Around the League 2024-25 season

[Sol]

Kupari, Iafallo and Vilardi all with points in the Stars/Jets game today.

Winnipeg about to be 14-1-0

Remember you and many others were my ultimate detractors when I was CRYING about Vilardi being traded. I stated with tears that he was our best player from the rebuild and it still rings true today.

Grandpa William was right, John. And you chose to be a detractor instead.

John "The PLD trade was the most important trade the Kings needed to make" JM.

 

[BaileyFan]

I'm still not over Vilardi and not sure I will be even when Blake/Luc get the boot

My favorite King traded for pocket lint

God they're such brilliant hockey minds

Radioactive cancer-inducing pocket lint at that.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I may trade my kings vilardi jersey for a jets one at some point

that's how heartbroken i was over that trade and this org

 

[AbsentMojo]

Re Vilardi - I cant get over it either. I keep close tabs on him. Calling at least 75 pts this season.

 

[Sol]

Re Vilardi - I cant get over it either. I keep close tabs on him. Calling at least 75 pts this season.

People didn’t want to believe it when us few said that he was the best player from the rebuild

 

[AbsentMojo]

..

Remember you and many others were my ultimate detractors when I was CRYING about Vilardi being traded. I stated with tears that he was our best player from the rebuild and it still rings true today.

Grandpa William was right, John. And you chose to be a detractor instead.

John "The PLD trade was the most important trade the Kings needed to make" JM.

There was zeitgeist that the key to get by EDM was stronger up the middle (probably a fair assessment)... and the brainiacs at Bluc, Inc came up with PLD at the cost of Vilardi (when they couldve maybe gotten ROR or Duchene as FA). If only we could hear the conference call between Brisson, Luc and Blake.. with Blake listening and the 2 francois doing all the talking in French.. Blake looking up words to see what they were discussing... which was something like.. Brisson: PLD is a good kid. i know his dad.. Luc nods in approval... Luc to Blake in English - should we run it by pro scouting? Blake.. nah I saw his stats they look good.

 

[AbsentMojo]

People didn’t want to believe it when us few said that he was the best player from the rebuild

Shit we suffered through all his injuries and stints in the A to see him finally break through and after all that, they make that ridiculous deal...and not only lose Gabe but blow out the cap an additional 4m (GV wouldve signed prob for 4.5m).. such a disasterous move. Bluc has been really good at delivering gut punches to the fanbase.

 

[King'sPawn]

People didn’t want to believe it when us few said that he was the best player from the rebuild

A lot of people were ready to give up on him during the injury issues too, though.

It's understandable, even if disagreeable. Some were (and maybe still are) okay to trade him given his injury history.

There are really a small handful of people who advocated giving Vilardi time to heal and grow into the role. Most had given up on him at one point or another.

I don't have an active list in my brain, but I remember reading several proclamations over the years.

 

[AbsentMojo]

People didn’t want to believe it when us few said that he was the best player from the rebuild

Most of the refrain was he was injury prone and PLD plays 80 games (only because he never engages). So the Lizotte thing to me was a freak injury. Then he had enlarged spleen. Yes that is quite string of injuries.. But JW had similar issues - then right when he gets here breaks his leg.. Followed by nothing.. so that whole injury thing to me is BS.

 

[Herby]

Remember you and many others were my ultimate detractors when I was CRYING about Vilardi being traded. I stated with tears that he was our best player from the rebuild and it still rings true today.

Grandpa William was right, John. And you chose to be a detractor instead.

John "The PLD trade was the most important trade the Kings needed to make" JM.

Not everyone here has a perfect track record, Sol. Every member, including you, me, RJ, KP, and BigKing, you name it has made predictions that ended up being far off the mark.

