Kings News: Grundstrom Traded to SJ for Kyle Burroughs

Ziggy Stardust

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You think they put him or England in the AHL?
Englund seems to be well liked, and we still have to see if they make any additional upgrades on the blueline. If they can add another formidable LHD, I figure Englund will be the 7th dman who will be in and out of the lineup, and Burroughs will be the veteran dman who will get a call up from Ontario whenever necessary.

Clarke and Spence have nothing left to prove in the minors, and I expect both to be regulars in the lineup.
 
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Schmooley

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Apr 5, 2016
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Englund seems to be well liked, and we still have to see if they make any additional upgrades on the blueline. If they can add another formidable LHD, I figure Englund will be the 7th dman who will be in and out of the lineup, and Burroughs will be the veteran dman who will get a call up from Ontario whenever necessary.

Clarke and Spence have nothing left to prove in the minors, and I expect both to be regulars in the lineup.
Hope you are right and this was a move to give Dvorak a partner in the AHL and be covered with an NHL experienced right side call up in case of injury.
I just dont know though. When they got Connauton it was labeled as an AHL acquisition and Im not sure about this one is as clear cut.
 
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CowMix

Go Kings Go!
Feb 12, 2006
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I think that people are skeptical of this because it will block Clarke or Spence from playing or it means one is getting traded for another veteran to play beside Kopitar or Doughty. A month into the season theyll realize it didnt work and theyll move Byfield and Anderson back to their spots and be saddled with another high dollar contract on the wrong side of 30 without a clear cut role on the team.
Otherwise I dont mind the deal as far as player for player.

Can someone please explain to my how the trade for a depth hitting/blocking defenseman will block PMD like Clarke and Spence from making the team or getting playing time? These players don't play the same role on the team at all. Do people just think all defenseman are the same? It makes 0 sense to me.
 

Ziggy Stardust

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Hope you are right and this was a move to give Dvorak a partner in the AHL and be covered with an NHL experienced right side call up in case of injury.
I just dont know though. When they got Connauton it was labeled as an AHL acquisition and Im not sure about this one is as clear cut.

Dooley did a good job rationalizing this move.

There’s absolutely no reason to think Burroughs is going to block anyone from making the roster.
 

Schmooley

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Apr 5, 2016
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Can someone please explain to my how the trade for a depth hitting/blocking defenseman will block PMD like Clarke and Spence from making the team or getting playing time? These players don't play the same role on the team at all. Do people just think all defenseman are the same? It makes 0 sense to me.
Roy wasnt a puck mover and hes leaving. You are thinking Burroughs is the 7th d and England stays on the third pair?
 

Schmooley

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Apr 5, 2016
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Dooley did a good job rationalizing this move.

There’s absolutely no reason to think Burroughs is going to block anyone from making the roster.
In that article you linked it says he can be on the third pair which would be blocking one of Clarke or Spence thats exactly what everyone was saying.
 

kingsfan28

Its A Kingspiracy !
Feb 27, 2005
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We traded A Tonka truck for a drywall smashing moustache

More like a Tonka truck who's wheels were stolen and now is up on blocks. We still found a buyer. :nod:

Screen Shot 2024-06-27 at 6.44.03 PM.png
 
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Ziggy Stardust

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In that article you linked it says he can be on the third pair which would be blocking one of Clarke or Spence thats exactly what everyone was saying.
This appears to be a depth acquisition for the Kings. The picture we see right now on the backend for the Kings is Drew Doughty as the team’s undisputed RD1, with younger players in Jordan Spence and Brandt Clarke set to play behind Doughty. There’s the pending unrestricted free agency of Matt Roy and his return has not been ruled out. There’s a Plan B though if Roy signs elsewhere with the pair of young, up-and-coming defensemen. It’s not immediately clear where Burroughs factors into that picture. Could certainly see him on the roster as the seventh defenseman, a chance of pace option on the backend, as a guy who has played in the league and is more than capable of stepping in. Could see him, potentially, winning a third-pairing job with a strong training camp. His contract is also structured to where he could be assigned to the AHL and not cost the Kings anything against the cap, coming in at $1,100,000 for two more seasons, just below the maximum amount that can be assigned without staying on the cap. So, there are not any ties that would force the Kings to make a particular move here.
 

