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

[Raccoon Jesus]

Did he though? Or was he just placating the AEG honchos.

Considering he went hard after Marian Hossa, Brad Richards, Zdeno Chara, and lots of other big name free agents, I'm gonna go with Occam's Razor rather than Pepe Silvia.

 

[illegal_stick]

The veteran players Lombardi brought in were all willing to put up with, and thrive under Sutter. Once their influence and stability left, the core showed their soft underbellies and quit. Same thing they did under Murray, same thing they did under Stevens, and they never even bothered taking Desjardins seriously.

That being said, Terry Murray should have been let go after losing to San Jose. He had plateaued, and I suspect the only reason he was retained into the next year was that Sutter wasn't ready to get back into coaching yet.

Sutter had run his course as well, and a lot of players were unhappy under him. I don't know that keeping him around for another year would have been productive, but I suspect that Lombardi dug his heels in there not only for his friends sake, but also to keep the players in line. Meanwhile Robitaille was maneuvering behind him, negotiating an extension with Kopitar that Lombardi was hesitant to offer.

Quitting on Stevens is the one I really don't get. They got everything they wanted, but, just like it is easier to win once you have already won, its easier to quit once you have already quit without ramifications.

I've always wondered what would have happened had we not run into red hot Fleury and Vegas. IMO, that team that lost to Vegas could have done some damage. They just hit a hot team and stupidly hot goalie. Even Quick was great in that series and still looked like a guy who could win. I think that loss was a breaking point for the core that they couldn't come back from.

And to be clear - there's no excuse for it, especially like you said, quitting on Stevens, who should have been exactly what they wanted.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

I don't doubt that Lombardi would place a much bigger emphasis on particularly defense and to some extent goaltending then Blake has. (And I love Lombardi for that)

Although this also would look different if Byram had not been picked immediately before our number 5 selection a couple years ago as I would not at all be surprised if that was who Blake really wanted. A year later The Byfield selection was a no-brainer. But Blake also used both our second round picks on Defenseman and by all accounts seems to want to further address defense with the draft this year.

Obviously this is all just speculation on what Lombardi would do...

But if you look at the type of draft capital Lombardi had acquired at the time he started making big moves (namely Carter and Richards trades) it is pretty similar to what we have acquired through this point in our rebuild. The big difference is that the Kings at that time had a young Kopitar, Brown, Doughty and Quick as our core (all of whom would play massive roles on our cup teams, only one of which of which he drafted btw). And essentially built around them to open up a brief cup window.

I have a hard time believing that if he was to take this team over now with Kopitar, Doughty, and Petersen (instead of Quick) making up the core and a ton of assets and cap space to try and open up another cup window that he wouldn't go for it.

But who knows maybe he would look at a team with these pieces and 15 mil in cap space.

Iafallo-Kopitar-blank
Kempe-Blank-Arvi
Anderson-Vilardi-Moore
Blank-JAD-Grundstrom/Brown

Blank-Doughty
Bjornfot-Roy
Anderson-Walker

Petersen-Quick


And these prospects (among others)

Byfield
Turcotte
Kaliyev

Faber, Grans, Madden, Thomas, Fagemo, Kupari

And these players available via trade
Eichel
Seth Jones

Maybe Tkachuck, Werenski, etc...

And Landeskog available through UFA among other Lombardi type players.

And not try and patch some of those holes and go for it. I think he'd be much more agressive then a lot of people that love him (I'm a big fan of his myself) are comfortable with.

The window is over, these guys can’t even make the playoffs and it’s questionable they can do so next season.

The biggest needs on this team will be goaltending and DL would start there. From there he would use his boxes and start filling those in while redeveloping the culture that went missing since he left. That’s what would happen.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

I've always wondered what would have happened had we not run into red hot Fleury and Vegas. IMO, that team that lost to Vegas could have done some damage. They just hit a hot team and stupidly hot goalie. Even Quick was great in that series and still looked like a guy who could win. I think that loss was a breaking point for the core that they couldn't come back from.

And to be clear - there's no excuse for it, especially like you said, quitting on Stevens, who should have been exactly what they wanted.

That wasn’t a close series though, MAF didn’t have to do much. The Kings literally were playing in their own zone for most of the series. It was comical that they couldn’t get out of their own zone, and they were hanging on for dear life.

