Speculation: 2020-21 News/Rumors/Roster Thread Part II

[All The Kings Men]

boring but effective and cheap players have a role

Ding. Ding. Ding.

 

[regulate]

Did my dry humor not plaster that “legendary”?



Wheeler has surpassed Pronman a while ago in my book, as it pertains to the Athletic staffers.

At this point he is one of the dime a dozen guys doing prospects.

I've been Token'd once again.

 

[All The Kings Men]

Someone should develop a fantasy league where you pick prospect reporters in a confidence pool.

Someone has Fagemo ranked as the #2 prospect in the Kings pool? 16 points to that pick!
Someone else has LaDue ranked as the #3 prospect in the Kings pool? 0 points!

Then you can go back the next offseason and see how many points you get for backing the right prognosticators.

 

[kilowatt]

I guess that's my point, I'm not trying to sound insulting, but let's not mistake flash for effectiveness. Yeah Wagner's speed in and of itself is a huge weapon and an element we had been lacking. I do think he has more upside so I'm not saying it's apples-to-apples. Amadio is simply Nick Shore 2.0 with maybe-yet-upside which of course infuriates people around here. Yet Nick Shore is still bouncing around the league--it's not that several organizations are stupid, it's that boring but effective and cheap players have a role.

If a prospect can't put up more than 30 points AND be effective in all zones without the puck, then Amadio has their spot.

I guess my point though is that Lizotte should be the fourth line center. Lizotte’s a great guy to have in the bottom six, but it speaks volumes about how brutal the Kings’ prospect depth has been since 2012 that Lizotte is the first center to break out for the Kings since acquiring Jeff Carter.

I just think that Amadio has shown all he’s ever going to show. He’s played second line center a few times and shown nothing. I agree that there are spots on NHL rosters for the Shores and Amadios of the world, but we have a really excellent version of that in Lizotte. Now we need Kopitar, Byfield, and Vilardi to slot in above Lizotte and have that Stanley Cup center depth we grew to love.

Now obviously if Byfield and Turcotte (and our ten other solid center prospects) can’t hang this year and Amadio makes the team, it’s not a big deal. That just means we aren’t ready to contend yet. Amadio isn’t on a cup-winning roster.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I guess my point though is that Lizotte should be the fourth line center. Lizotte’s a great guy to have in the bottom six, but it speaks volumes about how brutal the Kings’ prospect depth has been since 2012 that Lizotte is the first center to break out for the Kings since acquiring Jeff Carter.

I just think that Amadio has shown all he’s ever going to show. He’s played second line center a few times and shown nothing. I agree that there are spots on NHL rosters for the Shores and Amadios of the world, but we have a really excellent version of that in Lizotte. Now we need Kopitar, Byfield, and Vilardi to slot in above Lizotte and have that Stanley Cup center depth we grew to love.

Now obviously if Byfield and Turcotte (and our ten other solid center prospects) can’t hang this year and Amadio makes the team, it’s not a big deal. That just means we aren’t ready to contend yet. Amadio isn’t on a cup-winning roster.

You had me till the very end.

TBL just won a Cup with a combo of Mitchell Stephens/Carter Verhaeghe getting those minutes (to say nothing of Luke Schenn).
STL with Zach Sanford, Sammy Blais (ironically probably the best of the bunch since Blues had some real depth and lesser high end)
Remember when the Caps were rolling out Nic Dowd?

Fans hate em but those guys have spots. Obviously everyone wants 'better' players and we have the depth that should come through but 1. you can't afford 12 Byfields even if you can acquire them and 2. frankly we've been spoiled with good 4th liners.

I do think this is Amadio's make or break year with the team and he's gotta show another level but I also won't be at all surprised if he's on the bottom six of a contender is all. Like, if he's on our roster when we're in the playoffs, that's a good thing for both him and the team.

 

[kilowatt]

You had me till the very end.

TBL just won a Cup with a combo of Mitchell Stephens/Carter Verhaeghe getting those minutes (to say nothing of Luke Schenn).
STL with Zach Sanford, Sammy Blais (ironically probably the best of the bunch since Blues had some real depth and lesser high end)
Remember when the Caps were rolling out Nic Dowd?

