Speculation: 2021-21 LA Kings News/Rumors/Roster discussion

[Rusty Batch]

Just looking at Colorado's cap situation. They will most likely resign Landy imo. And I think Grubauer as well. But Makar will get a fat contract and that puts them in a tough spot with EJ likely coming off LTIR.

EJ has 2 years left at 6 mil per. That is going to be a buyout situation potentially for them.

I could see the Kings being in position to take on that contract (if EJ would waive NMC, probably a big barrier) and maybe make a play for Byram.

I would think Avs would seriously consider Turcotte for Byram+EJ. Considering they have Toews and Girard at LD locked up on excellent contracts.

Just food for thought.

 

[SFKingshomer]

We might lose Walker and Roy can slide down to the 3rd pair or be used as trade bait.

Anderson-DD
Bjornfot-Jones

 

[KingsFan7824]

You don't really get to pick and choose. You're at the mercy of players in free agency, and other teams in trades. DL got Smyth because he was available at the time. I'm sure he would've rather have gotten Richards and Carter back in 2009, but they weren't available. Get Smyth, make the team a little better today, even if he's old and can't hang on for a full season. Doing so, while not knowing you'd get Richards a couple years later. You just sort of do what you can.

 

[Sol]

Delete

 

[Sol]

Delete

 

[Peter James Bond III]

Just looking at Colorado's cap situation. They will most likely resign Landy imo. And I think Grubauer as well. But Makar will get a fat contract and that puts them in a tough spot with EJ likely coming off LTIR.

EJ has 2 years left at 6 mil per. That is going to be a buyout situation potentially for them.

I could see the Kings being in position to take on that contract (if EJ would waive NMC, probably a big barrier) and maybe make a play for Byram.

I would think Avs would seriously consider Turcotte for Byram+EJ. Considering they have Toews and Girard at LD locked up on excellent contracts.

Just food for thought.

I agree. I think the best thing Blake can do, is to target teams with cap trouble and 'help' them with their situation, but making them pay with a good young player
as part of that. This situation and getting Byram would be huge. There should be several teams that will have cap troubles and the ability to come away with some
good talent, ideally 20 to 26 years old.

 

[Mattias]

Just looking at Colorado's cap situation. They will most likely resign Landy imo. And I think Grubauer as well. But Makar will get a fat contract and that puts them in a tough spot with EJ likely coming off LTIR.

EJ has 2 years left at 6 mil per. That is going to be a buyout situation potentially for them.

I could see the Kings being in position to take on that contract (if EJ would waive NMC, probably a big barrier) and maybe make a play for Byram.

I would think Avs would seriously consider Turcotte for Byram+EJ. Considering they have Toews and Girard at LD locked up on excellent contracts.

Just food for thought.

I like your train of thought but we would be giving huge cap relief and our second best prospect for Byram. Is he really that much of an upgrade? Could we get away with Kupari and Grans?

There are not a lot of teams who can swallow that amount of cap space right now in the NHL.

 

[Docgonzo]

Wonder if Tampa would be interested in trading Palat and how much he’d cost. I imagine he’d be one of the players they’d least like to trade minus one he obvious big gun.

 

[Peter James Bond III]

Wonder if Tampa would be interested in trading Palat and how much he’d cost. I imagine he’d be one of the players they’d least like to trade minus one he obvious big gun.

I think they would try to move Tyler Johnson, 3 more yrs at 5.0 million, Gourde, 4 more years at 5.166 million, or Killorn, 2 more years at 4.450 million, before moving Palat, 1 more yr at 5.3 million.
Problem is, no one would take those other 3, at those caps...Gourde, possibly...but they could not take much salary back.

 

[Rusty Batch]

I like your train of thought but we would be giving huge cap relief and our second best prospect for Byram. Is he really that much of an upgrade? Could we get away with Kupari and Grans?

There are not a lot of teams who can swallow that amount of cap space right now in the NHL.

I'm up for getting him as cheap as possible. But tbh I think Byram is rated quite a bit higher than Turcotte at this point, so I think it's reasonably close to fair value. I would imagine that we might even have to add. And I would be willing to because Byram would add quite a bit to the future of our team considering our holes.

