Around the League Thread part V

[KingsFan7824]

They have their young players already proven as anything from very good players to borderline stars.

Ottawa starts the next stage of their rebuild this season with Stuetzle(20) as the 1C, Norris (23) as the 2C and Tkachuk (22) as the top wing all proven. These were there top 3 scorers last year. They also have Chabot on D and they are hopefully optimistic that Sanderson is a star too.

LA started the next stage of their rebuild with no young proven top 6 forwards and no player under 25 who would be considered even close to a star. Ottawa is hopeful that 1 prospect can be a difference maker next to the ones they already know are. LA is hopefully optimistic that 4-5 prospects become difference makers but they are all question marks.

And yet still not a second of important hockey has been played in Ott or Det in a long time. They still don't know what they truly have, and they're already messing up their cap. Det already has 2 or 3 important UFAs to sign next year. Ott with DeBrincat, Stutzle to re-sign, and a 35 year old goalie.

 

[GKJ]

Weird contract.

Flyers are probably the dumbest franchise in the NHL now.

It’s been astonishing levels of incompetence.

Please rescue Couturier and/or Sanheim.

 

[Sol]

Pretty amazing that Gaudreau isnt in the pacific anymore. I was tired of seeing his prepubescent stature dangle into the Kings zone without getting rocked.

 

[YAYSAY]

And yet still not a second of important hockey has been played in Ott or Det in a long time. They still don't know what they truly have, and they're already messing up their cap. Det already has 2 or 3 important UFAs to sign next year. Ott with DeBrincat, Stutzle to re-sign, and a 35 year old goalie.

I mean that's really not that bad of a position, having to re-sign guys is inherent to running a team, not "messing up their cap." Kings currently have a 36 year old goalie signed and a vastly overpaid goalie (messing up their cap). Not to mention a 1C that at this point in his career is really a 2C on a better team and is gonna be winding his career down soon with no clear replacement, only a hope (aka don't know what they truly have). Two different styles of building their team, Kings already had superstars on their team and kept them, but they're all older and they don't really have any new homegrown superstars to replace them (yet, fingers crossed). Ottawa got rid of all theirs and grew new ones who will be around for awhile. Kings built themselves up to be competitive sooner, but Ottawa built themselves up to be competitive further away but potentially for longer.

 

[King'sPawn]

Thats got to be a kick to the nuts for the Flames. What is going on over there, has Sutter broken them already?

That was my thought. Especially since it "wasn't about the money."

 

[Stimpythecat]

Holy crap. With all the signings and trades, I missed the Pacioretty robbery.

I knew Vegas was a city of one armed bandits but I didn't expect it to be a visitor robbing Vegas.

 

[KINGS17]

Smith has been equal to or better than Campbell each of the past 3 seasons. I think you guys are overrating what an improvement Campbell is.

Campbell doesn't make soul crushing errors at the most inopportune times like Smith. Besides Smith is getting on in years and needed to be replaced.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Holy crap. With all the signings and trades, I missed the Pacioretty robbery.

I knew Vegas was a city of one armed bandits but I didn't expect it to be a visitor robbing Vegas.

Ya that is weird. And what are the future considerations that are coming back to Vegas - a blackjack table and some dice?

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Campbell doesn't make soul crushing errors at the most inopportune times like Smith. Besides Smith is getting on in years and needed to be replaced.

Ehhh Leafs fans would disagree, I think. Campbell let in some incredibly weak goals this past season. I’m having a hard time seeing how it’s an upgrade in any fashion. As much as we love shitting on Smith he did a solid job the last couple of seasons in Edmonton behind that shoddy defense.

 

[KINGS17]

Exactly. Not that the Kings had a bunch of cap space to play with today but I don't understand the desire to pick up old guys at $4MM a year or whatever that are not the type of players to put this team over the top but are the type of players that will block the youth from getting minutes.

Fiala wasn't a free agent but everyone knew he was available and that was Blake's big move. The top priority for this team should be the development of Byfield et al. but from a current on-ice perspective, scoring and the power play were at the top of the list. Fiala just put up a season that Kopitar has only surpassed once when it comes to total points and Kopitar has led this team in scoring for like 15 seasons. You would hope that Fiala will help both the scoring and the power play issues with the latter also being helped by Sturm's "promotion" and a new PP coach hire.

As for toughness, they retained Lemieux while paying him less than he made last season. Fiala doesn't play like a little p***y either. I'm the first one to rail on about how soft the team is but my hope is that these young guys got a taste of playoff hockey and realize that you have to go to another level. It's baby steps but I like Kaliyev crosschecking that Duck in the back of the head...I like Anderson tackling Draibaby. There will need to be some more beef on this team eventually so you hope that Helenius is NHL ready sooner rather than later.

Regardless, you aren't fixing all of the issues in one off-season. Scoring and the power play were addressed, the team didn't get softer and some middling veteran fodder wasn't added to block prospect development.

