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Speculation: 2021-22 LA Kings News, Rumors, Roster Thread Part VI

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Schmooley said:
Moore, Lemieux, Lias A, Lizotte, Grundstrom will all be back right? Theres really not many spots open.
Kempe is finally a consistent top 6 player this year because hes actually playing in the top six next to future hall of famer Anze Kopitar and not next to Wagner, Lizotte, Amadio etc… Top six players will look like top six players if you put them there with good linemates. We get to see what Turcotte can do Tuesday so that will be fun. Good young players are breaking out around the league and theres no reason the Kings have to wait another 2-3 years for all of theirs.
Also the GM was the one who said playoffs and brought in players this offseason. It wasnt the fans that said or did that.
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Out of the list I’d say Lemieux has the best shot at being back. The rest could maybe return but should be pushed out by Byfield, Turcotte, and co.
 
LAKings88 said:
There seems to be two sides to every coin.

1-Play the kids in positions of strength.
2-Maybe the kids just aren’t ready

My observation:
Kaliyev and Kupari are getting NHL action in prominent roles currently. Both had good AHL seasons and were moved up. Kaliyev is on a solid line that has chemistry. He is still being sheltered away from top line defense. He is getting pp1 time. Many won’t be happy until he is on Kopi’s wing scoring 70 goals.

Byfield would have been on the team if not for injury.

1-Why sign these vets that take jobs away from kids
2-Why didn’t kids take jobs away from vets

Arvidsson/Danault are considered upgrades. Arvidsson is on a short deal. Danault will be effective longer and imho is worth the money. Hopefully he will move down the lineup. I think he has made them a better team capable of playing against those better teams in the league. I do think the goal is playoffs. That baptism of just pushing could be good for the development of many. Even Iaffalo and Kempe.

I’m guessing they want the Reign to have better leadership examples and a long playoff run as well. Its my only conclusion for bringing in the vets they did. Tkachev was a gamble who has the offense but not overall game. They sent him down for that instead of cutting him loose because the potential is there. Not sure if he will stick.

Wagner was always a plug and shouldn’t have been resigned. Frk seems like he should of had the chance over AA. Tynan was MVP in the AHL and looked pedestrian at best in his few games. Frk has that AHLer tag on him unfortunately.
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Kaliyev was taken off the first unit like 5 games ago. Don’t ask me why.
 
LAKings88 said:
Out of the list I’d say Lemieux has the best shot at being back. The rest could maybe return but should be pushed out by Byfield, Turcotte, and co.
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Moore is already signed for next year so he will be back. They love Lizotte. Theyve spent the last two broadcasts pumping his tires. Maybe they are looking to move him but I doubt it. Grundstrom and Lias are rfa I think and have spent a lot of the season as healthy scratches so they arent really taking up anyones spot. If they are maybe its time to start packaging players that they dont think have a future here for players that will. Byfield and Turcottes spots are Kopitar and Danault. If they cant take the first and second line center positions then the development didnt go as planned.
 
LAKings88 said:
Look. Not saying it’s rocket science here. I met Dean too. Dude crushed my hand when he shook it. I liked him and was surprised he was let go too.

What I am saying is your views are as much conjecture as mine. I’m never said Luc is great only that he is much maligned without any real proof.

There is a conspiracy theory that Luc orchestrated Dean’s firing which I can’t confirm or deny. Is it possible he was a part of it? Of course. Also someone was going to have to take over, could it be likely that was discussed with him prior? I don’t know.

Again why are we comparing Luc to Dean? Shouldn’t it be Blake more so? I know they are a tandem but Blake seems to have the reigns of the team more than the pr figurehead.

Dean’s contracts weren’t his greatest strengths. I.E. the Lucic debacle.

I honestly just get tired of hearing Luc is dumb Blake’s a surfer. It is just lazy criticism imho.
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Yep, just check this out from the Holy Bible itself (Wikipedia):
"Upon taking over the San Jose Sharks, Lombardi was widely criticized for signing veterans. However, this move proved to be beneficial while stockpiling the team's farm system with homegrown talent. During his tenure as Sharks GM, he drafted Patrick Marleau, Brad Stuart, Scott Hannan, Marco Sturm and Marcel Goc in the first round along with Jonathan Cheechoo, Mark Smith, Ryane Clowe and Christian Ehrhoff in the later rounds.
Lombardi also traded for established veterans, including Owen Nolan, Teemu Selänne, Adam Graves, Vincent Damphousse, Mike Ricci, Kyle McLaren, Mike Vernon, Todd Harvey, Bryan Marchment and Scott Thornton, while developing their prospects slowly. All would become vital in the Sharks success during his tenure."

