Speculation: 2020-21 News/Rumors/Roster Thread

[Ziggy Stardust]

Snippet:

Hextall re-emerged in the hockey world last September after being brought back into the fold by the Kings as an advisor. He was an assistant general manager in L.A. alongside Dean Lombardi during their championship years.

Kings GM Rob Blake valued Hextall’s input this season.

“I found the importance of having him around during the trade deadline,’’ Blake said. “Someone to run an idea by that has been in the same position. The experience he had dealing with other GMs and his calm, thoughtful presence was very important to us.’’

It’s been a nice way for Hextall to get back into things.

“During the season, I would go out there for 5-7 days every 4-5 weeks, watch the big team and watch the minor-league team,’’ Hextall said. “Just be around and talk and do some projects. For me, it was a relief to get back in and get working again. Blakey is an absolutely terrific guy and it’s given me some energy back, for sure.’’

But of course, what Hextall desires is to get another crack at a GM job and run his own ship again.

 

[kingsholygrail]

Hextall's got a good mind. I hope he gets a shot somewhere.

 

[Token]

Hoven claims in his podcast Reign coach is a done deal.

John Wroblewski

USNTDP coach for the past 4 seasons.



It’s at the beginning so you don’t have to suffer too long.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

That’s a pretty significant hire, considering all of the talent he’s worked with on the USNTDP, including Alex Turcotte and Arthur Kaliyev.

 

[Sleeping Dog]

That’s a pretty significant hire, considering all of the talent he’s worked with on the USNTDP, including Alex Turcotte and Arthur Kaliyev.

Was Arty in the USNTDP?

 

[Token]

Was Arty in the USNTDP?

No, he went the OHL route.

 

[Token]

That’s a pretty significant hire, considering all of the talent he’s worked with on the USNTDP, including Alex Turcotte and Arthur Kaliyev.

Wroblewski did not coach team USA per se, but they run the program out of his barn so I’m pretty sure he is in the know.

Pretty sure he has the book on Turcotte, Madden, Mike Anderson, Hults, Kaliyev, Doyle, Lee ...

We have a few kids in or alumni of the US circuit.

 

[cyclones22]

Sounds like an interesting hire to me. The focus now in Ontario is not just to seamlessly shuttle players back and forth to LA who know the system. It's to develop as well as this is most talent laden roster in Ontario/Manchester probably ever and will be adding even more talent the next couple of years.

 

[Sleeping Dog]

Kings news. Got caught twice, wonder if others will come forward.

LA Kings suspend mascot amid sexual harassment allegations

 

[KopitarFAN]

Kings' Samuel Fagemo Expected To Be Loaned To Allsvenskan

 

[BigBrown]

Kings' Samuel Fagemo Expected To Be Loaned To Allsvenskan

Strange that he'd opt to play in a lower league as an established SHL player. That's like an NHL player choosing to play the AHL. No doubt he'd be one of the best players of Allsvenskan.

Maybe there is some agreement to go to Ontario/LA once the season starts which might have complicated things with his SHL club.

 

[cyclones22]

Strange that he'd opt to play in a lower league as an established SHL player. That's like an NHL player choosing to play the AHL. No doubt he'd be one of the best players of Allsvenskan.

Maybe there is some agreement to go to Ontario/LA once the season starts which might have complicated things with his SHL club.

Only SHL players currently under contract with an SHL team i.e. Bjornfot can play for an SHL team and then return for the start of the NHL/AHL training camp and season. Fagemo's Frolunda contract expired after last season and the lower league he signed with has no stipulations to block players from returning to North America.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Wroblewski did not coach team USA per se, but they run the program out of his barn so I’m pretty sure he is in the know.

Pretty sure he has the book on Turcotte, Madden, Mike Anderson, Hults, Kaliyev, Doyle, Lee ...

We have a few kids in or alumni of the US circuit.