Schmooley

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Apr 5, 2016
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Come on, you know the answer is Spence and Clarke to the AHL...
Well its certainly a possibility. I dont know if Id bet on it but I dont understand how some are calling people stupid for expecting Clarke back to the AHL as an implication of this deal when pretty much 99% of Blakes transactions have had these implications for younger players.
 

Kudelski37

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Feb 19, 2021
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Can someone please explain to my how the trade for a depth hitting/blocking defenseman will block PMD like Clarke and Spence from making the team or getting playing time? These players don't play the same role on the team at all. Do people just think all defenseman are the same? It makes 0 sense to me.
Rob Blake does, see history.
 
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David Lunch

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Apr 11, 2018
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Can someone please explain to my how the trade for a depth hitting/blocking defenseman will block PMD like Clarke and Spence from making the team or getting playing time? These players don't play the same role on the team at all. Do people just think all defenseman are the same? It makes 0 sense to me.
People are bringing it up because he’s a right shot.
 

KingsHockey24

Registered User
Aug 1, 2013
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Any chance that this guy is a better version of Englund and pushes him down the depth chart?
He's already better than Englund.

Problem is he's 6 foot, under 200lbs, and is another right shot.

Looking at our projected D for next season our average height is : 6'1" weight: 199lbs

When was the last time a Stanley Cup Championship team had a D core of that or smaller. Has it ever happened?
 

Star Platinum

Registered User
May 11, 2024
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Sharks fan here

We had the worst defensive corps in the NHL last year and we're desperate for right-side defensemen, so don't expect too much other than a guy that hits the other team and fights some. Right now, we are a good place to send guys who are crowded out by better players on their team because guys that other teams don't really care about retaining are still upgrades for us. We're the NHL's proverbial wingman, taking on your ugly chicks so that you can hit on their hotter friends.

At this point, we seem to be pretty much filled up on candidates for the third and fourth line which hopefully we've marginally improved. This deal looks like a team that had too many 4th line forwards trading with a team that had too many third pairing defenders and not much else and are just balancing out the bottom end of their rosters. Sharks have made a lot of these deals this month.

On the other hand, cheer up. Detroit sent us a second rounder with Jake Walman and we only sent back future considerations, so at least you didn't end up sending us a pick as well. Both fanbases are still confused why Steve Yzerman did that when he could have just waived the guy if he wanted to create a roster spot or lose a contract.
 
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bland

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Can someone please explain to my how the trade for a depth hitting/blocking defenseman will block PMD like Clarke and Spence from making the team or getting playing time? These players don't play the same role on the team at all. Do people just think all defenseman are the same? It makes 0 sense to me.
Okay, I'll give it a shot.

Teams have three pairs of defensemen, one guy on the left side, one guy on the right. Now, there are statistically a larger percentage of defensemen who shoot on the left side of their body due to differing training techniques in countries with larger hockey communities.

Therefore, there are less guys, especially quality guys, who benefit from shooting on their right side. Kind of like left handed relievers in baseball. So, the guys that DO shoot right see a whole lot less time on the left side of the ice.

When you play in the best league in the world, one of the things that separates you from there and the lower leagues are your ability to process the game quickly. That skill can be inherent or learned, but it is honed thru repetition. You don't get enough time in those circumstances to be as efficient as a player who has more experience and physical proclivity to that role. Dog eat dog, RHDs on the left don't hunt.

Now, nobody is going to supplant Doughty. Spence had a solid rookie year, and Clarke is a blue-chipper who needs to play now so he is better sooner than later.

So that means if Burroughs is on one pair, Doughty is a lock, then either the two who would most benefit the team by gaining experience will be duking it out.

Or, we see the obvious disadvantages of playing four RHDS again.

Or, we see 7d again as an option, with its obvious disadvantages.

