Speculation: 2025 TDL Discussion

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I didnt know he had trade protection. Yea that sounds about right though you could maybe get a better deal as you are buying at a low on Barzal.
For whatever reason Hiller doesnt trust Turcotte so I am prepared to see him involved if they do make a splash at the deadline. The only thing about Barzal I dont like is his size. To beat a team like Vegas in a series it would be nice to have some beef down the middle of the ice.
I would be interested in looking at Brock Nelson myself depending on cost to acquire
 
You guys have gone through it well and it just seems anything major at the deadline is unlikely with a now gun shy Blake, who believes Summer is when you trade anyway.

It's probably a good thing keep your first and losing Greentree would be as dumb as the commenter here that tries desperately to be funny all the time.
Gun shy? Like when Blake had to deal with the Cal contract then doubled down on the PL trade? What makes you think Blake isn't going for it?

The only thing keeping Blake from moving the first this year is that the draft is in LA. It's going to be a call in draft with the teams not being in person so maybe Luc let's Blake trade their 1st round. 50:50.

The TDL doesn't really matter if the King's are running prevent defense. No point in adding skill that won't be deployed right or gritty guys that will be encouraged to do flybys.

This is the year it's going to work!!! We've seen this before.
 
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I would be interested in looking at Brock Nelson myself depending on cost to acquire
I'd be down for Nelson too, he can also play C. Kopi's retirement is coming sooner than later so Blake has to do something about that position. We only have Byfield as a future C and then basically no one. Not one team in the league is going to be successful without great C depth. Danault is already cooked it seems so the move would be justified...
 
Gun shy? Like when Blake had to deal with the Cal contract then doubled down on the PL trade? What makes you think Blake isn't going for it?

The only thing keeping Blake from moving the first this year is that the draft is in LA. It's going to be a call in draft with the teams not being in person so maybe Luc let's Blake trade their 1st round. 50:50.

The TDL doesn't really matter if the King's are running prevent defense. No point in adding skill that won't be deployed right or gritty guys that will be encouraged to do flybys.

This is the year it's going to work!!! We've seen this before.

He is not making any huge move this season, not much out there and a lot to lose.

Major messes have been cleaned up and team doing well.

He will mostly stand pat with small move(s) or a medium one at most.
 
He is not making any huge move this season, not much out there and a lot to lose.

Major messes have been cleaned up and team doing well.

He will mostly stand pat with small move(s) or a medium one at most.
What we know from 10 years of Blake.

Blake is 100% Big Game hunting. This will be limited by the cap situation he's parked himself in & the lack of assets. Still, Moore, Greentree+ 1st can get some attention. :laugh:

One move that will help getting cap space for the deadline is dealing Moore for a 2.5 AAV or less wing once Doughty comes off LTIR. Toss in salary retention & the options are expanded a little.

Clearing cap once Doughty is back will hint at Blake's deadline moves.

King's D is also overcrowded once Doughty is back. Cleaning up the D is also an option.
 
What we know from 10 years of Blake.

Blake is 100% Big Game hunting. This will be limited by the cap situation he's parked himself in & the lack of assets. Still, Moore, Greentree+ 1st can get some attention. :laugh:

One move that will help getting cap space for the deadline is dealing Moore for a 2.5 AAV or less wing once Doughty comes off LTIR. Toss in salary retention & the options are expanded a little.

Clearing cap once Doughty is back will hint at Blake's deadline moves.

King's D is also overcrowded once Doughty is back. Cleaning up the D is also an option.

It's tricky and sticky for sure.

I don't care about Moore, whoever said to sell high after he hit 30 was on the money.

His value has cratered but your scenario would work.

If he trades Greentree, that could be a disaster. Kid could be here after his OHL team is eliminated.

I am hoping the brain trust or more like distrust will convince him to hold Greentree.

Your scenarios and thinking is credible but I hope sending Burroughs to waivers solves the cap and roster puzzle.

He is not getting jack in a trade.


2025 NHL Free Agents (link)

This is just ugly for likely targets.

1. Cross off all Lh shooters.

2. Cross out guys that will be ridden through playoffs on contenders and dark horses, like Blake did with Arvidsson, now Gavrikov.

3. Cross off overpaid underperformers.

There is nothing here but a very worn tight rope.

