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

[FSL KINGS]

Blake, times running out. King's still need that big right handed forward splash. Just up your offer a little & get it done.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Blake has pivoted in The Plan. He's now playing the youth, allegedly & picked up phisical players to protect the youth. He's saying physical players are the path to playoff success. Not buying Edmundson is the missing piece for a cup.

The King's feel like they're at a point where Byfield & Clarke aren't going to develop into impact players before Kopi & Doughty fade. Also doesn't look like the Kings are going to be able to add a player that's a bridge between them. It's a bit early still, but will become quite obvious in the near future that the King's are doing another rebuild. They're simply out of options.

Last year the focus was on winning. This year it's becoming clear the focus needs to be on the future & the future team they want to build. If Gavrikov doesn't want to be here for the long term, fine. Move him. It's time to focus on the future.

They'll probably promote Fagemo to running Kaliyev's hotdog stand after trading Kaliyev.

C. Jones is a nothing piece. Probably AHL insurance if other player get poached

Where is any of that coming from? What pivot toward youth? They're trying to make the playoffs, and hope they get a good run in. That's it. They're going year by year, throwing shit at the wall to see if anything sticks. They'll keep doing that until Doughty is done.

If they're in the race come the deadline, they're not going to trade Gavrikov, even if he says he's never re-signing. They want to make the playoffs, and play as many games as they can.

 

[FSL KINGS]

Where is any of that coming from? What pivot toward youth? They're trying to make the playoffs, and hope they get a good run in. That's it. They're going year by year, throwing shit at the wall to see if anything sticks. They'll keep doing that until Doughty is done.

If they're in the race come the deadline, they're not going to trade Gavrikov, even if he says he's never re-signing. They want to make the playoffs, and play as many games as they can.

If this is the case they're going to hit a rebuild like a brick wall & it will be glorious.

 

[MonkeysUncle]

Blake, times running out. King's still need that big right handed forward splash. Just up your offer a little & get it done.

Blake already resigned Trevor Lewis.

 

[theMajor]

I don’t want to hear any glazing of the drafting or anyone until the Kings have any of them pan out.

a lil glazin' never hurt anyone

 

[King'sPawn]

.I think LA was hoping to get a 3rd for Kaliyev at the draft so they could have taken George in that draft spot but when that didn't happen they had to jump on him in the 2nd because he wasn't lasting until the 4th.

That's my suspicion as well.

My question for you...what are the odds that we can maybe see George vs Slukynsky as the World Junior Starters for US and Canada?

Good question and something I thought about, too! George on Team Canada seems more likely. They leaned on him during the Hlinka Gretzky and U18 WJC last season, and Canada's starter from 2024 will be too old this season. So, he at least has a good chance of being the starter.

With USA, Trey Augustine has been their starter and he's eligible for one more year. Barring a collapse or injury, they'll probably lean more on him. But I wouldn't be surprised if Slukynsky still made the team and was a backup. I just think it's a longshot to see a head-to-head battle, as fun as that would be.

 

[MonkeysUncle]

Blake already resigned Trevor Lewis.

I all seriousness I would like Blake to call Columbus about Krill Marchenko, he's a right handed shot. Maybe they would be interested in Moore and Kaliyev swap.

 

[Peter James Bond III]

Gotcha.

If Yannetti followed his strict criteria he’d have had George in a certain tier and if he was the only player left in that tier he’s BPA and taken. I don’t actually think that was the case, so he was selected on additional criteria… I think. I don’t mind us having such a strong goalie pipeline because a lot of goalies that are expected to be NHL player fall short. I think it has bitten us in the recent past and they want to be sure it doesn’t happen again. They have probably factored in the college guys going pro later than CHL players in the prospect age distribution. So it will probably filter through ok…. If that makes any sense. So I’m not sure they are looking to move anyone, but couldn’t rule it out.

I like George and it's finally good to have quality goaltending in the prospect pool....Yannetti stated in a recent interview, that he views all prospects / players in the system as 'NHL currency' and he realizes some will be dealt. Hoven said he was going to have a post draft pod with Yannetti and surprised it has not happened. Looking forward to that. I think he went off to Europe to see bands. lol.

I was always baffled about the 10 years of famine in the goalie pipeline, whereas they never drafted / developed 1 quality goaltender the level of any of these 3, they have added in 15 months. Their best hits were free agents, or reclamations like Jones and Campbell.

