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

[AbsentMojo]

Arty audio interview a few weeks back

 

[King'sPawn]

I just wonder how Kaliyev would look on the Byfield-Foegle line right now (I have nothing against Jeannot, BTW).

We'll never know. It wasn't even worth trying apparently.

Personally, I don't like "one dimensional" sniper types (although IMO AK isn't as one dimensional as people think). I like guys you can put anywhere in the line up and can skate. That said, I still would've liked him to get an extended look in the role he was meant for before giving up on him.

I like Jeannot on the Byfield line. He playsca more physical style of hockey that complements the line.

Very much why I like Turcotte on the Kopitar line. He provides a good work rate along with his skillset.

If any line, I think Kaliyev would still go well with Danault.

I know that would leave Fiala out of the top 9. I just think it would have been worth trying if the Kings would have been willing to give him another opportunity.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

I like Jeannot on the Byfield line. He playsca more physical style of hockey that complements the line.

Very much why I like Turcotte on the Kopitar line. He provides a good work rate along with his skillset.

If any line, I think Kaliyev would still go well with Danault.

I know that would leave Fiala out of the top 9. I just think it would have been worth trying if the Kings would have been willing to give him another opportunity.

Kings aren’t in the market for ‘trying’ anything right now. They are playing tremendous hockey and have done it all year without Kaliyev.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

The love affair around here with prospects who have done very little with their NHL opportunities, is wild. The same people who write off players like Vilardi, Bustfield and Turcotte before they even step on the big league ice.

You all want to trade Fiala, but somehow Kaliyev is the 2nd coming of Christ….wild.

 

[LeftKinger]

Fiala looks confused most of the time.

I kind of feel bad for him because I think he's trying to play a team game, but he just can't figure it out.

Then I remember that he's a handsome 28 year old multimillionaire living in LA and don't feel sorry for him anymore.

Bro might just be ditsy. They did a New Year’s resolution interview for a teammate thing and Foegele’s was for Fiala to read more books

 

[LeftKinger]

I’d take Miller for the right price

 

[Jumptheshark]

haha. wouldve been appropos if the people in Fugging told them all to f*** off re. the name change. Should not have caved.

The reason why they changed the name was because they were overrun by 1 hour tourists who spent little or no money but caused harassments for the locals

 

[AbsentMojo]

The reason why they changed the name was because they were overrun by 1 hour tourists who spent little or no money but caused harassments for the locals

haha hell ya, I could see fraternities making that a pledge requirement...having lived in a town that had a big tourist season to the point you you couldnt drive anywhere certain hours, I totally get it.

 

[Trash Panda]

I like Jeannot on the Byfield line. He playsca more physical style of hockey that complements the line.

Very much why I like Turcotte on the Kopitar line. He provides a good work rate along with his skillset.

If any line, I think Kaliyev would still go well with Danault.

I know that would leave Fiala out of the top 9. I just think it would have been worth trying if the Kings would have been willing to give him another opportunity.

Jeannot not being able to handle the puck so well looks like it forces Q to be more assertive. He also is good at opening ice up by making simple plays.

I like the look of that line a lot more than most combos, tbh.

 

[funky]

Just looked at the 2019 draft. Man it sucked after the first round. Spence is one of the better players taken. Heck Lee may end up there as well. Calgary grabbed Wolf in the 7th and there are a couple of role players spread out throughout the last 6 rounds but it just looks like a crappy draft

L.A was not the only team that crapped the bed. The majority of the NHL did.

 

[FSL KINGS]

Can’t risk losing games while developing players or we might not have the success we have had.

*Checks notes

Zero playoff series wins and a few lottery picks since 2014 doesn’t happen without some seriously hard decisions. I guess.

They've iced Burroughs 20 times & you're going to tell me the King's can't ice players that might cost them in the standings? Burroughs has cost the King's points in the last two weeks in 5 minutes of ice time.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

They've iced Burroughs 20 times & you're going to tell me the King's can't ice players that might cost them in the standings? Burroughs has cost the King's points in the last two weeks in 5 minutes of ice time.

meanwhile, the Kings have collected 8 of 10 points in last two weeks. f***ing Burroughs...

 

[bouncesonly]

Kings have to be the most slept on team at the moment. They’re without Doughty, a starting goaltender (despite Darcy’s best effort), and just a 9 goal Byfield, yet they refuse to die into a black hole. We’re all waiting for the other shoe to drop, right?

 

[kingsholygrail]

Kings have to be the most slept on team at the moment. They’re without Doughty, a starting goaltender (despite Darcy’s best effort), and just a 9 goal Byfield, yet they refuse to die into a black hole. We’re all waiting for the other shoe to drop, right?

They're on pace to lose to the Oilers in the first round again.

 

[Statto]

I’m a disappointed as anyone with the outcome here but the blame being dished out is only from a certain perspective. What we don’t know (and probably shouldn’t) is what he was asked to do and didn’t.

So for example what if:
He didn’t hit his targets each year for body weight coming into camp?
Defensively they gave him some simple instructions like, don’t ever go below the hash marks and he constantly did?
What if he rarely positioned himself where they wanted on the pp?

Firstly I’m not saying any of this is true, they are just hypotheticals that I’ve pulled out of my butt. In fact I think they are unlikely to be true.