THis just adds to my no major moves thesis.

At least I hope it goes that way.

Ride Gav, let him walk and try to sign Rantanen, in the off season.

Pay up because its extremely slim pickings.

Rantanen can get a nice lot and build north of Santa Monica.

Looks like @RayMartyniukTotems was right, Blake should have made a desperation waiver grab on Sprong.

The only downside is it may have cost a player on waivers to make room, so maybe it was better to hold off.
 
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Why let players walk? If Gavrikov doesn’t want to sign for a reasonable amount see where he wants to go and see if you can make a trade. Get something for him.

Rangers fans are willing to give him big money yea in the offseason, see if we can trade him for Miller plus. Or prospects and picks that can be flipped.

Just don’t lose players for nothing! That’s bad asset management
 
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Why let players walk? If Gavrikov doesn’t want to sign for a reasonable amount see where he wants to go and see if you can make a trade. Get something for him.

Rangers fans are willing to give him big money yea in the offseason, see if we can trade him for Miller plus. Or prospects and picks that can be flipped.

Just don’t lose players for nothing! That’s bad asset management

Not opposed to that approach.

But it's not the way Blake handles it.

It sends a message to the player that you want to resign them and also if you trade a significant part it creates a big hole in the roster you need to fill before the playoffs.

If you are trying to get through Vegas and Edmonton that would be tough.

If the Kings had a memorable run , the player might be more likely to resign at a discount.
 
I don't see how people are thinking the Kings will trade vets, even pending UFAs. Aside from Quick, who was basically trending downwards as a backup, the Kings have tried to get older and more veteran talent for the playoffs.

Barring a catastrophic drop off where the Kings lose their next 20ish games, the vets are going nowhere. At most, they'll trade a vet to offset cap space. But it would still be youth going away for any major transaction: Clarke, Spence, Thomas, Turcotte, Laferriere, etc. Or if you go to the AHL, Pinelli or Booth.

Teams trading away their vets are sellers. They want young talent back.

It's why I'd rather the Kings not be active at all.
 
Yeah they aren't trading anyone over 24 imo. Unless it's for cap in-cap out.

I've said throughout this thread I'd expect them to scorched earth the rest of their assets for their 'last shot' at this window. I would be shocked if they kept our 1sts 2025 and 2026, Greentree, 2nd, 3rd. If anything we're pretty fortunate to be hamstrung by cap right now.
 
Please..... don't trade our first.
why not? Unless the Kings totally fall off a cliff in the next 6 weeks, Blake is going for it....he has to. (Besides everyone around here is convinced the Kings can't develop their prospects, so you might has well trade those picks for established players)
 
So the idea is to trade for a guy that will put us way over the cap when Gav and Laf are due big raises with term next season. We get smoked in 4-5 to Edmonton again this year and the team is in cap hell with the same roster that hasn’t gotten it done 4 years in a row. Good f***ing luck with that!

BLUC going all in with a pair of 4’s because they are almost out of money when the rest of the field is all on full house or quads draws! Going all in when the everyone else has way better f***ing cards! This “window” they are betting on is a huge waste of time, money, and emotion.
 
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So the idea is to trade for a guy that will put us way over the cap when Gav and Laf are due big raises with term next season. We get smoked in 4-5 to Edmonton again this year and the team is in cap hell with the same roster that hasn’t gotten it done 4 years in a row. Good f***ing luck with that!

BLUC going all in with a pair of 4’s because they are almost out of money when the rest of the field is all on full house or quads draws! Going all in when the everyone else has way better f***ing cards! This “window” they are betting on is a huge waste of time, money, and emotion.
No.... that's not really the idea. The idea is to trade for a goal scoring winger to help improve the powerplay and add some finishing to the forward group (the Kings two biggest needs right now). There are different ways that could happen. Most likely, it will involve sending Moore (for cap relief), a pick (or two), and a prospect to another team in return for a goal scoring winger that makes around $5m (ideally a right shot). That doesn't exactly put us in cap hell.

The Kings are analytically the best defensive team in the NHL by a long shot. They've been VERY good this year and that's without one of their best players in Drew Doughty. Kings also have more size/grit than previous years - suggesting they're better equipped for the playoffs. Once Doughty is back, the defense is surprisingly stacked. And thanks to the emergence of forwards like Turcotte and Laferriere (among other things) the forward group is surprisingly solid.

