How many prospects make the opening night roster?

[etherialone]

King has played 80 games in the NHL with 9 goals and 15 assists for 24 points.

Jordan Nolan has played 70 games in the NHL with 4 goals 6 assists for 10 points.

Matt Frattin has played 82 games in the NHL with 15 goals and 13 assists for 28 points.

I know that none of these guys are what we are talking about when asking which prospects will make the team out of camp but saying that Sutter will always go with a vet over a kid isn't true and this sort of proves it in short.

The thing that these kids have in common is that they are all 3 6ft tall or taller and all carry a good amount of weight to boot. Grinders? Sure but not devoid of skill entirely either.

An interesting thing to me is that Frattin has 15 goals in a total of 82 NHL games and is considered and rightly so to be a top 6 lock where King is more of a whipping boy who has played 2 fewer games and in total has 4 less points.

I want to see Pearson Vey Toffy and Andy with the big club asap but not calling them up to start the season isn't a bad thing. It gives everyone time to see where we are and also what if any changes need to happen.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Honestly, it's going to be tough for any prospect to break in soon.

Brown had his contract extended, Richards and Carter are here for about 8 more years. Kopitar has a long term deal. Frattin will only be a RFA.

The only UFA's next summer are Lewis and Fraser. So that leaves a 3rd line RW spot and a 4th line Center spot.

That could be for Toffoli and Andreoff...but I have no idea where Pearson will ever fit in on LW.

Brown, Frattin, King and Clifford are all either young, under contract and will become RFA's and don't look to be going anywhere soon.

I don't even see Brown switching to RW until Williams contract is up in 2015-16 unless we deal him. Then I guess the Kings could consider Pearson-Kopitar-Brown...but again, two similar players on either side. If Frattin ends up sucking, Pearson could take that spot and force Frattin to the 3rd line LW spot, but again, then what happens to King and Clifford?

 

[etherialone]

When does Stoll's contract run out? I thought it was at the end of this coming season but I am not certain.

 

[HYORI 1963]

When does Stoll's contract run out? I thought it was at the end of this coming season but I am not certain.

Stoll and JW's contract expires at the end of next season.

 

[etherialone]

Stoll and JW's contract expires at the end of next season.

Thanks.

I don't think that all of our kids are going to accept waiting around for an additional two seasons and remain perfectly happy about it. One more sure but after that things could get ugly.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Stoll are JW are here for 2 more seasons.

Lewis and Fraser only 1 more season.

If in the next two seasons the Kings let all these 4 walk they would have these slots open...

1. 1st Line RW
2. 3rd Line Center
3. 3rd Line RW
4. 4th Line Center

That would be Toffoli on #1 or #3. Vey or Shore on #3 and Andreoff on #4.

Also, they could let all 4 walk and move Brown back to 1st line RW, which would then create a 1st LW opening instead of a 1st line RW opening. That could be for Pearson.

 

[HYORI 1963]

Thanks.

I don't think that all of our kids are going to accept waiting around for an additional two seasons and remain perfectly happy about it. One more sure but after that things could get ugly.

Frankly, I think they have every right to be unhappy about it now. But with that said, I do believe some of our prospects will be getting a call-up during the season, and when they do, let's hope they perform to their capabilities.

I do see Pearson and TT eventually making the club. Not too sure about where Vey would fit as I think Shore would be a better suited replacement for Stoll.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Yes, Vey seems like the odd man out. Shore can be molded into a Stoll type.

Going into camp I had them in this order...Toffoli, Vey and Pearson...

After watching all 3...I now have them like this...Pearson, TT, and then Vey. Pearson stood out for me. I went to 2 rookie games and 1 pre-season. He only played in one of those, but he had 2 goals.

