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

[Statto]

Here is the roster Rob Blake iced his first season as Kings GM.

View attachment 897316

7 years later, we still have 5 of the same players. Three of them our the opening night starters at center, defense and goal. Our 4C is now the best player. And Lewis is still blocking kids.

Listening to the Mayor talk to Boomer Gordon was entertaining for all the wrong reasons. First he ejaculated over getting rid of Dubois. Then he again compared Blake’s big misses to Lombardi’s for some reason. And finally he tripled down on mission accomplished for the offseason.

Since Dubois bounced, this guy is completely relieved to never talk about Dubois again. And if he is asked about it, he’s sticking to Blake pulling off a miracle by not surrendering more than he did to Washington. If he had put an opinion out there like that prior to the trade, he’d have a modicum of credibility but he has zero.

Next he compares Dean’s batting average to Blake’s at big swings. He says both had big misses, but glosses over Rob’s .000 average at the plate. Fiala is his biggest hit and the team is worse in the playoffs right afterwards.

And his biggest spin was the top party line message to the fanbase for the offseason. He literally told fans to discard the idea that concrete plans are more than one year at a time. Instead we should believe that every offseason plan was done with the best intentions, both short and long term.

And this seasons plan is team toughness. Which is a joke for any objective fan. We all know that when things fall apart the local media will be ready to shovel out the shit with an ear to ear grin.

I like Hoven but I agree that he was overly optimistic.

The trade to Washington's could be considered one of the great trades if it was a new GM cleaning up someone else’s mess. Unfortunately Blake was cleaning up his own dump.

The rest… meh. I agree the DL comparisons were misplaced.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I like Hoven but I agree that he was overly optimistic.

The trade to Washington's could be considered one of the great trades if it was a new GM cleaning up someone else’s mess. Unfortunately Blake was cleaning up his own dump.

The rest… meh. I agree the DL comparisons were misplaced.

Right it's like the Petersen move

on one hand, saavy play to get rid of a problem

on the main hand--how many problems of your own creation do you get to bail yourself out of and WHY do you keep getting props for it?

I wish I could go to work and get props for cleaning the common area after trashing it...not just props but an extension

I said even after his first season or two I DO appreciate Rob's lack of worrying about sunk cost fallacy but I also didn't know he'd just keep making costly mistakes.

 

[bland]

I like Hoven but I agree that he was overly optimistic.

The trade to Washington's could be considered one of the great trades if it was a new GM cleaning up someone else’s mess. Unfortunately Blake was cleaning up his own dump.

The rest… meh. I agree the DL comparisons were misplaced.

Let's revisit this once folks get a look at Kuemper. I understand the joy in dumping Dubois, but ain't nobody should be celebrating the acquisition of a 34 year old goalie with three years left on a $5 mil + deal who is coming off of a terrible year behind a stifling defensive team.

 

[King'sPawn]

I like Mayor, but I take with grain of salt as he is more pro management. He has to keep sources, won't rock boat. I do like Boomer to , but really wish he actually had someone else on at times that would make less excuses and more unbiased.
I am just though we do have multiple people covering team, I just take each at face value

Yep. I don't agree with all of Hoven's takes, but I get where he comes from. He's seemingly more receptive to learning and hearing of the evolution and development of plans, instead of speculating the ramifications of actions behind the plans.

Mind you, this isn't anything he's said to me. Just my general opinion based on what he seemingly gets more excited about in his articles and podcasts/appearances

But I am glad there are various outlets. Even though I write for MM, I appreciate additional options to help keep dialog going, but also to look at issues from different angles not previously considered. But it's important to remember they're all angles.

 

[kingsboy11]

Let's revisit this once folks get a look at Kuemper. I understand the joy in dumping Dubois, but ain't nobody should be celebrating the acquisition of a 34 year old goalie with three years left on a $5 mil + deal who is coming off of a terrible year behind a stifling defensive team.

If he sucks, then he sucks. They can buy him out next offseason at a much better rate than a Dubois buyout.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Let's revisit this once folks get a look at Kuemper. I understand the joy in dumping Dubois, but ain't nobody should be celebrating the acquisition of a 34 year old goalie with three years left on a $5 mil + deal who is coming off of a terrible year behind a stifling defensive team.

