Speculation: Fire Rob Blake Blow it Up Offseason Thread (update: Robitaille, Blake and Hiller stay)

[bland]

Is there EVER going to be a point where this absolutely incorrect information stops being repeated or does it have to be debunked over and over again until the end of time?

Faber doesn't even want to play for America.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

I havent even seen his talent to be honest. He is a big guy that can skate when he feels like it. His passes are not crisp, his shot is not that accurate. His possession skills are dog sh-t. I honestly don't think he is even that talented.

You haven't been paying attention, his possession skills are probably as close to Kopitar's on the team, the only issue he has, is heart/drive/motivation, his skill is 100% there.

 

[Bandit]

Faber doesn't even want to play ice hockey.

 

[SmytheKing]

Faber doesn't even want to play ice hockey.

After his stint in the UFC and getting diverticulitis I don't even see why he's still wrestling either.

 

[Herby]

Is there EVER going to be a point where this absolutely incorrect information stops being repeated or does it have to be debunked over and over again until the end of time?

No.

BTW, had Faber taken that route he would be eligible to sign a contract in August that would pay him 925k for 24/25, 25/26 and 26/27 but instead will be eligible to sign a massive extension this summer that will begin for the 25/26 season.

 

[chris kontos]

we are the california los angeles angels of anaheim of the nhl.

 

[KopitarGOAT420]

Hiller has a good track record as a pp coach, a very good one. I think the roster is the issue, not him.

Definitely disagree, especially with respect to special teams.

The Kings have talented enough players to have at least a half decent powerplay and penalty kill - Even against the Oilers. It's definitely more of a coaching issue IMO - Especially when you look at the lack of adjustments.

This team has scored 0 powerplay goals this series and we're still throwing the exact same 1st unit out there over and over again. Boston's powerplay was struggling earlier and they legit took Pasta off the first unit to try to switch things up - and it worked. If they can make an adjustment like that surely the Kings could make a change or two as well, right?

Kempe, Byfield, Fiala, Doughty, Kopitar, Danault, Arvidsson, Spence, Moore, hell even Dubois.... The Kings have the skilled players necessary to create a solid powerplay. You also have players like Kaliyev, Clarke, and Fagemo in the organization who you could insert into the lineup & on the powerplay to try to shake things up.

Same for the penalty kill. You have VERY good defensive centers in Kopitar, Danault, and Lizotte at your disposal. You also have strong defensive wingers like Kempe, Moore, Byfield, and Lewis to couple with those centers. You have solid defensive defensemen like Doughty, Roy, Anderson, and Gavrikov. You should be able to run a half decent PK with the players at your disposal.

This Kings roster has flaws in other areas for sure - But I have a hard time with the idea that the special teams issues are a matter of poor roster construction.

 

[Omni Owl]

Its unlikely Faber would have cracked the roster this season anyway, time to let go of the woulda/coulda. Chances are he'd have been stuck down in the AHL, instead of playing in the superior US College system.

Also, I hate that the best era of King's jersey is associated with not winning a Cup. And they might bring back that design in an obvious down cycle in the franchise, but at least they'll look good while in the black hole. I'm also surprised no one has done a variation Kings playing card jersey.

 

[Statto]

Maybe it's my shitty memory, but the PP from October 1st, til yesterday has remained the same, no movement, perimiter passing, occassionally they attack from down low...but there is no congruent movement, there is no shot mentality, there is very little get to the net....

You’re probably right… I’ve repressed most of the season

 

[BigKing]

Its unlikely Faber would have cracked the roster this season anyway, time to let go of the woulda/coulda. Chances are he'd have been stuck down in the AHL, instead of playing in the superior US College system.

Also, I hate that the best era of King's jersey is associated with not winning a Cup. And they might bring back that design in an obvious down cycle in the franchise, but at least they'll look good while in the black hole. I'm also surprised no one has done a variation Kings playing card jersey.

