Speculation: Another year of this Bluc **** (The 2024-25 season thread)

[Axl Rhoadz]

If your ambition is to win a round then maybe you can be optimistic.

I wouldn't complain about that, I guess I'm easy to please.

If this team made me bitch and moan everyday, despite winning more than half their games, I would spend my energy doing something else.

 

[Schrute farms]

Hmmm, i wonder what's worse:
a) constantly bitching & moaning about your team's mistakes that is causing them to not reach the true heights that they could?
or
b) constantly bitching & moaning posters who do so?

Seems about the same to me. But one is aimed at the true decision makers who have the ability to change the organizations future. The other is aimed at nobodies on the internet that have no impact whatsoever to the team/organization.

 

[KopitarGOAT420]

It's fine, offer sheet Rossi & just replace Doughty with Risto. Totally work.

Man, Rossi is NOT the answer lol.

He's a good player but his offensive production is being seriously inflated by Kaprizov. No chance he would produce like that in LA.

 

[Surf Nutz]

Outsider question:
Was wondering if you could help pinpoint Spence's value. Thanks in advance

Good eye.

He is an overpay for you guys and anyone else.

But as mentioned by the deadline, Blake has to send Gavrikov, "Should I Stay or Should I Go," by the Clash.

Can you give me one sentence on the main problem with Sabres?

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Hmmm, i wonder what's worse:
a) constantly bitching & moaning about your team's mistakes that is causing them to not reach the true heights that they could?
or
b) constantly bitching & moaning posters who do so?

Seems about the same to me. But one is aimed at the true decision makers who have the ability to change the organizations future. The other is aimed at nobodies on the internet that have no impact whatsoever to the team/organization.

I'm gonna go with A) for $500, Alex.

 

[SundherDome]

Good eye.

He is an overpay for you guys and anyone else.

But as mentioned by the deadline, Blake has to send Gavrikov, "Should I Stay or Should I Go," by the Clash.

Can you give me one sentence on the main problem with Sabres?

Shorsey said it best "they don't hate to lose".

 

[Surf Nutz]

I know at this moment in time, a lot wont think this graph is accurate in regards to the Kings, but I still think its correct. Unless you want to play games with DD LTIR, this team is not going do a damn thing... even with that extra cap, I dont think they can make a big enough impact.

View attachment 946743

Original article.. scroll down to find the detaied analysis of LAK

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5815613/2024/10/10/nhl-contention-cycle-player-tiers/

Article has not aged well at this point in the season.

Looking at Kings, Preds and Rangers and others.

Wait for a 6 game losing streak next time.

The Kings likely have absentee ownership, which isn't always an awful thing (see Jones, Jerry) but it sure seems like Robitaille has been given free reign to do as he sees fit and the only time things will be up for evaluation is when the GM's contract is up and they evaluate the entire process. With Blake's poor results on the ice since taking over, and his crazy financial mistakes it's hard to imagine an ownership group that was more hands on would not have made a move.


The contract makes it really tough to trade him, because the value is incredible. I get why him and Brisson went this path, but if he were an RFA this summer he would probably get 3-4x what he will make the next two seasons.

Nobody is giving a first line player for Spence. He's a very solid third pairing defender, and a feather in the cap for the Kings in evaluation and development, but he just doesn't have the type of ceiling where he returns a significant asset to the Kings.

I hope the Kings don't trade him though, he's a good player with a good cap hit.

Thanks for another completely unbiased , not exaggerated at all post .

You just keep getting better!

For all the confused here AEG operates on a business model that evaluates financial targets.

and they are killing it.

Drone on against the Machine.

Big facts. The main problem with the Kings is that they tried to accelerate the rebuild / ended the rebuild too early.

We've talked about it 1000 times on here - But we can all agree this team's future would look MUCH different if they had just held onto players like Vilardi, Durzi, Faber, etc and let a new core emerge with time.

Instead they started moving future assets (picks and players) at the first glimpse of success (the playoff berth in 2021/22) and those moves are proving to be quite costly.