 

[SFKingshomer]

TB is going to have to get really lucky with those NTC/NMC. Maybe they win a cup and trade Sergachev and Cirelli for good ELC assets.

 

[Statto]

I agree. I think the best thing Blake can do, is to target teams with cap trouble and 'help' them with their situation, but making them pay with a good young player
as part of that. This situation and getting Byram would be huge. There should be several teams that will have cap troubles and the ability to come away with some
good talent, ideally 20 to 26 years old.

I love Turcotte and I love his supposed intangibles but I’d take Byram for him in a heart beat. He’s exactly what we lack in the system and with our depth at C it’s the sort of deal we make trading from a position of strength to fill a hole and fits into our new core nicely. I’m confident he’d be pretty strong on the intangibles as well, so it wouldn’t hurt badly the building of the new team culture.

 

[kovacro]

Some key dates upcoming in the NHL calendar..
June 1 - Deadline for signing 2019 draft picks out of the CHL

June 2 - NHL Draft Lottery

24 hours after end of Stanley Cup Final - First buy-out period begins

July 17 - Deadline for expansion draft protection lists

July 21 - Seattle Kraken expansion draft

July 23-24 - 2021 NHL Entry Draft

July 26 - Qualifying offer deadline for RFAs

July 27 - First buy-out period ends

July 28 - Free agency opens

August 11-26 - Salary arbitration hearings

 

[Mats26]

I agree. I think the best thing Blake can do, is to target teams with cap trouble and 'help' them with their situation, but making them pay with a good young player
as part of that. This situation and getting Byram would be huge. There should be several teams that will have cap troubles and the ability to come away with some
good talent, ideally 20 to 26 years old.

Read my last post(s)
"A savvy GM will look at taking advantage of the upcoming oppurtunites with cap space and expansion this summer."

If he can't pull off some good trades for decent players with the teams in cap hell, then I can't see this GM building anything. We'll have to overpay to even be in the discussions for good UFAs so trades might be the only way to improve this team. Also if AEG dosen't want to spend, then we are in rebuilding mode for a while here. Expect more cheap 1 year deals. Fun summer.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Well of course I'm giving him the chance and I know that the fun doesn't begin until the playoffs are complete. But yes, I am holding him at his word that there will be improvements made to the roster this summer...and in the spirit of the question to Doughty..."significant" improvements. I'm absolutely holding him accountable for that.

But what is an improvement? Is the goal only to make the playoffs? If that's the goal, then you don't have to go nuts with a 1C and 1D. You can get a Ryan Smyth type, and just get a little better. The new core doesn't have to be imported.

 

[YP44]

We might lose Walker and Roy can slide down to the 3rd pair or be used as trade bait.

Anderson-DD
Bjornfot-Jones

I think jones will want too much money. Don't see it.

 

[tomd]

But what is an improvement? Is the goal only to make the playoffs? If that's the goal, then you don't have to go nuts with a 1C and 1D. You can get a Ryan Smyth type, and just get a little better. The new core doesn't have to be imported.

Why do you make up arguments? Whoever said anything about a 1C or 1D? They already have one of each of those. They do need a couple of top 6 forwards and a top 4 LHD. Everyone knows that. It remains to be seen who they get and each of us can measure success differently. Ultimately I'm just looking for Blake to follow through on his statement from two weeks ago. It would seem that the organization has set the playoffs as the goal for 21-22 and they need to add the talent necessary to achieve that objective. Pretty simple and straight forward IMO.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Why do you make up arguments? Whoever said anything about a 1C or 1D? They already have one of each of those. They do need a couple of top 6 forwards and a top 4 LHD. Everyone knows that. It remains to be seen who they get and each of us can measure success differently. Ultimately I'm just looking for Blake to follow through on his statement from two weeks ago.

Why does anyone talk about Eichel or Jones?

It would seem that the organization has set the playoffs as the goal for 21-22 and they need to add the talent necessary to achieve that objective. Pretty simple and straight forward IMO.

