Confirmed with Link: Gabriel Vilardi signs 3-year ELC

SettlementRichie10

Registered User
May 6, 2012
10,192
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I'll be ecstatic if even half of the players on this list play 100 games for the Kings.

Exactly. Statistically, even that would be beating the odds.

Remember when Kings fans were penciling Ted Purcell and Patrick O'Sullivan into the top six of the future? That's the equivalent of what we're doing now with these prospects. Most of them will bust. That's just the way it goes.

If three of Vilardi, Turcotte, Kaliyev, and Kupari actually turn into legitimate NHL forwards, that will be a monstrous success regardless of who inevitably fills out the bottom six.

It's much more likely that only two of the above four will actually develop into impact forwards at the NHL level.
 

lumbergh

It was an idea. I didn't say it was a good idea.
Jan 8, 2007
6,535
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Richmond, VA
Exactly. Statistically, even that would be beating the odds.

Remember when Kings fans were penciling Ted Purcell and Patrick O'Sullivan into the top six of the future? That's the equivalent of what we're doing now with these prospects. Most of them will bust. That's just the way it goes.

If three of Vilardi, Turcotte, Kaliyev, and Kupari actually turn into legitimate NHL forwards, that will be a monstrous success regardless of who inevitably fills out the bottom six.

It's much more likely that only two of the above four will actually develop into impact forwards at the NHL level.
Vilardi looks like a sure-fire quality NHL player to me, but maybe a coin-flip health-wise. Turcotte also should be really good. Kupari is a huge question mark to me. Could be the second coming of Adrian Kempe. Kaliyev has a great chance to make it, provided he is capable of passable defense as a winger.

Happy if the Kings get two impact forwards, giddy if the Kings get three impact forwards out of those four.
 

YP44

Registered User
Jan 30, 2012
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Calgary, AB
Yea the defense core isn't as good as the forward group, although there's a few nice pieces. The good thing is with a young group there will be plenty of cap space to fill those spots in. Roll with Doughty, Walker, Bjornfot, and Anderson, then bring in a couple solid guys with available cash (or more likely trade some of the guys above). Guys like Clague and Strand are wildcards at this time, but at worst I think they could handle the 6/7 duties.

fully agree with this.

I hope Blake brings in a vet UFA D that can fit anywhere on the bottom 2 pairs. Like a 4/5 guy. Can be a good mentor and help in a weak area.
 

bland

Registered User
Jul 1, 2004
7,889
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Exactly. Statistically, even that would be beating the odds.

Remember when Kings fans were penciling Ted Purcell and Patrick O'Sullivan into the top six of the future? That's the equivalent of what we're doing now with these prospects. Most of them will bust. That's just the way it goes.

If three of Vilardi, Turcotte, Kaliyev, and Kupari actually turn into legitimate NHL forwards, that will be a monstrous success regardless of who inevitably fills out the bottom six.

It's much more likely that only two of the above four will actually develop into impact forwards at the NHL level.
You don't even have to go that far back. Some of the same folks had Mersch inked into a top 6 spot.
 

YP44

Registered User
Jan 30, 2012
27,347
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Calgary, AB
Exactly. Statistically, even that would be beating the odds.

Remember when Kings fans were penciling Ted Purcell and Patrick O'Sullivan into the top six of the future? That's the equivalent of what we're doing now with these prospects. Most of them will bust. That's just the way it goes.

If three of Vilardi, Turcotte, Kaliyev, and Kupari actually turn into legitimate NHL forwards, that will be a monstrous success regardless of who inevitably fills out the bottom six.

It's much more likely that only two of the above four will actually develop into impact forwards at the NHL level.

Percell-Boyle-Moulson I thought was a future 2nd line with great upside.
 

Raccoon Jesus

We were right there
Oct 30, 2008
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Statistically speaking, it would be a huge failure if Turcotte or even Vilardi to a degree weren't impact NHLers.

There's a large difference between top-10, top-5 picks and pick 20+.

In other words, O'Sullivan/Mersch/Purcell don't compare to Turcotte.

The rest of that list being late 1sts and on...yes. Statistically they'd be phenomenal picks if they just played 100 games in the NHL. But that's seen on this forum as a failure, largely, so...
 
