Speculation: 2025 TDL Discussion

[Kurrilino]

Dobson is only 25 and a way better and bigger defenseman. Fits in with Byfield, Laf, Turcotte. Immediately replaced Doughty and can run a PP

When Doughty and Kopitar are gone, he is 27 and the Kings start a rebuild.
This is when we need Clarke

2026 1st, Spence, Moore?

Cap hit is 4.625 for this year.

What will he want for the next contract? 12? How does that fit in

Rantanen can sign here in summer if he really wants to be here.
If not, then he never wanted to be here

 

[CanadianKingsFan19]

I would love to get Rantanen, but try and sign him in the off seaon. I'd be happy if we acquired Kyle Palmieri and Jake Evans at the deadline.

 

[KINGS17]

Kings must be sellers, not buyers. Their highest value player is Kempe. He would bring in a good haul of at least 3 young assets, but then you have to fire everyone in player development along with Robitaille and Blake.

 

[funky]

When Doughty and Kopitar are gone, he is 27 and the Kings start a rebuild.
This is when we need Clarke


Rantanen can sign here in summer if he really wants to be here.
If not, then he never wanted to be here

I can’t see King’s ownership allowing a rebuild. There’s probably 20 people on this board that would like that but how many fans in Los Angeles that come to the rink would actually want that. Winning hockey still puts butts in the seat for the average fan which is probably the majority of fans.

They get to go see their team win some games at home and make it to the playoffs and for the most part fans are happy. Our in arena experience, our branding and everything else is aimed at these fans.

We’re still competing with the Lakers, the Dodgers, etc. They all have stars.

In a couple of years, I can see ownership going after McDavid to replace Kopitar instead of the rebuild route. Not what’s best for the team, what puts bums in seats.

A rebuild would be fun and we started one, but that was not organization’s appetite. They called it something else and basically brought an outside help (Danault, Arvy, Fiala) to expedite it.

If they were comfortable doing a rebuild, we’d still have Faber, Durzi, and Vilardi.

They chose to continue building around the elder Kopi and Doughty. Hell they can’t even play a kid over Trevor Lewis.

I’m not putting any hopes into the kings going through another rebuild anytime soon.

 

[FSL KINGS]

I can’t see King’s ownership allowing a rebuild. There’s probably 20 people on this board that would like that but how many fans in Los Angeles that come to the rink would actually want that. Winning hockey still puts butts in the seat for the average fan which is probably the majority of fans.

They get to go see their team win some games at home and make it to the playoffs and for the most part fans are happy. Our in arena experience, our branding and everything else is aimed at these fans.

We’re still competing with the Lakers, the Dodgers, etc. They all have stars.

In a couple of years, I can see ownership going after McDavid to replace Kopitar instead of the rebuild route. Not what’s best for the team, what puts bums in seats.

A rebuild would be fun and we started one, but that was not organization’s appetite. They called it something else and basically brought an outside help (Danault, Arvy, Fiala) to expedite it.

If they were comfortable doing a rebuild, we’d still have Faber, Durzi, and Vilardi.

They chose to continue building around the elder Kopi and Doughty. Hell they can’t even play a kid over Trevor Lewis.

I’m not putting any hopes into the kings going through another rebuild anytime soon.

Why rebuild with Blake running it? Just trade for Rantenenen because we need a star to sell jerseys.

 

[MonkeysUncle]

Why rebuild with Blake running it? Just trade for Rantenenen because we need a star to sell jerseys.

Exactly, Blake an dd's this front office had there chance, why would any ownership group allow the same group rebuild when they didnt accomplish anything the first time around, not to mentuon the philosophy would stay exactly the same whether it be development or system style.. yikes talk about a losing formula

 

[KingsHockey24]

Word on the street is that Evgeni Malkin is headed to LA.

 

[Herby]

If the goal is still be all-in to win before Kopitar and Doughty retire (and make no mistake it is) you might as well go for it with Rantanen, and hope that he can be a dominant offensive force on his own, without MacKinnon. It doesn't even matter, the damage has already been done by Blake with the poor picks and trades, you can't undo the Faber trade, Vilardi trade, Turcotte pick etc. All those 1st and 2nd round picks between 2017-2021, the best farm system in the NHL by multiple publications, and what do you have to show for it? Not a single difference making player for the Kings in March 2025.

