News Article: Elliotte Friedman: Mike Futa leaving the Kings

[Rorschach]

Reported back on May 11, surprised no one else posted this. According to Friedman on Twitter, Futa’s contract with LA is expiring later this year and will not be renewed.

Thoughts?

Article from LWS:
Mike Futa Leaving Los Angeles Kings Organization - Last Word on Hockey


LA Times:
Kings assistant general manager Michael Futa to leave organization

Click to read more...

 

[Herby]

There was some discussion of it in another thread, I think the rumors one.

I think most likely reason is that he and Blake have different ideas on how to construct a roster. The whole thing never really made much sense anyways, they fire DL and DS and talk of big changes and all they did was promote everyone. I wonder who the replacement will be, I'm sure they will do a thorough and extensive search before deciding on someone who played for the Kings in the late 90's.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

Im not looking forward to Dustin Brown running this team in 20 years.

 

[Bandit]

Im not looking forward to Dustin Brown running this team in 20 years.

Hey at least Brown won some scholastic awards when he was in the OHL. I’m not sure Robitaille graduated Jr. High.

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

There was some discussion of it in another thread, I think the rumors one.

I think most likely reason is that he and Blake have different ideas on how to construct a roster. The whole thing never really made much sense anyways, they fire DL and DS and talk of big changes and all they did was promote everyone. I wonder who the replacement will be, I'm sure they will do a thorough and extensive search before deciding on someone who played for the Kings in the late 90's.

I would have fired Blake and hired Futa who by the way has a clue on how to develop a team! Blake is clueless...he wants all the prospects developing and competing against each other in Ontario...lame brain idea. So instead of having Kupari playing a tonne with Karpat he plays third line centre... and Sodergran struggles instead of playing tonnes in Sweden...And don't get me on Kubalik...where Blake was talking out his ass,same goes for the Kovalchuk abortion and miss-reading this franchise(need one more player)That was an abortion move! F... Blake go back to Simcoe,Ontario,Canada! Or maybe buddy Shanahan can hire him for the Leafs. Blake never scouted in his life and suddenly he knows how to evaluate talent? Blake has to be on thin ice right? Kings aren't going anywhere for awhile. Carts will be gone,Brown should be gone...god they both have 2 years left...Dustin has always rode-in-on Kopitar's coattails his whole career. Brown should be giving Anze part of his salary as a thank-you! Oh ya Blake and Futa...seriously wouldn't you rather have Futa running the show than inept Blake!

 

[ibleedkings]

I would have fired Blake and hired Futa who by the way has a clue on how to develop a team! Blake is clueless...he wants all the prospects developing and competing against each other in Ontario...lame brain idea. So instead of having Kupari playing a tonne with Karpat he plays third line centre... and Sodergran struggles instead of playing tonnes in Sweden...And don't get me on Kubalik...where Blake was talking out his ass,same goes for the Kovalchuk abortion and miss-reading this franchise(need one more player)That was an abortion move! F... Blake go back to Simcoe,Ontario,Canada! Or maybe buddy Shanahan can hire him for the Leafs. Blake never scouted in his life and suddenly he knows how to evaluate talent? Blake has to be on thin ice right? Kings aren't going anywhere for awhile. Carts will be gone,Brown should be gone...god they both have 2 years left...Dustin has always rode-in-on Kopitar's coattails his whole career. Brown should be giving Anze part of his salary as a thank-you! Oh ya Blake and Futa...seriously wouldn't you rather have Futa running the show than inept Blake!

You wonder why people don’t take you serious lol.

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

You wonder why people don’t take you serious lol.

Lol

 

[Sleeping Dog]

Lol

Blake/team has built the strongest prospect group in the league. Was Futa part of it? Yes. But to disregard a Blake’s leadership is shortsighted.

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

Blake/team has built the strongest prospect group in the league. Was Futa part of it? Yes. But to disregard a Blake’s leadership is shortsighted.

lol.Leadership or lack of...Kovalchuk that was leadership,Not signing Kubalik a natural a goal scorer you'll ever find...but signing Prokhorkin...Blake is running a shit show...the scouts built the prospects pool not Blake he just makes bone-headed decisions...

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

lol.Leadership or lack of...Kovalchuk that was leadership,Not signing Kubalik a natural a goal scorer you'll ever find...but signing Prokhorkin...Blake is running a shit show...the scouts built the prospects pool not Blake he just makes bone-headed decisions...

So explain why Dean Lombardi couldn’t sign Kubalik as well, smart guy.

 

[Bandit]

So explain why Dean Lombardi couldn’t sign Kubalik as well, smart guy.