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TruKingFan

Two-Time Cup Winner
Aug 16, 2004
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If some of those players help us acquire what we need to help those that will become NHL mainstays like Turcotte, GV, etc. get over the top then that they might as well developed for the Kings. Yeah O'Sullivan wasnt the 2nd liner for the Kings we hope he would be but got us a certain MVP.
 
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kings11

Registered User
Sep 29, 2011
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If some of those players help us acquire what we need to help those that will become NHL mainstays like Turcotte, GV, etc. tover the top then that would be they might as well developed for the Kings. Yeah O'Sullivan wasnt the 2nd liner for the Kings we hope he would be but got us a certain MVP.

Aaaaaaaaaand, we still have a great shot at another top 5 pick...
 

YP44

Registered User
Jan 30, 2012
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Calgary, AB
Statistically speaking, it would be a huge failure if Turcotte or even Vilardi to a degree weren't impact NHLers.

There's a large difference between top-10, top-5 picks and pick 20+.

In other words, O'Sullivan/Mersch/Purcell don't compare to Turcotte.

The rest of that list being late 1sts and on...yes. Statistically they'd be phenomenal picks if they just played 100 games in the NHL. But that's seen on this forum as a failure, largely, so...

was thinking the same. If JAD and Kupari end up with a Boyle/Moulsen career that would still be a success (although I hope for greater). However Turoctte should carve out a much more successful career. Another 5th overall kings pick, Schenn, I think is a good example of what the Bar should be.
 

Raccoon Jesus

We were right there
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was thinking the same. If JAD and Kupari end up with a Boyle/Moulsen career that would still be a success (although I hope for greater). However Turoctte should carve out a much more successful career. Another 5th overall kings pick, Schenn, I think is a good example of what the Bar should be.

Exactly.

Basically, so long as the Kings more or less keep their draft record from even the past decade for picks 20+, and grab a couple of high-impact offensive players with their high picks, they'd be a monster team. And it looks like some of those picks like Bjornfot are going to be more than 'just' a late 1st.

I think something like Kaliyev = prime Moulson is excellent pick value. And hopefully the Kings get more guys like Toffoli (not current toffoli, but the idea of Toffoli--a 25-50 guy in the 2nd round playing hundreds of games is a great pick). But picks from 10ish and up, like Vilardi, need to be your top players.
 
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kilowatt

the vibes are not immaculate
Jan 1, 2009
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Insane. Made up for it though by acquiring the two Philly picks from the same draft.

To be fair, they hit on Brown at 13. Guys taken after him were Seabrook, Parise, Getzlaf, Kesler, and Richards. Were other players "better"? Arguably yes, but Brown's still pretty good. Kings missed on Boyle (kind of) and Tambellini, but the only guys worth a damn taken within 10 picks of those two were Corey Perry and Loui Eriksson. Bergeron, Weber, and Backes were taken in the latter half of the second round.

The pick that really stings is taking Pusharyov at 44 and Bergeron going next at 45. Oof. Kings also took Mike Sullivan at 244 and Byfuglien went next at 245.
 

Ziggy Stardust

Master Debater
Jul 25, 2002
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Dave Taylor never understood the concept of moving up in the draft. In all his time here, he never once traded picks to move up. That 2003 draft would have been a prime opportunity to do that with those two late firsts. And taking four forwards in the top 50 and not a single defenseman, like Weber (who was actually highly touted that year), shows how inept the organization was during that time.
 
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SettlementRichie10

Registered User
May 6, 2012
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Dave Taylor never understood the concept of moving up in the draft. In all his time here, he never once traded picks to move up. That 2003 draft would have been a prime opportunity to do that with those two late firsts. And taking four forwards in the top 50 and not a single defenseman, like Weber (who was actually highly touted that year), shows how inept the organization was during that time.

We went from taking a meh forward over a stud defenseman in 2003 to taking a meh defenseman over a stud forward in 2010.

Life comes at you fast, kid.
 

Raccoon Jesus

We were right there
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We went from taking a meh forward over a stud defenseman in 2003 to taking a meh defenseman over a stud forward in 2010.

Life comes at you fast, kid.

At least we got a meh defenseman out of it. We got better value at 15 than #3 OA did. It definitely hurts missing Tarasenko, but we still did better than most, especially those after Tank and the poor saps chasing Big SAH D-men early.

