Kings Article: It Still Hurts…But Take A Step Back Before Looking at the Jonathan Quick Trade

[chris kontos]

I agree and defended Cal--but it was even bigger picture than that.

I said before the season that we were one injury/goalie issue away from Copley and/or Villalta having to be the savior and it ended up being even worse than that.

It's not solely a Quick/petersen issue, it's a pipeline that was never addressed despite random idiots like me wondering about it for a couple of years.

So while yes some things are unforseen, there wasn't much of a plan B.

Add me to the list of random wondering idiots

 

[Rick Knickleback]

The fact that blake had to take that gamble proves he’s a fish and objectively demonstrates the ongoing process of blunders he’s made.

I am not a Blake apologist, as I think he's made some terrible decisions with out younger players, committed to much money to Cal, and too deferential to the old guard at times. I think this year and maybe next year are sort of the "prove it or lose it" years. But the Kings are sitting 7th in the league in points and 9th in the league in points percentage. We're hardly a tire fire, which makes the "ongoing process of blunders" rhetoric hyperbole, at best.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

I am not a Blake apologist, as I think he's made some terrible decisions with out younger players, committed to much money to Cal, and too deferential to the old guard at times. I think this year and maybe next year are sort of the "prove it or lose it" years. But the Kings are sitting 7th in the league in points and 9th in the league in points percentage. We're hardly a tire fire, which makes the "ongoing process of blunders" rhetoric hyperbole, at best.

I think people (including me) are hyper critical of Blake precisely because they see how much potential this team has, and they feel it’s potentially being squandered by a few critical errors.

 

[Rick Knickleback]

I think people (including me) are hyper critical of Blake precisely because they see how much potential this team has, and they feel it’s potentially being squandered by a few critical errors.

I totally get this and empathize with the spirit of it. I'd quibble with "squandered" based upon the regular season we're having. But: First round success is the absolute floor for growth. I'd like to see two series wins and then who knows?

I also think the Quick trade was an attempt to mitigate two of the critical errors. I mean, that needs to happen, right? He screwed up with Cal and not getting a 2nd pairing LHD in the offseason, but I'd rather he address that situation now than never.

 

[Fishhead]

I agree and defended Cal--but it was even bigger picture than that.

I said before the season that we were one injury/goalie issue away from Copley and/or Villalta having to be the savior and it ended up being even worse than that.

It's not solely a Quick/petersen issue, it's a pipeline that was never addressed despite random idiots like me wondering about it for a couple of years.

So while yes some things are unforseen, there wasn't much of a plan B.

There was zero plan B, the pipeline was bare. We had Cal and then a successful reclamation in Campbell at the time.

Why was there no plan B? Look no further than Quick for the first part of the answer. The answer would have to have been 100% draft. No young goalie was going to sign here with Quick on the roster, that's a NHL backup at best, and with Petersen and Campbell playing the more likely scenario was an AHL backup. The rebuild had just started so we were hanging on to what picks we had left, those weren't going to be traded for a goalie. Those cups were really expensive in the fact that we had absolutely no parachute there for 4-5 years.

The guys they drafted didn't work out and here we are. In retrospect was should have happened is they should have focused on filling that AHL starter spot better once Campbell departed. Villalta started slow. Ingham looked good for a while, but neither he nor Hrenak got much of a shot. Parik and Markkanen - nothing materializing. Two that group should have been splitting time getting a heavier load to evaluate them. Bringing in a Berube or a Sparks, while a fun story, took away from valuable evaluation time in my opinion.

It wasn't just one big f*** up, more of a series of small ones. But I also realize that with Quick, Petersen, and Campbell all playing well, I can see why it was completely on the back burner. Goalie seemed the worst of our problems. Guess that bit us in the ass.

 

[chris kontos]

I am not a Blake apologist, as I think he's made some terrible decisions with out younger players, committed to much money to Cal, and too deferential to the old guard at times. I think this year and maybe next year are sort of the "prove it or lose it" years. But the Kings are sitting 7th in the league in points and 9th in the league in points percentage. We're hardly a tire fire, which makes the "ongoing process of blunders" rhetoric hyperbole, at best.

Briefly, lemieux, pterson’s contract, todd mc cllen, total lack of forsight and planning in the draft and being forced to deal from an obvious state of weakness demonstrate some of it.
We are in the position we are in more from the pacific division being a dumpster fire than any thoughtful management moves.
I hope we win it all this season. I truly do. I may have been spoiled by our 2 stanley cups. But looking at the old boys network running the day to day, critical thinking tells me we aint but they are putting butts in seats, arent they?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I totally get this and empathize with the spirit of it. I'd quibble with "squandered" based upon the regular season we're having. But: First round success is the absolute floor for growth. I'd like to see two series wins and then who knows?