I thought his skating was to poor and didn't expect him to reach this level, and I was clearly wrong. However, Vilardi wasn't a center, and due to a combination of poor drafting (the Kings missed several promising centers in 2017, 2019, and 2020), unconventional development decisions (particularly with Byfield and to some extent Turcotte), and the decision not to pursue Jack Eichel, the Kings ended up with an aging Anze Kopitar, who is more suited as a 2C on a contending team, and Danault as the centers. The reality has been clear for over three years: a team with Danault as its 2C isn’t likely to win championships, as he's more naturally a 3C on a strong roster.

Passing on Eichel was a costly mistake, and as some of us warned at the time, the next guy who became available (PLD) wasn't going to be what Eichel was. A player like Eichel (a star 1C in his stone-prime) might hit the open market once or twice every decade. The decision to not do that trade left a gap in roster construction, pushing players into higher roles than they’re suited for. As Byfield’s internal development timeline became evident (per Emerson's comments to Pravda, he might not hit his peak until 25), it became clear a trade for a center was necessary. Instead of taking a chance on a franchise-level 1C when it was available, Blake gambled on the enigmatic 2C, PLD, paying nearly the same price both in contract and assets but ending up with a much less impactful player. Blake was buying football tickets from a scalper, turned down tickets at the 50 for $500, and then 30 minutes later paid $450 to sit behind the end-zone.

With 11 and 8 aging, Blake eventually found himself cornered by his own decisions and made what has turned out to be one of the team's worst trades in recent history. This series of poor choices, from draft-day missteps to trades, has left the Kings in a difficult spot. If they'd chosen even one player like Stutzle, Suzuki, or Cozens, or traded for Eichel, this trade never happens, zero chance. And you probably have Eichel or Stutzle playing with Vilardi on their wing on the first line and this team probably is a contender.

If the Kings were serious about competing for a Stanley Cup, their best shot was to hope PLD could rise to the occasion as a motivated 1C or at least as a 1B alongside Kopitar. Unfortunately, that didn't materialize, and with Byfield struggling at center, we're back where we were at the end of the 2022-2023 season, with Danault as the second-best center and now missing a valuable 60-70 point winger, something the roster desperately needs now. It has been a series of disastrous mistakes in roster management by Blake and Luc over the past three years. No team that has traded as much youth and picks as the Kings have in the last three years should have this caliber of a roster.

 

[Sol]

Vilardi just scored another goal.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1856508411619221676

 

[AbsentMojo]

Vilardi picked up our energy and said hold my beer.. watch this dumfux at LAK

 

[Bandit]

Shit we suffered through all his injuries and stints in the A to see him finally break through and after all that, they make that ridiculous deal...and not only lose Gabe but blow out the cap an additional 4m (GV wouldve signed prob for 4.5m).. such a disasterous move. Bluc has been really good at delivering gut punches to the fanbase.

Did we trade the best player in the deal who was younger with more drive, talent and upside? Yes. Did he have the best nutrition video the hockey world has ever seen? Also yes.

 

[Sol]

..

There was zeitgeist that the key to get by EDM was stronger up the middle (probably a fair assessment)... and the brainiacs at Bluc, Inc came up with PLD at the cost of Vilardi (when they couldve maybe gotten ROR or Duchene as FA). If only we could hear the conference call between Brisson, Luc and Blake.. with Blake listening and the 2 francois doing all the talking in French.. Blake looking up words to see what they were discussing... which was something like.. Brisson: PLD is a good kid. i know his dad.. Luc nods in approval... Luc to Blake in English - should we run it by pro scouting? Blake.. nah I saw his stats they look good.

This was definitely the trade that broke the camels back. We gave up our best player, best around the net player, best passer, best hands besides fiala, for PLD... We gave up our most talented player in almost all aspects besides speed for PLD. What a f***ing joke. And we traded him right when he broke out. Brain dead shit.

A lot of people were ready to give up on him during the injury issues too, though.

It's understandable, even if disagreeable. Some were (and maybe still are) okay to trade him given his injury history.

There are really a small handful of people who advocated giving Vilardi time to heal and grow into the role. Most had given up on him at one point or another.