 

[HYORI 1963]

Yeah, Pearson surprised me as well. Coming into the preseason, I thought there was no way Pearson should stick with the club, but by the end of camp, I came away thinking that Pearson was the most deserving.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Pearson also surprised me in both the Ducks games with his willingness to battle and fight off checks. He seemed more aggressive than I believed he was. Not like he was fighting or throwing big hits but he was aggressive with and without the puck.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

Pearson also surprised me in both the Ducks games with his willingness to battle and fight off checks. He seemed more aggressive than I believed he was. Not like he was fighting or throwing big hits but he was aggressive with and without the puck.

I think he'll be a call up during the year. Homeboy has some wheels and a great shot

 

[kingsfan]

In a couple of seasons we may see both Pearson and Toffoli as top six forwards in the lineup, it's just that right now there's still Brown, Williams, Carter and Frattin on the wings in the top six who aren't losing their spots just yet. I think as some of those guys get older and slow down (Brown and Williams in particular), they may get a more reduced role and could eventually be supplanted by the likes of Pearson and Toffoli. The same applies with Vey and Shore who will be pushing Fraser out of the way and then come in to replace Stoll. It's a hierarchy that they have to eventually progress towards. Better than the Kings giving these guys spots or forcing them into positions like we were used to seeing in the past (i.e. Dustin Brown when he broke in as a rookie).

I agree. I think Williams will be the first of our Stanley Cup core member who leaves the group, at least upfront. Pearson will be a perfect replacement for him, and I don't think Williams has a ton of hockey left in him as a top two line guy. For this year though, Williams is just to good at the role and Pearson needs playing time, so let him score 25 goals in Manchester playing in all situations.

Many people called it. You're just the only one on here pounding on your chest. Get over yourself!!!

It's sad that a skilled players like Pearson and Toffoli can't replace a King/Clifford or Lewis on our current roster. We are going to struggle scoring much like last season. I hope I'm wrong, but I guess we'll soon find out.

I don't think it's sad at all. I think it's incredible that we can take skilled guys like Toffoli and Pearson and Vey and shuffle them off to Manchester and still have a line up capable of winning the Stanley Cup. This might be the deepest Kings team in franchise history.

Pearson barely played a full AHL season. Toffoli same because of the call-up. Teams like Detroit keep players in the AHL for 2-4 years before calling them up.

We won the Cup and went deep last year. We have a young core. That is good sign. No player ever was ruined because he spent too much time in the AHL but many players were ruined because they jumped from juniors to the NHL too soon or only parts of an AHL season.

Nolan, King, Voynov, Lewis all paid dues in Manchester.

Well said Johnny. The Wings are the type of team all frnachises want to be like in regards to prospects. They slow cook their guys to the point they are essentially some of the best players not in the NHL (at least at the position/role they are being groomed for). It's why Detroit, even when they are essentially rebuilding from losing the likes of Yzerman, et al. they could stay on top and move back to the cup finals two straight years. Now they are doing it again with Lidstrom leaving, but they keep pumping out quality players.

A great team starts at the top. The reason our team is good now is because DL was put in charge years ago, who in turn put in a plan to develop players properly and a scouting staff capable of finding NHL talent. We're now seeing the full fruit of that labor. Want to see the exact opposite of it? Look at the former Atlanta Thrashers or even the Columbus Blue Jackets. While Futa and crew have been busy making the 2nd round their personal ***** for the last however many years, those teams were to busy counting how many screwed up picks they made (outside of the top 5 anyways) and how many prospects they ruined along the way.

I'd hate to think where Trevor Lewis would be in those systems right now.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

The Wings just had to send down Nyquist due to numbers and not finding a suitable role for him in the top six. That's a team that has sustained long term success who has run into the same depth problems over the past couple of years as the Kings have.

 

[kingsfan]

Honestly, it's going to be tough for any prospect to break in soon.

Brown had his contract extended, Richards and Carter are here for about 8 more years. Kopitar has a long term deal. Frattin will only be a RFA.

The only UFA's next summer are Lewis and Fraser. So that leaves a 3rd line RW spot and a 4th line Center spot.

