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

[All The Kings Men]

He's the same age and draft year as JAD, Vilardi and Anderson. Those 3 all got at least 1 full year in Ontario playing in the same system they are now. I would even have Andersson play a few weekend series with the Reign so he could play big minutes in all situations and gain that comfort and confidence. Kid is fine, WE need to be patient.

Just to clarify (and be a dick...)

Lias Andersson is the same draft class as Vilardi (9-12-1999) and Anderson-Dolan (8-16-1999) but both those guys were 17 when drafted while Lias Andersson (10-13-1998) is almost a year older than them.

I don't think it changes a thing that you said... I just think it's amazing that Vilardi and Anderson-Dolan are a year younger. Much like Byfield (8-19-2002) is almost a year younger than Lafreniere (10-11-2001)

 

[Kurrilino]

50+ points is absolutely top line production. I think 40-50 I'll concede on but I'm not sure people's expectations of 'first line talent' is commensurate with reality.

In the last full regular season, 82 total forwards has more than 53 points.

Do we want someone more talented ideally, sure. But this idea that Iafallo somehow doesn't fit that scoring profile needs to stop, they can't all be play drivers, some are complementary. I guess this is less at you and more at the general idea that somehow Iafallo isn't enough/doesn't fit.

For all the wingers we've lined up next to Kopitar, Iafallo fits right in that top tier with Williams and Brown.

Oh god, not this again.
We start talking about Williams and Brown if Iafallo scores 30 goals at least one time.
And no, 50 points is not top line production, especially if it's 10 goals and 40 2nd assists.

If you want to be a top line winger, you better score 30+ goals even if that means you score 40 points in overall.
We are talking Kopitar here, AAA elite center, having 20 minutes ice time.
The Hot Dog sales man from section 219 could score 50 points beside Kopitar. But that doesn't make him capable of being a professional hockey player.

 

[Papa Mocha 15]

Oh god, not this again.
We start talking about Williams and Brown if Iafallo scores 30 goals at least one time.
And no, 50 points is not top line production, especially if it's 10 goals and 40 2nd assists.

If you want to be a top line winger, you better score 30+ goals even if that means you score 40 points in overall.
We are talking Kopitar here, AAA elite center, having 20 minutes ice time.
The Hot Dog sales man from section 219 could score 50 points beside Kopitar. But that doesn't make him capable of being a professional hockey player.

Please...cotton candy salesman could TOTALLY be a professional hockey player for LA in 2009. Hotdog sales people are entry level. Easy pickens.

 

[Anguyen92]

Ok, then we can play the hot dog sales man with Kopitar and see what happens. Then a certain period of time later, we are going to cycle back and come to the realization that not many people can get much productivity playing with Kopitar as they would like to.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Oh god, not this again.
We start talking about Williams and Brown if Iafallo scores 30 goals at least one time.
And no, 50 points is not top line production, especially if it's 10 goals and 40 2nd assists.

If you want to be a top line winger, you better score 30+ goals even if that means you score 40 points in overall.
We are talking Kopitar here, AAA elite center, having 20 minutes ice time.
The Hot Dog sales man from section 219 could score 50 points beside Kopitar. But that doesn't make him capable of being a professional hockey player.

I know facts are sometimes hard for you to process, but here are some numbers for you to digest.

Only 5 left wingers scored 30 or more goals last season, and only 16 scored 50+ points.

So if we were to apply your illogical, arbitrary numbers to measure who is or isn't a top line producing winger, there are only 5 first line left wingers that exist in the entire NHL.

How many points is your measuring stick if only 16 left wingers in the entire league scored over 50 points?

 

[Mats26]

Iafallo is to Kopitar what Pascal Dupuis was to Crosby.

 

[KingLB]

The Kings have more right shot defensemen than anything, and fretting over a 3rd pairing version when you have next to zero forward grit makes it an easy consideration towards keeping Grundstrom and Andersson.

That’s one way to look at it, other way is, what assets are more valuable and which can be easily replaced.

I personally think Andersson is still being viewed through “new young player beer googles” on this board. He probably isn’t even a replacement level player in the league at this point. And by year end most will see the 2nd rounder traded as bad asset management. And with the cap where it is, the Kings should be able to pick up a similar player via FA if they desired. At league min.

This wasn’t targeted at you, just the first paragraph. More a rant I’ve been suppressing for to long.

 

[lumbergh]

Oh god, not this again.
We start talking about Williams and Brown if Iafallo scores 30 goals at least one time.
And no, 50 points is not top line production, especially if it's 10 goals and 40 2nd assists.