No, Wroblewski did coach the NTDP. He was the head coach of the odd year players, so that included Turcotte’s age group. I believe that’s the only Kings draft pick he coached. He will have coached the 2003’s though, so he’ll have the book on some 2021 and 2022 draft picks for the Kings scouting staff. He also coached two players that’ll be drafted this year (Sean Farrell and Ryder Rolston), so maybe the Kings draft one of those two kids.

He was the best coach the NTDP has had in years. Buffalo’s AHL team hired the guy who coaches the even year players, Seth Appert. While Appert improved this year, he’s nowhere near as good of a hire, in my opinion, as Wroblewski.

My only problem with Wroblewski’s coaching is that he rotated the players so much. You’d see the best players regularly on the third and fourth line for no reason other than he wanted to give everyone a chance to play everywhere in the lineup. I think you’ll see less of that in the AHL than USHL, but his extreme rotation policies might still show up in his pro hockey coaching. He did do a little less rotating though when the games became more important.

This is a great hire for you guys. I think Wroblewski is going to be coaching in the NHL before long.

 

[King'sPawn]

No, Wroblewski did coach the NTDP. He was the head coach of the odd year players, so that included Turcotte’s age group. I believe that’s the only Kings draft pick he coached. He will have coached the 2003’s though, so he’ll have the book on some 2021 and 2022 draft picks for the Kings scouting staff. He also coached two players that’ll be drafted this year (Sean Farrell and Ryder Rolston), so maybe the Kings draft one of those two kids.

He was the best coach the NTDP has had in years. Buffalo’s AHL team hired the guy who coaches the even year players, Seth Appert. While Appert improved this year, he’s nowhere near as good of a hire, in my opinion, as Wroblewski.

My only problem with Wroblewski’s coaching is that he rotated the players so much. You’d see the best players regularly on the third and fourth line for no reason other than he wanted to give everyone a chance to play everywhere in the lineup. I think you’ll see less of that in the AHL than USHL, but his extreme rotation policies might still show up in his pro hockey coaching. He did do a little less rotating though when the games became more important.

This is a great hire for you guys. I think Wroblewski is going to be coaching in the NHL before long.

Funny thing is, the over rotating/spreading out ice time TOO much was a criticism of Willie Desjardins we actually looked forward to, considering how much time Kopitar was leaned on. Then he went the complete opposite.

Still looking forward to Wroblewski. Thank you for the insight!

 

[Sparky206]

His teams were development programs so you would expect ice time to be rotated as they are focused on improving all the kids there rather than results.

Im sure the kings will instruct him on how they want him to manage the team. It does line up with Kings coaching of the last decade where almost all of the lineup is able to slot onto the PK so having an AHL coach who is accustomed to putting a lot of the players in all situations does look like a fit.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Now it’s official.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Sounds like the right man for the job.

“He (Wroblewski) has allowed the younger players to develop from a skills standpoint,” Granato said. “He has left them lots of freedom and created a nice environment for the offensive players to take their game to another level. Offensively, he turns them loose and lets them play. Skill guys love coaches like that.”

Keith Tkachuk, who played in the NHL for 18 years, gave credit to Wroblewski, saying he had a “huge” impact in the development of his younger son Brady Tkachuk in the USNTDP. Brady went No. 4 to the Senators in the 2018 NHL Draft and just finished his second season in Ottawa.

“He really helped him confidence wise, to believe in himself,” Keith said. “Which I think was half the battle for Brady to get better as a player. And he’s taken off since then and a lot has to do with him (Wroblewski).

“A lot of these prospects L.A. is going to have are going to need somebody to guide them the right way, so they can live their dream and play in the NHL.”

 

[Telos]

I like that he gives them freedom and guidance in the department of creativity and skill. Offensively, this should be a much-needed adjustment to LA's pipeline and development program.

 

[Lt Dan]

I like that he gives them freedom .

 

[cyclones22]

I like that he gives them freedom and guidance in the department of creativity and skill. Offensively, this should be a much-needed adjustment to LA's pipeline and development program.

