I think we're using evidence to refute a statement without addressing the totality of it.
Yes, the Kings are a cap team. But there are known benefits that all teams get from "letting a contract slide." It allows them to keep young talent longer without having to give them a raise.
It's not inherently bad, nor is it exclusively with the Kings. But to the point where there "may be some truth," I feel there may be some truth to the suggestion that the Kings might overplay or overuse that tactic.
I know Clarke gets used a lot in this scenario, but he was a player Yannetti has said could have made the team two years ago. But they healthy scratched him for over a month before sending him to the WJC camp. After camp, they finally sent him back down to the OHL.
If their director of amateur scouting admits he was good enough for the team then, what is the purpose to send him down to the OHL? Well, he only played 9 professional games. Then they used a loophole of sending him to the AHL as a conditioning stint. This allowed them to slide the contract for another year.
So, I don't think the Kings are actively sabotaging players so they don't pay them - but they make decisions where keeping cost-controlled contracts for a longer period of time seemingly takes priority to integrating youth into the roster, and although likely unintentional, I think it's happening at the detriment of the player.