Byfield was supposed to pick up where Kopitar left at least according to non Kings fans, 10 points this year meanwhile Kopitar has 27 and is to no ones surprise again over PPG and just great. Will he? And what does he need to improve on to become the #1C in LA?
(OFC im not saying he should or will be Kopitar, those kinds of players dont grow on trees...)
So concerning. QB is
tied for 9th in Kings scoring....with Gavrikov, with 11 pts. I guess Yannetti says the timeline is D+5 for prospects....yet, there are D+1 and +2 breaking that mold. Clarke has 16 pts, whilst removing him from the PP and berating him, being disciplinary in how he plays and with video work and a short leash in taking chances. He'd probably have 22 pts, if he played to his abilities, freely....2x more than QB's 11 whopping pts.
I honestly think Turcotte can make a better #2 C than QB. At least a possibility. That will never happen and that's fine...only because they will slot him as LW or 3C or 4C. I bet if they slotted him #2 C and gave him 10 games there, he'd do great.. Turcotte honestly looking better than QB. Turc and Laferriere are 9 goals for, 1 against when on the ice together. Yet, they do all they can to separate them. Go figure.
Pronman says the CBJ return for Jiricek was poor?
Are you kidding me? Hunt, #1, #2, #3, #4 for a 21 yo defenseman with 49 NHL games and back in the AHL? Hunt is not a bad prospect and will play with the CBJ this year. A #1,(top 5 protected) #2, #3 and a #4? For Jiricek and a 5th? There are concerns about Jiricek's footspeed. In any event, the Wild will have Faber, Jiricek and Zeev Buium (he will probably sign after this year from DU) on their blueline...later this year or possibly next.
If I'm Blucgevin, I am fielding offers for QB. I'd take a mid level Center prospect that is close (possibly a little better than Pinelli) and a #1, #2, #3 and #4 for him, right now. Instead of hiring figure skating coaches, QB should be hiring shooting coaches. 11 pts in 25 games is failing, unless he has broken fingers or hand. On par for 38 pts? WTF? The only area he's stepped up: 6 times larger bank deposits.
#1, #2, #3, #4 round picks are assets and could be worth more than a 4th yr QB that goes 20-game-goal-less streaks and cannot command 2C in year 4. Thank God Laferriere makes the 2020 draft class as getting a top player.
Sure wish Waddell was Kings GM.