I don't have an active list in my brain, but I remember reading several proclamations over the years.

I was near giving up on him when the injury stuff first appeared because it seemed to be a chronic issue that might sidetrack him.

Not everyone here has a perfect track record, Sol. Every member, including you, me, RJ, KP, and BigKing, has made predictions that ended up being far off the mark.

I underestimated his skating and didn't expect him to reach this level, and I was clearly wrong. However, Vilardi wasn't a center, and due to a combination of poor drafting (the Kings missed several promising centers in 2017, 2019, and 2020), unconventional development decisions (particularly with Byfield and Turcotte), and the decision not to pursue Jack Eichel, the Kings ended up with an aging Anze Kopitar, who is more suited as a 2C on a contending team, and Danault as the centers. The reality has been clear for over three years: a team with Danault as its 2C isn’t likely to win championships, as he's more naturally a 3C on a strong roster.

Passing on Eichel was a costly mistake, and as some of us warned at the time, this decision left a gap in roster construction, pushing players into higher roles than they’re suited for. As Byfield’s development timeline became evident (per Emerson's comments to Pravda, he might not hit his peak until 25), it became clear a trade for a center was necessary. Instead of taking a chance on a franchise-level 1C when it was available, Blake gambled on the enigmatic 2C, PLD, paying nearly the same price but ending up with a much less impactful player.

With 11 and 8 aging, Blake eventually found himself cornered by his own decisions and made what has turned out to be one of the team's worst trades in recent history. This series of poor choices, from draft-day missteps to trades, has left the Kings in a difficult spot. If they'd chosen even one player like Stutzle, Suzuki, or Cozens, or traded for Eichel, this trade never happens, zero chance. And you probably have Eichel or Stutzle playing with Vilardi on their wing on the first line.

If the Kings were serious about competing for a Stanley Cup, their best shot was likely to hope PLD could rise to the occasion as a motivated 1C or at least as a 1B alongside Kopitar. Unfortunately, that didn't materialize, and with Byfield struggling at center, we're back where we were at the end of the 2022-2023 season, with Danault as the second-best center and now missing a valuable 60-70 point winger, something the roster desperately needs now. It has been a series of disastrous mistakes in roster management by Blake and Luc over the past three years. No team that has traded as much youth and picks as the Kings have in the last three years should have this caliber of a roster.

Excuse ME SIR. I've been on the right side of predictions for the most part. I called out the Petersen contract the day it happened to be a big mistake despite many people loving it. Byfield is not out of bustfield territory yet so that is still up in the air. He has improved though but he's not a dynamite by any stretch of the imagination. Turcotte eh. Clarke is pretty good I'd say. I was DOWN on Vilardi when he was constantly injured right when he joined the Kings but the season when we broke out it was clear he was undoubtedly a tier +++ above any of the other rebuild picks. He still is. I wanted Eichel whenever the rumors floated around. And I wanted Stutzle as well. I've only been wrong about Kempe regressing after he suddenly became a sniper that one season which I felt my logic was based in reality.

I remember you being down about Vilardi too but I think your concern was injury related and not ability. But I think any honest Kings fan know that he was and is absolutely the best player from the rebuild.

 

[Bandit]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1856508411619221676

I guess the Jets told him exactly what to do, unlike PLD.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1856508411619221676

yeah but he was a big meanie at practice

 

[Sol]

yeah but he was a big meanie at practice

Wait RJ, I know you're joking but wasn't there a rumor going around that Vilardi was disliked in the room?

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I guess the Jets told him exactly what to do, unlike PLD.

