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Around the League 2020-21 Part 3, Trade Deadline Edition

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tomd said:
The rebuild started in 2018...no one disputes that and I didn't say otherwise. And your sure he's tried to improve the team? Based on what evidence? AEG refuses to spend money? Based on what evidence? Teams don't want to deal with the expansion draft coming? Totally wrong...a team with pick/prospect assets and cap space (i.e. the Kings) can potentially make a killing ahead of the expansion draft as teams in trouble try to get something for valuable players rather than lose them for nothing in the ED. Will Blake take advantage? We'll see. It's time, however, to start holding him accountable for HIS rebuild and HIS goal to return to the playoffs in 2022.
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Rebuild started with the Muzzin trade in January of 2019. You can argue it was with the Pearson trade but he still took back a guy that he was hoping could help the team in Hagelin.

The only thing that has to be remembered is that Blake kept all of his picks in 2017 and '18 except for when he traded for Torrey Mitchell. So he took over doing what you wanted him to do: he kept his draft picks and got a playoff appearance under the old roster and his new coach. He then added to that team in an effort to go for it. It imploded spectacularly and the decision was made to rebuild by trading everyone they could with value except for 11 and 8.

You would have them build around the guys that were all shipped out for futures...ride out the Willie D season and then go from there. The problem is that the Kings didn't have any dry powder to try and add significant help to the roster and some of them were going to need new contracts, i.e. raises. Vilardi was a question mark in regards to even playing hockey and there were no high-impact type prospects after Blake's first two drafts outside of the aforementioned Vilardi. Help wasn't coming and the existing guys weren't going to get it done.

Now, maybe you think they should have shipped out these guys for other vets in pure hockey deals in an effort to keep going for it. Maybe, but I don't know what those deals would have been.

There are no guarantees that a rebuild works: I agree. At the same time, there are no guarantees that sticking with everyone and trying to keep going would have led to anything although the track record for these guys since the end of 2014 is garbage.

I expect Blake to make moves to improve the NHL product this off-season. I expect a team next season that legitimately competes for a spot. I firmly believe that they think they can make noise while Kopitar is on this current contract which means the sooner, the better. I think most people have been targeting this off-season and next season as when the "You have to give Blake an incomplete grade" sentiment ends. Year 3 of his third head coach. He'll be coming off of his 5th draft. You're just jumping the gun a bit because you don't agree with the rebuild in general but let's see what Blake does this offseason.
 
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Next year is a big year.

Cap has been shed as much as possible.

(Quick aside)

Restocked the cupboard and will get a high draft pick this year, which could be trade bait.

Gotta start seeing what some of these guys have at the pro level.
 
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Cole Caufield debuting tonight. Getting first line and first power play unit as well.

Ez7u6INWYAAZffy
 
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BigKing said:
Rebuild started with the Muzzin trade in January of 2019. You can argue it was with the Pearson trade but he still took back a guy that he was hoping could help the team in Hagelin.

The only thing that has to be remembered is that Blake kept all of his picks in 2017 and '18 except for when he traded for Torrey Mitchell. So he took over doing what you wanted him to do: he kept his draft picks and got a playoff appearance under the old roster and his new coach. He then added to that team in an effort to go for it. It imploded spectacularly and the decision was made to rebuild by trading everyone they could with value except for 11 and 8.

You would have them build around the guys that were all shipped out for futures...ride out the Willie D season and then go from there. The problem is that the Kings didn't have any dry powder to try and add significant help to the roster and some of them were going to need new contracts, i.e. raises. Vilardi was a question mark in regards to even playing hockey and there were no high-impact type prospects after Blake's first two drafts outside of the aforementioned Vilardi. Help wasn't coming and the existing guys weren't going to get it done.

Now, maybe you think they should have shipped out these guys for other vets in pure hockey deals in an effort to keep going for it. Maybe, but I don't know what those deals would have been.

There are no guarantees that a rebuild works: I agree. At the same time, there are no guarantees that sticking with everyone and trying to keep going would have led to anything although the track record for these guys since the end of 2014 is garbage.

I expect Blake to make moves to improve the NHL product this off-season. I expect a team next season that legitimately competes for a spot. I firmly believe that they think they can make noise while Kopitar is on this current contract which means the sooner, the better. I think most people have been targeting this off-season and next season as when the "You have to give Blake an incomplete grade" sentiment ends. Year 3 of his third head coach. He'll be coming off of his 5th draft. You're just jumping the gun a bit because you don't agree with the rebuild in general but let's see what Blake does this offseason.
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A reasonable reply...thank you. The rebuild / retool discussion has been beaten to death but it was a choice. There are reasonable people like myself who believe that gutting the franchise was the wrong move. I'll stand by that.

Moving forward...now the discussion shifts to those who expect this summer to be the turning point where it starts to be about making the team better and filling obvious gaps. This view is opposed by those who would like to see the roster remain stale or perhaps augmented by youth (whether they or ready or not). Right now, the only player drafted from 2017-2020 who has serious 1st line potential is Byfield. There are no dynamic defensemen in the system who are serious top 3 candidates. Goaltending has no serious prospect candidates at all. I don't believe there are any players in this coming draft who will be ready in the next 3 years...and there are certainly no "can't miss" stars in this draft.