Definitely liked what I saw out of Grundstrom in the playoffs, and hope he can build on it. Kaliyev showed improvement and gained experience last season. The Kings need him to have a break out season next season, or the season following the next one.

I view Fiala as a waste of money, if he isn't playing with Byfield.

 

[Reaper45]

The Columbus Blue Jackets have a better record attracting Free Agents than Los Angeles. Rough stuff man when you think about it.

 

[johnjm22]

Gaudreau is player that should age well. Smaller guys tend to. What makes him great isn't his physical measurables, but why would he take less money to go to Columbus? Seems odd.

I don't get why Giroux went to Ottawa. I thought he'd try to go to a contender.

I like Campbell, I hate that I have to root against him in Edmonton now.

Some of the contracts handed out to defensemen today were terrible. Pure incompetence. If you're a big Dman, and you look the part, dumb GM's will hand you a fat contract.

Reminds me of when Montreal signed Alzner. Everybody knew it was a bad contract, but Bergevin did it anyways.

 

[VILARGOD]

Poor Daniel Brickley man

remember when there was a sweeptstakes for that kid and we got him?

Feel bad for him. NHL dream definitely long gone

 

[Reaper45]

Poor Daniel Brickley man

remember when there was a sweeptstakes for that kid and we got him?

Feel bad for him. NHL dream definitely long gone

He was garbage. Didn’t see the appeal from day one, he was just big.

 

[HookKing]

The Columbus Blue Jackets have a better record attracting Free Agents than Los Angeles. Rough stuff man when you think about it.

As long as they're willing to give away their top talent in trades with us -- resulting in cups (Carter/Gaborik) -- I'm perfectly fine with it.

 

[Stimpythecat]

Did the Kings just get handed a playoff spot by default?

Vegas lost Pacioretty (19 goals in 39 games) and Dadonov (20 goals). 39 goals went *poof* Calgary might as well tear it all down after losing Gaudreau. Sharks lost Burns and are rebuilding. Ducks are rebuilding. Kraken are the Kraken.

By default it's the Oilers, Kings, and Canucks.

 

[Kingspiracy]

Did the Kings just get handed a playoff spot by default?

Vegas lost Pacioretty (19 goals in 39 games) and Dadonov (20 goals). 39 goals went *poof* Calgary might as well tear it all down after losing Gaudreau. Sharks lost Burns and are rebuilding. Ducks are rebuilding. Kraken are the Kraken.

By default it's the Oilers, Kings, and Canucks.

Dude, thats just tempting fate.

 

[KingsFan7824]

I mean that's really not that bad of a position, having to re-sign guys is inherent to running a team, not "messing up their cap." Kings currently have a 36 year old goalie signed and a vastly overpaid goalie (messing up their cap). Not to mention a 1C that at this point in his career is really a 2C on a better team and is gonna be winding his career down soon with no clear replacement, only a hope (aka don't know what they truly have). Two different styles of building their team, Kings already had superstars on their team and kept them, but they're all older and they don't really have any new homegrown superstars to replace them (yet, fingers crossed). Ottawa got rid of all theirs and grew new ones who will be around for awhile. Kings built themselves up to be competitive sooner, but Ottawa built themselves up to be competitive further away but potentially for longer.

Nope. You can't get better. Not so quickly anyway. Another top pick helps Ottawa even further into the future than old man Giroux.

 

[KopitarFAN]

Did the Kings just get handed a playoff spot by default?

Vegas lost Pacioretty (19 goals in 39 games) and Dadonov (20 goals). 39 goals went *poof* Calgary might as well tear it all down after losing Gaudreau. Sharks lost Burns and are rebuilding. Ducks are rebuilding. Kraken are the Kraken.

By default it's the Oilers, Kings, and Canucks.

Ducks are all in.

 

[Sol]

Jack Campbell got 5x5. And Petersen got 5x3 for literally no reason. Amazing.

God what the f*** were they smoking when they gave petersen that contract. still blows my mind.

 

[Reaper45]

As long as they're willing to give away their top talent in trades with us -- resulting in cups (Carter/Gaborik) -- I'm perfectly fine with it.

Oh I’m not mad about not getting Gaudreau, just thinking how they’ve been able to attract a higher class of free agent than LA ever has. Wild to think about if you’ve ever been to Columbus.

 

[unicornpig]

cap room running out and palat/kadri/klinberg not signed

 

[HookKing]

Oh I’m not mad about not getting Gaudreau, just thinking how they’ve been able to attract a higher class of free agent than LA ever has. Wild to think about if you’ve ever been to Columbus.

I have, multiple times although not recently. And, I agree.

 

[Reaper45]

Zadorov would’ve been a good add.

 

[bland]

Ducks are all in.

Vatrano was a hell of a pick up. Strome not so much.