Confirmed with Link: Daniel Brickley

[johnjm22]

This is such a nice change of pace from Lombardi times.

Yeah it sucked when the Kings farm system had so much depth that college UFA's didn't want to sign here.

 

[kovacro]

Can you refresh our memories? I'm trying to think of an NCAA free agent that we grabbed under Lombardi. Just drawing a blank.

Kevin Westgarth and Joe Piskula come to mind. There cannot be many more that Lombardi signed as free agents from US College.

 

[SFKingshomer]

Lombardi also signed my childhood buddy Gabe Gauthier out of DU

 

[johnjm22]

Star power. If you're a young kid in college and you have a call from Rob Blake, you take the the call. If some dude named dean is on the line, please take a message.

Blake has been here for awhile. Pretty sure he could have been making phone calls to college UFA's while Lombardi was GM.

 

[raswilliam]

Moulson, Purcell, Piskula all come to mind.

Drew Bagnall was a pretty nice signing at the time.

Bagnall Signs Multi-Year Deal with Kings

 

[Sol]

Yeah it sucked when the Kings farm system had so much depth that college UFA's didn't want to sign here.

I'm sure lol. Must have been drowning in depth at 2015.

 

[kovacro]

Well, I was 100% wrong. DL did do some work getting in a bunch of college free agents.

I just don’t remember that far back regarding a host of them..

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I'm sure lol. Must have been drowning in depth at 2015.

There was zero clear path to an NHL roster spot for a college FA in 2015. Better opportunity elsewhere as well as teams on the upswing instead of downswing. I don't see why this point is so controversial to people. The "DL didn't do anything" meme is garbage.

 

[Sol]

There was zero clear path to an NHL roster spot for a college FA in 2015. Better opportunity elsewhere as well as teams on the upswing instead of downswing. I don't see why this point is so controversial to people. The "DL didn't do anything" meme is garbage.

Yeah he just traded for Lucic and Sekera , extended a broken Matt Greene. Excellent management indeed.

 

[BigKing]

Again, it is easier to sign these guys when there is immediate playing time available or a path to playing time that isn't problematic.

As for "drowning in depth" in 2015, they were one year removed from their 2nd Cup and on their way to a 100 point season for 2016. Voynov situation still up in the air plus Lombardi hadn't traded 2nd round prospects yet that would be viewed as potential road blocks by a college UFA.

Kings got a lot more interesting to college UFAs after last year's bad season and having a better grasp on what the Kings prospect pool really is/was.

 

[TruKingFan]

Yeah he just traded for Lucic and Sekera , extended a broken Matt Greene. Excellent management indeed.

Sure. When you're idiotic take on DL gets smacked down, change the topic. Better clean out the dirt on your ass.

 

[KopitarFAN]

No mention of Teddy Purcell?

EDIT: Never mind, just saw it.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Yeah he just traded for Lucic and Sekera , extended a broken Matt Greene. Excellent management indeed.

Here we go again!

 

[Sol]

Here we go again!

I'm just saying, we obviously weren't "stacked and there was ZERO SPACE" There was space we just used awful players to fill it up.

 

[johnjm22]

Lombardi also signed Muzzin and Jones who weren't out of college, but they were both unsigned young players.

 

[redcard]

I'm just saying, we obviously weren't "stacked and there was ZERO SPACE" There was space we just used awful players to fill it up.

Most undrafted college free agents would fit your definition of awful players.

 

[Sol]

Most undrafted college free agents would fit your definition of awful players.

Might as well take a free shot rather than spend assets on crap

 

[Rorschach]

Lombardi also signed Muzzin and Jones who weren't out of college, but they were both unsigned young players.

Get out of here, you and your facts.

I'm here for the straw men, revisionist Dean-bashing and general pessimism.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I'm just saying, we obviously weren't "stacked and there was ZERO SPACE" There was space we just used awful players to fill it up.

Lucic and Sekera are objectively better players than the vast majority of college FA signings. Whether that year worked out or not, only college FA I see over 50 points is Torey Krug.

Regardless, if you were a college FA, where would you rather play for the next 2-3 years--a team coming off multiple Cups with no available roster slots and plenty of competition for the scraps at the AHL level, or an up-and-coming team with roster slots that you can fight for? It's really not that difficult. Never mind all the other stuff like being near home, taxes, etc.

 

[redcard]

Might as well take a free shot rather than spend assets on crap

Free shot on who? There's maybe 1 or 2 guys a year worth using an SPC spot on. The rest aren't bumping Gravel and Andreoff down on the depth chart.

We all hate the Sekera and Lucic trades, but there's no correlation here.

 

[Maynard]

If I’m Brickley, I’m looking at Iafallo on the first line all season and getting pretty motivated to bust my ass.

 

[King'sPawn]

I'm not blaming DL, but it did seem that lately, the Kings were always the bridesmaids in trying to woo college UFA players (or UFA players in general).

Of course, DL has done plenty and should be recognized for what he did. Either way, it is nice to see Blake bring back results that are reticent of what Lombardi was able to do to kick start a successful build.

 

[BigKing]

Pretty good stuff on Insider right now, especially from a "What BigKing has been saying" perspective:

- Vilardi fell in the draft primarily because of injury concerns as opposed to "The game is about speed now"

- Brickley was starstruck by Blake and Luc.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Will Drew give up his #8 to him.

It appears that #8 is safe for Drew to keep.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

If I’m Brickley, I’m looking at Iafallo on the first line all season and getting pretty motivated to bust my ass.

So true. Pretty impressive. Alex Iafallo, Cal Petersen, Austin Strand, Cole Kehler and now Daniel Brickley and Sheldon Rempal.

The defense and goaltending depth truly improved. Wish Brickley or Clague were RH, but Austin Strand is. With Brickley, Strand, Clague, MacDermid, Ladue and Gravel all vying
to make the team next year, probably will force a trade of another.

Without any changes for next season, just adding Vilardi improves the team. But there are always changes. Blake has amassed more assets to work with to make them.
I feel Kempe, Iafallo and Amadio all take a step forward in their game as well. If Vilardi gets a center spot, not sure how Amadio can have a center spot...some chatter
on here that Vilardi would possibly start as wing, but the Kings have already said he's a center and will play center. Carter can play effectively as wing or center.
I see Carter moving to wing, if Vilardi steps in and succeeds as a #2 center. Watched more Vilardi footage today...he's a beast. And you cannot count Brodzinski out.
He's a good player.