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

[ibleedkings]

Is Kevin Fiala just a more skilled, less physical Dustin Penner?

Wow

 

[johnjm22]

After struggling the first half of the season, I thought Fiala really took a step forward this year. Was good in the playoffs too.

If that's the player we're getting next year, I'm really looking forward to watching him and QB together this coming season. They're gonna score a lot of points. Even more exciting if Laf progresses (he will).

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

You cannot compare with a straight face the DL trades with the Blake trades on context alone

DL was trading to keep a Cup-WCF-Cup window open.

Blake was blowing his load early to open a window that hasn't seen anything but failure so far...the 'success' is we finished 2nd place in our division. Wow!

 

[Herby]

Look at the haul the Isles got for Brook Nelson at the deadline. The Kings acquired a much younger RFA in their prime in Fiala for a 1st and prospect.

The Avs traded their top prospect in Richie and a conditional 1st, a conditional 3rd and Kylington for Nelson, who is a 33 year old UFA. Richie is going to be a stud.

Ritchie might be a stud. Faber already is a stud, and was so the second he stepped on NHL ice.

The Avs are closer to contender status and being one winger away than LA.

The trade was horrible and Brock Nelson is grossly overrated.

 

[Herby]

After struggling the first half of the season, I thought Fiala really took a step forward this year. Was good in the playoffs too.

If that's the player we're getting next year, I'm really looking forward to watching him and QB together this coming season. They're gonna score a lot of points. Even more exciting if Laf progresses (he will).

Let’s see if teams continue to matchup their top checkers against 38 year old Anze Kopitar next season.

If they do, I agree with you. If they don’t, well let’s see how those three look against much tougher competition.

 

[KINGS17]

Players that play Bennett’s style don’t age well.


We all know you aren’t capable of reading more than two paragraphs. You didn’t have to confirm it for us.

It’s nothing against Kempe, he’s the Kings best player (by far)

Kempe’s contract expires at the end of next season, at which time he will either walk for nothing, or be signed to an 8 year deal by a team that is going to be in need of a full tear down before they can return to true contender status.

This is the right time to move Kempe. He is nearing the end of his time as a super productive forward. As Branch Rickey is famous for saying, "Better to trade a player a year too early, than a year too late."

The Kings already blew it with Kopitar and Doughty.

 

[johnjm22]

Unpopular opinion, but the Richard's trade really shortened our cup window.

You make a trade like that, you need the player to be great for the next five years, not the next 1.5 years.

 

[KINGS17]

You know he’s eagerly waiting for the final buzzer of this Stars/Avs game to elevate the Kings to the same level as the losing team.

“Kings fans, we know you’re angry and emotional, but take a deep breath, you think the fans of the (insert losing team) are ready to blow it all up because they lost a few playoff games?”

Yeah, I believe the Kings are every bit as good as the Avs. I mean the Avs have McKinnon and Makar, and the Kings have Kopitar and Doughty. I don't see a significant difference, do you? LOL

 

[Herby]

This is the right time to move Kempe. He is nearing the end of his time as a super productive forward. As Branch Rickey is famous for saying, "Better to trade a player a year too early, than a year too late."

The Kings already blew it with Kopitar and Doughty.

Axl Rhoadz > Branch Rickey

 

[KINGS17]

Blake made one awful trade with PLD. Lombardi made 3 with the Lucic trade, Bishop trade and Sekera trade. On top of that, we missed the playoffs and he refused to fire Sutter so management had no choice.

Yeah, not going to agree with you on the Sekera trade. Dean took a shot and missed on that one, but I fully agreed with the move at the time coming off the 2014 Stanley Cup run.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

can't really compare offseason to deadline prices either but

Faber and 19th overall for a rebuilding team in the offseason, pursuing a scoring winger that's a finishing piece while rebuidling is silly, Fiala HAD to be moved due to cap and has been moved from several teams, not highly desired, Blake still overpaid

VS

Avs fans largely pissed at an overpayment bidding war at the deadline for Nelson, who was the 'prize' of the deadline, and filled an immediate need for a contending team. Ritchie looks good, the first round pick is top-10 protected next year and is either 2026 or 2027. The third round pick is void--the condition was winning the cup. And Kylington is a journeyman tweener at this point.