I bet Vilardi misses playing on the fourth line with the likes of Jaret Anderson-Dolan and Lias Andersson.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Wait RJ, I know you're joking but wasn't there a rumor going around that Vilardi was disliked in the room?

yeah, and that he had a bad chip on his shoulder or some shit

I want to find out who he upset and bully them relentlessly

 

[VILARGOD]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1856508411619221676

We saw this type of talent net front and hands wise in general when he was with us, imagine seeing that, homegrown, and trading him for Pierre Luc Dubois LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Not painful at all

 

[Herby]

This was definitely the trade that broke the camels back. We gave up our best player, best around the net player, best passer, best hands besides fiala, for PLD... We gave up our most talented player in almost all aspects besides speed for PLD. What a f***ing joke. And we traded him right when he broke out. Brain dead shit.

I was near giving up on him when the injury stuff first appeared because it seemed to be a chronic issue that might sidetrack him.

Excuse ME SIR. I've been on the right side of predictions for the most part. I called out the Petersen contract the day it happened to be a big mistake despite many people loving it. Byfield is not out of bustfield territory yet so that is still up in the air. He has improved though but he's not a dynamite by any stretch of the imagination. Turcotte eh. Clarke is pretty good I'd say. I was DOWN on Vilardi when he was constantly injured right when he joined the Kings but the season when we broke out it was clear he was undoubtedly a tier +++ above any of the other rebuild picks. He still is. I wanted Eichel whenever the rumors floated around. And I wanted Stutzle as well. I've only been wrong about Kempe regressing after he suddenly became a sniper that one season which I felt my logic was based in reality.

I remember you being down about Vilardi too but I think your concern was injury related and not ability. But I think any honest Kings fan know that he was and is absolutely the best player from the rebuild.

You were also enamored with the Fiala trade, and well sorry to say it but that one is going to go down as one of the worst in franchise history, the modern day Larry Murphy trade. And you were very slow to accept it, even arguing as recently as last season that you would rather have Fiala and that people were overrating Faber (as he had one of the more impressive rookie seasons by a d-man in recent memory). But yes, you were spot on about the PLD trade and about Stutzle, two huge franchise altering decisions that have ended up being huge mistakes, so props to that.

I was down on Vilardi because I didn't think his skating would get there, and I knew right away he wasn't going to be a C, you could tell that the Covid year, the game was moving to fast for him at C. His breakout year here, he had consistency issues, which continued last year, but he really seems to have it figured out and his loss is significant for a Kings team that just doesn't have a lot of skilled players.

What is really the kick in the balls in all of this is, had the Kings just done what every other team (other than Blake's model franchise Nashville) in the NHL would have done with QB, and put him at C next to the perfect veteran in Carter at 18 years-old and told him to work hard and get better and not worry about the mistakes and to learn from them, this would have probably shifted Vilardi to wing at that point, and it's very likely he has the breakout the year earlier playing what is clearly his best position + Byfield's development is out on a faster track and he is way further along as a player, especially as a C. Plus with Vilardi established it's way less likely the Kings trade for Fiala and/or move Byfield to wing due to a lack of talented wings on the roster.

I don't think people have a true grasp in the now, just what a disaster this has been under this management team. I think only once they are gone, and you can step back realize what guys like Faber, Vilardi, Stutzle are, and could have been for this team will it really sink in. There is nothing difficult about what the Kings did, they stuck with Kopitar and Doughty and proceeded to trade a bunch of youth and picks for immediate help and signed Danult, only to lose in round 1 every year. Every GM in the league could do that if they wanted, but most teams are desperate to avoid the black hole, not jump full-speed into it.

BTW as far as the best player from the rebuild, if Winnipeg offered Vilardi for Clarke I would not do it. I think Clarke and Faber are going to be head and shoulders the most valuable assets that they drafted during rebuild. At this point, I would probably accept a Vilardi for Byfield trade, just because of QB's struggles with being able to play the C position and the fact that he's under team control only until age 26, neither of which are his fault. But he's a ways behind Vilardi, and no guarantee he reaches GV's current level, or if he does he is on the brink of UFA.

