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

[Reclamation Project]

Skill, size, AND grit wins, players like Alex Tuch. A contender now has it all, not just skill, skill alone won’t lead you to promised land. He has it all - size, speed, hands, toughness, etc. He’s a third liner on Vegas, that team is totally loaded. I know they’re public enemy #1 on this board but they have it all. Stone is basically Kopitar as a winger and shut MacKinnon down. Pacioretty is getting his game back and is a threat every time he’s in the offensive zone. Marchessault would never be on the Kings or this boards radar because he’s “too small” yet their second line totally dominant. They have a vezina hall of fame goalie (like Quick). They have 2 superstar Norris caliber defenseman along with Martinez who has been awesome yet has slowed down because he’s hurt. It goes on and on. Many layers and lots of experience. Size, skill, nastiness, speed, everything. You need it all. Kings have a serious lack of skill but I’m hopeful these kids deliver the goods BUT our offense has been trash for 20 years so they’ll probably be average NHL players because the system we run is lousy.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

In that hilarious Nathan MacKinnon press conference (which was upstaged by Adrian Dater's brilliance), he said this about Vegas:
"Those guys are really fast -- a big team, and they buzzed us hard."

That's essentially what happened in 2018 as well. The Kings simply couldn't keep up in their series against Vegas.

In Game 2, the double OT game, Quick faced 56 shots, Fleury faced only 30, in a game that lasted 95 minutes.

The Kings couldn't do anything in that series because they got outraced to every loose puck, and finally Vegas met their match when they met a similar team that was high on talent, speed, and checking.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Deceptively fast. Stephenson and Tuck are crazy fast.

 

[Herby]

In that hilarious Nathan MacKinnon press conference (which was upstaged by Adrian Dater's brilliance), he said this about Vegas:
"Those guys are really fast -- a big team, and they buzzed us hard."

That's essentially what happened in 2018 as well. The Kings simply couldn't keep up in their series against Vegas.

In Game 2, the double OT game, Quick faced 56 shots, Fleury faced only 30, in a game that lasted 95 minutes.

The Kings couldn't do anything in that series because they got outraced to every loose puck, and finally Vegas met their match when they met a similar team that was high on talent, speed, and checking.

They could have played that series 30 times and the Kings would have lost every time.

That is still in my top 3 least favorite Kings seasons of all-time, along with 14-15 and 93-94. The only good thing to come of it was Kopi was a finalist for the MVP, something he probably deserved to have happen during the glory years where he was the 2nd best defensive forward in the league while being an offensive force on a team without much offensive talent.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

They could have played that series 30 times and the Kings would have lost every time.

That is still in my top 3 least favorite Kings seasons of all-time, along with 14-15 and 93-94. The only good thing to come of it was Kopi was a finalist for the MVP, something he probably deserved to have happen during the glory years where he was the 2nd best defensive forward in the league while being an offensive force on a team without much offensive talent.

Their last two playoff appearances, against the Sharks and Golden Knights, both raised red flags as to how far behind the team was in keeping up with their opponents. They looked pathetic in those playoff games, much like they did in 1998 against the Blues and 2000 against the Red Wings.

 

[bland]

Caufield is from the NHL toy aisle. Fun, but completely unnecessary. Players like him are accessories to a team, rarely an integral part. He fell because he checks very few boxes for your team, even though he may check the hell out of the ones he fills. Every team that passed on him did so because they needed more out of their pick than a one way, tiny, flashy winger who relies on a line driver to thrive.

And I completely disagree that he has looked "great". He has looked competent, and the talk around here is far more hyperbolic than accurate.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Their last two playoff appearances, against the Sharks and Golden Knights, both raised red flags as to how far behind the team was in keeping up with their opponents. They looked pathetic in those playoff games, much like they did in 1998 against the Blues and 2000 against the Red Wings.

And this started in the 2014 playoffs, if not before. The warning signs were there, but shrouded by a miraculous run to the Cup. So many opportunities to lose, but they came out on top every time. It was like Montreal in 93.

Had the Kings lost in any one of the rounds in 14, what are we saying about that team? The level of concern would've been a bit different had it been the 1st rd or the Final, but every series had something that was a problem. But, when you win, nothing else matters.