Not sure how this will play out. Yannetti stated he believes George will become a pro, 1 yr before Slukynsky, Let's say he does great in yr 1 in Ontario and Portillo is the #1 and holding up ok. Slukynsky may want to go free agent and sign elsewhere. This may not end well. Have hundreds of other issues to worry about until then!

 

[Peter James Bond III]

Someone is asking on lakingsinsider what this year's motto will be.

I already have some. 'we will be right there again'
and
Hagens or Martone? translation: Kings will be in the lottery and who do you prefer? Most won't get that, until maybe December, when the Kings are 11-20.

Is it too early to discuss the crop of '25?

2025 NHL Draft Ranking - Elite Prospects

User submitted ranking at Eliteprospects.com - 2025 NHL Draft Ranking

www.eliteprospects.com

Early January, there will be a thread. SELL, SELL, SELL!
for the deadline.

 

[KingsOfCali25]

Someone is asking on lakingsinsider what this year's motto will be.

I already have some. 'we will be right there again'
and
Hagens or Martone? translation: Kings will be in the lottery and who do you prefer? Most won't get that, until maybe December, when the Kings are 11-20.

Is it too early to discuss the crop of '25?

2025 NHL Draft Ranking - Elite Prospects

User submitted ranking at Eliteprospects.com - 2025 NHL Draft Ranking

www.eliteprospects.com

Early January, there will be a thread. SELL, SELL, SELL!
for the deadline.

Why wait? Sell now!

I'm waiting to see if we start a top10 prospects list and what the results will look like

 

[MonkeysUncle]

Why wait? Sell now!

I'm waiting to see if we start a top10 prospects list and what the results will look like

'We are on cusp, of what we dont know"

 

[Telos]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1809603221343633767

The only thing I like about this organization right now is the drafting. Yannetti and the amateur scouting staff seem to do a good job.

The pro scouts on the other hand....not sure what's going on over there.

I don't think that team has changed too much since they were installed by Lombardi. We've done a decent job of making good/reasonable picks. Of course, there were big blunders, and Yannetti would be the first to admit that, and we've found out that Blake has had a hand in some pick selections against their advice recently.

The main issue has been handling them after selecting them which I don't think Blake has any idea what he is doing there.

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

My worst fear is ownership is so lazy and disconnected they let Blake do a rebuild with Bergy riding shotgun and this goes on another 6 years!

 

[MonkeysUncle]

My worst fear is ownership is so lazy and disconnected they let Blake do a rebuild with Bergy riding shotgun and this goes on another 6 years!

That's what going to happen as long as Luc is around and ownership does not get there head out of the ground. As I have said nobody above Luc is looking out for the best interest of the the Kings on ice success. There are a small blip in AEGs world

 

[Telos]

While I wouldn't root against the team, missing the playoffs might be the best possible thing this year because Blake is way over his expiration date and the bleeding has to stop. This front office needs to be cleaned and irradicated. We need whatever that needs to happen for AEG to act to actually happen and put a close to this era.

I love Luc, he's my favorite player all-time, and he's always been very gracious and good with fans, but he absolutely has no idea what he is doing in a managing role and cannot be behind any decisions on the ice. He's gotta go if he can't be placed in a non-hockey operation role.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

Any possibility that Ken Holland could be offered the President job and he cleans house next year? Personally if I owned the Kings, it would have been offered yesterday.

 

[johnjm22]

My worst fear is ownership is so lazy and disconnected they let Blake do a rebuild with Bergy riding shotgun and this goes on another 6 years!

My worst fear is they keep wasting future assets trying to prop up the current team. Then when guys like Byfield and Clarke hit their prime, there won't be enough of a supporting cast to make them a contender. Thus another decade of mediocrity.

If they stay on the current path, it could be 20 years of mediocrity at least.

 

[FSL KINGS]

Necas is probably their first choice. Speedy, right handed wing. Wants a shot at center & wants to go to the team most likely to give him a shot. Carolina wants a forward. Ehlers, wpg, is the name being thrown around.

Marner: average shot, huge ask on new contract. Only owed 775k for the rest of the season after bonus paid out so getting a bottom feeder to retain around 300-400k in real money shouldn't be too bad. This seems unlikely.