Like you, I believe making the final years of Kopitar and Doughty count for something is important. I don't know how the roster seriously improves in the next 2-3 years unless Blake goes outside the organization. Otherwise, the team is looking at a serious 7 year rebuild which requires them to be bottom dwellers in 2022 and 2023. I just think that is asking far too much of the majority of the fanbase.

Love these discussions though...
 
tomd said:
A reasonable reply...thank you. The rebuild / retool discussion has been beaten to death but it was a choice. There are reasonable people like myself who believe that gutting the franchise was the wrong move. I'll stand by that.

Moving forward...now the discussion shifts to those who expect this summer to be the turning point where it starts to be about making the team better and filling obvious gaps. This view is opposed by those who would like to see the roster remain stale or perhaps augmented by youth (whether they or ready or not). Right now, the only player drafted from 2017-2020 who has serious 1st line potential is Byfield. There are no dynamic defensemen in the system who are serious top 3 candidates. Goaltending has no serious prospect candidates at all. I don't believe there are any players in this coming draft who will be ready in the next 3 years...and there are certainly no "can't miss" stars in this draft.

Like you, I believe making the final years of Kopitar and Doughty count for something is important. I don't know how the roster seriously improves in the next 2-3 years unless Blake goes outside the organization. Otherwise, the team is looking at a serious 7 year rebuild which requires them to be bottom dwellers in 2022 and 2023. I just think that is asking far too much of the majority of the fanbase.

Love these discussions though...
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Ok they stand pat and who are the players they’re going to trade for and with what assets? Free agency is not an option. We aren’t the Rangers and don’t have the luxury of Panarin, Adam Fox etc. that want to play for us.
 
SFKingshomer said:
Ok they stand pat and who are the players they’re going to trade for and with what assets? Free agency is not an option. We aren’t the Rangers and don’t have the luxury of Panarin, Adam Fox etc. that want to play for us.
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That is exactly why the organization needs an experienced and aggressive GM who can spot opportunities and act. The organization is loaded with prospects and extra picks. They are currency and should be used wisely but aggressively to improve the team. Free agency will never be the primary path to success but Blake should explore that area since he has the cap space to do so. Either way, the need to add from the outside is essential.

And it should be obvious that standing pat (which I don't advocate) really means rushing kids into positions they aren't ready for and possibly ruining their development. I've been told many times that the fact that the Kings aren't rushing the kids into the NHL is the main thing separating their rebuild from the Ottawa/NJ/Detroit/Buffalo rebuilds.
 
tomd said:
That is exactly why the organization needs an experienced and aggressive GM who can spot opportunities and act. The organization is loaded with prospects and extra picks. They are currency and should be used wisely but aggressively to improve the team. Free agency will never be the primary path to success but Blake should explore that area since he has the cap space to do so. Either way, the need to add from the outside is essential.

And it should be obvious that standing pat (which I don't advocate) really means rushing kids into positions they aren't ready for and possibly ruining their development. I've been told many times that the fact that the Kings aren't rushing the kids into the NHL is the main thing separating their rebuild from the Ottawa/NJ/Detroit/Buffalo rebuilds.
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You don’t know that he hasn’t tried and the moves were not in the best interest of that team. He’s barely had this currency until this last draft and they probably don’t know what they have at this point. You will see minor moves and “fillers” if he learned anything from Lombardi. This is assuming he doesn’t plan on being a cup contender with Kopitar still on the team. If there’s a Trouba type move then they may entertain it but I doubt you will see Turcotte, Vilardi, Bjornfot, or Byfield moved. Making a move to appease impatient fans is not a great idea unless you get a star back which is unlikely at this point in the rebuild.
 
tomd said:
That is exactly why the organization needs an experienced and aggressive GM who can spot opportunities and act. The organization is loaded with prospects and extra picks. They are currency and should be used wisely but aggressively to improve the team. Free agency will never be the primary path to success but Blake should explore that area since he has the cap space to do so. Either way, the need to add from the outside is essential.

And it should be obvious that standing pat (which I don't advocate) really means rushing kids into positions they aren't ready for and possibly ruining their development. I've been told many times that the fact that the Kings aren't rushing the kids into the NHL is the main thing separating their rebuild from the Ottawa/NJ/Detroit/Buffalo rebuilds.
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I mean this is just a bunch of bullshit though. You're upset that Blake didn't "spot opportunities to act"? Come on. You might as well wish for the gift of hindsight while drafting.
 
i am not routing for LA to lose but it's that time of year where I am hoping for teams below LA in the standings.
 
Chazz Reinhold said:
NHL on Turner Sports: What the $1.57 billion deal means for the league, viewers and broadcasters

Can’t say I was expecting Turner Sports to get the other part of the TV deal...
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It makes a lot of sense to them.

What do you think of when you think of TBS and TNT ? For me, it's re-runs and Star Wars movies.

Disney has been trying to buy them out of showing them and won't renew their contract that expires in 2024.

Re the reruns- They are all moving to Hulu, Netflix, Pluto, Paramount +. Peacock, etc.

Turner needs content and it's either gonna be sports and or original content
 
that actually makes the NHL rights not too dissimilar from the NBA rights no? crosspromotion and all that

this is way above my pay grade so i can't hold too strong of an opinion but i really hated the way NBC handled the playoffs so i'm not sure it can get worse with more options
 
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