Because Kubalik Kubalik Kubalik.

 

[Sleeping Dog]

lol.Leadership or lack of...Kovalchuk that was leadership,Not signing Kubalik a natural a goal scorer you'll ever find...but signing Prokhorkin...Blake is running a shit show...the scouts built the prospects pool not Blake he just makes bone-headed decisions...

We’re back to Kubalik? The guy didn’t want to come here. Not sure what you wanted Blake to do? Kidnap him? Kovalchuk was a gamble that didn’t work out. We lost no resources with that signing. He could have traded for Pacioretty, but that would have cost us players, prospects and/or picks.
Time to get off the Kubalik kick. That train has left the station and it ain’t coming back.

 

[Matt13]

We’re back to Kubalik? The guy didn’t want to come here. Not sure what you wanted Blake to do? Kidnap him? Kovalchuk was a gamble that didn’t work out. We lost no resources with that signing. He could have traded for Pacioretty, but that would have cost us players, prospects and/or picks.
Time to get off the Kubalik kick. That train has left the station and it ain’t coming back.

I am still looking for that article where it states Kubalik didn't want to sign in LA. Does it exist? I just hear everybody thow it around like its the facts of the case. The article below is a pretty comprehensive read on how he got to Chicago but doesn't state that and does not lead you to believe that he didn't want to be here. Additionally, if LA had thought he was talented enough, would he have been traded for a 5th?

While we may never know the full answers, I think it is more fair to say that LA didn't realize the talent they had, made offers that were unreasonable and that may have lead Kubalik to not want to be here. However it starts with the Kings recognizing talent and managing talent appropriately.

Inside Dominik Kubalik's journey to the Blackhawks' top line

 

[Bandit]

I am still looking for that article where it states Kubalik didn't want to sign in LA. Does it exist? I just hear everybody thow it around like its the facts of the case. The article below is a pretty comprehensive read on how he got to Chicago but doesn't state that and does not lead you to believe that he didn't want to be here. Additionally, if LA had thought he was talented enough, would he have been traded for a 5th?

While we may never know the full answers, I think it is more fair to say that LA didn't realize the talent they had, made offers that were unreasonable and that may have lead Kubalik to not want to be here. However it starts with the Kings recognizing talent and managing talent appropriately.

Inside Dominik Kubalik's journey to the Blackhawks' top line

The guy never came to camp. He also wanted a guaranteed spot in the NHL:

Fresh off trip, Futa dishes on European prospects, including Kupari, Prokhorkin - LA Kings Insider

MF: Oh, I’ve known Nikolai. The bottom line, it’s the same thing with Kubalik. Kubalik had a hat trick against Russia that Sunday. It’s like Groundhog Day. I meet ‘em every year, and we’ve grown up together talking about coming over to play, but in fairness it gets old. It gets really old. I mean, these guys want to play in the National Hockey League and I understand some of the European players have a little bit of a discrepancy about not wanting to play in the American Hockey League, but I think it’s time we get a player like that when you’ve got a player like that to get ‘em signed and get ‘em over here and play on our National Hockey League club and deal with it if there’s some chance that he doesn’t make the National Hockey League club.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

I am still looking for that article where it states Kubalik didn't want to sign in LA. Does it exist? I just hear everybody thow it around like its the facts of the case. The article below is a pretty comprehensive read on how he got to Chicago but doesn't state that and does not lead you to believe that he didn't want to be here. Additionally, if LA had thought he was talented enough, would he have been traded for a 5th?

While we may never know the full answers, I think it is more fair to say that LA didn't realize the talent they had, made offers that were unreasonable and that may have lead Kubalik to not want to be here. However it starts with the Kings recognizing talent and managing talent appropriately.

Inside Dominik Kubalik's journey to the Blackhawks' top line

Someone probably can find the link faster than I can, but there certainly is evidence out there the Kings made offers to sign him. He could only be offered an ELC so it's not possible for an ELC to be "unreasonable"; it's a set salary amount with the only wiggle room on negotiable bonuses that can be achieved. There is also this:

Kubalik . . . did not demonstrate much interest in committing to the LA Kings and hadn’t participated in training camp since September, 2013. (He did not attend development camp that year.)

Prospect Dominik Kubalik traded to Chicago for fifth round pick - LA Kings Insider

And what Bandit said above.

 

[Matt13]

Damn it, dont you know Kubalik didnt want to be here............it was totally evident all along that he hates sunshine and beach.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I am still looking for that article where it states Kubalik didn't want to sign in LA. Does it exist? I just hear everybody thow it around like its the facts of the case. The article below is a pretty comprehensive read on how he got to Chicago but doesn't state that and does not lead you to believe that he didn't want to be here. Additionally, if LA had thought he was talented enough, would he have been traded for a 5th?