I've broken this down before, but Spence was put in the lineup on a playoff team down the stretch in 2022 and even got in the playoffs that year. 2019 draft pick. 24 regular season games and three playoff games.

Faber is a 2020 pick. Blake tried to sign him at the very same time that Spence was getting those 2022 minutes and don't think for a second that getting NHL ice immediately wasn't being dangled in front of him to entice him not to go back to college.

Faber is better--and/or tracking better--than every Kings prospect drafted since Doughty with only Byfield being in the argument. Clarke could be argued--definitely as an offensive presence--but Faber is definitely the safer of the two. I mean, almost 25 minutes a night in his first full pro season and 47 points when scoring was always the knock against him. That's only eight less points than Byfield.

All Faber has done is immediately excel and take over at every level he's played at since being drafted. Name it and he did it. Minnesota, gold medal WJC team in his D+1 year, 2022 Olympics, NHL. I know everyone wants to believe that Blake and Co. will make every prospect marinate but Faber would be too good to be denied. I mean, Laferriere has played this entire season from the hop and Faber is miles ahead of him. Faber's game also lends itself to meshing with a coach who is worried about his job v. a wild card like Clarke.

He would have played. No problem.

 

[CarlSneep]

My current hope is that we throw a bunch of money at Rod Brindamour and get him to bring someone from Carolina over to be GM. Maybe he can convince Justin Williams to come back as the guy who waves at fans.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I've broken this down before, but Spence was put in the lineup on a playoff team down the stretch in 2022 and even got in the playoffs that year. 2019 draft pick. 24 regular season games and three playoff games.

Faber is a 2020 pick. Blake tried to sign him at the very same time that Spence was getting those 2022 minutes and don't think for a second that getting NHL ice immediately wasn't being dangled in front of him to entice him not to go back to college.

Faber is better--and/or tracking better--than every Kings prospect drafted since Doughty with only Byfield being in the argument. Clarke could be argued--definitely as an offensive presence--but Faber is definitely the safer of the two. I mean, almost 25 minutes a night in his first full pro season and 47 points when scoring was always the knock against him. That's only eight less points than Byfield.

All Faber has done is immediately excel and take over at every level he's played at since being drafted. Name it and he did it. Minnesota, gold medal WJC team in his D+1 year, 2022 Olympics, NHL. I know everyone wants to believe that Blake and Co. will make every prospect marinate but Faber would be too good to be denied. I mean, Laferriere has played this entire season from the hop and Faber is miles ahead of him. Faber's game also lends itself to meshing with a coach who is worried about his job v. a wild card like Clarke.

He would have played. No problem.

Spence didn't get into the lineup because of the genius of foresight, Spence got into the lineup because we tied the NHL record for # of dmen started in a year. It was the same with Durzi. Both of those guys had games of 28+ minutes because they HAD to--and looked good doing it--and look where they've gone since.

Most other teams will see what Faber is doing and go "hey let's give him a little bit more and see what he can handle" and when he isn't overwhelmed, let him handle it. The Kings put them in when there's an injury and when they pass with flying colors, they reduce their playing time until fully healthy, then say "hey thanks for the OTGWG kid, go down and learn some more, your time is coming when you're 25."

No, there's no way Faber would be playing. And that says nothing about him and everything about the Kings.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Spence didn't get into the lineup because of the genius of foresight, Spence got into the lineup because we tied the NHL record for # of dmen started in a year. It was the same with Durzi. Both of those guys had games of 28+ minutes because they HAD to--and looked good doing it--and look where they've gone since.

Most other teams will see what Faber is doing and go "hey let's give him a little bit more and see what he can handle" and when he isn't overwhelmed, let him handle it. The Kings put them in when there's an injury and when they pass with flying colors, they reduce their playing time until fully healthy, then say "hey thanks for the OTGWG kid, go down and learn some more, your time is coming when you're 25."

No, there's no way Faber would be playing. And that says nothing about him and everything about the Kings.

