Speculation: 2021-21 LA Kings News, Rumors, Roster discussion part V

[Schmooley]

His last shift saw him along the wall coughing up the puck just inside the attacking blueline. Lemieux replaced him on the next shift. Unless he aggravated what was already ailing him it didn't look like much of anything, more like Lemieux was being rewarded and Lias was taking a late seat for the turnover. Hopefully it is just a nagging muscle problem.

He may have something nagging. He took a hit in the second period if I remember and it was pretty hard. He saw it coming at the last second and braced himself so it wasnt as bad and noticeable as it could have been but it was a pretty hard hit.
After that he was missing shifts.
Anyone have a replay of that hit?

 

[Sol]

Yeah I recommend a close watching of even one single game of Turcotte to anyone that deems him expendable at this point. He's gonna be the glue that holds it all together, mark my words.

And re Mikey Anderson he looks like a young Willie Mitchell...who similarly took some years to become Willie Mitchell and not before some gave up on him.

Looks exactly like Willie too

 

[tbrown33]

Some big leaps up just after 10 games, which is impressive considering the right column factors in games from the left column.

 

[KingTech]

Why are so many people auto putting Clarke on our defense next year? I think a year or so in the ahl would help his development huge. As far as defenseman go i think we will end up with another vet like Edler I am thinking Subban would work for a year till that unicorn can be either drafted (the ideal way) or traded for. Lets not rush Clarke It is so much better for his future.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Why are so many people auto putting Clarke on our defense next year? I think a year or so in the ahl would help his development huge. As far as defenseman go i think we will end up with another vet like Edler I am thinking Subban would work for a year till that unicorn can be either drafted (the ideal way) or traded for. Lets not rush Clarke It is so much better for his future.

Clarke won't be eligible for the AHL next year--it's NHL or nothing and he looks special. If he's not ready, he goes back to junior--but i even thought THIS year he would have pushed for 9 games.

 

[BringTheReign]

Why are so many people auto putting Clarke on our defense next year? I think a year or so in the ahl would help his development huge. As far as defenseman go i think we will end up with another vet like Edler I am thinking Subban would work for a year till that unicorn can be either drafted (the ideal way) or traded for. Lets not rush Clarke It is so much better for his future.

I'm not sure he could go to the AHL next year. Won't he still have junior eligibility? He'll be 20 years old in February of 2023.

19-20 - Juniors (OHL)
20-21 - Overseas, but I believe this counts towards Juniors because the OHL didn't play
21-22 - Juniors (OHL) or NHL
22-23 - Juniors (OHL) or NHL or AHL after February 2023

It's 4 seasons in the CHL or 20 years old, so he'll have to be in the NHL or the OHL until the 23-24 season it looks like to me.

 

[cyclones22]

Clarke won't be eligible for the AHL next year--it's NHL or nothing and he looks special. If he's not ready, he goes back to junior--but i even thought THIS year he would have pushed for 9 games.

Yeah there were some analysts who had him as the top talent in the entire draft. But he was dinged a little because of his skating style. But when he's got the puck he's got that it factor look.

 

[Steve Zissou]

Clarke looked really good in Development Camp. He just has 'it'...

Sucks mono derailed his camp and Byfield got hurt so early into the season. But the kids will bounce back.

Also to note Clarke went overseas during the pandemic with his brother and certainly matured both on and off the ice.

I'm not saying he's 100% ready next season for the NHL but it wouldn't surprise me. Kid is special.

 

[kingsfan]

Clarke's delay could be good for us in the long run. We might make the playoffs this year but we'll be a few more years before the youth matures enough to be real cup contenders. If he comes in next year and plays well immediately like some youngsters have lately, we'll still have him on a ELC at a time we'll be looking to make trades for a cup run. Cap space savings aren't a bad thing and he's likely just fine logging 22+ a night a raking in junior this year.

 

[FSL KINGS]

Why are so many people auto putting Clarke on our defense next year? I think a year or so in the ahl would help his development huge. As far as defenseman go i think we will end up with another vet like Edler I am thinking Subban would work for a year till that unicorn can be either drafted (the ideal way) or traded for. Lets not rush Clarke It is so much better for his future.

Clarke may make the team next year, might not. My point about acquiring a D to pair with him is for when Clarke makes the team. May take more than 1 year, but that future partner can be added now. Had Mitchell before 26 made the nhl.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

By January 2022

Turcotte Kopitar Arvidsson
Iafallo Danault Kempe
Kaliyev Kupari Vilardi
Lemieux Byfield Moore

Anderson Doughty
Bjornfot Roy
Edler Clague

Quick
Petersen

 

[HookKing]

By January 2022

Turcotte Kopitar Arvidsson
Iafallo Danault Kempe
Kaliyev Kupari Vilardi
Lemieux Byfield Moore

Anderson Doughty
Bjornfot Roy
Edler Clague

Quick
Petersen

I can't see Gabe and Arthur ever on the same line.

 

[kingsfan]

By January 2022

Turcotte Kopitar Arvidsson
Iafallo Danault Kempe
Kaliyev Kupari Vilardi
Lemieux Byfield Moore

Anderson Doughty
Bjornfot Roy
Edler Clague

Quick
Petersen

I just assume everyone who takes Brown right out of the line up is either joking or obtuse. Even if he should be out of the line up, which he shouldn't be, it's not going to happen.

 

[Choralone]

I just assume everyone who takes Brown right out of the line up is either joking or obtuse. Even if he should be out of the line up, which he shouldn't be, it's not going to happen.