 

[DoktorJeep]

That wasn’t a close series though, MAF didn’t have to do much. The Kings literally were playing in their own zone for most of the series. It was comical that they couldn’t get out of their own zone, and they were hanging on for dear life.

I watched all four games in person. Kopitar and Doughty were invisible.

 

[illegal_stick]

That wasn’t a close series though, MAF didn’t have to do much. The Kings literally were playing in their own zone for most of the series. It was comical that they couldn’t get out of their own zone, and they were hanging on for dear life.

Really? I remember it as Fleur just shutting us down and us shutting them down slightly less. Obviously, more offense was needed. Maybe I'm just remembering it from a homer-ish pov. We were swept after all.

 

[Rusty Batch]

The window is over, these guys can’t even make the playoffs and it’s questionable they can do so next season.

The biggest needs on this team will be goaltending and DL would start there. From there he would use his boxes and start filling those in while redeveloping the culture that went missing since he left. That’s what would happen.

We don't know what would happen. But DL
wasn't afraid to move futures for impact players and some of the guys available are the type of players DL absolutely loved. I think he would be extremely interested in Landeskog. I think he would move some futures in a heartbeat for a Tkachuck or a Seth Jones.

I also highly doubt DL is as low on Kopitar and Doughty as you are.

 

[tbrown33]

Hoven has the two likeliest picks being Wagner, then MacDermid:

Prediction: Which Player Will the Seattle Kraken Select From LA Kings

 

[KingTech]

Oh please let it be MacDermid hockey gods

 

[BigKing]

Hoven has the two likeliest picks being Wagner, then MacDermid:

Prediction: Which Player Will the Seattle Kraken Select From LA Kings

Putting MacD second and citing the connection Francis has to his father along with the "entertainment value" seems like a real stretch. If this was the late 90's expansion era then, sure, get yourself a legit HW enforcer but that doesn't seem necessary for fan support now.

As a Wagner apologist, it wouldn't be shocking to see him be the pick. He is one of the fastest skaters in the league, has size and will hit. He will generate breakaways and could possibly score more frequently on them like he did in 2018.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

Really? I remember it as Fleur just shutting us down and us shutting them down slightly less. Obviously, more offense was needed. Maybe I'm just remembering it from a homer-ish pov. We were swept after all.

Quick was more impressive in that series given the number of chances he stopped. MAF wasn’t facing an onslaught of shots like Quick, it really wasn’t a close series and the Kings were lucky it didn’t look too bad on paper. If you look at shots and time in zone, VGK dominated.

 

[Rusty Batch]

Only thing I really remember from that series was that I went into it surprised that Vegas's first line had finished the season as the most dominant line in the NHL that year and I was curious to see if Kopitar could shut them down. Well the two lines pretty much cancelled each other out. But the Kings just couldn't score. Vegas was the better team.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

We don't know what would happen. But DL
wasn't afraid to move futures for impact players and some of the guys available are the type of players DL absolutely loved. I think he would be extremely interested in Landeskog. I think he would move some futures in a heartbeat for a Tkachuck or a Seth Jones.

I also highly doubt DL is as low on Kopitar and Doughty as you are.

This team hasn’t won a playoff game in years, I don’t think DL would go all in on a couple guys. There needs to be an identity and culture to establish first. So a low cost move like the Smyth trade, the Stoll/Greene trades would be preferred.

Sounds weird with Brown, Doughty, Kopi, Quick etc on the roster but this team has an identity crisis.

 

[Rusty Batch]

This team hasn’t won a playoff game in years, I don’t think DL would go all in on a couple guys. There needs to be an identity and culture to establish first. So a low cost move like the Smyth trade, the Stoll/Greene trades would be preferred.

Sounds weird with Brown, Doughty, Kopi, Quick etc on the roster but this team has an identity crisis.

Tough to win a playoff game when you're tanking.

 

[King'sPawn]

Putting MacD second and citing the connection Francis has to his father along with the "entertainment value" seems like a real stretch. If this was the late 90's expansion era then, sure, get yourself a legit HW enforcer but that doesn't seem necessary for fan support now.

As a Wagner apologist, it wouldn't be shocking to see him be the pick. He is one of the fastest skaters in the league, has size and will hit. He will generate breakaways and could possibly score more frequently on them like he did in 2018.

