Is Lombardi In Negotiations With Gravel?

[donkozak]

With St Cloud's season over I've been looking for any sighting,signing of Kevin Gravel!He has to be a top priority on the defense starved Kings!Or rather he's the best D-man that we have not in the system right now!I can see him as a solid number 5 but only after a year or two in Manchester to learn the pro game!But he Kings need to sign pronto!Good Luck hope to see Gravel signed,sealed and delivered soon!!!

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[Herby]

SCSU is in very good shape to get an at-large bid to the NCAA tourney. It would take a lot of flukey tournament results for them to get pushed out.

 

[etherialone]

SCSU is in very good shape to get an at-large bid to the NCAA tourney. It would take a lot of flukey tournament results for them to get pushed out.

You hit it on the head.

That said Lombardi and Gravel have both said that we were interested in signing a deal before the start of this season but KG decided to honor his commitment to SCS and stay for his final year.

Gravel will sign his deal once his NCAA hockey career is officially over.

Nobody has said anything that makes me believe that it will be a problem and I can't wait to see Gravel as a pro. I know most are tired of reading me say so but this kid is going to be a very very good player in the NHL.

 

[Herby]

Agreed completely. I think it's amazing how underrated both him and Mersch are on this board.

 

[BigBrown]

Seems to me most fans are pretty high on Gravel. I gotta think that unless he flat out refuses to sign with the Kings he's a lock for an entry level contract as soon as they get around to it.

 

[Pucknut50]

With St Cloud's season over I've been looking for any sighting,signing of Kevin Gravel!He has to be a top priority on the defense starved Kings!Or rather he's the best D-man that we have not in the system right now!I can see him as a solid number 5 but only after a year or two in Manchester to learn the pro game!But he Kings need to sign pronto!Good Luck hope to see Gravel signed,sealed and delivered soon!!!

Why would you get excited about a solid #5 D-Man. You can pick up a 3rd pairing D man with ease. What your looking for in your system is a solid 1st or 2nd pairing.
I Know if someone here stuck his neck out and said Gravel is a lock to be a top 4 defenseman then I sit up and take notice.

 

[Sacha Baron Corbin]

I wouldn't mind him going to Manchester once St.Cloud's season is over.

 

[donkozak]

St Cloud's Season Not Done?

SCSU is in very good shape to get an at-large bid to the NCAA tourney. It would take a lot of flukey tournament results for them to get pushed out.

Call me ignorant but I thought the season was done for St Cloud. Are they playing this week-end. I've been trying to follow the Kings' prospects in college(Gravel,Mersch,Dowd,Brodzinski,LaDue...Fasching...oops)!I know Wisconsin and North Dakota are playing but didn't think St Cloud was.

 

[HYORI 1963]

Seems to me most fans are pretty high on Gravel.

Completely agree. I don't think I've ever come across any negative comments about Gravel. Anyone who does comment, usually has him ranked pretty high.

1. McNabb
2. Gravel
3. Forbort

is how I have them ranked.

I'm sure some would put Gravel ahead of McNabb, but I really like McNabb's all around game.

Looking forward to seeing all of our big boys on defense with the kings.

 

[kingsfan]

Why would you get excited about a solid #5 D-Man. You can pick up a 3rd pairing D man with ease. What your looking for in your system is a solid 1st or 2nd pairing.
I Know if someone here stuck his neck out and said Gravel is a lock to be a top 4 defenseman then I sit up and take notice.

Unless you are a sidney crosby type, no one is a lock for anything. So no, I won't say he's a lock.

That said, I will say his ceiling is a top four, maybe even top two type. He seems to be a cross between a Sean O'Donnell-Willie Mitchell-Rob Scuderi, leaning more towards a Scuderi, though he is more physical and I think he has more offensive upside than Scuds as well.

So he could be a very effective shutdown blueliner who can go against teams top lines, play on the PK and log 22+ minutes a game if all pans out. Total character guy as well, team first and a decent leader.

To me he is the biggest must sign of any of our must signs before the June 1 deadline.

 

[Quattro]

defense starved Kings?

 

[donkozak]

As Far As Young D-men Go...Defense Starved

defense starved Kings?

Outside of Derek Forbort and Brayden McNabb the Kings have little on the defense to get excited about that's why I said Defense starved!And Forbort and McNabb aren't locks to make the NHL in the near future!

PS Like to see the Kings draft a D-man with their first rounder in 2014!Understand though that the pickings are pretty slim at that post,so Kings hopefully will get themselves a 2nd line Centerman for the eventual replacement of Mike Richards.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Don't forget Paul LaDue. He had a very promising freshman season with North Dakota. Was the 2013 USHL Defenseman of the Year, and I think he has an advantage down the road of being a right hand shot, which seems to be a rarity these days with dmen.

 

[Herby]

Outside of Derek Forbort and Brayden McNabb the Kings have little on the defense to get excited about that's why I said Defense starved

Gravel will be better than Forbort. Haven't seen enough of McNabb but Gravel is the better player than Forbort.

 

[damacles1156]

Kevin Gravel will be a top four Defender, might even be a number one along side Drew.

Gravel's hockey IQ is that good.

I believe you can teach lots of things about hockey...High Hockey IQ is not one of them.

 

[Frolov 6'3]

Still remember when the Kings blue line would look like something like this.

Doughty-Visnovsky
Johnson-Hickey
Greene-Teubert

Then it quickly changed in a matter of time. Some didnt even play for the Kings.

I will predict right now that at least three of Gravel, Forbort, Ladue or McNabb wont become a regular player for the Kings.

 

[HYORI 1963]

I will predict right now that at least three of Gravel, Forbort, Ladue or McNabb wont become a regular player for the Kings.