The point is we don’t know what was asked of him on/off the ice. We don’t know if he was willing or able enough to do them. We don’t know how ‘coachable’ he is/was. We don’t know enough to actually draw any valid conclusions.

I’ve already said I think there’s likely blame (perhaps responsibility is a better word) on both sides. Equally it might simply be ‘just one of those things’ that happens with many young talented players that don’t make it.

 

[FSL KINGS]

meanwhile, the Kings have collected 8 of 10 points in last two weeks. f***ing Burroughs...

The argument that playing Kaliyev may cost the team would normally have some legitimacy. Not when Burroughs, who is a detriment to the team, has played 20 games so far.

Thankfully the King's have been able to overcome much of the damage Burroughs has done, but he did hand the Oilers a point in the standings with his sweet drop pass to no one in the offensive zone.

 

[Hollel]

The love affair around here with prospects who have done very little with their NHL opportunities, is wild. The same people who write off players like Vilardi, Bustfield and Turcotte before they even step on the big league ice.

You all want to trade Fiala, but somehow Kaliyev is the 2nd coming of Christ….wild.

This logic is kinda contradictory no?? Isn’t Kaliyev an example of someone who has surprisingly good production in his limited / early career sample, while often being misused, given rotating teammates etc etc

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

This logic is kinda contradictory no?? Isn’t Kaliyev an example of someone who has surprisingly good production in his limited / early career sample, while often being misused, given rotating teammates etc etc

He sucked last year, no matter what role he was in -- but of course, the peanut gallery refuses to blame the player, it's always the org's fault. Plenty of other prospects have made their way despite having to play 'grinder' roles and limited playing time.

 

[FSL KINGS]

He sucked last year, no matter what role he was in -- but of course, the peanut gallery refuses to blame the player, it's always the org's fault. Plenty of other prospects have made their way despite having to play 'grinder' roles and limited playing time.

Again, normally this would be a good argument, but Kaliyev isn't the only player that has been mishandled by the King's.

Starting to look like the 2019 draft was a complete disaster.

Turcotte signed 3 years under 1 million. Betting against his long term health & pocketing some cash before his career ends.

Spence might be the best player out of the 4th round. He's getting a shot on the 3rd pair because Blake traded all the RD better than him & he's cheap. Roy (walked), Walker, Durzi, Faber, Grans (maybe)

Lee from the 7th round scored a goal. That's fun.

 

[bland]

This logic is kinda contradictory no?? Isn’t Kaliyev an example of someone who has surprisingly good production in his limited / early career sample, while often being misused, given rotating teammates etc etc

Reason #458905357 why stats interfere with reality.

 

[KopitarGOAT420]

He sucked last year, no matter what role he was in

This just flat out isn't true.

He was on 57 point pace through his first 10 games of the season when he was being used on the 3rd line. He was still on a 50 point pace through his first 20 games of the season.

Kaliyev was actually pretty solid at the start of last year. Then he had a couple rough/cold games and the Kings never gave him another chance.

Kaliyev should absolutely be a player we're worried about losing... He has the 12th most goals out of the entire 2019 draft class - comparable to players like Kirby Dach and Shane Pinto. Out of all the prospects Rob Blake has drafted, Kaliyev has the 3rd most NHL goals behind only Vilardi and Byfield (and Byfield has played about 30 more games).

And he's done this while being WILDLY mis-used/mis-developed. Some team is going to claim him, throw him in their top 6, and laugh as they watch him turn into a 30 goal scorer.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

And he's done this while being WILDLY mis-used/mis-developed. Some team is going to claim him, throw him in their top 6, and laugh as they watch him turn into a 30 goal scorer.

Stranger things have happened, but you really think there is a team out there envisioning him in their top 6 but were refusing to make a trade? Weird...

 

[Lt Dan]

Stranger things have happened, but you really think there is a team out there envisioning him in their top 6 but were refusing to make a trade? Weird...

There is an old adage for everything.
Today's is

"why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free".....

 

[Lt Dan]

This logic is kinda contradictory no?? Isn’t Kaliyev an example of someone who has surprisingly good production in his limited / early career sample, while often being misused, given rotating teammates etc etc

a better example would be a baseball analogy.
A hitter that was doing amazingly well until the league figured out how to pitch to him. Mett James Outman. Known for his power and even better haircut, James looked like the next great MLB power hitter

In both cases a "hole" was found and it's been exploited and the player hasn't been able to recover.

 

[KopitarGOAT420]

Stranger things have happened, but you really think there is a team out there envisioning him in their top 6 but were refusing to make a trade? Weird...

Teams might not have been jumping at the chance to trade a pick for Kaliyev but when they see he's suddenly available for free on the waiver wire that changes things.

I'm sure there's at least a handful of teams out there that would love the opportunity to audition a 23 year old former 2nd round pick scoring winger in their top 6 / top 9.

Sharks could snag him and see how he looks with some of their young players. Blackhawks could snag him and give him the same kind of audition. Pens could check if he's an upgrade over Cody Glass in their top 6 (he 100% is). Rangers could give him a look next to Mika Z and Reilly Smith. I could go on and on...

Basically what I'm saying is I'm predicting one of those teams snags him and puts him in a position to be successful and Kaliyev runs with it.