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

[All The Kings Men]

Adios Amadio = Amadios!

Amadio
Turns 25 in May
128 AHL Games
35 AHL Goals

148 NHL games
16 NHL Goals
37 NHL Points
68 of 70 games in 2019-20
played the 6th most ES minutes among forwards last season
played 100 minutes on the PK

NHL Cap Hit - $700,000

Eyssimont
Turns 25 in September
122 AHL Games
22 AHL Goals

0 NHL Games

NHL Cap Hit - $700,000

I get that it's fun and not always sincere but I'll never understand the idea that somehow young inexpensive 4th liners are a disappointment.

Amadio isn't getting his number retired but he's also not going to just disappear.

 

[Lt Dan]

Amadio
Turns 25 in May
128 AHL Games
35 AHL Goals

148 NHL games
16 NHL Goals
37 NHL Points
68 of 70 games in 2019-20
played the 6th most ES minutes among forwards last season
played 100 minutes on the PK

NHL Cap Hit - $700,000

Eyssimont
Turns 25 in September
122 AHL Games
22 AHL Goals

0 NHL Games

NHL Cap Hit - $700,000

I get that it's fun and not always sincere but I'll never understand the idea that somehow young inexpensive 4th liners are a disappointment.

Amadio isn't getting his number retired but he's also not going to just disappear.

My Amadios joke will not be denied!

 

[tbrown33]

Pronmon’s Under 23 Rankings are out. Prepare your takes:

Ranking NHL’s best under-23 stars: Dahlin, Pettersson or Lafreniere at No. 1?
Ranking NHL's best under-23 stars: Dahlin, Pettersson or Lafreniere at No. 1?

Tier 3: NHL all-star

11. Quinton Byfield, C, Los Angeles
Aug. 19, 2002 | 6-foot-4 | 215 pounds
Previous ranking: No. 10
Skating: Average
Puck Skills: High-end
Hockey Sense: Average
Compete: Average
Shot: Above-average

Byfield moves down to this tier from Tier 2. It’s an incremental change, but one I think is fair. He’s an extremely talented player and works hard, he has been great in the OHL, but he has struggled to be a top player at the international level.

Tier 5: Top-line forward, top-pair defenseman or good starting goaltender



28. Arthur Kaliyev, RW, Los Angeles
June 26, 2001 | 6-foot-2 | 190 pounds
Previous ranking: No. 57
Skating: Below-average
Puck Skills: Below-average
Hockey Sense: Above-average
Compete: Average
Shot: High-end
Kaliyev moves into this tier as he continues to show he can be a top performer wherever he goes because of his tremendous hockey sense and shot, and despite his game lacking speed and physicality. I think he’s going to score a lot in the NHL.

Tier 6: Bubble of top-line or pairing and second-line or pairing

52. Samuel Fagemo, LW, Los Angeles
March 14, 2000 | six-foot | 194 pounds
Previous ranking: No. 32
Skating: Average
Puck Skills: Average
Hockey Sense: Average
Compete: Average
Shot: Above-average
Fagemo hasn’t had the most productive season in the Allsvenskan as a 20-year-old, which isn’t ideal, but he’s still looked very good and shown all the tools I saw last season. I adjusted his slotting a little bit to account for his season.

Tier 7: Second-line forward, second-pair defenseman or starting goaltender


88. Alex Turcotte, C, Los Angeles
Feb. 26, 2001 | 5-foot-11 | 185 pounds
Previous ranking: No. 89
Skating: Above-average
Puck Skills: Average
Hockey Sense: Average
Compete: Above-average

93. Gabriel Vilardi, C, Los Angeles
Aug. 16, 1999 | 6-foot-3 | 201 pounds
Previous ranking: No. 95
Skating: Below-average
Puck Skills: Average
Hockey Sense: Average
Compete: Average

126. Rasmus Kupari, C, Los Angeles
March 15, 2000 | 6-foot-1 | 185 pounds
Previous ranking: No. 130
Skating: Average
Puck Skills: Average
Hockey Sense: Below-average
Compete: Average

Los Angeles defenseman Tobias Bjornfot was removed as questions continue to linger about his offensive upside despite his great skating.

 

[All The Kings Men]

My Amadios joke will not be denied!

I admit... I lol'd

 

[regulate]

This year's wild card?

Tmac giving him some love, maybe he makes the Taxi Squad since he's older and has a couple pro seasons, but I will always contend I don't see an NHL regular here with this kid. He did make huge strides last year however, he was much improved.

 

[cyclones22]

The problem with Pronman's classifications is that he forces himself into pigeon-holing players into ratings that make no sense. Case in point, look at Vilardi's classifications:

93. Gabriel Vilardi, C, Los Angeles
Aug. 16, 1999 | 6-foot-3 | 201 pounds
Previous ranking: No. 95
Skating: Below-average
Puck Skills: Average
Hockey Sense: Average
Compete: Average

So reading this, Vilardi grades out to be a below-average NHL'er, right? Below-average skater, average at everything else. He's got average puck skills and hockey sense? Okay...