Fans hate em but those guys have spots. Obviously everyone wants 'better' players and we have the depth that should come through but 1. you can't afford 12 Byfields even if you can acquire them and 2. frankly we've been spoiled with good 4th liners.

I do think this is Amadio's make or break year with the team and he's gotta show another level but I also won't be at all surprised if he's on the bottom six of a contender is all. Like, if he's on our roster when we're in the playoffs, that's a good thing for both him and the team.

Yeah, I think we’re kind of arguing the same thing, but with different expectations for Amadio. I will agree that if he is on a contending Kings roster, it’s because he’s improved his play. But I’ve seen all I need to see from him while others haven’t.

But I also wrote off Sean Walker and Matt Roy, so what the hell do I know!

 

[Ollie Weeks]

Amadio is another Brad "The Fury" Chartrand, Brad Richardson, Jon Sim, Jeff Giuliano, John Tripp. Each are not good enough to play in the role he was playing because no one was good enough on the team to push him down.
I don't know how many rookies will make the jump this time , but Amadio's days are numbered IMO. Like Peter Harrold, no one will shed a tear when he is off the roster

Iafallo is like Derek Armstrong to me, He has a place on the team but is playing a bigger role on a higher line than he should because no one is there to push him down.

I protest Brad Richardson’s involvement on that list. He was a solid 4th line soldier for us. And while eventually pushed out of the lineup as we peaked in quality, he was good enough for a roster spot on a championship- calibre team.

While your point is taken, its a sour taste seeing him lumped in with those nobodies.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I’d replace the two Brads on that list with guys who just had a cup of coffee with the team, like another Brad, Brad Segal. Amadio is a player who doesn’t have much of an identity or does anything that stands out. Your basic 13th forward on the depth chart, ala Nick Shore. The type of player that exists in every lineup.

 

[King'sPawn]

 

[kingsfan28]

You had me till the very end.

TBL just won a Cup with a combo of Mitchell Stephens/Carter Verhaeghe getting those minutes (to say nothing of Luke Schenn).
STL with Zach Sanford, Sammy Blais (ironically probably the best of the bunch since Blues had some real depth and lesser high end)
Remember when the Caps were rolling out Nic Dowd?

Fans hate em but those guys have spots. Obviously everyone wants 'better' players and we have the depth that should come through but 1. you can't afford 12 Byfields even if you can acquire them and 2. frankly we've been spoiled with good 4th liners.

I do think this is Amadio's make or break year with the team and he's gotta show another level but I also won't be at all surprised if he's on the bottom six of a contender is all. Like, if he's on our roster when we're in the playoffs, that's a good thing for both him and the team.

Amadio will like Seattle.

 

[kingsfan28]

I protest Brad Richardson’s involvement on that list. He was a solid 4th line soldier for us. And while eventually pushed out of the lineup as we peaked in quality, he was good enough for a roster spot on a championship- calibre team.

While your point is taken, its a sour taste seeing him lumped in with those nobodies.

They guy is still playing regular minutes and was ARZ top scoring center for a while. He was far and away the best of the Brads.

 

[kingsfan28]

Hate him as much as people do, he was on pace for 10 goals and 25 points with stellar metrics the previous year. He dipped last year, but that's the bar for all the new guys to beat--be stout defensively and contribute at least modestly. Those are in the neighborhood of Austin Wagner production numbers and the forum is insanely high on Wagner and insanely low on Amadio.

I agree that he may not be a long-termer--i mean, look at that list of names coming up--but if you can't contribute that much, what's the rush?

Disclaimer is if Amadio comes in and falls flat on his face like he did last year he's toast, it's his spot to lose imo but the rope can't be that long.

He reminds me of Brian Boyle, pre-trade [ and before Torts straighten him out] . All the tools to be a good center, yet never doing enough to get to the next level.

 

[King'sPawn]

I think it's kind of wild that everybody assumes multiple rookies will beat out Amadio for a spot given that Amadio played in 68 of 70 games last year, played top 10 ES minutes (overall not per game) and was defensively responsible. I know he's unpopular among some fans because he doesn't put up numbers but to suggest that he's a bubble player who can be easily replaced seems optimistic. Plus he's not that much older than the "young kids" that are supposed to need more time to play. Amadio WAS a young kid who carved out a role for himself in the NHL.