 

[Sol]

You were also enamored with the Fiala trade, and well sorry to say it but that one is going to go down as one of the worst in franchise history, the modern day Larry Murphy trade. And you were very slow to accept it, even arguing as recently as last season that you would rather have Fiala and that people were overrating Faber (as he had one of the more impressive rookie seasons by a d-man in recent memory). But yes, you were spot on about the PLD trade and about Stutzle, two huge franchise altering decisions that have ended up being huge mistakes, so props to that.

I was down on Vilardi because I didn't think his skating would get there, and I knew right away he wasn't going to be a C, you could tell that the Covid year, the game was moving to fast for him at C. His breakout year here, he had consistency issues, which continued last year, but he really seems to have it figured out and his loss is significant for a Kings team that just doesn't have a lot of skilled players.

What is really the kick in the balls in all of this is, had the Kings just done what every other team (other than Blake's model franchise Nashville) in the NHL would have done with QB, and put him at C next to the perfect veteran in Carter at 18 years-old and told him to work hard and get better and not worry about the mistakes and to learn from them, this would have probably shifted Vilardi to wing at that point, and it's very likely he has the breakout the year earlier playing what is clearly his best position + Byfield's development is out on a faster track and he is way further along as a player, especially as a C. Plus with Vilardi established it's way less likely the Kings trade for Fiala and/or move Byfield to wing due to a lack of talented wings on the roster.

I don't think people have a true grasp in the now, just what a disaster this has been under this management team. I think only once they are gone, and you can step back realize what guys like Faber, Vilardi, Stutzle are, and could have been for this team will it really sink in. There is nothing hard about what the Kings did, they stuck with Kopitar and Doughty and proceeded to trade a bunch of youth and picks for immediate help and lost in round 1 every year. Every GM in the league could do that if they wanted, but most teams are desperate to avoid the black hole, not jump full-speed into it.

BTW, if Winnipeg offered Vilardi for Clarke I would not do it. I think Clarke and Faber are going to be head and shoulders the most valuable assets that they drafted during rebuild. At this point, I would probably accept a Vilardi for Byfield trade, just because of QB's struggles with being able to play the C position and the fact that he's under team control only until age 26, neither of which are his fault. But he's a ways behind Vilardi, and no guarantee he reaches GV's current level.

I still think to this day the Fiala trade was a good trade for the time being. I am not a fan of speculative bullshit. I think its dangerous to compare a player who never made landfall on the Kings as going to be the same exact player you are seeing in Minnesota. You're completely ignoring all the variables that make Faber the player who he is on the Wild as if he is going to be the same player on the Kings. Kings cannot develop nor give apt icetime to players who haven't been in the minors for an eternity. Fiala is the most talented player the Kings have ever had for many many years despite the fact he does dumb shit. And his dumb shit is blown out of proportion because people like you are still hung up on a player that for some reason think he'd be the same player on the Kings that he is on the Wild. Kings traded Vilardi when he broke out. Kings traded Faber without knowing what kind of NHL player he even possibly looked at. Completely different story. Vilardi trade was definitely much worse.



Do you seriously think Byfield is on the fast track of his development? Just how? Im sorry but I have to look at Kopitar's rookie year vs Byfields player to player. Byfield isn't going to be a super star by any stretch of the imagination. His mental game isn't there nor is his finishing ability. He's fast, decent hands, and a good passer. Hardly superstar material.

yeah, and that he had a bad chip on his shoulder or some shit

I want to find out who he upset and bully them relentlessly

so it was confirmed that there was a locker room issue?

 

[Bandit]

so it was confirmed that there was a locker room issue?

Yeah. The issue was Vilardi has balls and the rest of these marshmallow dicks have poodles.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Watching this game..

Kupari is buzzing around - still the same player tho - good speed, 1 on 1 moves.. but after that nothing.

Krapo Krapo is the player we'd be complaining about if we dont lose the lottery and end up w Turdcotte. Scouting Finnish league comparing to NHL on different rink and less hitting must be hard.