Maybe a trash can blocks his locker.

 

[Statto]

This upcoming road trip can really define the season for us. There are a lot of winnable games and it could really set the tone for the rest of the season if we can come out of it at least a game above .500. If we can stay above .500 without Doughty, his return (+ Byfield coming back in) would really drive a play-off push

 

[Peter James Bond II]

I can't see Gabe and Arthur ever on the same line.

You're probably right. And I forgot Andersson; when he's finally healthy, he can play very effectively. I don't see how the Kings can have all of: Lizotte, Grundstrom, Athanisiou, Byfield, Kupari, Kaliyev, Vilardi and Andersson on the team. (I would add Brown too, while most others would not)

And none of those players should go to the AHL, except for Lizotte. . Even if Turcotte stays in the AHL and only gets a venti cup of coffee....there are still
too many players. And Tkachev may work his way back. I don't think Kaliyev or Kupari will get any better, playing the AHL, but
get better, playing on the Kings and NO, not to develop; you would have to say that about all rookies that are good enough to play in the
NHL...they are still learning and not necessarily 'developing' in the sense that they need to develop as in developing to be good enough
to play in the NHL. I only see Byfield going to Ontario for conditioning assignment.

I think one of: Vilardi, Kempe, Moore, AA, should probably be traded for a defenseman. Maybe package a non-elite prospect,
but the second level of King prospects would be in the top 5 for other teams. AA's 2.7 million contract, almost makes him untradeable, however.

Kaliyev Kopitar Arvidsson
Iafallo Danault Kempe
Andersson Kupari Vilardi
Lemieux Byfield Moore
Athanisiou

Anderson Doughty
Bjornfot Roy
Edler Clague

Quick
Petersen

 

[AlphaBravo]

It is too early to talk about trading Vilardi. I think we should give him a full season look before packaging him in deals. There is also no rush to call up Turcotte this season. Let him play another year in the AHL.

From a pure logical standpoint, Blake should consider trading Brown at the deadline, because a team would want his vet presence for a playoff run, and we need space for our youth. However, sometimes decisions are not made based on logic, and Brown's history with the Kings may make him stay until his contract is up.

 

[Lt Dan]

Our Eichel will be a defender. No doubt about it at this point.

Next year Edler, Maata, and Brown come off the books.

I think Brown resigns for 1 year at a time.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I just assume everyone who takes Brown right out of the line up is either joking or obtuse. Even if he should be out of the line up, which he shouldn't be, it's not going to happen.

I certainly wouldn't take him out as there are some man-strength things he still does that no one else can do, but I'd like to see him held accountable at some point, too. SOme of the bullshit he's done over the last few games have gotten lesser players benched and demoted. At least let someone else move up and move him down to the 4th line for a few shifts. He's supposed to be a role model. if we're going to hold rookies to the 'well you scored but you also made a bad pass and got scored on due to low defensive effort' standard, Brown and Kempe need at least a sternly worded letter from the UN. It's maddening watching these guys make lazy boneheaded plays that result in goals against and watching rookies getting benched or worse for trying creative skilled plays that result in goals against.

It is too early to talk about trading Vilardi. I think we should give him a full season look before packaging him in deals. There is also no rush to call up Turcotte this season. Let him play another year in the AHL.

From a pure logical standpoint, Blake should consider trading Brown at the deadline, because a team would want his vet presence for a playoff run, and we need space for our youth. However, sometimes decisions are not made based on logic, and Brown's history with the Kings may make him stay until his contract is up.

I think any Vilardi trade that happens before the end of this year AND before giving him an extended look at wing finds us on the wrong side of the ledger by a large margin.

When he's getting 25-30 somewhere else on a speedy skater's wing and TM is scratching his head, all of us know.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Like re: Vilardi, TM is willing to do with AA--a liability in his own right--what he's not with Vilardi, put him next to two speedy possession monsters in Iafallo and Danault. Why does AA get that benefit but Gabe doesn't? It reeks of stupid asset management again, there's some weird fascination with AA that there's not with GV. Speed is there absolutely but Gabe has at least shown he can use his teammates, AA is an instant-offense middle six option when you have no one that can pass and you need a puckhog.

 

[kilowatt]

I know our second line has been great, but I'd be interested in seeing if Kaliyev on that line would still be as good if not better.

Arvidsson - Kopitar - Brown
Iafallo - Danault - Kaliyev
Andersson - Kupari - Kempe
Lemieux - Lizotte - Moore

Honestly not sure where Vilardi fits in. He's not a fourth line center. He's not replacing Kopitar or Danault. Kupari has outplayed him. It's going to be even harder once Byfield is ready to play again. Something has to give at some point.

 

[KingsFan7824]

I think one of: Vilardi, Kempe, Moore, AA, should probably be traded for a defenseman. Maybe package a non-elite prospect,
but the second level of King prospects would be in the top 5 for other teams.

A single depth forward, and a non-elite prospect. Which team has so many quality defensemen, that they can accept that offer for one of them?

 

[HookKing]

A single depth forward, and a non-elite prospect. Which team has so many quality defensemen, that they can accept that offer for one of them?

Rangers?

 

[No Name The Nameless]

I absolutely believe that Vilardi should be traded before people figure out that he can’t skate and pass at the same time. The dude turns it over at the slightest pressure. Trade him, Kupari, JAD and a first rounder for a young, star D.

 

[Mats26]

I want to see Gabe play RW first but if we keep him at center for better "trade value" then I would consider a Vilardi for Thomas Harley trade.