Why in the world would surfer dude and dumbbell not follow DL's lead?
 
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KINGS17 said:
I understand why Dean was fired, but I honestly believe when he was let go he had already surmised what needed to be done, and upper management at AEG knew his plan for the team going forward was to purge the core. Luc convinced Beckerman this crew had another run in them, and that with a laid back coach and leadership Brownie, Kopi, Dewey, and Quickie wouldn't let them down. Luc was dead wrong, and should now be fired.

I honestly believe the organization would be on a better path today, if Dean had kept his job.
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If Dean had done his job right, believed what was happening around him [coaches etc] ,we wouldn't even be in the spot we were in when Blake took over. He was in total, and I mean absolute total denial to what was happening in the league. Out of touch is the best way to put it. The team he put together for the either the Olympics or World Cup should've been a giant red f-ing flag he was living in the past. He, by his own doing made poor draft picks, gutted the farm and traded away all our picks. I appreciate what he did, but I'm glad he's gone.
 
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FSL KINGS said:


It was Kupari!
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Meh, the team is just too flush with logjams for better or worse. Kupari is older and more developed and was ready for his turn. I would prefer to see him on the wing, but there are jams everywhere at forward now. Turcotte should be alright, I am still high on him, I love his skillset, tenacity, and style of play. Hopefully, he gets at least a cup of coffee this season.
 
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kingsfan28 said:
I'm not sure what TMac is seeing in Kupari, but he hasn't been good at all. a couple of ok games and a few goals, but most nights her cant get the puck out of the zone cleanly.
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100% agree glad I'm not the only one feels the same way. Had a good few game at the start but has really been struggling.
 
I'm not seeing it with Kupari either. I'm not giving up on him, but like Vilardi, he should have been cycled back to Ontario
 
I'm seeing Trevor Lewis in Kupari but the problem is if the production isn't there, Trevor Lewis wasn't an outright liability. Kupari definitely needs to sit or get some AHL time. because that's a waste of a roster spot/minutes if you're just going to melt him on the 4th line...sick of this pattern.
 
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McClellan isn't going to criticize a young developing player in public. He's just being PC.

EDIT: isn't
 
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Raccoon Jesus said:
I'm seeing Trevor Lewis in Kupari but the problem is if the production isn't there, Trevor Lewis wasn't an outright liability. Kupari definitely needs to sit or get some AHL time. because that's a waste of a roster spot/minutes if you're just going to melt him on the 4th line...sick of this pattern.
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I disagree with this one. I think Kupari is the only forward prospect actually slotted into the role he will be best suited for here in LA. I think he has been playing perfectly fine for a rookie and those who have been disappointed are most likely still evaluating players on how they are contributing to a team chasing the playoffs and not how they are acclimating to the league.
 
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bland said:
I disagree with this one. I think Kupari is the only forward prospect actually slotted into the role he will be best suited for here in LA. I think he has been playing perfectly fine for a rookie and those who have been disappointed are most likely still evaluating players on how they are contributing to a team chasing the playoffs and not how they are acclimating to the league.
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I think he's slotted fine in the bottom six but he's been flailing for a while, imo. If it were one-off mistakes being aggressive/creative I'd be comfortable with it, but he's making tentative decisions, not being very assertive, and losing a lot of checks. I'm not at all evaluating him on the competitiveness of the team, just on his growth, which I think has currently plateaued and is slightly regressing.

But, if you're going to bench him like it appears is happening tonight, just send him down to the A for some more big minutes and some confidence. If they can do it for Vilardi, they can do it for Kupari.
 
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On a healthy team, there will be 4-5 center prospects battling for one center position. 3C. Kopi-Danault and Lizotte are not getting moved. So the battle between prospects will be heated. Not much you can do about it unless you move some to wing or make trades.
 
Mats26 said:
On a healthy team, there will be 4-5 center prospects battling for one center position. 3C. Kopi-Danault and Lizotte are not getting moved. So the battle between prospects will be heated. Not much you can do about it unless you move some to wing or make trades.
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Lizotte is a placeholder. He’s not knocking any prospect ready for the NHL out of a roster spot
 
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