What a yucky draft. Look at how the first round played out:

Taylor Hall (LW)
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Canada
Edmonton Oilers Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
2 Tyler Seguin (C)
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Canada
Boston Bruins (from Toronto)1 Plymouth Whalers (OHL)
3 Erik Gudbranson (D)
23px-Flag_of_Canada_%28Pantone%29.svg.png
Canada
Florida Panthers Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
4 Ryan Johansen (C)
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Canada
Columbus Blue Jackets Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
5 Nino Niederreiter (LW)
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Switzerland
New York Islanders Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
6 Brett Connolly (RW)
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Canada
Tampa Bay Lightning Prince George Cougars (WHL)
7 Jeff Skinner (C)
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Canada
Carolina Hurricanes Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
8 Alexander Burmistrov (C)
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Russia
Atlanta Thrashers Barrie Colts (OHL)
9 Mikael Granlund (C)
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Finland
Minnesota Wild HIFK (SM-liiga)
10 Dylan McIlrath (D)
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Canada
New York Rangers Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
11 Jack Campbell (G)
23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png
United States
Dallas Stars US NTDP (USHL)
12 Cam Fowler (D)
23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png
United States
Anaheim Ducks Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
13 Brandon Gormley (D)
23px-Flag_of_Canada_%28Pantone%29.svg.png
Canada
Phoenix Coyotes (from Calgary)2 Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
14 Jaden Schwartz (C)
23px-Flag_of_Canada_%28Pantone%29.svg.png
Canada
St. Louis Blues Tri-City Storm (USHL)
15 Derek Forbort (D)
23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png
United States
Los Angeles Kings (from Boston via Florida)3 US NTDP (USHL)
16 Vladimir Tarasenko (RW)
23px-Flag_of_Russia.svg.png
Russia
St. Louis Blues (from Ottawa)4 Sibir Novosibirsk (KHL)
17 Joey Hishon (C)
23px-Flag_of_Canada_%28Pantone%29.svg.png
Canada
Colorado Avalanche Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
18 Austin Watson (RW)
23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png
United States
Nashville Predators Peterborough Petes (OHL)
19 Nick Bjugstad (C)
23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png
United States
Florida Panthers (from Los Angeles)5 Blaine High School (USHS–MN)
20 Beau Bennett (RW)
23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png
United States
Pittsburgh Penguins Penticton Vees (BCHL)
21 Riley Sheahan (C)
23px-Flag_of_Canada_%28Pantone%29.svg.png
Canada
Detroit Red Wings University of Notre Dame (CCHA)
22 Jarred Tinordi (D)
23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png
United States
Montreal Canadiens (from Phoenix)6 London Knights (OHL)
23 Mark Pysyk (D)
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Canada
Buffalo Sabres Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
24 Kevin Hayes (RW)
23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png
United States
Chicago Blackhawks (from New Jersey via Atlanta)7 Noble and Greenough School (USHS–MA)
25 Quinton Howden (LW)
23px-Flag_of_Canada_%28Pantone%29.svg.png
Canada
Florida Panthers (from Vancouver)8 Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
26 Evgeny Kuznetsov (C)
23px-Flag_of_Russia.svg.png
Russia
Washington Capitals Traktor Chelyabinsk (KHL)
27 Mark Visentin (G)
23px-Flag_of_Canada_%28Pantone%29.svg.png
Canada
Phoenix Coyotes (from Montreal)9 Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
28 Charlie Coyle (C/RW)
23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png
United States
San Jose Sharks South Shore Kings (EJHL)
29 Emerson Etem (RW)
23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png
United States
Anaheim Ducks (from Philadelphia)10 Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
30 Brock Nelson (C)
23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png
United States
New York Islanders (from Chicago)11 Warroad High School (USHS–MN)
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
 

DoktorJeep

Fair winds and following seas Nikolai.
Aug 2, 2005
6,775
6,139
OC
Supposedly the Kings requested the league give Forbort an extension for the AHL conditioning assignment
 

tbrown33

Registered User
Jun 22, 2019
1,147
2,025
Konstantin Pushkaryov ? the dude we took 1 spot before Patrice Bergeron and 4 spots before SHea Weber. Fail.

not who I was talking about but sure....every team whiffed on Bergeron. newsflash: drafts are a crapshoot, especially after the first round.

we won 2 cups in the last decade - if the Kings did anything differently that draft it's impossible to know what trajectory they would have taken

also seriously what is with the current obsession with the last 20 years - this isn't the offseason
 

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