While we may never know the full answers, I think it is more fair to say that LA didn't realize the talent they had, made offers that were unreasonable and that may have lead Kubalik to not want to be here. However it starts with the Kings recognizing talent and managing talent appropriately.

Inside Dominik Kubalik's journey to the Blackhawks' top line

I think that can be looked at a few different ways.

If the player is holding us hostage and can go free after the season anyway, aren't you lucky to just get a 5th for him?

If 29 other franchises thought he was amazing as well, why didn't they offer more?

Gotta cut the loss at some point, normally I'd be a little upset they didn't 'get more' but not here.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I think that can be looked at a few different ways.

If the player is holding us hostage and can go free after the season anyway, aren't you lucky to just get a 5th for him?

If 29 other franchises thought he was amazing as well, why didn't they offer more?

Gotta cut the loss at some point, normally I'd be a little upset they didn't 'get more' but not here.

Just look no further than Cal Petersen, who the Sabres lost for nothing, and he was a former 5th round selection who they missed out on signing and didn't move his rights before becoming a UFA.

 

[bland]

We’re back to Kubalik? The guy didn’t want to come here. Not sure what you wanted Blake to do? Kidnap him? Kovalchuk was a gamble that didn’t work out. We lost no resources with that signing. He could have traded for Pacioretty, but that would have cost us players, prospects and/or picks.
Time to get off the Kubalik kick. That train has left the station and it ain’t coming back.

Blake lost one of his only available assets - cap space - signing Kovalchuk. He ALSO tried to trade his only other remaining assets to acquire Pacioretty. He got lucky when Pacioretty turned him down.

But he has no blame whatsoever in Kubalik.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Blake lost one of his only available assets - cap space - signing Kovalchuk. He ALSO tried to trade his only other remaining assets to acquire Pacioretty. He got lucky when Pacioretty turned him down.

But he has no blame whatsoever in Kubalik.

By the same token, DL got lucky when getting turned down by Chara, Brad Richards, Hossa, Kovalchuk, others I'm sure I'm forgetting.

Sometimes the best moves are the ones you don't make and it's not even always the GMs choice.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

By the same token, DL got lucky when getting turned down by Chara, Brad Richards, Hossa, Kovalchuk, others I'm sure I'm forgetting.

Sometimes the best moves are the ones you don't make and it's not even always the GMs choice.

Tried to sign Drury, Gomez, attempted to trade for Ray Whitney, he was successful in extending Dan Cloutier however.

 

[bland]

By the same token, DL got lucky when getting turned down by Chara, Brad Richards, Hossa, Kovalchuk, others I'm sure I'm forgetting.

Sometimes the best moves are the ones you don't make and it's not even always the GMs choice.

Did he though? We have no idea what impact that any of those stars could have had on a building team.

Its far easier to see how detrimental Pacioretty would likely have been because of the circumstances - everybody knew that the team needed to rebuild at that time, and stripmining all of the futures for one more retirement contract most likely would have been catastrophic for the organization.

Chara and Hossa in particular would have been fantastic additions. I still say Hossa is the absolutely perfect winger for Kopitar. Even Brad Richards had an immediate impact for the Rags, even though they paid an ultra premium for the last remaining quality years of his career.

Deano never wanted Kovalchuk, he made damn sure that Lieweke didn't get his man.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Did he though? We have no idea what impact that any of those stars could have had on a building team.

Its far easier to see how detrimental Pacioretty would likely have been because of the circumstances - everybody knew that the team needed to rebuild at that time, and stripmining all of the futures for one more retirement contract most likely would have been catastrophic for the organization.

Chara and Hossa in particular would have been fantastic additions. I still say Hossa is the absolutely perfect winger for Kopitar. Even Brad Richards had an immediate impact for the Rags, even though they paid an ultra premium for the last remaining quality years of his career.

Deano never wanted Kovalchuk, he made damn sure that Lieweke didn't get his man.

You're right, at best it's hard to tell. Butterfly effect on future acquisitions, though.

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

Blake lost one of his only available assets - cap space - signing Kovalchuk. He ALSO tried to trade his only other remaining assets to acquire Pacioretty. He got lucky when Pacioretty turned him down.

But he has no blame whatsoever in Kubalik.

LMFAO

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

Just look no further than Cal Petersen, who the Sabres lost for nothing, and he was a former 5th round selection who they missed out on signing and didn't move his rights before becoming a UFA.

Your comparing Petersen to Kubalik...Wow F...ing wow!