That's a bold prediction. I can definitely see one, and perhaps even two, but I don't see 3 out of 4, not being a regular player on the kings.

But who knows, crazier things have happened. And we are in a win now mode so...

 

[Frolov 6'3]

That's a bold prediction. I can definitely see one, and perhaps even two, but I don't see 3 out of 4, not being a regular player on the kings.

But who knows, crazier things have happened. And we are in a win now mode so...

Well its not because I think they all suck. Things just go this way. At one point, one will get traded, the other wont pan out, a vet defenseman will be acquired so one will stick in the AHL.

Something like this.

 

[KINGS17]

Kevin Gravel will be a top four Defender, might even be a number one along side Drew.

Gravel's hockey IQ is that good.

I believe you can teach lots of things about hockey...High Hockey IQ is not one of them.

It's tough to predict with young defensemen. So much can go wrong, I think all of our young guys are at least two years away with the possible exception of McNabb who might be the Kings' 6-7 next season.

 

[etherialone]

Why would you get excited about a solid #5 D-Man. You can pick up a 3rd pairing D man with ease. What your looking for in your system is a solid 1st or 2nd pairing.
I Know if someone here stuck his neck out and said Gravel is a lock to be a top 4 defenseman then I sit up and take notice.

I have said that for the past few years. He is a lock to be a top 4 pairing SAH Dman given the opportunity and that he remain healthy (not that he has ever had any health issues worth noting to date).

It may take him a little time to be given that sort of an opportunity (top 4) but I think he fleshes out as a 2nd pairing SAH dman I think he will start his NHL career for the first year or two as our bottom pairing guy.

Gravels D positioning and awareness/I.Q. is on the same level as Doughty. High praise but the only thing keeping Gravel from being elite is that he doesn't possess the same level of O ability as Doughty and his type Imo he only needs time in the NHL at his position after at most a season in the AHL (if that) before he proves this out.

There are a bunch of pro scouts who feel as strongly if not more so about KG then I do. I think he is as close as a lock to making the NHL and being a very good SAHD as any other prospect not in the NHL today and more so than most.

 

[HYORI 1963]

Well its not because I think they all suck. Things just go this way. At one point, one will get traded, the other wont pan out, a vet defenseman will be acquired so one will stick in the AHL.

Something like this.

Oh, I understand where you're coming from, and that's why I mentioned about us being in a win now mode. Teams that are built to win the cup, always seem to favor veterans over younger players, especially on defense.

 

[etherialone]

I love McNabb and think he is going to be a good defender for us but imo he makes Forbort expendable in a way. If we add McNabb and Gravel next season (McNabb to start the season and Gravel when he is ready) I think we will improve our D considerably.

Forbort will play in the NHL and could become a solid SAH Dman who can skate but McNabb is better than him in every category including skating. I think Forbort may be more valuable to us as trade bait but who knows. Morris loves the improvements that DF has made this year and thinks that he is close to ready to start making his jump to the NHL. I like his game too but still think that McNabb has the edge.

McNabb
Gravel (after a stint in the AHL)
Voynov
Doughty
Muzzin
Regehr
Matinez

and I like us allot next season. Add in a vet to start the year or until Gravel proves he is 100% ready and we have a much faster skating and more gritty D corp. We are overloaded with high end talent on D both on the team and ready to make the jump. And there is more in the pipeline.

Looks good so far.

 

[kingsfan28]

I love McNabb and think he is going to be a good defender for us but imo he makes Forbort expendable in a way. If we add McNabb and Gravel next season (McNabb to start the season and Gravel when he is ready) I think we will improve our D considerably.

Forbort will play in the NHL and could become a solid SAH Dman who can skate but McNabb is better than him in every category including skating. I think Forbort may be more valuable to us as trade bait but who knows. Morris loves the improvements that DF has made this year and thinks that he is close to ready to start making his jump to the NHL. I like his game too but still think that McNabb has the edge.

McNabb
Gravel (after a stint in the AHL)
Voynov
Doughty
Muzzin
Regehr
Matinez

and I like us allot next season. Add in a vet to start the year or until Gravel proves he is 100% ready and we have a much faster skating and more gritty D corp. We are overloaded with high end talent on D both on the team and ready to make the jump. And there is more in the pipeline.

Looks good so far.

You don't see Mitchell or Greene coming back?

 

[apadilla]

Still remember when the Kings blue line would look like something like this.

Doughty-Visnovsky
Johnson-Hickey
Greene-Teubert

Then it quickly changed in a matter of time. Some didnt even play for the Kings.

I will predict right now that at least three of Gravel, Forbort, Ladue or McNabb wont become a regular player for the Kings.

so which guy will make it?

 

[Scottkmlps]

I love McNabb and think he is going to be a good defender for us but imo he makes Forbort expendable in a way. If we add McNabb and Gravel next season (McNabb to start the season and Gravel when he is ready) I think we will improve our D considerably.

Forbort will play in the NHL and could become a solid SAH Dman who can skate but McNabb is better than him in every category including skating. I think Forbort may be more valuable to us as trade bait but who knows. Morris loves the improvements that DF has made this year and thinks that he is close to ready to start making his jump to the NHL. I like his game too but still think that McNabb has the edge.

McNabb
Gravel (after a stint in the AHL)
Voynov
Doughty
Muzzin
Regehr
Matinez

and I like us allot next season. Add in a vet to start the year or until Gravel proves he is 100% ready and we have a much faster skating and more gritty D corp. We are overloaded with high end talent on D both on the team and ready to make the jump. And there is more in the pipeline.

Looks good so far.

Wouldn't they just keep Forbort down for one more season and bring him up the following year after Regehr's current deal is over?