Kuemper wasn't good last year but "stifling" is a bit hyperbolic when referring to the Caps as a defensive team.

• 8th worst in shot attempts against per 60 last year
• 11th worst in shots against per 60 last year
• 12th worst in xGA per 60 last year
• 17th (i.e., mushy middle) in overall scoring chances against per 60 last year
• 18th (i.e., mushy middle again) in high-danger chances against per 60 last year

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I mean as always there’s nothing wrong with being excited about the franchise, even unreservedly.

It’s the judgment of unshared views and thumbed noses that gets rightfully meteored

 

[MonkeysUncle]

Kuemper wasn't good last year but "stifling" is a bit hyperbolic when referring to the Caps as a defensive team.

• 8th worst in shot attempts against per 60 last year
• 11th worst in shots against per 60 last year
• 12th worst in xGA per 60 last year
• 17th (i.e., mushy middle) in overall scoring chances against per 60 last year
• 18th (i.e., mushy middle again) in high-danger chances against per 60 last year

Since the Kings don't appear to be making any significant changes to the way they play, I think Kuemper should do fine. He wont be asked to save games and let's face it more time than not when a goalie plays here they seem to do better than almost anywhere else they had.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Since the Kings don't appear to be making any significant changes to the way they play, I think Kuemper should do fine. He wont be asked to save games and let's face it more time than not when a goalie plays here they seem to do better than almost anywhere else they had.

I worry it’ll turn out like Talbot though.

Kuemper should have a good start to the season and thus they’ll overplay him till he breaks down, rinse, repeat, act shocked

 

[MonkeysUncle]

I worry it’ll turn out like Talbot though.

Kuemper should have a good start to the season and thus they’ll overplay him till he breaks down, rinse, repeat, act shocked

I am never shocked by what this coaching and management team does anymore , oh wait forgot for second about the Joel Edmundson signing, nevermind ..

 

[johnjm22]

Kuemper doesn't have much to play for.

He'd be 37 years old on his next contract. So this is probably the end for him.

He's already won a Stanley Cup.

He's going to be on a middling non-contending team.

Gets paid 14.25M over the next 3 years. (9.5M if bought out)

 

[MonkeysUncle]

Kuemper doesn't have much to play for.

He'd be 37 years old on his next contract. So this is probably the end for him.

He's already won a Stanley Cup.

He's going to be on a middling non-contending team.

Gets paid 14.25M over the next 3 years. (9.5M if bought out)

I could see him being bought after season, depending on what cap hit would be going forward

 

[johnjm22]

I could see him being bought after season, depending on what cap hit would be going forward

4 Years:

3.4M
3.4M
700K
700K

 

[BaileyFan]

Right it's like the Petersen move

on one hand, saavy play to get rid of a problem

on the main hand--how many problems of your own creation do you get to bail yourself out of and WHY do you keep getting props for it?

I wish I could go to work and get props for cleaning the common area after trashing it...not just props but an extension

I said even after his first season or two I DO appreciate Rob's lack of worrying about sunk cost fallacy but I also didn't know he'd just keep making costly mistakes.

The Petersen trade sucked in a vacuum too though. Nothing savvy about giving up a 2nd, former 2nd, and a tradeable asset to effectively save less than $2 million after factoring in Provorov and the fact they could’ve just left Cal in Ontario.

PLD to Washington however is undeniably magical. It will go down as easily the best trade that Blake will ever make in his GM career. The fact that he made the mess in the first place or that he’s since pissed away the savings on more bad players doesn’t change that.

 

[Statto]

Let's revisit this once folks get a look at Kuemper. I understand the joy in dumping Dubois, but ain't nobody should be celebrating the acquisition of a 34 year old goalie with three years left on a $5 mil + deal who is coming off of a terrible year behind a stifling defensive team.

I don’t disagree but it’s hard to imagine he will be worse than PLD and it is 3 vs 7 years. It’s also a much better buy out if needed.

 

[MonkeysUncle]

I don’t disagree but it’s hard to imagine he will be worse than PLD and it is 3 vs 7 years. It’s also a much better buy out if needed.