Not saying it can't happen... just amused that so many people think it'll be easy.

Agreed. I'm still a fan of Amadio.

I think people get so excited for the future they want to see it happen sooner. They forget the process and effort Amadio has put in to earn his spot.

This isn't a judgment call or criticism. I think it just comes with the perspective of following prospects.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Agreed. I'm still a fan of Amadio.

I think people get so excited for the future they want to see it happen sooner. They forget the process and effort Amadio has put in to earn his spot.

This isn't a judgment call or criticism. I think it just comes with the perspective of following prospects.

Plus, I can count on one hand the amount of posters here that were ever excited about Amadio as a prospect.

 

[redcard]

Plus, I can count on one hand the amount of posters here that were ever excited about Amadio as a prospect.

You and your weird-ass six fingered hands.....

 

[Statto]

I don’t see Amadio as a King long term and I’m far from certain he’ll be a King next year but he should only lose his spot if someone earns it from him. If he takes another step and has worked on his strength and conditioning during the shutdown then it’s good for all parties and I’ll be quite happy. However, without taking a step forward I don’t see how he hangs around for long at all. Wagner is another who needs to step forward and I make no secret I’m not a fan there either. However, with Wagner he does have that elite speed and as such a bit more potential to make that step.

No one has a right to keep a spot or to be given one, so at the very least all these guys need to be bringing it big time when camp comes around. It’s a situation that should only be good for the Kings.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Amadio is the 6th most experienced forward, and his salary is the same with the Kings or Reign. He's a warm body, and will be replaced eventually, but I think he still has to lose his spot.

 

[Dykstra]

Amadio was one of our best players in the last pre season, thought it would be his breakout season, but he was disappointing. I still have hopes on him tho.

 

[cyclones22]

Amadio is soft as hell. That's my problem with him.

 

[Lt Dan]

Amadio is soft as hell. That's my problem with him.

Like Snuggle

 

[bland]

Amadio has earned his spot in camp, then promptly played like he was afraid of losing it instead of progressing. It has happened two years in a row now, and its disappointing that a player who clearly has a head for the game is selling himself short. He doesn't have the physical tools to get by in third gear.

I don't expect any of the Kings young prospects to benefit from 4th line minutes this upcoming "year", so this is very likely Amadio's last opportunity to prove that he could not only make it, but thrive.

 

[Lt Dan]

You and your weird-ass six fingered hands.....

Inigo Montoya has been looking for him

 

[KINGS17]

Perhaps this is how the NHL's player safety branch should work. You fine the player to the point where he has to sell his car.

 

[RaymondReddington]

From Dom Luszczyszyn of the Athletic, posted today:

Los Angeles Kings
Wins Added: 0.6 wins
Salary Added: $3.3 million
In: Olli Maatta
Out: Trevor Lewis, Ben Hutton, Nikolai Prokhorkin
The Kings didn’t really do much other than add Olli Maatta and subtract a few depth players. Maatta himself isn’t worth a lot on his own and the wins added mostly come from subtracting Trevor Lewis and Nikolai Prokhorkin from the roster, as both are below replacement level players.

NHL offseason by the numbers: Which teams have improved the most (and least)?

 

[Lt Dan]

From Dom Luszczyszyn of the Athletic, posted today:

Los Angeles Kings
Wins Added: 0.6 wins
Salary Added: $3.3 million
In: Olli Maatta
Out: Trevor Lewis, Ben Hutton, Nikolai Prokhorkin
The Kings didn’t really do much other than add Olli Maatta and subtract a few depth players. Maatta himself isn’t worth a lot on his own and the wins added mostly come from subtracting Trevor Lewis and Nikolai Prokhorkin from the roster, as both are below replacement level players.

NHL offseason by the numbers: Which teams have improved the most (and least)?

I would figure that Maatta would worth 2 wins, on vowels alone.
Not to mention I think one of our kids will be better than Lewis