Actually it says everything about your mindset, and nothing about reality, the Kings, Faber or Dick Van Dyke....

You are projecting what you THINK would happen.....and trying to pass that off as reality

 

[Statto]

Actually it says everything about your mindset, and nothing about reality, the Kings, Faber or Dick Van Dyke....

You are projecting what you THINK would happen.....and trying to pass that off as reality

Yeah but Stetcher (so) was preferred over Spence and Walker was preferred over both him and Spence despite being poor most of last season. Durzi brought something different so at least I could see a place for him. Both Spence and Clarke have been passed over in favour of poor players with no future, with short term (failed) hopes being the priority over long term results.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Yeah but Stetcher (so) was preferred over Spence and Walker was preferred over both him and Spence despite being poor most of last season. Durzi brought something different so at least I could see a place for him. Both Spence and Clarke have been passed over in favour of poor players with no future, with short term (failed) hopes being the priority over long term results.

Was he though, his entire 13 games? Vs Spence's 24, and Walker's 6

Stecher only played one season, was brought in as a deadline deal for depth, which is what he provided....not sure that's the line in the sand there....

You say Spence and Clarke have been passed over for poor players, which poor players? Doughty, Roy, Durzi, Walker? (assuming we are keeping them side related)

 

[BigKing]

Spence didn't get into the lineup because of the genius of foresight, Spence got into the lineup because we tied the NHL record for # of dmen started in a year. It was the same with Durzi. Both of those guys had games of 28+ minutes because they HAD to--and looked good doing it--and look where they've gone since.

Most other teams will see what Faber is doing and go "hey let's give him a little bit more and see what he can handle" and when he isn't overwhelmed, let him handle it. The Kings put them in when there's an injury and when they pass with flying colors, they reduce their playing time until fully healthy, then say "hey thanks for the OTGWG kid, go down and learn some more, your time is coming when you're 25."

No, there's no way Faber would be playing. And that says nothing about him and everything about the Kings.

Well, Durzi didn't look like he even deserved a shot and then came into the AHL season in 2021-22 guns blazing and took advantage of the early call-up due to injuries. Spence earned 1st Team AHL honors in 2022 even after being called up and never going back that season. I think you have more of a mix of earning the call-up/opportunity arriving v. solely because they had to have a body RE: Spence.

I hate this regime as well but I think it is a pile on to believe Brock Faber would be in the AHL this season while using Clarke as the reference point.

 

[Sol]

This notion that Minnesota Faber was going to be LA Faber is the most moronic thing I've read on these boards in a long time. The LA Kings are the Kings of mismanaging young players. Be realistic.

Kings don't even trust Byfield enough to put him on the last 2 minutes of a playoff game when we have pylons like Victor Arvidsson getting more trust than him.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Well, Durzi didn't look like he even deserved a shot and then came into the AHL season in 2021-22 guns blazing and took advantage of the early call-up due to injuries. Spence earned 1st Team AHL honors in 2022 even after being called up and never going back that season. I think you have more of a mix of earning the call-up/opportunity arriving v. solely because they had to have a body RE: Spence.

I hate this regime as well but I think it is a pile on to believe Brock Faber would be in the AHL this season while using Clarke as the reference point.

I just don't think it's unfair because we don't have a reference point otherwise...like who are the exceptions? The only one really is Byfield, and I think there's a good argument to be made they did that in service of Kopitar more than of QB at the time.

Guys did come in and relatively blow the doors off only to be sent back to the AHL for entire seasons. Clarke was the best dman on the ice for 6 of his first 7 games--then they moved him to the left and when he couldn't solve their self-inflicted problems, he got absolutely buried to NOT PLAY in the AHL for a full month before the world juniors.

I get what you're saying, and we have plenty of reasons to pile on these guys without inventing additional hypotheticals...and it's just my opinion but I think it's reasonably supported. The same was the conversation around Stutzle. "How can you keep this guy down?" LA Kings: Hold my beer.