That said, I still believe there could be a strong future core that emerges from this current Kings organization - But I'll admit they certainly need a lot to go right / a lot of young players to keep progressing.

The problem is the recent past and profits would look much different as well.

See Buffalo.

Shorsey said it best "they don't hate to lose".

 

[FSL KINGS]

Man, Rossi is NOT the answer lol.

He's a good player but his offensive production is being seriously inflated by Kaprizov. No chance he would produce like that in LA.

When Kopi retires, any center is going to look very good.

 

[BaileyFan]

Article has not aged well at this point in the season.

Looking at Kings, Preds and Rangers and others.

Wait for a 6 game losing streak next time.


Thanks for another completely unbiased , not exaggerated at all post .

You just keep getting better!

For all the confused here AEG operates on a business model that evaluates financial targets.

and they are killing it.

Drone on against the Machine.


The problem is the recent past and profits would look much different as well.

See Buffalo.

Bro forgot to switch accounts again

 

[Kurrilino]

How many fanbases would you like me to list off that would beg to differ with your opinion?

I really don't care since i follow the Kings.
We have dark days ahead and only the most delusional people think we are cup ready or should even go for it

 

[Peter James Bond III]

This is a problem:

Durzi only gets 100% top 4 ice when Doughty breaks wrist. Otherwise, Durzi stays with Reign and all yr and maybe gets a cup of coffee. Who knows what happens after that.

Laferierre only gets a 100% chance at top 9, when Arvidsson has back surgery. If not, he’s w Reign and maybe gets a cup of coffee at end of last yr.
This yr, he makes the Kings and goes thru growing pains right now.

Turcotte stays cemented line 4 and 8:00 TOI with scrubs and can’t use his offensive skills, if Moore does not have upper body injury. Turcotte only plays LW1 and excels and produces, only because Moore out.

It’s a problem that players like this, only get a shot at top lines and ice, with 100% 13 TOI nightly, due to other players getting injured.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

This is a problem:

Durzi only gets 100% top 4 ice when Doughty breaks wrist. Otherwise, Durzi stays with Reign and all yr and maybe gets a cup of coffee. Who knows what happens after that.

Laferierre only gets a 100% chance at top 9, when Arvidsson has back surgery. If not, he’s w Reign and maybe gets a cup of coffee at end of last yr.
This yr, he makes the Kings and goes thru growing pains right now.

Turcotte stays cemented line 4 and 8:00 TOI with scrubs and can’t use his offensive skills, if Moore does not have upper body injury. Turcotte only plays LW1 and excels and produces, only because Moore out.

It’s a problem that players like this, only get a shot at top lines and ice, with 100% 13 TOI nightly, due to other players getting injured.

Players like this, 2nd and 3rd rounders? Turcotte is the only 1st rounder you mention, and can very well have a valid point,

Tell me what other teams put 2nd/3rd round picks immediately into top 4/top 6 positions?

 

[King'sPawn]

Players like this, 2nd and 3rd rounders? Turcotte is the only 1st rounder you mention, and can very well have a valid point,

Tell me what other teams put 2nd/3rd round picks immediately into top 4/top 6 positions?

Not going to go through every team but Logan Stankoven, in his D+4 year (this year), is 5th on the Stars in ES TOI among forwards.

More than Laferriere despite being a year younger.

Matthew Knies from the same draft for Toronto has similar time on ice. He's also 5th in ES TOI. In his first full season, he was 6th in ES TOI/GP.

That's just going back a couple years.

But the issue isn't the immediacy of getting top 6/4 ice time. It's the absence of opportunity until there's actual injury or, with someone like Dubois, they play themselves off the team.

For Quinton Byfield, a second overall pick, he has the following rankings of ES TOI among forwards:
12th - 2021/22 (D + 2)
8th - 2022/23 (D + 3)
5th - 2023/24 (D + 4)
6th - 2024/25 (D + 5)

Turcotte's rankings
19th - 2022/23 (D + 4)
15th - 2023/24 (D + 5)
11th - 2024/25 (D + 6)

The Kings top-five picks are, at best, afforded the same opportunity as second and third rounders on some other teams, and they aren't exactly rebuilding teams either.

