Around the League '16-'17 Road Trip Blues Edition

[Ollie Weeks]

The mistake isn't the Richards trade but rather not buying him out when the chance was there. He was great in 2012 and was the team's leading scorer in 2013 (playoffs). Bolland's BS head shot on him really torpedoed the Kings chances in that series and, in retrospect, looks like a career killer as well. With that being said, he made the fortunate play that led to Gaborik's tying goal in Game 1 against Anaheim in 2014 so he still contributed in that playoff run as well. Let Couture break his hand on his face in Game 6 of the first round too.

They won two titles. I don't need to question any of the moves that built the 2012-14 teams because the proof is in the pudding. Nearly every move since then--starting with keeping Richards--deserves scrutiny.

Bingo.

 

[kingsholygrail]

Simmonds is great. Wish he was still a King, but that was the price of victory.

 

[damacles1156]

Rather have the Cups, than Simmonds. I wouldn't give back the Cups for Simmonds either.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Here's some facts, and measurable numbers:
In the 09/10 and 10/11 seasons combined, it took Mike Richards on average 30:52 minutes of even strength ice time to produce one point. Over the same period it took Simmonds 29:59.

This is despite the fact that Richards was still getting played on the top lines in 09/10, and despite the fact that Simmonds played on a more defensive oriented team, in a more defensive oriented conference almost exclusively in the bottom six.

See, the biggest problem for the Kings prior to the trade wasn't that they lacked a Mike Richards, it was that they needed a new coach. That's why even after Richards was acquired, the team didn't improve. (Also, the Kings biggest need was offense, and swapping Simmonds for Richards was essentially a lateral move or arguably a downgrade in this area.)

I have nothing against Richards. He did contribute to the Kings. I was one of the people that supported Dean not buying him out.

That said, I don't think he was the catalyst that turned around the Kings. I think he gets too much credit, and I think Dean could have acquired a better player than Richards. People forget that Schenn was the top ranked prospect in the world by most people at the time of the trade. His asset value was extremely high. Trading Schenn was absolutely the right move, it just shouldn't have been for Richards.

The irony of this, is the failure of the Richards trade to improve the team, is probably key to getting Terry fired, which is exactly what the Kings needed.

I mean I think this is a really fair take but Simmonds wasn't the 2C Richards was.

Keep in mind we'd have been rolling Kopitar-Stoll-Schenn...blecch

 

[deeshamrock]

Canes picked up Ty Rattie off waivers. Good pickup, he should fit in well there.

 

[jfont]

Matt Nieto is on waivers...

 

[AlphaBravo]

Matt Nieto is on waivers...

Why would the Sharks waive him? Low cap hit, and I thought he had a lot of promise.

 

[WHOneedsSOX]

Matt Nieto is on waivers...

Doubt he makes it to the Kings but they better claim him if he does.

 

[deeshamrock]

Why would the Sharks waive him? Low cap hit, and I thought he had a lot of promise.

Gen statements by the Sharks are that he couldn't stay in the lineup , that the younger guys were playing better and deserved the ice time. LeBlanc and Meier (who I have been impressed with)

Somebody will pick him up...

Sounds like a good soldier

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/01/04/sharks-place-matt-nieto-on-waivers/

“Good character, brings that speed,” Sharks captain Joe Pavelski said of Nieto. “As a teammate, he shows up, works hard. Doesn’t have anything bad to say, just wants to work. He gave this organization a lot of good years, played hard and he was a really solid teammate.”

Vancouver picked up Reid Boucher off waivers. 2nd time this week he's been plucked off waivers, Devils took him when the Preds waived him and then waived him yesterday. He'll be collecting some frequent flyer miles this week

 

[deeshamrock]

Doubt he makes it to the Kings but they better claim him if he does.

If multiple teams put in a claim, he goes to the team with the weaker record currently? Is that right?

 

[KingCanadain1976]

fo the kings put in a claim for Khudobin? A career 900 save % before this year

 

[deeshamrock]

Auston Matthews only has to score 56 more goals this year to break Teemu'Selanne's rookie record (76 goals, 1992-93)

I think he'll get 45

Top 5
Selanne 76 goals, 92-93
Mike Bossy , 53 goals, 77-78
Ovie, 52 goals, 05-06
Gretzky, 51, 79-80
joe Nieuwendyk, 51 goals , 87-88

 

[Trolfoli]

The mistake isn't the Richards trade but rather not buying him out when the chance was there. He was great in 2012 and was the team's leading scorer in 2013 (playoffs). Bolland's BS head shot on him really torpedoed the Kings chances in that series and, in retrospect, looks like a career killer as well. With that being said, he made the fortunate play that led to Gaborik's tying goal in Game 1 against Anaheim in 2014 so he still contributed in that playoff run as well. Let Couture break his hand on his face in Game 6 of the first round too.