 

[BigKing]

Thinking Faber would be ruined--especially if he stayed in school like he did--by the Kings is part coping and part of the ongoing anger placed on the current regime.

I've got tons of the latter but I'm not trying to make myself feel better about Faber. Kid has been a stud at every level and plays a poised and polished game that is exactly what the Kings covet over flash and danger which is Clarke's thing.

Also, Kaliyev played right away as well. It isn't something that's never happened.

 

[Statto]

Was he though, his entire 13 games? Vs Spence's 24, and Walker's 6

Stecher only played one season, was brought in as a deadline deal for depth, which is what he provided....not sure that's the line in the sand there....

You say Spence and Clarke have been passed over for poor players, which poor players? Doughty, Roy, Durzi, Walker? (assuming we are keeping them side related)

Stecher played and Spence say IIRC in the playoffs and Walker played over both, when his form didn’t warrant it (both eye test and advanced stats). Clarke was outplaying him before they had him sitting during long stretches not wanting to activate his ELC. There is certainly a reasonable discussion to be had around Durzi playing ahead of them also as he was never going to be here long term. One of Clarke or Spence should have played 3RD last season and Spence should have played over Stecher in ‘22. Sure Stecher did not play that many games but when the choice was him or Spence he played… not very well, whereas Spence did play well when called upon.

That’s how I remember it anyway, I didn’t bother checking the numbers and I’m tired (minor car accident today… some twat took my front driver side wheel arch out, attempting to drive his van through a gap it was never going to get through… whilst speeding - no injuries, I’m just grumpy).

 

[tbrown33]

PDOCast mirroring a lot of our gripes (starting around 40 mins)

The contrast in messaging bw the Kings org after Game 4 (we need to play the exact same way we played in a game where we lost and didnt score) vs literally everyone else is so telling.

"it's the perfect encapsulation about everything I hate about poor offensive hockey in today's game and they do it time and time again"

"it's a lack of creativity"

"this team should certainly use Brandt Clarke and his creativity right now."

"they have a lot of stuff to answer. they're going down this dark and dangerous path of being a cautionary tale. hopefully they can right it in the summer and nail that coaching hire."

 

[Sol]

Thinking Faber would be ruined is cope? How on earth do you even come to that conclusion when only Byfield is the only success of the rebuild currently on the roster? What the f***? Byfield is the only player who has even been given a real chance to play and that includes the fact that the Kings dont even trust him enough to play 3 on 3 on top of the fact that trashcans like Arvy is the one out on a 6 on 5 in the last minutes of the Oilers game. You have guys like Lizzotte and Lewis taking prominent time from guys like Thomas and Turcotte who have shown a lot more promise at this point of their careers. Im sorry but it is truly delusional to watch Faber on the Wild and think to yourself, "wow if only the Kings held onto him". Its just devoid of all logic and precedence.

 

[Schmooley]

"they have a lot of stuff to answer.

Actually a big issue is they really dont. They dont answer to anyone. Its always they are the smartest organization and dont dare question it. They got their lineup they wanted to start the year with and will not change a thing. Its clearly not working and they are on the ropes but theyd rather lose like this than try anything that wasnt written on Blakes vision board that was written before training camp.

 

[tbrown33]

Actually a big issue is they really dont. They dont answer to anyone. Its always they are the smartest organization and dont dare question it. They got their lineup they wanted to start the year with and will not change a thing. Its clearly not working and they are on the ropes but theyd rather lose like this than try anything that wasnt written on Blakes vision board that was written before training camp.

Sadly you are 100% correct.

 

[Schmooley]

Sadly you are 100% correct.

During that bad stretch when Maclellan got fired fans were commenting about it on social media and members of the organization were fighting with people online. Its a totally bizarre and looney management group that has turned into an echo chamber. They surround themselves with themselves.
I do not mind egos in the sports and entertainment industries and Id have no problem with it if they were as good as they think they are.