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Rumor: KINGS 2018-19 Season - The Luc and Rob Show

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Lot of things got lost after that magical run in 2014. They stopped adding to the pipeline, dealt picks, ran into cap problems, on top of a series of off-ice issues and a huge loss in leadership and grit with the likes of Williams, Mitchell, Regehr all departing (plus Greene was out with injuries most of that time). Lot of players dropped off a cliff in terms of performance, and management kept trying to reload for another playoff push while sacrificing the future.

The Rangers sacrificed everything for their Stanley Cup in '94, and I'm sure it was well worth it. But the series of moves Neil Smith made thereafter were all disasters and quick fixes that put that team in a hole for the longest time. Seems like every team that attempted that quick fix method failed, as opposed to bringing in players internally, or with shrewd maneuvering, which the Pens did to finally get back on top in 2016 and 2017.

My hope is that whatever Luc says in public is just lip service and that internally hockey ops realizes the current state of the franchise is in dire need of repairs and has needed repairs for what is approaching five years now.
 
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KingsFan7824 said:
Can you name the long list of players under 24 that most other teams have acquired through trade? Lindros, but it took Forsberg and half a roster of other players. Pronger, but it took a HoF guy. I'm sure there are others, but it can't be that long of a list.



Just like Pearson/Hagelin, Zuccarello's cap hit is almost identical to Toffoli's.
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You aren't trading Toffoli though just for Zuccarello....that's idiotic and if he does, he needs to go
 
Ziggy Stardust said:
Lot of things got lost after that magical run in 2014. They stopped adding to the pipeline, dealt picks, ran into cap problems, on top of a series of off-ice issues and a huge loss in leadership and grit with the likes of Williams, Mitchell, Regehr all departing (plus Greene was out with injuries most of that time). Lot of players dropped off a cliff in terms of performance, and management kept trying to reload for another playoff push while sacrificing the future.

The Rangers sacrificed everything for their Stanley Cup in '94, and I'm sure it was well worth it. But the series of moves Neil Smith made thereafter were all disasters and quick fixes that put that team in a hole for the longest time. Seems like every team that attempted that quick fix method failed, as opposed to bringing in players internally, or with shrewd maneuvering, which the Pens did to finally get back on top in 2016 and 2017.

My hope is that whatever Luc says in public is just lip service and that internally hockey ops realizes the current state of the franchise is in dire need of repairs and has needed repairs for what is approaching five years now.
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Still really hope DL writes a book someday.

The 6 months following the 2nd Cup turned out to be a total dismantling of the era.

The Voynov incident was the biggest issue imo, but obviously so many cascading parts, especially the decline/departure of grit/leadership.

If people don't believe in intangibles in hockey, that run and everything after should raise awareness.
 
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Raccoon Jesus said:
Still really hope DL writes a book someday.

The 6 months following the 2nd Cup turned out to be a total dismantling of the era.

The Voynov incident was the biggest issue imo, but obviously so many cascading parts, especially the decline/departure of grit/leadership.

If people don't believe in intangibles in hockey, that run and everything after should raise awareness.
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Honestly, I think re-signing Gaborik instead of Williams is what crushed this team.
 
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Ziggy Stardust said:
Doughty was a clear cut #2 if anyone paid any attention. Those murmurs of anyone else being selected at that spot were greatly exaggerated. All of the defensemen you mentioned were considered below Doughty, and although a few here may have wanted tougher or bigger defensemen, the clear cut player ahead of all of the aforementioned names was Doughty. Without any doubt.

Whoever considered Hickey a #1 puck moving defenseman is delusional, and nobody here is giving Dave Taylor all the credit for those Cup runs.

What is a joke is ignoring facts, making up false narratives, and clinging onto events that took place five years ago. That is just sad. It would be like Ducks fans yearning for Brian Burke and 2007, or Penguins clamoring for Ray Shero and Dan Bylsma.

We have the lasting memory of two Cup banners, and the Mike Richards settlement cap hit that will constantly remind us of 2012 and 2014. They also should have never let go of Jamie Kompon.

And the Kings are enjoying the fruits of Lombardi's labor today with all of the talent he's stocked up over the years. That's why we're all enjoying their current last place position in the league.
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That’s simply not true regarding Doughty’s draft position. Yes, his final ranking was #2, but there was a much more complex milieu around the big four defensemen than you let on here. Simply go back and read the scouting reports.

As to the rest of your post, I get it. I only defend Lombardi to the degree of handing credit to Dave Taylor, who never won a damn bit of anything as a player or a general manager for this club. I suppose I’m more forgiving of Lombardi because I at least see his reasoning, and I understand the kind of human being he is: loyal to a fault, overly obsessed with intangible qualities in his athletes. But those qualities also helped change the culture in LA, at the very least for a few short years. I commend him for those qualities, even if they sank him and the franchise in the end. No one stays on top forever.