Ritchie and a lower 1st round pick is a much lower price than Faber and a higher 1st round pick AND Blake made that trade under no duress, in fact the Wild were the ones under the gun. Colorado made a trade they still feel was an overpayment under duress while bidding against others at the deadline for a finishing piece for a contending team.

 

[tigermask48]

Wow

Lol. You see the squiggly thing at the end? There's another one, they are called question marks and indicate asking a question. I never said that was my opinion, that just kind of feels like what we are discussing.

 

[johnjm22]

Considering his cap hit, Kempe would get a very nice return. He's very well regarded around the league.

He has a 10 team no trade list.

I can't see LA doing it though. They didn't trade Roy. They didn't trade Gavrikov.

 

[Johnny Utah]

I wouldn’t move Kempe. I would throw money at Marner - he wants a mellow market and has a history with Hiller and Smith.

If that doesn’t work, Kings should pursue Benn, Marchand or trade for Evander Kane to play with Kopitar and Kempe. Edmonton has wanted to move him and his salary for awhile now. Also, I would try and pry Josh Anderson from Montreal. Bergeron and him have a history - he would be perfect with Fiala and Byfield.

I would also make a pitch at Ekblad. He’s better than Gavy.

 

[johnjm22]

I think Marner's next cap hit will be at least 13M.

If he signs outside Toronto I'd bet 14M+

 

[Telos]

You cannot compare with a straight face the DL trades with the Blake trades on context alone

DL was trading to keep a Cup-WCF-Cup window open.

Blake was blowing his load early to open a window that hasn't seen anything but failure so far...the 'success' is we finished 2nd place in our division. Wow!

Precisely, that's what blows my mind the most about those optimistic about last season. This team is almost guaranteed to be worse next year and will be harder to keep together without blowing more assets and digging the hole even deeper with very little chance of pushing it over the hump to true contender status. The core players of this team either can't or are no longer capable of carrying this team, and the players we hope will inherit and lead aren't ready yet and are likely still years away.

This is the right time to move Kempe. He is nearing the end of his time as a super productive forward. As Branch Rickey is famous for saying, "Better to trade a player a year too early, than a year too late."

The Kings already blew it with Kopitar and Doughty.

I am beginning to agree. Kempe would be the most painful to lose, but the Kings unfortunately have to face it immediately next year. Either they extend him to a 8 year full NMC $9M+ a year deal or they trade him for a treasure trove even with his 10-team NTC. You would get a massive haul if you dealt him at 50% retention. Kopitar and Doughty are boat anchors, Fiala and Kempe cannot carry the team, Byfield and Clarke aren't ready and won't be for several more seasons.

Unpopular opinion, but the Richard's trade really shortened our cup window.

You make a trade like that, you need the player to be great for the next five years, not the next 1.5 years.

Perhaps, it is tough to say. Schenn wasn't ready and Richards changed the team almost immediately. When we finally balanced the centers and had a cemented and balanced top 9 we were definitely potent and true contenders at that point. Not sure we win that 2012 cup without the Richards trade. Can you argue that we would have won one anyway if we developed Schenn or traded him for someone more lasting than Richards? Perhaps, it could go either way.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Schenn turned out to be Mike Richards 2.0 but with more longevity. He’s having a great year.

 

[King'sPawn]

Is Kevin Fiala just a more skilled, less physical Dustin Penner?

I think Fiala's more physical than Penner.

Penner was closer to PLD.

 

[KINGS17]

Schenn turned out to be Mike Richards 2.0 but with more longevity. He’s having a great year.