So, if you can't play both Spence AND Clarke, then one has to sit, and that one has someone road-blocking him. And that is what a lot us keep seeing with the kids. And we know that the vets have a ceiling that just isn’t Cup-able. And the best way to get back to that level is to bring in young, hungry, able talent who can contribute on their ELCs or 2nd deals while the vets ride out on their way. Spence and Clarke are those guys, and they are already here.

And they DO have a lot of guys who play the same version of one role: Anderson, Gavrikov, Moverare, Englund and Burroughs. Four of those guys are likely on the roster. They need some puck moving ability on the ice at all times in order to compete with the better teams.

I am perfectly willing to watch Burroughs, I have a soft spot for stay at home RHDs. It's how I view and think the game. But he is going into a big mix of players with different needs out of next season that looks misshapen.
 

Jungle Boy

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Grav - Clarke
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Dave

Spence will be traded and I hope they get the foward that we need on this trade.

I’m ok with it to start the year. Now it’s time to get some RWers and 4th liners
 
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CowMix

Go Kings Go!
Feb 12, 2006
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Roy wasnt a puck mover and hes leaving. You are thinking Burroughs is the 7th d and England stays on the third pair?
Burroughs and England don't need to play at the same time

Anderson/Doughty
Gavrikov/Clarke or Spence
Burroughs/Clarke or Spence

Spares: Moverare & Englund

Moverare, Englund & Burroughs all have contract below the bury threshold, so if you need to put any of them in the AHL it doesn't count against the cap.
 

Johnny Utah

Registered User
Aug 2, 2005
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Santa Monica, CA
It's always fun to play in fantasy land, thinking Zadorov will come to LA, Chychrun, etc.

But in reality we'll likely roll out this next season:

Anderson/Doughty
Gavrikov/Clarke
Englund/Spence
*Burroughs

And that is absolute dog shit.
This is the D. Take it or leave it.

Kings will spend the money up front.

The D will change next summer when Englund and Gavrikov walk or are traded.
 
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MonkeysUncle

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May 31, 2024
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Dooley did a good job rationalizing this move.

There’s absolutely no reason to think Burroughs is going to block anyone from making the roster.
You don't know Rob Blake and this management group🤔, I bet they start him with Gavrikov
 

johnjm22

Pseudo Intellectual
Aug 2, 2005
20,885
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Is it possible the Kings could carry 8 defensemen?

Might make some sense if Hiller is going to keep running the 11F 7D scheme. Some games he might want an extra LHD, and other games a RHD.

Anyways, I think this is just an insurance move.
 

unicornpig

Registered User
Dec 8, 2017
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a lot of the mind boggling roster decisions that included gatekeeping the kids was on TM. Hopefully Hiller doesn't follow suit
 

Raccoon Jesus

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Can someone please explain to my how the trade for a depth hitting/blocking defenseman will block PMD like Clarke and Spence from making the team or getting playing time? These players don't play the same role on the team at all. Do people just think all defenseman are the same? It makes 0 sense to me.


Sure, here

HAVE YOU BEEN WATCHING THE ROB BLAKE TENURE AT ALL

there are like infinity examples of this just in the last two seasons, including such hits as dead man Walker over Clarke, who went to the AHL to NOT PLAY FOR A GOD DAMN MONTH before going back to juniors, Durzi playing THE LEFT SIDE ON THE PK, and arguably the worst dman in the NHL in Englund (and prior Edler) block kids who were showing out by the eye test and statistically simply because they were the 'wrong side' and we did't have enough PK dmen somehow in Doughty/Anderson/Roy/Gavrikov?

The simple explanation is most explanations just don't make any f***ing sense. What YOURE saying makes plenty of sense, he doesn't fill the same role and shouldn't, but what we're actually accustomed to is a confusing clusterf*** of playing the game in hard mode, so some of us are extremely pessimistic by the smallest seemingly harmless dumb moves like SIGNING ENGLUND FOR TWO YEARS because these guys have shown no intent to play better, more qualified players over their pet projects on simply age alone, nevermind the neverending toilet-bowl circling self-fulfilling prophecy of 'well we can't play the kids because they have no experience' until they turn waiver eligible then wonder what if.
 
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