I’m sure you’ll respond to that with something cynical and dismissive, and I don’t fault you for that, either. Lombardi did objectively torpedo this franchise toward the end. I have nothing to offer to the contrary there. But if we’re going to crucify Lombardi for his lowest lows, he deserves equal praise for his highest highs.

If anyone deserves some charity in criticism, it’s the guy who brought two Cups to LA. Maybe you see it differently.
 
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kilowatt said:
Honestly, I think re-signing Gaborik instead of Williams is what crushed this team.
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Williams had his heart set on returning to the east coast. Only a significant overpayment would have kept him in LA.

But yes, Williams would have kept some nails in the core. I don’t really miss Richards (at his best) or Voynov or Stoll or even Greene. I miss Williams and Mitchell. Both had such impressive niche skill sets, and both were Patton-tier leaders in the locker room.

I’ll never forget the Williams story pre-game six in 2012. The entire team was starting to feel the heat from dropping two in a row to the Devils. They were starting to feel the pressure. And it was Williams - not Brown, not Kopitar, not Doughty, not even Quick - who gave pre-game speech and rallied the troops.

The only comparable moment from those years was early during the Sharks 2014 series. Quick skating up and down the bench barking at the boys to stay in it even though they were getting slaughtered.

Epic moments from two true Conn Smythes.
 
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kilowatt said:
Honestly, I think re-signing Gaborik instead of Williams is what crushed this team.
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I don't think that was an either/or situation, though. Williams seemed to want/need to go. Same with Mitchell, though in his case I think it was a money/term thing.

But yeah there's no 'replacing' those guys, I've made that claim for years.
 
One thing I recall about Doughty's draft year, was the Kings discovered he hadn't really worked out in any sense of what any athlete should be doing and was 217 lbs that season.
The Kings actually saw this as good, as they knew Drew would only improve as an athlete, as he would get professional training and working out. I've seen him in street
clothes and he does not look like an athlete and doesn't seem to have much muscle...it's crazy. But obviously, you cannot skate 28 minutes in the NHL and be poorly
conditioned. So...I think the Kings (or anyone) thought this is good and bad - bad that he's 217 lbs and not in athletic shape...but good, that getting him conditioned
and strength training, he's going to be an elite defenseman. But one would have to worry about his commitment to being the best..at the age of 18 and his draft year ;
when you would think 18 year old junior players were working their damndest.
 
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kilowatt said:
Honestly, I think re-signing Gaborik instead of Williams is what crushed this team.
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DL was going for as many Cups as he could get in the shortest amount of time. Gaborik was fine in 14-15. Kopitar had what was at the time a career low in goals, and his lowest point total since his rookie year. Pearson got hurt. Mitchell was gone. Voynov did what he did. That 1st round pick, that could've been traded for something else to help that team win, instead went for a defenseman to replace Voynov. Then Sekera got hurt anyway.

All that mattered at the time was the 14-15 season. It went to crap for any number of reasons. Had they not won 8 straight before the Sekera trade, or had they been able to at least make the playoffs, things may have unfolded differently after that season.

Re-signing Williams may not have been an option anyway. If he/his wife/whatever wanted to go back to the east coast, they would've had to offer him X amount more to make it worth it for him to stay. If money could've even done the job. It usually can, but sometimes people do turn down a little extra for specific living situations.
 
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I can't find that DOn cherry clip anymore of him focusing on quick strolling up and down the bench getting guys pumped up and of him tapping everyone as they left the ice after the rout.

Guy is one of the only really fiery leaders left
 
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What do we think the chances of Kupari making the roster next year are? Because I remember at the draft everyone I heard talking about him said that it would likely be 3-4 years until he cracked the roster, but it looks like he's having a really good season so far and most of his highlights I've seen have been good
 
Oof said:
What do we think the chances of Kupari making the roster next year are? Because I remember at the draft everyone I heard talking about him said that it would likely be 3-4 years until he cracked the roster, but it looks like he's having a really good season so far and most of his highlights I've seen have been good
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No way 2-3 years. He will definitely play on the Kings next season. I would not be surprised if he does not play the last 10 games of this season, after his season ends in mid March.
He is having a great season on Karpat and still 18 years old. He turns 19 March 15. He's grown about 2" and 20 lbs in just over a year as well.
 