 

[unicornpig]

Kings need to move Danault and Moore asap. Still early and Blake can fool contenders into thinking Danault is the shutdown c he once was. Move him now before he becomes immovable

 

[KingsOfCali25]

Kings need to move Danault and Moore asap. Still early and Blake can fool contenders into thinking Danault is the shutdown c he once was. Move him now before he becomes immovable

This is where I'm at with this team. Trade block should be Gavrikov, Danault, Moore and Jeannot. I know Blake won't move anyone unless there is a deep fall from the standings, so no hope there. Only hope is that he sees that the kids are running things right now and goes with them to save his job. I don't want him back but if he goes with the youth movement then if he comes back than he comes back the correct way.

 

[Statto]

Kings need to move Danault and Moore asap. Still early and Blake can fool contenders into thinking Danault is the shutdown c he once was. Move him now before he becomes immovable

Which is fine if other teams don’t scout us… unless they share our pro scouts of course, then it might work

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Not going to go through every team but Logan Stankoven, in his D+4 year (this year), is 5th on the Stars in ES TOI among forwards.

More than Laferriere despite being a year younger.

Matthew Knies from the same draft for Toronto has similar time on ice. He's also 5th in ES TOI. In his first full season, he was 6th in ES TOI/GP.

That's just going back a couple years.

But the issue isn't the immediacy of getting top 6/4 ice time. It's the absence of opportunity until there's actual injury or, with someone like Dubois, they play themselves off the team.

For Quinton Byfield, a second overall pick, he has the following rankings of ES TOI among forwards:
12th - 2021/22 (D + 2)
8th - 2022/23 (D + 3)
5th - 2023/24 (D + 4)
6th - 2024/25 (D + 5)

Turcotte's rankings
19th - 2022/23 (D + 4)
15th - 2023/24 (D + 5)
11th - 2024/25 (D + 6)

The Kings top-five picks are, at best, afforded the same opportunity as second and third rounders on some other teams, and they aren't exactly rebuilding teams either.

The OP I was responding to was talking about immediacy, but even in the above, Stankoven is averaging 5 seconds more ES/TOI than Laferierre, technically you are right, it's more, but he needed retirements and injury to get that, Seguin, Pavelski.

Knies is a special case in so far as TOR is a top heavy team, their top 4 forwards takes like 45 million in cap space, so they don't have room for "mid" players like Moore, Danault, etc, so they HAVE to play Knies, Patches on minimum etc, to fit under the cap, now having said that, Knies has absolutely earned and deserved that ice time, but TOR doesn't have a lot of choice in the matter and they were praying he was going to earn and deserve it.

Fact of the matter is, this is sport. Veterans will play over kids 90% of the time, and when injuries happen, it's always been next man up, and if that next man up has the balls and talent to take your spot, good luck to you, not sure why this is surprising to everyone

 

[Trash Panda]

This is where I'm at with this team. Trade block should be Gavrikov, Danault, Moore and Jeannot. I know Blake won't move anyone unless there is a deep fall from the standings, so no hope there. Only hope is that he sees that the kids are running things right now and goes with them to save his job. I don't want him back but if he goes with the youth movement then if he comes back than he comes back the correct way.

The “trade block” is whatever valuable futures the Kings have left, not the minute-eating vets with significant salary.

There is no way that Blake deviates from his “all in” managing style at this point. He has to ride whatever this is, straight into the eventual unemployment line, or hope for a miracle first round win.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

There's no way these guys move vets, UFAs to be or not

I mean they rode Roy into the grave even with his inevitable replacements right behind him for years--you think they'd trade Gavy for whom there is no replacement?

Rob is as all in/window open as he can be and you have to believe every move made from here on out is a now-focused, scorch-the-future-to-keep-my-job-as-long-as-possible move.

This year and next year's first three rounds of picks are on the table. I'm sure Greentree, Dvorak, and any kids not yet in the NHL are as well, and wouldn't be shocked to see them even sling Thomas for a vet version.

