Confirmed with Link: Kings acquire forward Viktor Arvidsson in exchange for two draft picks

[TruKingFan]

Not a sexy trade or player but definitely an improvement - hopefully will mean Lizotte will now be unprotected and taken by the Kraken.

 

[LAKings88]

Not a sexy trade or player but definitely an improvement - hopefully will mean Lizotte will now be unprotected and taken by the Kraken.

Grundstrom or Clague are my bets.

 

[kilowatt]

Grundstrom or Clague are my bets.

Or Andersson. Meh, we could be in a much worse position.

 

[Steve Zissou]

Or Andersson. Meh, we could be in a much worse position.

Andersson will be protected. Dude may have started off kinda slow but his play picked up all year in all facets. I like this kid's game and where it's heading. He also provides the team something no one else besides Brown can provide, and that's a scrappy game in front of the net with tips, rebounds, screening, and chipping in when he can.

Moreover, I don't think they would have sacrificed a 2nd rounder on him and his development to simply leave him exposed. I like Grundy's game but Andersson has easily surpassed him this past year.

 

[Docgonzo]

That's the problem. It needs to be a top 5 pick.

The entire focus of the organization right now should be trying to get another Byfield caliber prospect.

Arvidsson is a black hole move.

Not really, most of the best teams hit a home run on a player in the 20s or even in later rounds.

Marchand and Pasta and Bergeron
Rantanen was 11
Stone was “late round
Benn was late round
O’Reilly was 33rd
Guentzel was 77th
Tampa has so many it’s crazy. Point, Kucherov, Palat, Killorn, Cirelli
Aho was 33rd

You need to usually hit with a high and then come up big later in the draft. Edmonton had a lot of high picks in a row and it really hasn’t helped them much besides raise expectations and contracts.

 

[Reclamation Project]

You need lottery picks, you need later picks that develop, you need to have a couple undrafted stars, you need lots of players developed in the system, and you need a couple trades to set things over the top. You have to be excellent everywhere! The only one I completely disregard is free agency.

 

[johnjm22]

Not really, most of the best teams hit a home run on a player in the 20s or even in later rounds.

Marchand and Pasta and Bergeron
Rantanen was 11
Stone was “late round
Benn was late round
O’Reilly was 33rd
Guentzel was 77th
Tampa has so many it’s crazy. Point, Kucherov, Palat, Killorn, Cirelli
Aho was 33rd

You need to usually hit with a high and then come up big later in the draft. Edmonton had a lot of high picks in a row and it really hasn’t helped them much besides raise expectations and contracts.

You do need to hit home runs.

And we just gave away two free swings: a 2nd and a 3rd.

All in exchange for getting closer to the black hole.

Bottom line is the higher you pick the better chance you have. Acquiring VA is actively reducing the Kings chances.

 

[Statto]

That's the problem. It needs to be a top 5 pick.

The entire focus of the organization right now should be trying to get another Byfield caliber prospect.

Arvidsson is a black hole move.

It’s not an absolute as draft position is never a guarantee just about your odds of hitting a home run. It’s actually those later picks that are the real difference makers. Here are a few black hole and late round picks that all became difference makers. I don’t have time to do any proper research on it right now, so these are basically off the top of my head.


Karlsson 15OA
Kopitar 11OA
Frolov 20OA
Parise 17OA
Stone 178OA
Visnovsky 108OA
Hank 208OA
Benn 129OA

The system depth we have means those riskier, high upside picks are ones we can go after. It doesn’t have to be a top 5 pick, especially if Byfield, Turcotte and Kalyev get remotely close to their ceilings.

 

[King'sPawn]

Hilarious that a trade for a legit top 6 forward for a 2nd and 3rd round pick is getting bemoaned, because now the Kings won't suck as much as someone would like to get a better 1st round pick.

Only on HF, fellas.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Hilarious that a trade for a legit top 6 forward for a 2nd and 3rd round pick is getting bemoaned, because now the Kings won't suck as much as someone would like to get a better 1st round pick.

Only on HF, fellas.

Very funny. As I said elsewhere, I know history doesn't necessarily repeat itself, but look at the 2008-2009 Kings as a relative comparable.

That was a team transitioning out of a rebuild and incorporating younger players and had a slightly better points percentage than the 2021 team but acquired Williams late in the season and then added Scuderi and Smyth in the offseason. Those weren't "blackhole" moves but were key trades and signings to help the franchise enter the transition phase between rebuild and contender.