If you want to be a top line winger, you better score 30+ goals even if that means you score 40 points in overall.
We are talking Kopitar here, AAA elite center, having 20 minutes ice time.
The Hot Dog sales man from section 219 could score 50 points beside Kopitar. But that doesn't make him capable of being a professional hockey player.

Kurrilino been going to this place instead of Waffle House again.

 

[bland]

That’s one way to look at it, other way is, what assets are more valuable and which can be easily replaced.

I personally think Andersson is still being viewed through “new young player beer googles” on this board. He probably isn’t even a replacement level player in the league at this point. And by year end most will see the 2nd rounder traded as bad asset management. And with the cap where it is, the Kings should be able to pick up a similar player via FA if they desired. At league min.

This wasn’t targeted at you, just the first paragraph. More a rant I’ve been suppressing for to long.

The single easiest thing for the Kings to replace right now and over the next several years is that 3rd pairing RHD.

What they desperately need are competitive, gritty forwards. They aren't getting any of that from the vets, and there is a dearth of that throughout the organization.

Andersson is a puppy, nowhere near a finished product. What he is showing is a desire to compete in the hardest areas of the ice, with some tricks and a bit of malice. Its going to take time to get comfortable, find his game, buy into his role and then see just how far his talent can take him. I don't think he could have provided anybody any kind of certainty yet, much less projecting the pick as a waste.

So, I'll counter your argument with this: I think that the folks who want to keep all the defense are likely overvaluing that position because it is traditionally a weak spot and are not really perceiving exactly what the Kings have now, have on deck, and are lacking both in the present and future.

 

[HookKing]

The single easiest thing for the Kings to replace right now and over the next several years is that 3rd pairing RHD.

What they desperately need are competitive, gritty forwards. They aren't getting any of that from the vets, and there is a dearth of that throughout the organization.

Andersson is a puppy, nowhere near a finished product. What he is showing is a desire to compete in the hardest areas of the ice, with some tricks and a bit of malice. Its going to take time to get comfortable, find his game, buy into his role and then see just how far his talent can take him. I don't think he could have provided anybody any kind of certainty yet, much less projecting the pick as a waste.

So, I'll counter your argument with this: I think that the folks who want to keep all the defense are likely overvaluing that position because it is traditionally a weak spot and are not really perceiving exactly what the Kings have now, have on deck, and are lacking both in the present and future.

Big picture, big picture. Walker's current value (assuming no issues from his injury) in the league is way higher than either Grundstrom or Andersson. RHD is momentarily a team strength but highly prized around the league. That's asset management. Now, if Grundstrom and/or Andersson start to show more -- then yeah, you keep them. There are plenty of teams that will trade grit for skill.

 

[The Lukeman]

Walker would be a good add for Seattle. Good contract, in his prime, ability to move up and down lineup and play in different situations. Bummer to lose him but between him and Strand, Strand seems to bring elements Walker doesn't imo--but we have all year to figure out what he is, thankfully.

Correct me if im wrong, but Strand is actually not eligible for expansion draft just yet. He needs to be in the line up for 22 of the next 42 games this season.

Seeing that once walker is back, Strand will likely be the odd man out, I dont know if he gets 22 more games. Asset management here.

 

[HookKing]

Correct me if im wrong, but Strand is actually not eligible for expansion draft just yet. He needs to be in the line up for 22 of the next 42 games this season.

Seeing that once walker is back, Strand will likely be the odd man out, I dont know if he gets 22 more games. Asset management here.

People are still getting confused over "eligibility" requirements. One poster has obviously failed to get the point across although his multiple explanations were quite clear. Each team has a minimum number of players with time in the league that have to be exposed. At least 1 D must be under contract, if Strand gets 22 more games then he would fulfill the requirement. That has nothing to do with who might get picked. Strand is eligible because he's a 3rd year pro.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Assuming Strand and Clague keep on keeping on, it's easy to protect 5 D. No forward that would be exposed is crazy good. They want Wagner, Grundstrom, Frk, whatever, take one. No need to force a trade. Want to make a trade, that's fine, but do it from a position of strength, not in some hurried rush to protect an ok winger. Wait until after the E draft to trade Walker or whoever.

 

[kilowatt]

Correct me if im wrong, but Strand is actually not eligible for expansion draft just yet. He needs to be in the line up for 22 of the next 42 games this season.

Seeing that once walker is back, Strand will likely be the odd man out, I dont know if he gets 22 more games. Asset management here.

I'll sum it up as simply as possible:

Every player with more than two seasons in the AHL or NHL can be selected by Seattle unless protected by their team.

