying to be bad and yet it's Kopitar and Doughtys fault for "not leading the team to contention". As if that's something they haven't proven they are capable of... Such a silly argument

 

[Herby]

Some of this moot if the Kings didn't crap the bed the last two months of the season. Let's say the went 12-9-3 or something like that. I think the whole narrative is different. The fact they seemed to regress and play poorly (or continue to not being able to put a puck in the net to save their lives) beckons the question for some "Are our kids any good". Are they game changers?

Byfield. #2 pick. There are some on this board who feel the #2 pick in the draft should be starting in the NHL and being impactful. He wasn't here for most of the year so therefore he is not as good as Austin Matthews or other young top line centerman.
Turcotte #5 pick. Can't stay healthy. Some on this board think he is going to be a marginal middle 6 guy because of this.
Vilardi #11. Really laid an egg this season. Some on this board will equate that to being a middle 6 guy because of this.

Where do I stand. I won't lie, I was very disappointed at the end of the year, and I think Doughty was as well, which led to his "quote" and like him, I don't think the team is any closer to the playoffs then last year in my opinion, even with some expected "growth" from the kids. They need to make a move. If they can get Eichel, without giving up Byfield. I do it. That is just me if I get to play Blake.

WE HAVE TO GET GUYS THAT CAN PUT PUCKS IN THE NET!

On the blueline and in the nets. I'd like to see them get another puck moving defenseman. Maybe a Devon Toews from Colorado? I am also very concerned with how poorly Cal Petersen played down the stretch. I am hoping he was playing hurt, because a lame duck goalie really hampers playoff aspirations in the future.

Prospect worship and adoration has always been a thing on this board (and not just the Kings forum). Even with some of the all-time biggest flops people were still overly optimistic to the very end. Colten Teubert went from being the next Scott Stevens, to being the next Adam Foote to being the next Matt Greene to being the next Doug Zmolek to being the next Mark Visheau, anyone who questioned why he was in the ECHL 2 years after being a 1st round while the two guys picked directly after him were starring in the NHL was labeled a "hater", told that the other teams were "ruining the development" and to "wait 4-5 years before we judge who's better". There was a post last week where someone said that 7 prospects were "Completely off limits" ...SEVEN!! It will be funny when 2 of them inevitably bust or disappoint to look back and think that someone wouldn't have traded them for Jack Eichel when they had the chance.

If HFBoards were around in 1988 some people here would have been furious that the Kings traded Jimmy Carson and Martin Gelinas.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

When do Blake and Co address the media?

 

[Crownroyal21]

Sign Patrick liane.

 

[Crownroyal21]

Laine

 

[No Name The Nameless]

Dougie

 

[fsanford]

Rasmus Dahlin, would make me happy.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Byfield is my only untouchable.

 

[Johnny Utah]

The Sens and Ducks have more impactful prospects or young players who have showed more at the NHL level than the Kings have. That’s the issue. Especially at forward.

I’m sorry but Byfield did nothing for me in his short stay. Kupari in his second recall looked the best to me.

Vilardi flopped, Kayilev scored a goal but obviously isn’t ready.

Next year isn’t going to be any better IMO. This is gonna take 2-3 years.

 

[Schmooley]

The Sens and Ducks have more impactful prospects or young players who have showed more at the NHL level than the Kings have. That’s the issue. Especially at forward.

I’m sorry but Byfield did nothing for me in his short stay. Kupari in his second recall looked the best to me.

Vilardi flopped, Kayilev scored a goal but obviously isn’t ready.

Next year isn’t going to be any better IMO. This is gonna take 2-3 years.

I think you are expecting a bit too much out of Kings players and not looking at the complete picture of other teams players. Stutzle was a -7 and scored two goals in his first six games. Thats the amount of time Byfield was called up. He only had two more goals than Vilardi the whole season in a bigger role. Zegras was a non factor in his first call up and had 3 goals all season while Kaliyev had one in one single game. He looked great with Comtois in his second callup especially on the powerplay.
Byfield at 22 years old could be the best of the lot. He has the frame and skill set to be dominant.
I absolutely like all these players and would like any on the Kings. But I am not one bit disappointed in the Kings choices just yet.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Byfield had one assist in 6 games and people are penciling him next year as the number 2 center lol.

Not happening...

 

[Reclamation Project]

I'm penciling Jack Eichel in as our 2C next year.

By the time Kopitar's current contract is over Byfield will be ready to take over. He's only 18!

 

[Herby]

Byfield is my only untouchable.

And this is fine. If somebody doesn't want to move QB because he is seen as the alpha in the group and to valuable to move in any realistic trade that is fine. When we start getting 3, 4, 5, 6, SEVEN deep in guys who are "completely untouchable" it's time to give our head a shake.

 

[Herby]

Byfield had one assist in 6 games and people are penciling him next year as the number 2 center lol.

Not happening...

Doesn't mean anything. He was 18 years old playing on a laughable team with next to nothing on the wing who was playing out the stretch of meaningless games. Plenty of guys can and have made huge strides between 18 and 19. It might not be smooth sailing right from the start, but most of the star players in the league who were high picks had begun to or had already establish themselves by the end of their age 19 season. If QB doesn't establish himself as a 2C by the end of next season there will start to be red flags about the pick, and yes, there can be red flags on 19 year old former #2 picks. It doesn't mean to stick a fork in him, but there has to be progression too, we can't just excuse because of youth.*

*I absolutely believe he will establish himself in some kind of role next year where the potential shines through, even if that is in a Top 9 role because the Kings traded for Eichel. Just playing Devils advocate if he doesn't.