I also think the Quick trade was an attempt to mitigate two of the critical errors. I mean, that needs to happen, right? He screwed up with Cal and not getting a 2nd pairing LHD in the offseason, but I'd rather he address that situation now than never.

But I think that's also why I'm trying not to make it a binary "make the 2nd round or else", I feel like we need to evaluate the process sure, in light of the results, but in and of itself. Otherwise you end up with a Canadiens cindarella run and then wonder what punched you in the mouth the next season.

I have always said I appreciate that Blake doesn't seem to subscribe to sunk cost fallacy and that at least in that regard there's very little ego there in admitting his mistakes by making the appropriate move. However--he's got to start minimizing the mistakes as they're getting costly. A first and a franchise legend for two rentals is a costly "oopsie" and we aren't even a window-open team that can afford to shuttle off those picks quite yet. And again, it's one ALL OF US saw coming. I believe the rumors they were after Wallsteadt. That's great. They acknowledged an issue if that's the case. However, they failed to land him, and then...signed Copley, shuttled off Parik, and prayed. Not much of a strategy.

Now I'm also assuming he's going to parlay some of our assets into some picks for the upcoming draft so we have the currency to do something again, but it doesn't create much confidence in 'the hard part.'

 

[Rick Knickleback]

We are in the position we are in more from the pacific division being a dumpster fire than any thoughtful management moves.

We're 12-5-2 against the Central Division. You play who you play and then either win, lose, or lose in overtime. Again, Blake is not a great GM. I'd put him in the average category, and any postseason success will likely be done in spite of some fumbling. That's true of most GMs though.

Just as the Quick trade doesn't inspire the anger if it wasn't, you know, Jonathan MFing Quick getting traded, I don't think Blake inspires as much criticism if he didn't rip of the C back in 2001 and whine his way to a Stanley Cup with Avs (at the expense of the Kings in the second round), which was a total douche thing to do and for which I haven't entirely forgiven him. But I love the Kings! So I want him to be successful, and I think it's incumbent upon us motivated clowns in the fan-sphere to try to be objective about the long term goals.

Now I'm also assuming he's going to parlay some of our assets into some picks for the upcoming draft so we have the currency to do something again, but it doesn't create much confidence in 'the hard part.'

100% agree, to both parts of this.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

We are in the position we are in more from the pacific division being a dumpster fire than any thoughtful management moves.

Horribly ignorant statement, well done.

 

[Choralone]

We had two of our higher-drafted prospects flame out spectacularly, too (Gibson and Bartosak). Some of this is just crap luck.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

Blame Cal, blame Blake, but also partially blame Quick, for losing his level he had a year ago….no one expected Cal to faulter this far. the contract was a bit rich, but not far out of line. I think the fact Cal had a stellar WC for team USA and goaltender of the tournament, somewhat show that he was trending up and at the top of his game. The contract followed after that.

BLake not filling the goalie pipeline and signing / acquiring a better LHD option other than Edler was a fail. Losing Maatta and bringing back Edler, meant that a legit in his prime, minimum third pairing LHD was a must, last SUmmer.

Now, what seems to be true, JQ wanting to continue playing and get another contract is true? Then this trade was a necessity, if you’re wanting to improve the team in the 2 weakest areas. JQ is not going to play and he’s walking after this season.

Gavrikov is the LHD I would want over Orlov, Chychrun, McCabe, Ekholm. To win in the playoffs, will take. 2 top D pairings and a top tier goalie. Coperator has zero playoff e perience and Korpisalo has 2 shutouts and great playoff numbers. Its honestly amazing the KIngs were contending for division first, without 2 top pairings, less than stellar goaltending and FIala not even fitting on any line in a permanent sense.

After just seeing Gav 2 games, by the end of the year he may be the top D here, period.
He‘s saying he’s just going out there and playing but will get better. Damn.
I’m now wishing Moore didn’t get 4 million ; pretty much feels like based on his last yr….and hoping GAv and KOrp can both sign. On my iPad and the accessory keyboard is trash. Errr. Blake put the KIngs in the situation to lose out on one or both staying, but also put this team in a very good place to win a western championship. I like any matchup, with 2 top D pairs, a near elite goalie and rolling with it. Byfield and GAbe were non factors last playoff and Fiala, DD and Arvy were not here / or playing.

If the Kings make the finals, sure the EAst will be favored 4-0 or 4-1 series. I’ll take it
and anything is possible, if this team has 12 wins….possibly having won a Series 4-1 rolling in.