 

[Perratrooper]

Based on what I’ve read the Kings look to be in the market for a top 6 forward and top 4 d. As an Avs fan I think Colorado could be a great trading partner with them and was curious if the Kings would have any interest in Burakovsky, Kadri or Girard? Do any of these players interest you and If so what sort of assets would you guys be willing to give up?

 

[Herby]

Caufield is from the NHL toy aisle. Fun, but completely unnecessary. Players like him are accessories to a team, rarely an integral part. He fell because he checks very few boxes for your team, even though he may check the hell out of the ones he fills. Every team that passed on him did so because they needed more out of their pick than a one way, tiny, flashy winger who relies on a line driver to thrive.

And I completely disagree that he has looked "great". He has looked competent, and the talk around here is far more hyperbolic than accurate.

Were you not a fan of Luc Robitaille growing up?

Serious question, not trying to flame. It seems you are more against the type of player than the player itself.

 

[King'sPawn]

Were you not a fan of Luc Robitaille growing up?

Serious question, not trying to flame. It seems you are more against the type of player than the player itself.

If Caufield fell to the 9th round, I'm pretty sure bland would have been okay with the Kings taking him.

The point is there are players with certain deficiencies who fall for good reason. You repeatedly say he fell due to size and many teams would want a redo two years later. I think you either disagree or fail to recognize why he may not be viewed as a top-10 pick.

If Caufield dropped to 22, it would have been very interesting to be a fly at the Kings table. If Caufield fell to 34, him versus Kaliyev would have been a civil war.

 

[AzKing]

Spot on. Almost sounds like is the second coming of Maurice Richard.

The Habs are getting out of the kiddie pool which was the North division and they are now entering the adult pool taking on Vegas. I am very interested to see how the kid fares.

As long as people don't diminish what they have in favor of what someone else has then it's pretty normal to be envious of a player like Caufield because elite scorers like that are rare. That said, his size was what kept him down and perhaps teams will be less cautious in that regard moving forward.

It's pretty common for people to always want what they can't have. There are probably 75% of the teams who will regret passing on Kaliyev and are envious of where the Kings got him. We got Turcotte who I feel is most likely going to be traded before he ever suits up for the Kings. If we get a guy like Reinhart in return for a package that includes Turcotte, then we maximized his ROI.

 

[AzKing]

Skill, size, AND grit wins, players like Alex Tuch. A contender now has it all, not just skill, skill alone won’t lead you to promised land. He has it all - size, speed, hands, toughness, etc. He’s a third liner on Vegas, that team is totally loaded. I know they’re public enemy #1 on this board but they have it all. Stone is basically Kopitar as a winger and shut MacKinnon down. Pacioretty is getting his game back and is a threat every time he’s in the offensive zone. Marchessault would never be on the Kings or this boards radar because he’s “too small” yet their second line totally dominant. They have a vezina hall of fame goalie (like Quick). They have 2 superstar Norris caliber defenseman along with Martinez who has been awesome yet has slowed down because he’s hurt. It goes on and on. Many layers and lots of experience. Size, skill, nastiness, speed, everything. You need it all. Kings have a serious lack of skill but I’m hopeful these kids deliver the goods BUT our offense has been trash for 20 years so they’ll probably be average NHL players because the system we run is lousy.

That's what happens when the NHL basically rigs the system to make it easy for a team to go from expansion to this in a short time rather than pay their dues. The loopholes were vast and should have been closed up before they were exploited by multiple teams in trades, etc. They made it easy for Vegas to then top it off with other players to round out their franchise. The reality with the NHL though is that the window closes fast due to salaries so Vegas won't have it open forever.

 

[Herby]

If Caufield fell to the 9th round, I'm pretty sure bland would have been okay with the Kings taking him.

The point is there are players with certain deficiencies who fall for good reason. You repeatedly say he fell due to size and many teams would want a redo two years later. I think you either disagree or fail to recognize why he may not be viewed as a top-10 pick.

If Caufield dropped to 22, it would have been very interesting to be a fly at the Kings table. If Caufield fell to 34, him versus Kaliyev would have been a civil war.