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Peter James Bond II said:
No way 2-3 years. He will definitely play on the Kings next season. I would not be surprised if he does not play the last 10 games of this season, after his season ends in mid March.
He is having a great season on Karpat and still 18 years old. He turns 19 March 15. He's grown about 2" and 20 lbs in just over a year as well.
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I'm sure the Kings will assign him to the AHL after his season in Europe ends
 
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Oof said:
What do we think the chances of Kupari making the roster next year are? Because I remember at the draft everyone I heard talking about him said that it would likely be 3-4 years until he cracked the roster, but it looks like he's having a really good season so far and most of his highlights I've seen have been good
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Right now, who knows what the roster might look like by next September. Kupari would have to show that he's ready to compete for a spot, and there would have to be a spit for him to win. Rempal is going to be 24 when next year starts. Luff is currently here. Vilardi's name is always hanging around. Wagner got a shot. JAD. They can probably re-sign Brodzinski on the cheap if they want. Amadio is still scheduled to be a RFA.

That's 7 names. Then Kopitar, Kovalchuk, Brown, Carter, Toffoli, Lewis, Clifford, Iafallo, Kempe. That's now 16. Some of those holdovers might be gone. They might have to bring a contract back in a trade though, or might sign a free agent of some sort, be it place holder or actual player.

A soon to be 19 year old that was only taken 20th overall? It's probably not likely he makes the team next year, but so many things could be up in the air.
 
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KingsFan7824 said:
Right now, who knows what the roster might look like by next September. Kupari would have to show that he's ready to compete for a spot, and there would have to be a spit for him to win. Rempal is going to be 24 when next year starts. Luff is currently here. Vilardi's name is always hanging around. Wagner got a shot. JAD. They can probably re-sign Brodzinski on the cheap if they want. Amadio is still scheduled to be a RFA.

That's 7 names. Then Kopitar, Kovalchuk, Brown, Carter, Toffoli, Lewis, Clifford, Iafallo, Kempe. That's now 16. Some of those holdovers might be gone. They might have to bring a contract back in a trade though, or might sign a free agent of some sort, be it place holder or actual player.

A soon to be 19 year old that was only taken 20th overall? It's probably not likely he makes the team next year, but so many things could be up in the air.
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Isac Lundestrom was selected 23 overall in this draft and playing for the Ducks now. Kupari is better than him and will be playing on the Kings next year and not in Ontario.
He is a more talented version of Kempe - just as fast but better overall skill.
 
Yea wasn't barzal ,brown,and Connor all taken around the same place if the kid can play he can play, he was rated as high as 11 on some spring ratings . If and its a big if , villardi can play left wing with kopi and brown as produce even half as well as he did when he came back last year in juniors would be a good way to introduce him to the pros and he is a left shot, move iaffalo to 3lw with amadio and Brodsky on the third line that would be a forechecking dream , amadio and Brods turned AA into a scorer last year and on the 2 line of course we would have kovy, Hughes and whoever survives from carter,kempe and toffoli on the fourth we have Wagner,JAD and luff ..........if kupari makes the team bump brown to 3rw ..........instant retool , young,fast and talented playoffs in a year or two depending on the goalie situations, at least we would be entertained instead of the heartless crap now
 
regulate said:
FYI Lundestrom was sent down to the Gulls last week.
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Oh. Surprised he made the team in the first place...why rush him? When Kopitar was drafted, he played that year in Sweden, SEL and was ready
at 19. I am not saying Kupari is as good, but playing good minutes and producing 14 pts in 19 games in LIGA at 18 is great...and has good size, top end speed,
and can play 200 feet, somewhat physical...and everything the Kings need, I think he will be ready. If not, put him in the AHL.
 
Peter James Bond II said:
Oh. Surprised he made the team in the first place...why rush him? When Kopitar was drafted, he played that year in Sweden, SEL and was ready
at 19. I am not saying Kupari is as good, but playing good minutes and producing 14 pts in 19 games in LIGA at 18 is great...and has good size, top end speed,
and can play 200 feet, somewhat physical...and everything the Kings need, I think he will be ready. If not, put him in the AHL.
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Think Lundestrom made the Ducks due to their huge rash of injuries. I like that Kupari is playing as an 18 year old in Finland. Even if he doesn't make the Kings next year, he can play in Ontario and be called up as a 19 year old.
 
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What's to say? They're 31st, and show no signs of being able to sustain anything to get out of that. Every individual problem/issue they've had over the last few years seems to have converged into a single ball of problems this year. Things could easily be uglier by the end of the month. 4 more road games. 3 more home games, and McDavid, MacKinnon, Rantanen, and Pettersson are coming into LA. They're 4-6-1 at home, and 1-2-1 against western teams.
 
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