Then the question is, when can this determination be made? Is it in August, or at the end of the season, when they have either made or missed the playoffs? People thought the Kings were a contender when they got Richards, but they weren't. They even went a little cheap on an oft injured Gagne, who of course ended up getting hurt. That's something current management would do. We'll bring in this old guy, he gets hurt often, but we're going to count on him for offense. He's going to be an answer.

But we're not going to wait until the end of next season. Or even half way though, when they prove again that they're a disinterested tire fire. Blake will be judged on what he does in the summer, before a game is played. Even Doughty will do that. It's the same reason why teams still give out big contracts to UFA's, even though everyone knows most won't work out. Have to make that big trade.

Top 6 forwards. Top 6 forwards score 17 goals a year these days. If they get a couple guys that score 17 goals, people won't be happy. Top 4 D, that's also vague. Are we talking a real top 4 guy, so more like a top 3 guy, or a guy that can pass as a 4, as long as your top 3 are really good?

Obviously none of this can include assuming increased production from young guys. That's only acceptable if it comes through a far better proven roster. Which, again, can't be just a couple guys scoring 18 goals. Has to be 25+, so we're not talking top 6 guys, more like top line guys. Which, makes sense, since the Kings don't have a real top line. Then you can't bring in a LHD that competes with Bjornfot and Anderson. The guy you bring in has to be much better than those 2.

We have to be honest. It's not just top 6 or top 4. It's 3 top line guys. Two actual 1st line F's, and a 1st pair D.

 

[SFKingshomer]

You have to draft the types of players the team needs to become a contender.

 

[Mats26]

You have to draft the types of players the team needs to become a contender.

Agreed, and 99% of the time those are your 1st round picks.

Vilardi
Kupari
Turcotte
Bjornfot
Byfeild

Is this a strong enough core to build a foundation for a contender? We shall see in 4-5 years.

 

[funky]

Agreed, and 99% of the time those are your 1st round picks.

Vilardi
Kupari
Turcotte
Bjornfot
Byfeild

Is this a strong enough core to build a foundation for a contender? We shall see in 4-5 years.

Add in the other higher picks

Kaliyev
Fagemo
Thomas
JAD - already a regular

Anderson - already a regular
Grans
Faber

plus some youth from trades

Andersson - former 1st
Madden
Grundstrom- need to stock the bottom 6


We definitely have young depth in our Favor.

we still have younger guys like

Kempe
Moore
Iafallo
Roy
Walker
Peterson

they are all capable and will be for at least 5 more years.

 

[YP44]

The athletic has a good article about drafting success and it confirmed what I though is that first round is for first line players, but you need to have hits outside of the first round to be competitive. It's why Edmonton sucks. Their first round picks are not the issue.

 

[Mats26]

The athletic has a good article about drafting success and it confirmed what I though is that first round is for first line players, but you need to have hits outside of the first round to be competitive. It's why Edmonton sucks. Their first round picks are not the issue.

We all know what the issue was with the Oilers. Chiarelli; he is long gone now. I expect better things for them going forward. Did the AVs fair any better in the 2nd+ rounds the last 10 years? You need to hit on the first rounders and not mismanage the roster and make Hall for Larsson trades.

 

[tomd]

We all know what the issue was with the Oilers. Chiarelli; he is long gone now. I expect better things for them going forward. Did the AVs fair any better in the 2nd+ rounds the last 10 years? You need to hit on the first rounders and not mismanage the roster and make Hall for Larsson trades.

I looked that up...the Avs have a total of 3 (yes, three!) goals from all players they've drafted in the 2nd round or later since 2010. That is stunning.

 

[YP44]

We all know what the issue was with the Oilers. Chiarelli; he is long gone now. I expect better things for them going forward. Did the AVs fair any better in the 2nd+ rounds the last 10 years? You need to hit on the first rounders and not mismanage the roster and make Hall for Larsson trades.

yes the avalanche have fair better. The Athletic noted Ryan O'Reilly and Tyson Barrie.
Fully agree you have to hit on first rounders, but also need to hit on some guys outside of the first as well.