That could be for Toffoli and Andreoff...but I have no idea where Pearson will ever fit in on LW.

Brown, Frattin, King and Clifford are all either young, under contract and will become RFA's and don't look to be going anywhere soon.

I don't even see Brown switching to RW until Williams contract is up in 2015-16 unless we deal him. Then I guess the Kings could consider Pearson-Kopitar-Brown...but again, two similar players on either side. If Frattin ends up sucking, Pearson could take that spot and force Frattin to the 3rd line LW spot, but again, then what happens to King and Clifford?

Richards may be here for another 8 years, but is he here as a top two line forward that long? Maybe, we'll see.

I'd imagine that the Kings would pull a deal to make room if someoen was clearly to go to be at the AHL level, like what we did when we dealt Jack johnson for Jeff Carter. We only do that deal because Voynov slides right in and does so well and because we have some other guys right behind who could also play (Drewiske, Hickey, etc.)

Things will likely stay the same this season, but in the off-season (or maybe earlier) you can assume Fraser will be gone. I like him, but he just doesn't have the skill that the kids have. So you can expect Vey or Andreoff to take that role. I'd imagine that Shore will be left in Manchester for next year as well, that seems to be how we are doing things generally, leave guys in the minors for a minimum of two years.

As for what to do with Pearson, Andreoff/Vey, and Toffoli though, that's where it gets tricky. And that doesn't even count Kozun. You may get away with forcing Andreoff to stay down on the farm until 2015-2016 (two more seasons), but not the other three. Even then, if Andreoff continues to impress, you have to figure he'd be pushing his way in before to long.

What makes the most sense here is DL dealing a forward for a D-man, since we have an aging Mitchell, an aging Robyn Regehr and Matt Greene, who could be a UFA in a few years anyways. We lack that stay at home veteran precense long-term, and the few guys we have in the system, like Gravel, are more than a few years away from top four duties.

Dwight King and someone like Keaton Ellerby plus a good pick for a stay at home vet would help clear some roster space and add that depth we need on the blueline.

 

[no name]

I bet Richards is only here for another two years and then the Kings trade him. I can't imagine a smart minded org like the Kings holding that kind of guy during his downward years. Even if the Kings get a third rounder for him, I think that's the type of move they should and will make.

 

[Johnny Utah]

The problem is would you rather have Richards-Stoll or Vey-Shore...Totally different mix. I like Shore could potentially replace Stoll, but is Vey ready to be a #2nd line center in the NHL with that body size?

Shore is known for his face-off's and playmaking so he is a combination of Stoll and Richards...but Vey is nothing like either of them...he is pure hands.

 

[kingsfan]

I bet Richards is only here for another two years and then the Kings trade him. I can't imagine a smart minded org like the Kings holding that kind of guy during his downward years. Even if the Kings get a third rounder for him, I think that's the type of move they should and will make.

Richards brings so much to this team I doubt they'll ever deal him, barring the Kings ending up in a rebuild situation and dealing him for a chance at another cup. He isn't a point per game guy like he was in Philly's system, but that's more the result of the system than it is an indication of a decline in Richards play.

You win cups with guys like Richards. He's won the championship at every level he's played if I'm not mistaken. The guy is a winner, through and through, and brings skill at everything to the table. You don't deal guys like that period (unless you are Philly), nevermind for a 3rd.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Richards brings so much to this team I doubt they'll ever deal him, barring the Kings ending up in a rebuild situation and dealing him for a chance at another cup. He isn't a point per game guy like he was in Philly's system, but that's more the result of the system than it is an indication of a decline in Richards play.

You win cups with guys like Richards. He's won the championship at every level he's played if I'm not mistaken. The guy is a winner, through and through, and brings skill at everything to the table. You don't deal guys like that period (unless you are Philly), nevermind for a 3rd.

He really has no clue what he's talking about. I guess somebody misses the days of having the likes of Handzus or Stoll as the #2 centers on the Kings. Yeesh.