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

[Ollie Weeks]

I don't have much faith in Kupari. I don't think he'll ever amount to much in the NHL.

I hope I'm wrong.

For me it’s just that he seems the most expendable for trading to make the team better.

Kempe - Kopitar - Brown (bumped down by Kupari or Kaliyev mid year)
Iafallo - Byfield - Moore
Andersson - Vilardi - Arvidsson
Lemieux - JAD - Martinook (hunch)
Lizotte, Grundstrom

Bjornfot - Doughty
Anderson - Roy
Moverare - Walker
Maatta

MacDermid as the surprise expansion draft choice. Wagner and Clague waived.

Peterson
Quick

Love this lineup. I was thinking Oleksiak as a bridge D but perhaps they wouldn’t want to clog it up if they do make a big trade for a LD.

 

[Statto]

I actually think the Gaborik deal was very defensible, that was a sign DL knew time was limited and gave term to keep the cap hit down. Unfortunately Gabby's injury history returned, but if he stays healthyish for another two years, no one says a word. Keep in mind he popped in a 27 goal season even pretty hobbled. That's great value.

It just looks like a shit sandwich because the volume of mediocre-to-bad deals because insurmountable, we crossed the event horizon.

Wasn’t that when Gaborik then got injured whilst playing well in the World tournament… it seemed to be one injury too many.

I wanted the deal to sign him done, without a doubt. I completely agree we are using hindsight to judge it as most of us thought it was genius at the time.

 

[bland]

For me it’s just that he seems the most expendable for trading to make the team better.

Love this lineup. I was thinking Oleksiak as a bridge D but perhaps they wouldn’t want to clog it up if they do make a big trade for a LD.

I think Blake will wait for the right quality LH PMD and not just bring in a veteran body to play the point.

I like Oleksiak as well, Bogosian on the right side too. Muscle that can play 15-17 minutes a night would be welcome.

 

[No Name The Nameless]

I'm 100% certain that will not be the lineup on opening night. That is a nightmare scenario for Byfield.

Why is that a nightmare scenario?

 

[bland]

Why is that a nightmare scenario?

No speed, no defensive awareness, forces Andersson to be the first one in on the forecheck which is not his strength.

 

[FSL KINGS]

First he wanted out of Tampa, now MTL. If they are giving him away, maybe. He’s not worth anything.

Need another body in the top 9. Looking for the best player available on a short term contract that won't cost anything. Mostly preventing things like Wagner in the top 6 when the injury bug hits. There are a few other candidates. Like that Drouin has the ability to be a long term piece if it works out versus someone like Voracek who is older.

 

[Stimpythecat]

That's silly, those two players are in a totally different situation now with very little leverage.

they are at least discussing it amongst themselves.



2:37

 

[redcard]

It has nothing to do with his numbers, dude has a reputation issue that wasn't resolved in his one year cheap reclamation deal.

I thought he played pretty well too, but that's only part of it.

What reputation issue? In the same paragraph that Hoven claims the Kings won't qualify him he says they'll offer him a 2 year take-it-or-leave-it deal, and they were saying all along from trade deadline to the end of the season that they'd work on an extension, so that doesn't sound like a locker room thing to me.

On ice deficiencies? One dimensional? Redundant? Fine, I can understand that, but it doesn't negate the fact that he still has trade value due to the one dimension and production that he does bring.

We gave up a 4th round pick for Brendan Lemieux. I get that Lemieux brings a different element to the game and addressed an area of need, but Todd was still playing him 3-4 mins per game less than AA through the end of the season. I have to believe AA would be able to at least net us a 4th round pick himself, which although not much, could still benefit the franchise like in the aforementioned Lemieux trade.

 

[HookKing]

I honestly believe the Kings won't qualify Clague leaving him to become a UFA. This is for (2) reasons, he is waiver exempt so needs to make team out of camp or WILL get claimed off waivers, and also was drafted by Lombardi and Blake wants to put his own stamp on the team. By doing this the Kraken will select Wagner or Frk since they could sign Clague as a UFA after.

...and posted that with a straight face.

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

It's not even worth discussing Byfield going to back to juniors, it's simply not going to happen

 

[HookKing]

I don't have much faith in Kupari. I don't think he'll ever amount to much in the NHL.

I hope I'm wrong.

I think he can be our Trevor Lewis replacement (the early one).

 

[kinghock]

I don't have much faith in Kupari. I don't think he'll ever amount to much in the NHL.

I hope I'm wrong.

I believe you are wrong.

 

[bland]

What reputation issue? In the same paragraph that Hoven claims the Kings won't qualify him he says they'll offer him a 2 year take-it-or-leave-it deal, and they were saying all along from trade deadline to the end of the season that they'd work on an extension, so that doesn't sound like a locker room thing to me.

On ice deficiencies? One dimensional? Redundant? Fine, I can understand that, but it doesn't negate the fact that he still has trade value due to the one dimension and production that he does bring.

We gave up a 4th round pick for Brendan Lemieux. I get that Lemieux brings a different element to the game and addressed an area of need, but Todd was still playing him 3-4 mins per game less than AA through the end of the season. I have to believe AA would be able to at least net us a 4th round pick himself, which although not much, could still benefit the franchise like in the aforementioned Lemieux trade.

Are you familiar with the term "flat track bully"?

