Around the league part 2

[Herby]

I think the Kings original plan was for their high draft picks to become impact players quick enough where they would overlap for a few years of impact Kopitar and Doughty play and they would have a cup window.

Then Vilardi got hurt and became a big question mark, they had a surprisingly good year in 2018 and landed a much worse pick than they expected, Turcotte was a disappointing pick right away and QB was a longer term project than they maybe anticipated.

Once that original plan failed to materialize, they decided the best course of action was to bring in veterans in their primes to fill those holes and open a couple of years long window. It certainly is not the norm for building a winning team, and time will tell if if works out, but I think they just wanted or felt they owed it to 11 and 8 to give them a couple of more kicks at the can.

I have kind of thought this for awhile, and people challenged the notion that Danault, VA and Fiala wouldn't be here had the picks been bigger hits, but the reality is its more of a money thing, the guys who were hits from those drafts have already signed (Suzuki, Cozens, Norris, Stutzle Boldy) or will be signing (Zegras, Caufield, Raymond) long-term deals for 7+m a year. With the Kings not having to dole out those kinds of salaries to the youth they were able to give it to veterans. If the Kings had drafted Nick Suzuki there just wouldn't have been the money (or the roster spot) to sign PD.

 

[LAKings88]

To rebuild you need your top 5 picks to show they can be core pieces. Rarely is it strictly the Ottawa model. Most teams have solid vets insulating the next wave. Are Stutzle and Tkachuk's numbers inflated due to playing time not allocated to vets or are they just better talents?

Kopi, Doughty, and Quick, came in and once in the lineup never looked back. They were then added to with legit pieces while expiring vets were phased out.

Blake got rid of slower veteran players. Didn't give up on Carter until he gave up on the team really.

Three top ten picks are Byfield, Turcotte, and Clarke. Two out of three are hampered by injuries. All have a long way to go to pan out, Clarke looks legit but needs to get bigger. Vilardi and Kempe show you can have some patience but they also needed the opportunity to consistently showcase their abilities. Flashes were there tho. I see it in Byfield too but he is still raw. Turcotte I think is just a misfire at 5th overall and I supported the pick at the time. Still could be serviceable but he has never put up more than average numbers since going to the AHL or been able to stay healthy. Big concerns.

So while they drafted high a couple times, and moved up in lottery for that matter, I see the rebuild as more of getting rid of aging, slower, disengaged players, and adding in a bit more speed.

Not sure this mix is built for playoffs but they are a good team when the goalies are on. I think they have just as much chance as any team in the west not named Colorado.

 

[bland]

I think the Kings original plan was for their high draft picks to become impact players quick enough where they would overlap for a few years of impact Kopitar and Doughty play and they would have a cup window.

Then Vilardi got hurt and became a big question mark, they had a surprisingly good year in 2018 and landed a much worse pick than they expected, Turcotte was a disappointing pick right away and QB was a longer term project than they maybe anticipated.

Once that original plan failed to materialize, they decided the best course of action was to bring in veterans in their primes to fill those holes and open a couple of years long window. It certainly is not the norm for building a winning team, and time will tell if if works out, but I think they just wanted or felt they owed it to 11 and 8 to give them a couple of more kicks at the can.

I have kind of thought this for awhile, and people challenged the notion that Danault, VA and Fiala wouldn't be here had the picks been bigger hits, but the reality is its more of a money thing, the guys who were hits from those drafts have already signed (Suzuki, Cozens, Norris, Stutzle Boldy) or will be signing (Zegras, Caufield, Raymond) long-term deals for 7+m a year. With the Kings not having to dole out those kinds of salaries to the youth they were able to give it to veterans. If the Kings had drafted Nick Suzuki there just wouldn't have been the money (or the roster spot) to sign PD.

Are you fairly certain that Suzuki wouldn't have had to spend a year in RW junior college first?

 

[Herby]

Are you fairly certain that Suzuki wouldn't have had to spend a year in RW junior college first?

Vilardi was injured almost from the get-go, Suzuki was not. And even with the injuries Vilardi was given the #2C spot during the Covid year and it just simply didn't work out as a C. If we assume that Suzuki would have been given the same 2C spot I don't think there is any reason to believe that he wouldn't have performed well because he is a fantastic two-way center. Knowing that they had Kopitar for $10m a year and knowing a big salary would have been coming for Suzuki, there is almost zero chance the Kings would have paid what they paid for PD to be a 3rd line center.

And as much as we are critical of many of the Kings development decisons, the decision to move Vilardi to RW and not continuing to try and force him to play C very likely saved his NHL career. That was a fantastic move by the Kings.

 

[Bandit]

..........is there a game yet?

No.

 

[KINGS17]

..........is there a game yet?

What's a game?

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Where’s the clown that just last week said nobody is catching SEA?

 

[Steve Zissou]

[Chorus:]
Oh!
The good old hockey game!
Its the best game you can name!
And the best game you can name,
is the good old hockey game!

 

[mbar]

[Chorus:]
Oh!
The good old hockey game!
Its the best game you can name!
And the best game you can name,
is the good old hockey game!

Hey if the players won’t fight anymore, take it into your own hands. f*** this racist fool.

 

[Schrute farms]

What's the phrase -- Don't let your mouth write checks that your body/as% can't cash

 

[Bandit]

[Chorus:]
Oh!
The good old hockey game!
Its the best game you can name!
And the best game you can name,
is the good old hockey game!

Yeah that dumbass clearly never watched Star Wars. You don’t f*** with the high ground.

 

[kingsholygrail]

[Chorus:]
Oh!
The good old hockey game!
Its the best game you can name!
And the best game you can name,
is the good old hockey game!

Throw them both out.

 

[tny760]

i aspire to be the guy 1 row further down in the blue hoodie

not even a flinch

 

[Little Psycho]

I thought oilers needed help defensively and also that be dumb of SJ to trade within the division

 

[Cook24]

I thought oilers needed help defensively and also that be dumb of SJ to trade within the division

Oilers have consistently lacked guys who can play defense. Let them take this crappy contract and continue to choke in the playoffs until McDavid walks…

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I'd love to see Karlsson and McDavid/Draisaitl together, that would be fun as hell.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

""On Dadinov….

Hearing the Islanders with SERIOUS interest. makes a ton of sense….""

What makes more sense? Dadinov to the team that traded him and was revoked...the VGK.
Why? After they tried to trade him, he played and was scoring a ton and they need a forward
or 2, since losing Stone. Hey, I hope they don't think like I do. I want the VGK to flounder.

 

[kingsboy11]

 

[AbsentMojo]

Need to see who in Ontario is scratched tonite.. if anyone.. could give a clue re JC

 

[LAKings88]

I'd love to see Karlsson and McDavid/Draisaitl together, that would be fun as hell.

Interesting that EDM is on Karlsson the same time Chychrun is held out.

 

[AbsentMojo]

BTkuchuk v EKane

 

[AbsentMojo]

Re Chychrun - if the deal is with the Kings, my guess is word wont be leaked til after the game out of respect to DB.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

BTkuchuk v EKane

I don't particularly like Kane's antics but when he's playing hard nosed with his head on straight he's a great power forward so love seeing two big boys that can play tee off.

 

[AbsentMojo]

I don't particularly like Kane's antics but when he's playing hard nosed with his head on straight he's a great power forward so love seeing two big boys that can play tee off.

There will always be a little bit of respect for Kane after as Thrasher he thrashed Matt Cooke (one punched him)

 

[LAKings88]

Didn’t McDavid tell him to knock it off on the bench when he held up his seven fingers. I had a feeling Edmonton was gonna win the series after that. McDavid earned my respect too.