 

[mysterman2]

Sports is a business, but it’s a successful business precisely because fans become emotionally attached to teams and players. Yes, fans want to watch their team win. But fans also want to watch grand romantic narratives play out in sports. The young up and comer with something to prove. The old veteran chasing one last chance at glory. The sacrifice. The perseverance. Loyalty to team and teammates. Fidelity to duty. Honor, even.

These are the stories we project onto professional sports, and why we all ultimately watch. Sociologists have long said that pro sports are simply a stand in for war. And war, like sports, is easily romanticized regardless of its ugliness, its randomness, its cold removal from the human condition. And I think this says something interesting about human nature, doesn’t it? We need to win at all costs. We need to triumph. But we also need to feel something deeper thereafter, some greater purpose, be it sacrifice, perseverance, honor, or more. The joy of triumph itself is fleeting, so we search for something more meaningful and lasting underneath it. We need to win, but we also need to win the right way, whatever that means.

We don’t just talk about the Kings winning two Cups. We don’t just talk about wins and losses and goals and assists and saves. We talk about Quick skating up and down the bench against San Jose, refusing to give up. We talk about Richards “setting the tone” against Vancouver. We talk about Brown’s hit on Sedin “changing the momentum.” We talk about clutch. We talk about intangibles. We talk about grit. We talk about “Mr. Game Seven.” We talk about jazz hands.

So yeah, sports is a business. Or is it?

Post of the year right here.

 

[chris kontos]

Horribly ignorant statement, well done.

Coming from you thats a compliment

 

[Rorschach]

Blake put himself in a bad position with that contract for Cal knowing Quick is well into the twilight of his career. Quick's a professional athlete. He's not going to talk himself out of a job. It's up to management to assess him and deploy appropriately. Copley stepping up was a boon, but all this goes right back to that awful unmovable contract.

True but also the fact that Petersen put up .911 and 2.89 for a relatively bad team means Blake was not nuts. You could blame him though for not drafting more goalie guys but even if he did, they likely wouldn’t be ready this year.

Bottom line is, both Petersen and Quick stopped trying in their own ways. At his age and untradeable contract Petersen got dropped to the AHL, Quick and his age and contract got traded. .877 is not a NHL number…it’s not even AHL especially not at age 37.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

Also, know full well that when Blake said this deal came together in 48 hours, that he consulted with Luc, CHeeseman, Bergevin and even TMac. Maybe Tmac when it was close to happening. I can’t imagine he didn’t inform TMac at all and get his thoughts on doing it. Not saying Blake didn’t 100% orchestrate the exact deal, perhaps. But others were consulted for sure.

 

[kingsholygrail]

True but also the fact that Petersen put up .911 and 2.89 for a relatively bad team means Blake was not nuts. You could blame him though for not drafting more goalie guys but even if he did, they likely wouldn’t be ready this year.

Bottom line is, both Petersen and Quick stopped trying in their own ways. At his age and untradeable contract Petersen got dropped to the AHL, Quick and his age and contract got traded. .877 is not a NHL number…it’s not even AHL especially not at age 37.

In the two years he had 20+ starts, he averaged a .903 and 2.89.

 

[Bandit]

There is no Jesus here, son.

There’s a Raccoon with imposter syndrome though.

 

[Bandit]

The ex ante assumption that neither Korpisalo nor Gavrikov will be Kings next year because, you know, reasons, is as weird as it is dumb. Maybe they won't be, maybe they will. Like most trades, it'll take awhile to evaluate this one. Definitely a calculated risk on Blake's part, both in terms of the concept and the execution. Winning sure cures a lot of ills though.

Sure maybe they will maybe they won’t. Does that sound like a premise you run a several hundred million dollar business on? It doesn’t to me.

 

[Rick Knickleback]

Sure maybe they will maybe they won’t. Does that sound like a premise you run a several hundred million dollar business on? It doesn’t to me.

There isn’t a sports team in any league that doesn’t routinely gamble on picks, prospects, and players. If anything, Blake doesn’t gamble enough. Or gambles too conservatively. Bringing in RV instead of handing that spot to Vilardi or Kaliyev for instance.

 

[Seattle King]

Blake acquired two well-above average players for two positions of dire need. If they work out and are re-signed then it's a major step forward like the Fiala deal.
And we Trojan Horsed Quick into the VGK crease, that is a sieve I want to play against.

 

[Bandit]

There isn’t a sports team in any league that doesn’t routinely gamble on picks, prospects, and players. If anything, Blake doesn’t gamble enough. Or gambles too conservatively. Bringing in RV instead of handing that spot to Vilardi or Kaliyev for instance.

All bets are not created equal.

 

[Rick Knickleback]

All bets are not created equal.

No doubt. And sone aren’t settled for awhile.