They won two titles. I don't need to question any of the moves that built the 2012-14 teams because the proof is in the pudding. Nearly every move since then--starting with keeping Richards--deserves scrutiny.

Wrong!

Not buying him out gave him a chance to turn things around and Lombardi had more tricks up his sleeve to get out of the contract. Not buying him out wasn't a mistake.

 

[kingsboy11]

USA hockey beats Russia in a shootout at the WJC in the semifinals. Will play the winner of Sweden/Canada for the Gold Medal

 

[Herby]

The facts about that no one can dispute.

1. The Kings were not winning a SC in 2012 with Brayden Schenn or Jarret Stoll as 2C. Those who think this, or that Richards wasn't a huge difference maker in 2012 are living in a fantasy world.

2. Richards had little to no impact on winning the 2014 Cup, in fact it could reasonably be argued that his play extended at the very least the Chicago and likely the SJ series as well. Those who think he wasn't a liability in 2014 are also living in fantasy world.


Were the Kings a non-playoff team before the Carter trade and King/Nolan call-ups? Yes

Would the Kings have been better off longterm not making the trade and getting Carter at the deadline instead? Yes

But there was no way that DL could have possibly known that Carter would be available just a few months later, the Kings had a good roster with a glaring hole at 2C and Dean pounced on what was available. There was also no way Dean could have possibly known Richards career would basically be over after two seasons in LA. You can't hold those things against him.

 

[Herby]

Why would the Sharks waive him? Low cap hit, and I thought he had a lot of promise.

He's a less gritty and weaker defensively Trevor Lewis.

Another disappointing SoCal trained player.

Blum, Etem, Bennett, Nieto, Wahl, Grimaldi.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

He's a less gritty and weaker defensively Trevor Lewis.

Another disappointing SoCal trained player.

Blum, Etem, Bennett, Nieto, Wahl, Grimaldi.

Don't forget about two former Kings greats: Noah Clarke and Gabe Gauthier.

 

[Herby]

Don't forget about two former Kings greats: Noah Clarke and Gabe Gauthier.

But neither was really expected to be an NHL'er. In fact even making the NHL was probably a big accomplishment.

All the other guys were taken in the 1st or 2nd round and none have lived up to the hype.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

But neither was really expected to be an NHL'er. In fact even making the NHL was probably a big accomplishment.

All the other guys were taken in the 1st or 2nd round and none have lived up to the hype.

True, a lot of those guys seem to have really reached their pinnacles at the amateur level.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Feel bad for Beau though, his biggest issue is health.

 

[Herby]

Feel bad for Beau though, his biggest issue is health.

He's a AAAA player to put it in baseball terms.

Dreadful decision to leave school early, another example of a kid who never dominated games before turning pro (Don't count tier-II).

 

[bob77]

If multiple teams put in a claim, he goes to the team with the weaker record currently? Is that right?

Yes, I believe so. Waivers is the reason why the standings are figured out a certain way during the season.

 

[Brodeur]

Vancouver picked up Reid Boucher off waivers. 2nd time this week he's been plucked off waivers, Devils took him when the Preds waived him and then waived him yesterday. He'll be collecting some frequent flyer miles this week

Devils wanted to sneak him back down to the AHL where our team is doing alright but is lacking scoring punch. Nashville claimed him last month and then the Devils tried to get him back to send down again. Rough few travel days for Boucher, but at least he'll get another NHL chance somewhere. Unfortunately he's looking like a AAAA player, maybe the type that Vegas will take a chance on eventually (Vegas has the Devils' old head scout who drafted Boucher).

If multiple teams put in a claim, he goes to the team with the weaker record currently? Is that right?

Yup, whoever has the weaker record by win percentage (as opposed to points) gets priority. Before November 1st, the priority would be based off of the previous season's standings.

 

[Bandit]

Matt Nieto is on waivers...

Matt Nieto from Long Beach? Matt Nieto from Long Beach is on waivers?? How could they do that to Matt Nieto from Long Beach??????

 

[BigKing]

Wrong!

Not buying him out gave him a chance to turn things around and Lombardi had more tricks up his sleeve to get out of the contract. Not buying him out wasn't a mistake.

He didn't turn it around and helped the 2015 team miss the playoffs with his horrible play.

He "got out" of the contract by having a cap hit for the next 50 years, including $3MM last year and $1.5MM this year and the next three seasons during your stated contender window.

Awesome decision.