 

[Sparky206]

Turcottes compete is only above-average. Man people are going to hate to see when he gets to high-end

 

[regulate]

The problem with Pronman's classifications is that he forces himself into pigeon-holing players into ratings that make no sense. Case in point, look at Vilardi's classifications:

93. Gabriel Vilardi, C, Los Angeles
Aug. 16, 1999 | 6-foot-3 | 201 pounds
Previous ranking: No. 95
Skating: Below-average
Puck Skills: Average
Hockey Sense: Average
Compete: Average

So reading this, Vilardi grades out to be a below-average NHL'er, right? Below-average skater, average at everything else. He's got average puck skills and hockey sense? Okay...

I am starting to believe Pronman has really poor judgement, not just on rating the individuals, but their overall ranking. Seems to get worse each year

 

[Steve Zissou]

I don't mind Amadio as a 4th liner, but his play has shown to be nearly regressing and or is being passed up on the depth chart at this point. I think Lizotte or JAD are better options for the centering the 4th line (although it seems like TMac likes him on that 3rd line – what does that mean for the line with AA? Does that mean AA is on the '4th' line? I don't like AA in a 4th line role whatsoever). That's the bigger question though, if Amadio has been passed up on the depth chart yet at this point.

I think the 3rd line was up for grabs for him last year, and he fumbled that pass multiple times not just last year but the year prior as well. In a perfect world I'd have Amadio centering the 3rd line with Lizotte as the 4th.

Is JAD ready for prime time just yet after playing in the AHL last year? Don't know. As always, the prospects should have to force the coach to keep them up in the bigs with their play demanding it.

It's def. good to have options on the taxi squad regardless where Amadio can rotate in and out of the lineup to show (one last time) if he still has what he showed in pre-season last year. He looked fantastic and had a ton of confidence with a sniper shot in those pre-season games.

 

[SufferingSelfCreated]

LA Kings Training Camp – Todd McLellan Quotes, January 8

Some info on tomorrows scrimmage at Staples Center,players etc.

 

[Statto]

Amadio
Turns 25 in May
128 AHL Games
35 AHL Goals

148 NHL games
16 NHL Goals
37 NHL Points
68 of 70 games in 2019-20
played the 6th most ES minutes among forwards last season
played 100 minutes on the PK

NHL Cap Hit - $700,000

Eyssimont
Turns 25 in September
122 AHL Games
22 AHL Goals

0 NHL Games

NHL Cap Hit - $700,000

I get that it's fun and not always sincere but I'll never understand the idea that somehow young inexpensive 4th liners are a disappointment.

Amadio isn't getting his number retired but he's also not going to just disappear.

No he won’t disappear but with the talent we have in the system if someone is ready to fill his spot you don’t worry about waivers for him. Which is my thing I get annoyed about with the discussion around him.

People talk about asset management but he has zero trade value and the number of unsigned free agents makes him relatively easily replaced. Don’t get me wrong I don’t mind him and for where the team was the last couple of years he did a solid enough job. However, I just don’t agree with the various views I’ve read that his waiver status should affect him getting a roster spot.

Someone like Grundström who still has untapped upside, absolutely waivers should come into it, but not Amadio. If Thomas or JAD, for example, can earn the spot you waive him without a second thought. They absolutely need to earn the spot though. The taxi squad thing does affect things though and I’d have him there as he’s someone we can afford to only play the occasional game whereas the likes of JAD need minutes.

 

[regulate]

I don't mind Amadio as a 4th liner, but his play has shown to be nearly regressing and or is being passed up on the depth chart at this point. I think Lizotte or JAD are better options for the centering the 4th line (although it seems like TMac likes him on that 3rd line – what does that mean for the line with AA? Does that mean AA is on the '4th' line? I don't like AA in a 4th line role whatsoever). That's the bigger question though, if Amadio has been passed up on the depth chart yet at this point.

I think the 3rd line was up for grabs for him last year, and he fumbled that pass multiple times not just last year but the year prior as well. In a perfect world I'd have Amadio centering the 3rd line with Lizotte as the 4th.

Is JAD ready for prime time just yet after playing in the AHL last year? Don't know. As always, the prospects should have to force the coach to keep them up in the bigs with their play demanding it.

It's def. good to have options on the taxi squad regardless where Amadio can rotate in and out of the lineup to show (one last time) if he still has what he showed in pre-season last year. He looked fantastic and had a ton of confidence with a sniper shot in those pre-season games.

My take is JAD is not ready for prime time (yet) He needs more pro experience. I think he will get some NHL games this year. He was starting to put it together offensively in the 2nd half last year before the AHL season was cut short, but I can tell you, at least from an AHL perspective, Amadio was a significantly more skilled hockey player, especially offensively during his first AHL season than JAD was last year. JAD does bring some nice intangibles, leadership and compete but his skill level screams bottom six, and there is nothing wrong with that. The fact that he is already practicing with the B Team in camp pretty much tells us he's not ready in the eyes of the staff. AA will be on Lizotte's line with Carter to start. Whether they consider that the 2nd or 3rd line I guess depends on who TMac is going with that night (Vilardi's line the other option).