LOL King'sPawn invoked Willie D's name in a previous post about how we hoped he'd spread the minutes around for player development and did the exact opposite. Remember those games where Wagner would have a goal and an assist in the 1st period and then proceed to finish the night with 7 minutes TOI? And of course all of the 22 and 26 minute nights for Kopi and Drew even though the Kings were sitting in 2nd to last place in the league. I'm excited about Wroblewski and how he can develop what's probably our most important prospect pool in a long long time.

 

[Kingsfan1]

Great hire from the looks of it . Kings have the most talent we have ever had in our prospect pool ; ever ! Not all of these players will be on the Kings but the best ones that battle and make it will and the others might be trade fiddler . Honestly I’ve tried many times to make a lineup I have but it’s funny because you fight your own self making the lineup saying what about this guy oh what about this guy lol great problem to have !

Blake is doing a terrific job I’m impressed honestly . Did not expect it . We will be seeing younger players making the Kings rosters over the next several years than we are accustomed too . Look at Tampa , Carolina , NY Rangers , Calgary the teams having success are the ones that have integrated the young talent I’m happy and excited .
Bob McKenzie saying we are more interested in Stutzle as well is giving me the giggles . I love it I’m worried about Byfield busting so I have watched so many of Stutzle highlights and wow ! Honestly we haven’t had a game changer like that in our system since Palffy. He’s going to be one of the best players in the world someday and I hope it’s in a Kings Jersey .
Also remember Kings want to play a diff style now .
Some people might not realize but Kempe started off with 9 points in his first 30 games . After he got more ice time got little more comfortable and learned the system better he finished with 23 points in his next 39 games . We have big and good things coming our way !

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

This is what everyone wants to hear!



Also, love it

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Great hire from the looks of it . Kings have the most talent we have ever had in our prospect pool ; ever ! Not all of these players will be on the Kings but the best ones that battle and make it will and the others might be trade fiddler . Honestly I’ve tried many times to make a lineup I have but it’s funny because you fight your own self making the lineup saying what about this guy oh what about this guy lol great problem to have !

Blake is doing a terrific job I’m impressed honestly . Did not expect it . We will be seeing younger players making the Kings rosters over the next several years than we are accustomed too . Look at Tampa , Carolina , NY Rangers , Calgary the teams having success are the ones that have integrated the young talent I’m happy and excited .
Bob McKenzie saying we are more interested in Stutzle as well is giving me the giggles . I love it I’m worried about Byfield busting so I have watched so many of Stutzle highlights and wow ! Honestly we haven’t had a game changer like that in our system since Palffy. He’s going to be one of the best players in the world someday and I hope it’s in a Kings Jersey .
Also remember Kings want to play a diff style now .
Some people might not realize but Kempe started off with 9 points in his first 30 games . After he got more ice time got little more comfortable and learned the system better he finished with 23 points in his next 39 games . We have big and good things coming our way !

I don't know if I'd compare Stutzle's style to Palffy. Ziggy scored a ton of goals as a junior and in his draft year and prior to coming to the US. Stutzle only scored 7 goals all season in Germany. One of the best players in the world doesn't just score 7 goals at such a low level of competition. He is exciting to watch, but let's temper those expectations a wee bit.

 

[tbrown33]

I don't know if I'd compare Stutzle's style to Palffy. Ziggy scored a ton of goals as a junior and in his draft year and prior to coming to the US. Stutzle only scored 7 goals all season in Germany. One of the best players in the world doesn't just score 7 goals at such a low level of competition. He is exciting to watch, but let's temper those expectations a wee bit.

I get the comparison on a stickhandling level, but Ziggy had a lethal wrist shot, which Stützle has yet to develop.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I get the comparison on a stickhandling level, but Ziggy had a lethal wrist shot, which Stützle has yet to develop.

Exactly. Stutzle is a natural playmaker and it is widely recognized that his shot is his biggest weakness. While his skating and puck handling skills are top notch, he has a long ways to go before anyone should start considering him one of the best players in the world.