 

[crassbonanza]

That’s one way to look at it, other way is, what assets are more valuable and which can be easily replaced.

I personally think Andersson is still being viewed through “new young player beer googles” on this board. He probably isn’t even a replacement level player in the league at this point. And by year end most will see the 2nd rounder traded as bad asset management. And with the cap where it is, the Kings should be able to pick up a similar player via FA if they desired. At league min.

This wasn’t targeted at you, just the first paragraph. More a rant I’ve been suppressing for to long.

I don't know how you have been suppressing this rant for a long time when he has only played 11 games with a brand new team and also without the benefit of a preseason to get up to speed. Way too early to throw in the towel now, much less any time before now.

Beyond that, I don't know how this could be viewed as bad asset management. He is a 22 year old former lottery pick who captained his WJC and had been playing decently back in Sweden. It is well worth taking that risk with the 60th overall pick even if he doesn't work out. This is the kind of low risk/high reward move the Kings should be making now that they have such a stacked prospect pool. For reference, with his 1 goal this season, Lias has already scored more points than 33 of the 52 players drafted at 60th overall, which was the pick traded to acquire him.

 

[Stimpythecat]

I don't think Seattle takes Brown. Seattle can weaponize the ED/cap space and make a team pay good assets to take their cap dump.

While Brown isn't a cap dump and has only one more year after this, choosing Brown means Seattle forgoes those assets that their weaponized cap space could have brought. And I think teams will pay a decent amount to lighten their cap load due to the losses most teams are having.

 

[bland]

Big picture, big picture. Walker's current value (assuming no issues from his injury) in the league is way higher than either Grundstrom or Andersson. RHD is momentarily a team strength but highly prized around the league. That's asset management. Now, if Grundstrom and/or Andersson start to show more -- then yeah, you keep them. There are plenty of teams that will trade grit for skill.

Dude, you're squinting here.

 

[crassbonanza]

There are plenty of teams that will trade grit for skill.

Grit with skill might be the most prized commodity around the league. If Tonka or Lias develop an offensive game they immediately become significantly more valuable then Walker. Guys like Josh Anderson or Brady Tkachuk are only going to continue to grow in value as the league overcorrects towards soft skill.

 

[HookKing]

Dude, you're squinting here.

Game, set, match.

 

[HookKing]

Grit with skill might be the most prized commodity around the league. If Tonka or Lias develop an offensive game they immediately become significantly more valuable then Walker. Guys like Josh Anderson or Brady Tkachuk are only going to continue to grown in value as the league overcorrects towards soft skill.

Yep, that ole "if".

 

[Eagle Fang]

I don't know how you have been suppressing this rant for a long time when he has only played 11 games with a brand new team and also without the benefit of a preseason to get up to speed. Way too early to throw in the towel now, much less any time before now.

Beyond that, I don't know how this could be viewed as bad asset management. He is a 22 year old former lottery pick who captained his WJC who had been playing decently back in Sweden. It is well worth taking that risk with the 60th overall pick even if he doesn't work out. This is the kind of low risk/high reward move the Kings should be making now that they have such a stacked prospect pool. For reference, with his 1 goal this season, Lias has already scored more points than 33 of the 52 players drafted at 60th overall, which was the pick traded to acquire him.

Agreed with everything said. I'm a fan of Andersson, but to be honest, he played well initially and has kind of tapered off a bit since being separated from Grundstrom and Moore (?). Hasn't been bad, but hasn't really been noticeable either, though he did have a nice game vs MIN the other day.

 

[crassbonanza]

Yep, that ole "if".

Every single value evaluation almost entirely hinges around "If's". Which is why it might be worth protecting one of the players with big "if" potential.

It is really expensive to trade for grit with skill, you almost always need to find and develop your own.

 

[HookKing]

Every single value evaluation almost entirely hinges around "If's". Which is why it might be worth protecting one of the players with big "if" potential.

It is really expensive to trade for grit with skill, you almost always need to find and develop your own.

No they don't.

 

[crassbonanza]

No they don't.

Good counter argument, you made a great point.

 

[Sparky206]

Agreed with everything said. I'm a fan of Andersson, but to be honest, he played well initially and has kind of tapered off a bit since being separated from Grundstrom and Moore (?). Hasn't been bad, but hasn't really been noticeable either, though he did have a nice game vs MIN the other day.

If you had to pick whos been more noticeable between Moore and Andersson you'd pick Moore all day long. I think Andersson would be best suited to going down and spending the season with the other kids on the Reign. Play a bigger role down there, be a difference maker rather than just another bottom 6 forward for the kings playing 12 minutes a night where errors get you benched.