Agree that Wagner brings a lot. Nor do I think MacDermid is as likely, though there's a lot to be said about relationships that already exist.

Wouldn't mind the Kraken taking MacD, Wagner, Grundstrom, Lizotte or Clague. I live 20 mins from where the T-Birds play, so I'm adopting Seattle as my second team. I'd want a good team up here and think all those players bring elements.

Without percentages, I see the likeliness as:
- Grundstrom
- Clague
- Wagner
- MacDermid
- Lizotte
- Strand
- Everyone else

 

[Cook24]

Please not MacD. Yes. I’m serious. F u all haha

Yes, MacD regressed this season, but prior to this season, he gradually was improving each season. I think he deserves another year, even if it be at forward. Plus as Hoven said, his teammates love him and he’s a good clubhouse guy…

 

[kings11]

Didn’t Blake retain almost everyone and went after older, slower players in his first year? So was it really the fact the league was changing? No, that’s just a bs line to cover up what really happened.

Did I not mention that? And didn’t I not clearly state that Blake quickly pivoted and started selling off assets and now has one of if not the best prospect pool in the NHL?
Blake much like DL believed that a heavy, gritty team could still win. When that failed he did what DL should have done.
With that said,

 

[Johnny Utah]

Does Imama make the Kings if MacD gets picked..?

 

[Cook24]

Does Imama make the Kings if MacD gets picked..?

Doubt it. Already a log jam up from, plus Lemieux will still be there, although Lemieux is more of a middleweight…

I hope MacD stays…

 

[Peter James Bond III]

Wow. Would send the 89th 3rd round pick with MacDermid and Wagner to them for their 7th rounder in 2022. Plus retain 50% of both contracts; to get it done.

Can you imagine getting rid of the worst King forward and defenseman in the same deal?

 

[BigKing]

Did I not mention that? And didn’t I not clearly state that Blake quickly pivoted and started selling off assets and now has one of if not the best prospect pool in the NHL?
Blake much like DL believed that a heavy, gritty team could still win. When that failed he did what DL should have done.
With that said,

What is this heavy, gritty team that Blake failed with? That 2019 squad was about as far from gritty as you can get unless you compare them to the 2021 team.

I don't think Blake was buying into a certain style of team/player: he just believed in the guys that had won previously.

 

[LAKings88]

Vegas made it to the finals their first year. Just saying.

If LA had any kind of of power play I still think they could have won that series.

Big part why I think they signed Kovy.

 

[Piston]

The veteran players Lombardi brought in were all willing to put up with, and thrive under Sutter. Once their influence and stability left, the core showed their soft underbellies and quit. Same thing they did under Murray, same thing they did under Stevens, and they never even bothered taking Desjardins seriously.

That being said, Terry Murray should have been let go after losing to San Jose. He had plateaued, and I suspect the only reason he was retained into the next year was that Sutter wasn't ready to get back into coaching yet.

Sutter had run his course as well, and a lot of players were unhappy under him. I don't know that keeping him around for another year would have been productive, but I suspect that Lombardi dug his heels in there not only for his friends sake, but also to keep the players in line. Meanwhile Robitaille was maneuvering behind him, negotiating an extension with Kopitar that Lombardi was hesitant to offer.

Quitting on Stevens is the one I really don't get. They got everything they wanted, but, just like it is easier to win once you have already won, its easier to quit once you have already quit without ramifications.

I suspect Luc's "maneuvering behind him" started before the Kings won their first Cup.

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

Does Imama make the Kings if MacD gets picked..?

Absolutely not

 

[lumbergh]

Agree that Wagner brings a lot. Nor do I think MacDermid is as likely, though there's a lot to be said about relationships that already exist.

Wouldn't mind the Kraken taking MacD, Wagner, Grundstrom, Lizotte or Clague. I live 20 mins from where the T-Birds play, so I'm adopting Seattle as my second team. I'd want a good team up here and think all those players bring elements.

Without percentages, I see the likeliness as:
- Grundstrom
- Clague
- Wagner
- MacDermid
- Lizotte
- Strand
- Everyone else

Without percentages, I see the likeliness as:
- Don’t care
- Don’t care
- Don’t care
- Don’t care
- Don’t care
- Everyone else