Contrary to the belief of some, this ISN'T the same team as last year and it ISN'T just a forgone conclusion that the Kings will lose in the 1st round again. Every year is different and every team is different (even if there are relatively minor changes). It would be a mistake not to try to add to this team at the deadline IMO. Does that mean adding a $8m+ player and putting yourself in cap hell? No, not necessarily. Does that mean trading a 1st round pick / "going all in"? Again, no, not necessarily. It just means let's take a look at some options to help make this team as good as possible going into the playoffs (aka let's add a scoring winger).

Also, Laf has slowed down - a modest bridge deal probably makes the most sense for both player and team at this point. Gavrikov will be an interesting situation to watch but we'll see what happens there.
 
No.... that's not really the idea. The idea is to trade for a goal scoring winger to help improve the powerplay and add some finishing to the forward group (the Kings two biggest needs right now). There are different ways that could happen. Most likely, it will involve sending Moore (for cap relief), a pick (or two), and a prospect to another team in return for a goal scoring winger that makes around $5m (ideally a right shot). That doesn't exactly put us in cap hell.

The Kings are analytically the best defensive team in the NHL by a long shot. They've been VERY good this year and that's without one of their best players in Drew Doughty. Kings also have more size/grit than previous years - suggesting they're better equipped for the playoffs. Once Doughty is back, the defense is surprisingly stacked. And thanks to the emergence of forwards like Turcotte and Laferriere (among other things) the forward group is surprisingly solid.

Contrary to the belief of some, this ISN'T the same team as last year and it ISN'T just a forgone conclusion that the Kings will lose in the 1st round again. Every year is different and every team is different (even if there are relatively minor changes). It would be a mistake not to try to add to this team at the deadline IMO. Does that mean adding a $8m+ player and putting yourself in cap hell? No, not necessarily. Does that mean trading a 1st round pick / "going all in"? Again, no, not necessarily. It just means let's take a look at some options to help make this team as good as possible going into the playoffs (aka let's add a scoring winger).

Also, Laf has slowed down - a modest bridge deal probably makes the most sense for both player and team at this point. Gavrikov will be an interesting situation to watch but we'll see what happens there.
We will see in April want to make a wager?
 
Also, there was some news over the weekend that the Penguins might be big time sellers. Dubas announced he's willing to listen to offers on everyone besides Crosby, Malkin, Rust, Tomasino, and Pickering.

Not sure what the price would be but Rickard Rakell could be a pretty interesting option. Typically a pretty good player when he's able to stay healthy. Has a couple 30 goal seasons and a few 20s as well. Right shot. Can play LW and RW. $5m cap hit and signed for a couple more seasons so he wouldn't just be a pure rental.

Rakell/Turcotte - Kopitar - Kempe
Fiala - Danault - Laferriere
Foegele - Byfield - Rakell/Turcotte
Jeannot - Helenius - Lewis

PP1:
Rakell
Fiala - Kopitar - Kempe
Doughty

PP2:
Byfield
Laferriere - Turcotte - Clarke
Spence

Could be a nice way to add some finishing to the group and improve PP.
 
Going full xbox mode because I'm bored as hell and I'm tryna get ill so I went to the place where my home boys chill

Kings trade Phil Danault and a 2026 1st round pick to the New York Islanders in exchange for F Brock Nelson

Kings trade Trevor Moore, a 2025 3rd pick, and D Jared Wooley to the Pittsburg Penguins in exchange for F Rickard Rakell

kings-2025-xbox-TDL.PNG


PP1:
Rakell
Fiala - Kopitar - Kempe
Doughty

PP2:
Byfield
Laferriere - Nelson - Turcotte
Clarke

Cap space: $1,365,834
 
If they really fall off a cliff in the 2nd half and look like they're going to miss the post season, its fire sale time. Danault, Moore, Fiala, Rittich, Lewis, and maybe even Doughty (if the return is great) all ought to go. We could get some nice pieces and picks all in one fell swoop. Problem is I don't think Blucgevin are savvy enough to get top value for all of our assets and would most likely get fleeced. I'd almost rather have this scenario play out than have another weak ass predictable 1st round exit to Edmonton again.
 

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