I love Kaliyev, my favorite Kings prospect, but come on that is a ridiculous take. They are just at different levels. Kaliyev has great upside and it's great that the Kings finally have a scoring winger with potential but the upside just isn't the same.

I said before that Caufield's upside on draft night was Rocket Richard winner and his downside was Swiss league. There was a realistic chance that his size was just going to prevent him from ever being able to play at the NHL level. Considering how he has looked in the NHL playoffs those concerns about not being able to play his game at the NHL level are over, despite what some people may say, players don't just come into the league in their D+2, look this good and then fizzle out (I think you realize that). The biggest concern, and the reason he fell has largely been answered so it's much much more likely he reaches ceiling now than floor, so yes knowing that information he jumps many of the players that were taken before him. Kind of the same thing with Zegras, he had some concerns that were valid on draft night, but he kind of answered them with his play this season.

And some of it is ideological, I am more of a believer in rolling the dice than of playing it safe. I'll take a Kopitar, Hughes, Caufield type player with a higher risk/bust potential but also a star potential over taking a guy with a more balanced floor and ceiling, same reason I'd rather have Kent Johnson than Beniers in this years draft. I can find a Beniers or Turcotte in every draft, just like Detroit could find a Zadina in every draft but probably won't be able to draft another Quinn Hughes type of player. I think in the Top of the draft you should be swinging for the fences rather than trying to get singles.

 

[LAKings88]

Based on what I’ve read the Kings look to be in the market for a top 6 forward and top 4 d. As an Avs fan I think Colorado could be a great trading partner with them and was curious if the Kings would have any interest in Burakovsky, Kadri or Girard? Do any of these players interest you and If so what sort of assets would you guys be willing to give up?

Girard is a guy I think would low key meet their need. Didn’t look good against Vegas but he is a big offensive upgrade over anything LA has.

Kupari and a 2cd

 

[Perratrooper]

Girard is a guy I think would low key meet their need. Didn’t look good against Vegas but he is a big offensive upgrade over anything LA has.

Kupari and a 2cd

Maybe I’m severely underrating Kupari, but that’s not close for me. Would be looking for a lot more than Kupari and a second IMO.

 

[LAKings88]

Maybe I’m severely underrating Kupari, but that’s not close for me. Would be looking for a lot more than Kupari and a second IMO.

What are you looking for?

 

[unicornpig]

Based on what I’ve read the Kings look to be in the market for a top 6 forward and top 4 d. As an Avs fan I think Colorado could be a great trading partner with them and was curious if the Kings would have any interest in Burakovsky, Kadri or Girard? Do any of these players interest you and If so what sort of assets would you guys be willing to give up?

kings would be intrested in all three, what would be the asking price.

 

[BigKing]

And kill the present too.



The problem with Carter in 2017 is that he was already 32, with 5 years left. That guy doesn't have much value in a hard cap league. Look around the league. Not many guys fitting that criteria are being traded. If they are, they're probably traded for a guy in a similar situation. It's not just an idiot BLuc thing. If he had 1 year left, or was 28, that's a different story, but he had age, and term, going against him. What happened to him a couple games into the 17-18 season? Exactly. You could've traded Carter in 2017, but not for anything that helps a rebuild. Even with 1 year left, the Kings still had to retain 50%, and only got a couple conditional mid rd picks in future years. You can stretch that and say well those picks are assets that can be used later, and that's true, but they're marginal assets. It can get you another Andersson or Lemieux if you want. Ok, great. You need the role players, but they're not driving the train.

Now maybe on a better team, Carter comes back from his injury and actually gives a damn, but that's the risk few teams are willing to take with old guys that have multiple years left on their contracts.

I know that is your belief about Carter but I still believe he had good trade value based off of the season he just put up in 2017, his best as a King. He had age and term against him but he also just potted 32 goals and basically looked like the same guy he always had been in LA.

If you don't think you are a contender, you should try to maximize value on an asset like that but Blake thought they were contenders which is the basis of the entire argument. Instead, he held on to the asset until it didn't have value without retaining and having only one year left.

 

[LAKings88]

Maybe I’m severely underrating Kupari, but that’s not close for me. Would be looking for a lot more than Kupari and a second IMO.