The question remains, do the Kings win in 2012 without Richards setting the tone right from the outset in the first series against Vancouver? I don't think so.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Schenn wasn’t the Schenn you see today until 2016.

He does nothing for the Kings window which never opens without the Richards trade.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

It’s a different thread of conversation but I also blame Blake and Luc for dragging Kopitar’s and Doughty’s legacies thru the mud with their own.

It’s totally shameful that the back half of their careers have led to nothing, even when faced with MVP caliber seasons and multiple Selke’s by Kopitar, Norris caliber seasons by Doughty, and great seasons by Quick. That’s on the team. And now they’re overplaying them and making them look even worse. It sucks.

 

[Sol]

Ah... back at it with the Brock Faber fanfics. Amazing. He'd be getting killed like Jordan Spence on our team if he was here. Absolutely no difference. At least with Fiala we have utility.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

Precisely, that's what blows my mind the most about those optimistic about last season. This team is almost guaranteed to be worse next year and will be harder to keep together without blowing more assets and digging the hole even deeper with very little chance of pushing it over the hump to true contender status. The core players of this team either can't or are no longer capable of carrying this team, and the players we hope will inherit and lead aren't ready yet and are likely still years away.



I am beginning to agree. Kempe would be the most painful to lose, but the Kings unfortunately have to face it immediately next year. Either they extend him to a 8 year full NMC $9M+ a year deal or they trade him for a treasure trove even with his 10-team NTC. You would get a massive haul if you dealt him at 50% retention. Kopitar and Doughty are boat anchors, Fiala and Kempe cannot carry the team, Byfield and Clarke aren't ready and won't be for several more seasons.



Perhaps, it is tough to say. Schenn wasn't ready and Richards changed the team almost immediately. When we finally balanced the centers and had a cemented and balanced top 9 we were definitely potent and true contenders at that point. Not sure we win that 2012 cup without the Richards trade. Can you argue that we would have won one anyway if we developed Schenn or traded him for someone more lasting than Richards? Perhaps, it could go either way.

To me, If we didn’t land Richard’s, we wouldn’t land Carter either. Carter would never come to an organization like Los Angeles unless there was some familiarity. He would have just pouted and been as miserable as he was at Columbus.

I believe Carter said the fact that Richard’s was already here factored into okaying the trade and lived with Richard’s for a time.

In an ESPN article from June 11, 2012, Carter said, “I told Mike last summer when he got traded here, ‘They’ve got a team that can win,’” indicating his optimism about joining the Kings and reuniting with Richards. He also noted, “Dean showed a lot of faith in me,” reflecting gratitude for the opportunity and excitement about playing with Richards again. Additionally, a National Post article from May 13, 2012, quoted Carter saying, “It’s pretty crazy. I never thought I’d end up here, especially this quick. Obviously I’m happy with how it turned out, and I love the beach, so it’s a perfect fit,” highlighting his positive reaction to the trade and living with Richards in Manhattan Beach.

 

[Sol]

It’s a different thread of conversation but I also blame Blake and Luc for dragging Kopitar’s and Doughty’s legacies thru the mud with their own.

It’s totally shameful that the back half of their careers have led to nothing, even when faced with MVP caliber seasons and multiple Selke’s by Kopitar, Norris caliber seasons by Doughty, and great seasons by Quick. That’s on the team. And now they’re overplaying them and making them look even worse. It sucks.

This is the thing that gets me. They could have easily asked for a trade and not signed here. Kopitar's most recent contract was signed through the most uncertain phase of the Kings. I think if the boys cared that much then we would know by now. They're still here, getting paid fat stacks, and from all contextual information, they still want to be the big dawgs even though that time has passed them a while ago.

 

[johnjm22]

It's not a question of whether Schenn could've of given the Kings what they needed at that time. He clearly wasn't ready.

It's a question of whether DL could've used those assets to acquire a better 2nd line center than Richards. That I don't know. If Richards was BPA, then you can justify it. Still a bad trade in terms of value.