Laine, still in players assistants program. Two more years at 7.8. Wouldn't be a terrible gamble. If he rebounds, great! If not, you're not stuck with Kuemper for 3 years. CBJ needs Left shutdown D & doesn't want to retain.

Byfield & Spence contracts probably on hold until Blake finds out if he needs to bridge them or sign long term. Could go with the Mikey special, signing a low 1 year deal & a big extension following it.

 

[johnjm22]

cleans house next year

I admire your optimism.

 

[FSL KINGS]

We're on the Titanic. Bust out the champagne & get the band playing! Make some exciting trades, try to hold onto next year's first round pick in case it's a lottery pick.

Edit: & hope Blake is gone before the next rebuild.

 

[MonkeysUncle]

While I wouldn't root against the team, missing the playoffs might be the best possible thing this year because Blake is way over his expiration date and the bleeding has to stop. This front office needs to be cleaned and irradicated. We need whatever that needs to happen for AEG to act to actually happen and put a close to this era.

I love Luc, he's my favorite player all-time, and he's always been very gracious and good with fans, but he absolutely has no idea what he is doing in a managing role and cannot be behind any decisions on the ice. He's gotta go if he can't be placed in a non-hockey operation role.

Great Hockey players, dont always make good let alone great hockey minds off the ice. I think it shows what kind of person he is when things started going downhill hill with Lombardi and he was going behind his back, cuz wanted his job and wasn't happy he wasn't getting credit for The cups (which he shouldn't anyways, he was on busines side).

Luc should be very happy he wasn't drafted by bv this group or the way they development skill players, he would end up like Kaliyev has

 

[FrozenKing18]

While I wouldn't root against the team, missing the playoffs might be the best possible thing this year because Blake is way over his expiration date and the bleeding has to stop. This front office needs to be cleaned and irradicated. We need whatever that needs to happen for AEG to act to actually happen and put a close to this era.

I love Luc, he's my favorite player all-time, and he's always been very gracious and good with fans, but he absolutely has no idea what he is doing in a managing role and cannot be behind any decisions on the ice. He's gotta go if he can't be placed in a non-hockey operation role.

This is why I was on board on missing the playoffs last year. With the shitty PLD extension, firing Todd, missing the playoffs would've been cherry on top and could have been the trigger to clean house. But who knows if ownership even gives a shit.

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

This is why I was on board on missing the playoffs last year. With the shitty PLD extension, firing Todd, missing the playoffs would've been cherry on top and could have been the trigger to clean house. But who knows if ownership even gives a shit.

I really don’t think they do!

 

[BoneHutson]

Necas is probably their first choice. Speedy, right handed wing. Wants a shot at center & wants to go to the team most likely to give him a shot. Carolina wants a forward. Ehlers, wpg, is the name being thrown around.

Marner: average shot, huge ask on new contract. Only owed 775k for the rest of the season after bonus paid out so getting a bottom feeder to retain around 300-400k in real money shouldn't be too bad. This seems unlikely.

Laine, still in players assistants program. Two more years at 7.8. Wouldn't be a terrible gamble. If he rebounds, great! If not, you're not stuck with Kuemper for 3 years. CBJ needs Left shutdown D & doesn't want to retain.

Byfield & Spence contracts probably on hold until Blake finds out if he needs to bridge them or sign long term. Could go with the Mikey special, signing a low 1 year deal & a big extension following it.

How do you expect to sign Byfield and Spence if you acquire Laine or Necas both starting at 7m a year? You guys have 10,6m left

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

What could.have been.

What I though should have happened vs BLuc

Vilardi-Stutzle-Kempe
Moore-Danault-Zegras
Kaliyev-Helinuis-Iafollo
Tough-tough-tough


Anderson-Doughty
Chychrun-Faber
Sign a mobile physical guy -Clarke

S. Knight/Quick

We would have no doubt had 2 top ten picks (Geekie and Stramel) as well the last 2 years before this year getting ready to make those forward corps that much better. Our D is f***ing solid and to be honest you probably had a shot at signing a couple free agents this summer to make that middle 6 a little better. We would be coming out of a rebuild both barrels locked and loaded. Instead we have a rebuild that already has no legs under it and we have no chance at improving over last year.

Granted my moves were not pwrf cut either but they 100% put us in a better spot than where we are at.most of the moves were ones I didn’t make. Blake’s biggest mistakes were abandoning the legit rebuild way too soon.