 

[BringTheReign]

This year's wild card?

There was someone in an Eyssimont practice jersey at the Kings-Avs outdoor game last February. I chuckled when I saw it, but I'd gladly eat crow if he played more than 1-2 games this season.

 

[BigKing]

Like T-Mac's comments on MacD. Kind of implied he has a spot more nights than not unless he forgets what got him here, i.e. crushing people.

Don't know how many times I had to argue with those that crapped on him that the team plays better with him in the lineup regardless if playing him over Fantenberg, Ryan etc...leads to a decrease in skill level.

We have a soft team. They play soft as Charmin when MacD isn't in the lineup. They play bigger and with more confidence when he is in the lineup. It isn't rocket science but it is nice to hear T-Mac confirm this.

Will he have a spot on this team when they are a contender? Probably not but it is insane that there were arguments about playing some waiver fodder over him for two seasons when this team was fighting for dead last in the league anyways.

 

[BringTheReign]

I am starting to believe Pronman has really poor judgement, not just on rating the individuals, but their overall ranking. Seems to get worse each year

I loved both Pronman and Wheeler's work equally when I first started reading The Athletic, but I agree. It seems like Pronman has started to overthink things with his U23 rankings and his flip-flopping on the 20-80 scale now to average, below, high-end, etc.

What he was doing before was working, and I almost enjoyed his terse, almost gruff writing style in comparison to Wheeler. Now it just comes off as hollow. For example, he and Wheeler both downgraded Byfield a bit, but Wheeler put it in much better context than Pronman has.

 

[Sol]

Kings need MacD. I wasn't so big into physical dmen in the new NHL until I saw the Kings play so cowardly against the Knights.

Also, I hope this means we will see petersen and quick being 1a/1b. It's time someone gets a fair shot at the starting position rather than giving it to Quick for something that happened over half a decade ago.

As much as I have loved Kopitar, the fact he has no aggressive bone in his body has always irked me a bit. Way too much of a gentle giant.

 

[tbrown33]

I am starting to believe Pronman has really poor judgement, not just on rating the individuals, but their overall ranking. Seems to get worse each year

Agreed. The tiers are weird too. At
times he uses the WJC as a guiding principle for one player, but will also completely disregard it for another. Completely arbitrary, and his “grades” are almost hyperbolically rudimentary. Sometimes I’m wondering if he’s watching the same player as I am. I get it, it’s a lot of different guys to keep track of, but that’s why analytics exist. No one man can have all that prospects.

 

[lumbergh]

Don't know how many times I had to argue with those that crapped on him that the team plays better with him in the lineup regardless if playing him over Fantenberg, Ryan etc...leads to a decrease in skill level.

Get ready to argue some more! Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a hater. I like MacDermid a lot, but it would be good if he didn’t drag down his partner. The kings would be better off if he could play regular shifts. Hopefully he’ll prove me wrong.

 

[bland]

I am starting to believe Pronman has really poor judgement, not just on rating the individuals, but their overall ranking. Seems to get worse each year

I have been of the opinion for years now that Pronman is the single worst hockey pundit in the business. He is a poor writer who lacks understanding, context and consistency.

 

[Telos]

I think some of his concerns here are fair and shared by everyone, but I do agree that Pronman himself is a bit overrated and I think he is just so popular or listened to by the simple fact that he is the primary prospect guru for the Athletic, which holds him in very high regard, and that alone makes him easily one of the ones with the most exposure. In short, he is not completely terrible, but more often than not I find his rankings questionable or at least slightly disagreeable, and I am not just talking about Kings prospects.

 

[Docgonzo]

I’m not so worried about the defense but with the loss of Clifford and even Lewis the forwards are soft and easy to play against. It’s why I hope Grundstrom and Andersson can provide some of that physical grit. Because right now the team is low on skill and low on physicality and that scary.

 

[Steve Zissou]

I’m not so worried about the defense but with the loss of Clifford and even Lewis the forwards are soft and easy to play against. It’s why I hope Grundstrom and Andersson can provide some of that physical grit. Because right now the team is low on skill and low on physicality and that scary.

Concur. We are def. low on players who go to the net, bang some bodies, and put home a rebound or two. And with Brown changing up his game as he gets older, it’s only more exposed.

 

[pbgoalie]

I’m a Ducks fan and Vilardi ratings seem absurd

if he stays healthy He is gonna great

 

[Sol]

I’m not so worried about the defense but with the loss of Clifford and even Lewis the forwards are soft and easy to play against. It’s why I hope Grundstrom and Andersson can provide some of that physical grit. Because right now the team is low on skill and low on physicality and that scary.

If what I have heard and seen about some of the younger prospects is true, the Kings should have some bite and nastiness. The Kings softness was rock-bottom. They can only get tougher. Clifford was good but he's on the downside of his career now, and Lewis was just way too slow to hit anything.

I'm optimistic about the bite of our players.

 

[Fishhead]

What the team needs is another Matt Greene type pickup. MacD can play that role for now, but I'm not sure there is much room for growth with his overall positioning and hockey awareness. As always, the problem is it's difficult to find a guy like Greene in the right age slot.