Moved it to the trade board.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

That's what happens when the NHL basically rigs the system to make it easy for a team to go from expansion to this in a short time rather than pay their dues. The loopholes were vast and should have been closed up before they were exploited by multiple teams in trades, etc. They made it easy for Vegas to then top it off with other players to round out their franchise. The reality with the NHL though is that the window closes fast due to salaries so Vegas won't have it open forever.

Did the NHL force teams to trade good players to Vegas, or perhaps, Vegas took advantage of fools who spent to the cap? How is that, “rigging the system?”

 

[Perratrooper]

What are you looking for?

If Girard was moving out it would definitely be more targeted to fill the 2C hole, I would say one of the young 3 centers you have and depending on who was offered to from there.

kings would be intrested in all three, what would be the asking price.

Bura could probably be had for a decent prospect or a 2nd and B level prospect.

Kadri is a bit harder to gauge, Avs would have a large 2C hole if he left. I could see a combination of picks and prospects working or a player in a similar position.

Moved it to the trade board.

I usually like to talk to the fans of the team, is there a trade board on the Kings board I missed?

 

[Kudelski37]

I love Kaliyev, my favorite Kings prospect, but come on that is a ridiculous take. They are just at different levels. Kaliyev has great upside and it's great that the Kings finally have a scoring winger with potential but the upside just isn't the same.

I said before that Caufield's upside on draft night was Rocket Richard winner and his downside was Swiss league. There was a realistic chance that his size was just going to prevent him from ever being able to play at the NHL level. Considering how he has looked in the NHL playoffs those concerns about not being able to play his game at the NHL level are over, despite what some people may say, players don't just come into the league in their D+2, look this good and then fizzle out (I think you realize that). The biggest concern, and the reason he fell has largely been answered so it's much much more likely he reaches ceiling now than floor, so yes knowing that information he jumps many of the players that were taken before him. Kind of the same thing with Zegras, he had some concerns that were valid on draft night, but he kind of answered them with his play this season.

And some of it is ideological, I am more of a believer in rolling the dice than of playing it safe. I'll take a Kopitar, Hughes, Caufield type player with a higher risk/bust potential but also a star potential over taking a guy with a more balanced floor and ceiling, same reason I'd rather have Kent Johnson than Beniers in this years draft. I can find a Beniers or Turcotte in every draft, just like Detroit could find a Zadina in every draft but probably won't be able to draft another Quinn Hughes type of player. I think in the Top of the draft you should be swinging for the fences rather than trying to get singles.

Maybe Caufield's success is being overblown. He has played 19 games and has one more regulation goal than Kaliyev has in 1 game.

 

[kinghock]

If Girard was moving out it would definitely be more targeted to fill the 2C hole, I would say one of the young 3 centers you have and depending on who was offered to from there.



Bura could probably be had for a decent prospect or a 2nd and B level prospect.

Kadri is a bit harder to gauge, Avs would have a large 2C hole if he left. I could see a combination of picks and prospects working or a player in a similar position.



I usually like to talk to the fans of the team, is there a trade board on the Kings board I missed?

Girard is undersized and was exposed enough on defensive side in series with Vegas.
I do not think Kings will trade one of the young 3 centers for him.

 

[Herby]

Did the NHL force teams to trade good players to Vegas, or perhaps, Vegas took advantage of fools who spent to the cap? How is that, “rigging the system?”

Yup.

It was like the entire league went Dave Taylor. Correct me if I'm wrong, the Kings gave Nashville a bunch of assets, one of them being Kimmo Timonen (who went on to play 1000 games as an all-star defenseman) so Nashville would take Freddie Chabot and the Kings wouldn't have to worry about losing Storr or Feces in the next expansion draft?

Man, no wonder this organization was such a joke.

 

[kovacro]

Yup.

It was like the entire league went Dave Taylor. Correct me if I'm wrong, the Kings gave Nashville a bunch of assets, one of them being Kimmo Timonen (who went on to play 1000 games as an all-star defenseman) so Nashville would take Freddie Chabot and the Kings wouldn't have to worry about losing Storr or Feces in the next expansion draft?

Man, no wonder this organization was such a joke.

Yeah that one didn't work out so well.

Los Angeles traded Kimmo Timonen and Jan Vopat to Nashville after the Predators agreed not to select Garry Galley.