 

[chris kontos]

blake will sit on gavrikov and will return nothing for the free agent to be. moore will remain because tradition moves us forward. doughty will talk a great line of shit upon his return and go through the motions as will the rest.
there is no motivation for change.
i cant see us challenging teams like the oilers, vegas. even san jose is coming up fast in the rear view mirror. luc will eventually replace blake when blake gets bored doing luc and bergy's bidding with bergevin and the old merry go round will continue.
this team is cursed with mediocrity
this bit of christmas cheer is brought to you by REALITY llc.
But anything can happen i guess so i keep watching.
If the kings can become 2x stanley cup champs, anything CAN happen

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

blake will sit on gavrikov and will return nothing for the free agent to be. moore will remain because tradition moves us forward. doughty will talk a great line of shit upon his return and go through the motions as will the rest.
there is no motivation for change.
i cant see us challenging teams like the oilers, vegas. even san jose is coming up fast in the rear view mirror. luc will eventually replace blake when blake gets bored doing luc and bergy's bidding with bergevin and the old merry go round will continue.
the future as i see it is rather bleak. this team is as cursed with mediocrity as i have ever seen anything anywhere.
this bit of christmas cheer is brought to you by REALITY llc.

So, game watch-party at your house tomorrow??

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

I know at this moment in time, a lot wont think this graph is accurate in regards to the Kings, but I still think its correct. Unless you want to play games with DD LTIR, this team is not going do a damn thing... even with that extra cap, I dont think they can make a big enough impact.

View attachment 946743

Original article.. scroll down to find the detaied analysis of LAK

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5815613/2024/10/10/nhl-contention-cycle-player-tiers/

This is really an interesting chart, It has Vancouver's window closing....with Hughes, and Petterson and Demko....it has NYRs window open, but no context to the shitstorm there, it has Winnipeg as time to rebuild with Connor, Vilardi, Morrissey, Hellybuck, and it has Ottawa in no man's land with Stutzle, Sanderson, Tkachuk, Norris, etc,

Not sure what measures it takes to get there, but it's interesting.

 

[Statto]

blake will sit on gavrikov and will return nothing for the free agent to be. moore will remain because tradition moves us forward. doughty will talk a great line of shit upon his return and go through the motions as will the rest.
there is no motivation for change.
i cant see us challenging teams like the oilers, vegas. even san jose is coming up fast in the rear view mirror. luc will eventually replace blake when blake gets bored doing luc and bergy's bidding with bergevin and the old merry go round will continue.
this team is cursed with mediocrity
this bit of christmas cheer is brought to you by REALITY llc.
But anything can happen i guess so i keep watching.
If the kings can become 2x stanley cup champs, anything CAN happen

It’s unrealistic to expect any GM hoping to make a deep run to trade a D at Gavrikovs level. Are there any examples? That’s before you factor in he has a NMC. He’s highly unlikely to waive if we are in the playoff hunt.

Sure you can try to move him for scoring help but for who? Who is available that isn’t going to hurt us defensively when we’re trading away one of our top defensive players.

I’m not defending Blake, I want him gone but anyone expecting Gavrikov to be traded has misjudged expectations.

Yep, I’d consider moving Moore or even Danault but that type of move would not happen until much nearer the TDL. A move now is unlikely to net value.

 

[AbsentMojo]

This is really an interesting chart, It has Vancouver's window closing....with Hughes, and Petterson and Demko....it has NYRs window open, but no context to the shitstorm there, it has Winnipeg as time to rebuild with Connor, Vilardi, Morrissey, Hellybuck, and it has Ottawa in no man's land with Stutzle, Sanderson, Tkachuk, Norris, etc,

Not sure what measures it takes to get there, but it's interesting.

Ive not seen a chart like that before but i like the idea of it. It was issued in Oct right as the season started.. I agree re Vancouver and Wpg doesnt make a ton of sense. Need to look into the methodology more. For sure whatever method it uses, it should take into account cap and contracts and project players upswing and downswing due to what point they are in career. For each team there were details on why they ended up in whatever quadrant - that is worth reading. I noticed today i cant get to it, its behind a paywall now was open yesterday.