Let's see how it plays out, I think for next year he's going to be solid to pretty good as I think he wants to prove people wrong about last year. I think then at that point if they fill Portillo is ready they could buy him out and then as it was pointed out by johnjm22 the cap hit would be
3.4M
3.4M
700K
700K
For the next 4 years, now compare that to Plds remaining contract and if he's plays really well next year you keep him for the 2nd year and buyout his final year , which I think would still look favorable.

 

[johnjm22]

Kuemper could be the worst goalie in the league and PLD could score 70pts next year and I'd still do that deal.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Next year PLD will either return to form or totally fizzle out and Wash will be stuck with 6 years of a 8.5 million.

 

[Lt Dan]

Next year PLD will either return to form or totally fizzle out and Wash will be stuck with 6 years of a 8.5 million.

I am hoping that the old addage " a tiger can't change its spots" continues to true with him.
I drank the Kool-aid last summer.

Even after the koala was fired, he tried for aa few games and then returned to form and was our worst player in the playoffs

 

[RocketKing]

Why?

Why?

Not trying to be a smart ass here but honestly who should be accountable for what this player does?

It has to be him.

AK and the past situation is what it is at this point, and it could have been better in many ways. But now and from here on forward, the question is solely his to answer this - what does he do with that?

AK must make some serious adjustments or his career is soon to be over. If he makes them here or whatever new team he might get onto, they still have to be made. So the one best thing that I think he can do at this point is this, COMMIT. Commit to do whatever the team says they need you to do, put the ugliness and anger aside and just focus on being the best whatever the hell they say yo need to be. And when I say the best at whatever they want, I mean to live, eat, and breathe THAT.

To start with, that will earn him another shot and maybe more ice time. Also, and maybe for him most importantly, is that other potential suitors for him might be impressed to see this change in him and may make something happen to get him.

When it’s all said and done, no matter how nicely a team treats you or not, your success is 100% and only yours to own. I think that AKs big problem is he hasn’t committed in this way and it’s not working for him but he’s STILL got an incredible opportunity to do what we all can only dream about. So make the most of what’s still possible and stop crying about the past.

 

[YP44]

Who is Lewis blocking playing 4th line W.....?

Lee?

 

[KopitarGOAT420]

Lee?

True. I'd love to see a 4th line with both Jeannot and Lee... That's a 4th line with some legitimate bruising power.

Lee - Turcotte/Thomas - Jeannot

Then the following year: Lee - Helenius - Jeannot. Sign me up.

 

[KopitarGOAT420]

The idea of Lee on the Kings 4th line next season got me curious about Size and how the Kings might look next year...

Foegele (6'2) - Kopitar (6'4) - Kempe (6'2)
Fiala (5'10) - Byfield (6'5) - Laferriere (6'0)
Turcotte (5'11) - Danault (6'1) - Moore (5'10)
Lee (6'5) - Thomas (5'11) - Jeannot (6'2)
Ex: Fagemo (6'0), Lewis (6'1)

Anderson (6'0) - Doughty (6'1)
Gavrikov (6'3) - Clarke (6'2)
Edmundson (6'5) - Spence (5'10)
Ex: Moverare (6'3), Englund (6'3), Burroughs (6'0 but plays physically)

Kuemper (6'5)
Rittich (6'3)

Honestly not too bad - Sure, there's some undersized players scattered throughout that lineup but you also have some players with really good size (Gavrikov, Edmundson, Byfield, Kopi, and Lee) and a couple players with decent size (Kempe, Foegele, Jeannot, Clarke once he fills out).

Then you have a couple of these guys hopefully in the next couple years:

• Helenius (6'6)
• Dvorak (6'5)
• Greentree (6'2)
• Lawrence (6'7)
• Ziemmer (6'1 but plays bigger)
• Woolley (6'5)
• Sparkes (6'8)
• Wright (6'3)
• Krygier (6'3)

Granted, not all of those guys will make it to the NHL but if a few do, that's a solid amount of size that could be on the way.

The days of the Kings being a smaller team that gets pushed around may yet be behinds us, thank goodness.

 

[YP44]

4 Years:

3.4M
3.4M
700K
700K

Do you know what it is after this year? $700K the last two years is not bad at all.

 

[johnjm22]

Do you know what it is after this year? $700K the last two years is not bad at all.

That is after this year