 

[Reclamation Project]

It doesn't matter though: Kupari starting the year in Ontario is not a detriment to his development whereas Byfield playing in the OHL during his D + 2 year (after obliterating it in his draft year) is stupid.

With that said, the two players don't have to be mutually exclusive. A big part of next season is going to be these young forward prospects pushing there way on to the NHL roster. That includes Kaliyev and Turcotte as well.

Kaliyev is going to be a total stud.

Turcotte needs to tear up Ontario next season, he needs to stay healthy all year and be a PPG player.

 

[deaderhead28]

Kupari looked way better than Byfield to me.

Byfield should be protected and centering the third line if he makes the team..Vilardi should be on the second line until Byfield can get some experience...

 

[Cook24]

Byfield untouchable. Only way I’d trade Turcotte would be for someone like Chychrun, which isn’t going to happen…

 

[kingsfan28]

As you should. Byfield will have to trip all over himself to be sent down to the OHL. Doesn't matter that one will be 19 and one is 21: one's development is way more important than the other.

Kupari can easily go back down to Ontario. Byfield scorching the OHL does nothing for him.

I think Blake might have another move in him when it comes to that Top 6 but, if not, I expect Brown to be right there next to Kopitar.

I sort of expect Kupari to be part of any deal the gets us a solid top 4 dman or really good forward. He just seems to be the odd center out. Byfield, Valardi, Turcotte, JAD seem to be the way it will shake out.

 

[lumbergh]

I see:

Iafallo-Kopitar-Arvidsson
Andersson-Vilardi-Kempe
Moore-Byfield-Brown
Lemieux-JAD-Grundstrom
Lizotte

I thought Andersson and Vilardi developed some chemistry towards the end of the season. Same with Byfield and Moore. I would protect Lemieux, maybe over Brown. If Grundstrom goes to the Kraken, then Kupari could slot there. Wild card is Kaliyev. If he shows up to camp and blows everyone away, I could see him bumping Kemp’s and Brown down.

on D:

(Suter???)-Doughty
Bjornfot-Roy
Anderson-Walker
Maatta

Suter next to Doughty would make an amazing defensive shut-down pairing and provide offense. Adding Suter would put all the other pieces in the right place. We’ll see where MacDermid ends up.

 

[Reclamation Project]

I'd try a Lemieux-Byfield-Arvidsson line and then run Kempe-Byfield-Vilardi line later on when Byfield has hopefully created clear separation as 2C.

I want our most talented (and veteran) winger planted next to Byfield to finish the great changes he produced last season and give him confidence. I also want a hardass patrolling the ice with him and from what I've seen Lemieux is an incredible teammate and no pushover. I want his energy to pair with Byfield's playmaking and Arvidsson's scoring. Byfield made some incredible passes and plays last season and he was let down by his wingers. He was a force on the puck and looked really strong forechecking. At times 2-3 players couldn't get him off the puck.

 

[Schmooley]

I see:

Iafallo-Kopitar-Arvidsson
Andersson-Vilardi-Kempe
Moore-Byfield-Brown
Lemieux-JAD-Grundstrom
Lizotte

I thought Andersson and Vilardi developed some chemistry towards the end of the season. Same with Byfield and Moore. I would protect Lemieux, maybe over Brown. If Grundstrom goes to the Kraken, then Kupari could slot there. Wild card is Kaliyev. If he shows up to camp and blows everyone away, I could see him bumping Kemp’s and Brown down.

on D:

(Suter???)-Doughty
Bjornfot-Roy
Anderson-Walker
Maatta

Suter next to Doughty would make an amazing defensive shut-down pairing and provide offense. Adding Suter would put all the other pieces in the right place. We’ll see where MacDermid ends up.

I think this is a likely lineup. They have assets to make more moves to bring in more talent so things can change before the season starts.

 

[BigKing]

Putting Brown with Byfield is comical. Only Kopitar can carry him around there ice.

Byfield should have legit hustle and some awareness flanking him. Brown is an anchor. He's got to have Iafallo or Arvidsson. Moore is cool too but I'd like to see at least one of the former two.

 

[redcard]

Are you familiar with the term "flat track bully"?

Yes, and I don't buy it. He played all of 13 games with Edmonton with a work stoppage in between, and that team fell apart this year too.

He scored as many goals for the Kings against playoff teams as he did against bottom feeders. Still worth qualifying.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Yes, and I don't buy it. He played all of 13 games with Edmonton with a work stoppage in between, and that team fell apart this year too.

He scored as many goals for the Kings against playoff teams as he did against bottom feeders. Still worth qualifying.

Not when you factor in the fact that he’s arbitration eligible and could ask for $3M or more per year, which he is not worth. Andreas scored one goal in his last 15, and closed out the season with zero goals in his last 12.

He finished out the season as a complete non-factor and was outplayed by the likes of Trevor Moore, who I’d much prefer to see in the lineup over Athanasiou.

 

[kinghock]

I sort of expect Kupari to be part of any deal the gets us a solid top 4 dman or really good forward. He just seems to be the odd center out. Byfield, Valardi, Turcotte, JAD seem to be the way it will shake out.

In my view Byfield>Turcotte>Kupari>Vilardi…

 

[DoktorJeep]

Kings giving away tickets to anyone who was born.

Luc must be desperate to get people in the building and decided to use tickets as a loss leader. What’s next? Hold a swap meet at LA Live during weekend afternoon games?