I assume Clarke goes the other way, along with some combo of other assets that mean nothing to Rob Blake (1st round pick, Greentree). What good does a slow-cooked to death Clarke who at age 22 they don't even trust to play, 19 year old Greentree and 17/18 year old 1st round pick do for a team trying to win before 37 and 35 year olds retirement contracts end?

I'm very skeptical that Rantanen solves anything, he's another left-shot winger that is going to a team without a 1C for him to play with. But at this point he's the only realistic option to acquire a true offensive difference maker, it's obvious that the Kings would be all-in.

 

[kingsfan2012]

If the goal is still be all-in to win before Kopitar and Doughty retire (and make no mistake it is) you might as well go for it with Rantanen, and hope that he can be a dominant offensive force on his own, without MacKinnon. It doesn't even matter, the damage has already been done by Blake with the poor picks and trades, you can't undo the Faber trade, Vilardi trade, Turcotte pick etc. All those 1st and 2nd round picks between 2017-2021, the best farm system in the NHL by multiple publications, and what do you have to show for it? Not a single difference making player for the Kings in March 2025.

I assume Clarke goes the other way, along with some combo of other assets that mean nothing to Rob Blake (1st round pick, Greentree). What good does a slow-cooked to death Clarke who at age 22 they don't even trust to play, 19 year old Greentree and 17/18 year old 1st round pick do for a team trying to win before 37 and 35 year olds retirement contracts end?

I'm very skeptical that Rantanen solves anything, he's another left-shot winger that is going to a team without a 1C for him to play with. But at this point he's the only realistic option to acquire a true offensive difference maker, it's obvious that the Kings would be all-in.

Byfield isn’t a difference maker yet?

 

[BaileyFan]

If the goal is still be all-in to win before Kopitar and Doughty retire (and make no mistake it is) you might as well go for it with Rantanen, and hope that he can be a dominant offensive force on his own, without MacKinnon. It doesn't even matter, the damage has already been done by Blake with the poor picks and trades, you can't undo the Faber trade, Vilardi trade, Turcotte pick etc. All those 1st and 2nd round picks between 2017-2021, the best farm system in the NHL by multiple publications, and what do you have to show for it? Not a single difference making player for the Kings in March 2025.

I assume Clarke goes the other way, along with some combo of other assets that mean nothing to Rob Blake (1st round pick, Greentree). What good does a slow-cooked to death Clarke who at age 22 they don't even trust to play, 19 year old Greentree and 17/18 year old 1st round pick do for a team trying to win before 37 and 35 year olds retirement contracts end?

I'm very skeptical that Rantanen solves anything, he's another left-shot winger that is going to a team without a 1C for him to play with. But at this point he's the only realistic option to acquire a true offensive difference maker, it's obvious that the Kings would be all-in.

This is what I’m saying. What’s the point of even keeping Clarke for the future? BLuc will likely still be here another couple years. You wouldn’t start a rebuild around a D+7 defenseman who has never played top pairing minutes before, which is exactly what Clarke will be if Doughty finishes his contract here.

They will never let Clarke play his game as long as this regime is in charge. He won’t be seeing any playoff minutes this year. Trade him now and cash in before they further erode his market value. At least Rantanen would be a true all-in move unlike the Dubois farce where they spun it as him being their post-Kopitar solution.

 

[Maynard]

Byfield isn’t a difference maker yet?

He has the ability but has yet to show any consistency with it.

 

[Herby]

Byfield isn’t a difference maker yet?

People have a different opinion on what defines a difference maker, but I would say no.

The two players who went directly after him would be what I'd consider as the entry point to a difference maker.

 

[Schmooley]

He has the ability but has yet to show any consistency with it.

Yea he needs more consistency. The flashes arent enough and he has to take responsibility for it himself.
I will also say that the coach plays some role in this also.
He put up 4 points in an excellent performance vs Vegas the other day. Hiller should have said to him this team will go as far as you will take it and you need to be the guy.
Instead he didnt bring back the Fiala-Byfield-Kempe line until a couple games after and actually cut his minutes.
Its like when Cal Petersen was ready for the starting job and they sent him back down to the AHL for another year and a half or whatever it was.
Byfield is probably not quite ready to be handed the reins as a 1c on a competitive playoff team and the organization is doing whatever it can to keep the illusion that Kopitar is carrying the team.
Ill also add that this mindset is completely different than Stutzle who had a team tell him he was the guy from the first day he was drafted. The confidence from when Clarke started with the Kings to now is a good example of how handling top picks this way is not great.

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

WTF man. There are more than one of us here. I alone have 42 different distinct personalities. 51, if we are using the metric system

Hold my f***ing beer!

 

[Kudelski37]

Rantanen has 2g/4a in 10 games in Carolina. Carolina is 10th in goals for. This is the same pace for goals and assists that Byfield has this season on the 24th place team for goals for.

He didn't extend in Colorado and rumor is he turned down a huge contract in Carolina. He is going to free agency so this trade would be a pure rental.

He is a left shot.

The Kings suck at evaluating NHL players on their roster and throughout the league.

I do not want any part of Rantanen. He is like Mike Krushelnyski putting points with Gretzky and Kurri. He will not be worth what gets traded or his next contract.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Rantanen has 2g/4a in 10 games in Carolina. Carolina is 10th in goals for. This is the same pace for goals and assists that Byfield has this season on the 24th place team for goals for.

He didn't extend in Colorado and rumor is he turned down a huge contract in Carolina. He is going to free agency so this trade would be a pure rental.

He is a left shot.

The Kings suck at evaluating NHL players on their roster and throughout the league.

I do not want any part of Rantanen. He is like Mike Krushelnyski putting points with Gretzky and Kurri. He will not be worth what gets traded or his next contract.

Just looking at goals and assists in a small sample leaves a lot to be desired. All indications are that Rantanen is still heavily tilting the ice when he's out there.

Mikko Rantanen: There’s only one elite forward on the trade board, and in all honesty, it’s hard to imagine him getting moved. Again. Rantanen has been a Hurricane for all of eight games and has looked pretty damn good despite the lack of production. Rantanen has a 68 percent xG rate with the Canes — the goals will come.

While it’s likely true that some of Rantanen’s production was a result of Colorado’s system and who he played with, he’s still an uber-elite player in his own right and one of the best wingers in the world. Rantanen is a rare breed: A hulking winger who can tilt the ice and put up 100 points. In the unlikely event he does get traded again, he will be a massive needle-mover for his next team.

NHL trade deadline: Analyzing the numbers behind the top forwards available

Which forwards can actually move the needle? Which forwards can capably fill depth roles? Who should teams avoid?

www.nytimes.com

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Just looking at goals and assists in a small sample leaves a lot to be desired. All indications are that Rantanen is still heavily tilting the ice when he's out there.

NHL trade deadline: Analyzing the numbers behind the top forwards available

Which forwards can actually move the needle? Which forwards can capably fill depth roles? Who should teams avoid?

www.nytimes.com

Kinda feels like Rantanen is a version of Hubererdeau, paying for the past 100 point season, but will never really get there again.....

 

[kovacro]

I'd rather call Buffalo and try to get Alex Tuch out of there. Check on Peterka as well.

Get a price check on Maccelli in Utah. He desperately needs a change of scenery. Absolutely fell off a cliff there, but I am intrigued.

 

[MonkeysUncle]

Kinda feels like Rantanen is a version of Hubererdeau, paying for the past 100 point season, but will never really get there again.....

It feels like Pld all over again

 

[fivehole32]

I'd rather call Buffalo and try to get Alex Tuch out of there. Check on Peterka as well.

Get a price check on Maccelli in Utah. He desperately needs a change of scenery. Absolutely fell off a cliff there, but I am intrigued.

I 100% agree Peterka and Maccelli would likely be low cost high reward options comparatively speaking to Raantanen, Malkin, etc.

 

[CarlSneep]

Rantanen is on another stratosphere from Huberdeau and PLD, let's not get crazy. He's a top-10 offensive player. If he were Canadian and McKinnon were Finnish you'd hear a lot more about how great Rantanen is. The issue with him is that he's 28 and on the downslope of his career like all 28-year olds are, and that he's going to get paid more than he probably deserves to be since he'll be a UFA.

 

[KopitarGOAT420]

Word on the street is that Evgeni Malkin is headed to LA.

What street? Whose word?

 

[Johnny Utah]

Friedman said Edmonton is trying to move Kane and they want a quick forward and a D man who can play both sides. They realize they might have to eat it because Kane makes over 5.

How about Moore and Burroughs for Kane?

 

[kingsholygrail]

Word on the street is that Evgeni Malkin is headed to LA.

 

[KingsHockey24]

What street? Whose word?

The guy behind 7/11 told me.