I don't think there are many cap-era teams that have gone directly from strip-down rebuild to full-blown contender; at some point teams start transitioning to being more competitive by adding established players from outside the organization.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Hilarious that a trade for a legit top 6 forward for a 2nd and 3rd round pick is getting bemoaned, because now the Kings won't suck as much as someone would like to get a better 1st round pick.

Only on HF, fellas.

Almost as good as more discussion on why we should have never traded for Richards...

 

[KingsFan7824]

The only one I completely disregard is free agency.

Which you shouldn't. It just needs to be a smart signing.

You do need to hit home runs.

And we just gave away two free swings: a 2nd and a 3rd.

All in exchange for getting closer to the black hole.

Bottom line is the higher you pick the better chance you have. Acquiring VA is actively reducing the Kings chances.

And the chances that either pick is better than Arvidsson is today, nevermind his likely peak a few years ago, are on the low end.

Reading posts like this is like watching the Kings from the last few years. Demoralizing. Just what's the point of it all? They're not going to win anyway. Even the chances that they'll have the right mix again for a Cup is unlikely. Look at the Avs. A ton of talent, and still not what they were 25 years ago. They are, right now, a black hole team. Can't even get out of the 2nd rd.

Very funny. As I said elsewhere, I know history doesn't necessarily repeat itself, but look at the 2008-2009 Kings as a relative comparable.

That was a team transitioning out of a rebuild and incorporating younger players and had a slightly better points percentage than the 2021 team but acquired Williams late in the season and then added Scuderi and Smyth in the offseason. Those weren't "blackhole" moves but were key trades and signings to help the franchise enter the transition phase between rebuild and contender.

I don't think there are many cap-era teams that have gone directly from strip-down rebuild to full-blown contender; at some point teams start transitioning to being more competitive by adding established players from outside the organization.

But adding Williams, Smyth, and Scuderi were black hole moves. They were a 1st rd and out team.

 

[SFKingshomer]

This probably doesn't move the needle much either way.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

But adding Williams, Smyth, and Scuderi were black hole moves. They were a 1st rd and out team.

Sure, when you strip all context of the long-term purpose and view them in one-year vacuum.

 

[cyclones22]

It was very evident that whatever lines Iafallo or Moore played on were the most effective lines for the Kings last season. Now you're adding the + version of those 2 players to another line. Obviously the future of the Kings is the drafted youth who are breaking into the lineup, in particularly down the middle. Adding a player like VA helps develop those young centers to reach their potential either by directly playing with him or ensuring that one of Iafallo or Moore get to line up next to Vilardi and Byfield. Vilardi played well when paired with either of those players because his game benefits from actual possession and not being on a line with players who can't maintain it or constantly lose it, i.e. AA, Wagner and even Carter.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Sure, when you strip all context of the long-term purpose and view them in one-year vacuum.

Those moves were made not knowing they would get Richards and Carter a few years later.

I think those Cups mess with our minds. We look back from them, and see this perfect, long term, essentially inevitable path DL put the franchise on.

DL made the moves he made to simply make the Kings better than they were the day before. I'll get Smyth as a stepping stone, and then when the time is right, move him. No, he got Smyth to have Smyth, because it made the team better in 09-10. He probably thought he'd finish his contract as a King.

 

[funky]

I think this trade is really being undersold.

people on here got hot and bothered over Leipsic and his play. People love Lizotte because he tries hard.

we just got that type of player with the skills to score 25 goals a year. He also is a wicked penalty killer and just an overall spark plug.

we talk of missing character guys inside a room. These are the types of trades that start replenishing the character we lost. Even if it’s a lead by example type. This is what we want the kids to do.

can’t believe people are upset. We can draft prospects galore but we still need to insulate them and surround them with leaders

 

[LAKings88]

You need lottery picks, you need later picks that develop, you need to have a couple undrafted stars, you need lots of players developed in the system, and you need a couple trades to set things over the top. You have to be excellent everywhere! The only one I completely disregard is free agency.

Except for those Scuderi/Mitchell types.

 

[Herby]

Hilarious that a trade for a legit top 6 forward for a 2nd and 3rd round pick is getting bemoaned, because now the Kings won't suck as much as someone would like to get a better 1st round pick.

Only on HF, fellas.

I think this is an unfair take. People are not complaining for the sake of complaining. Most of us who don’t really understand the long-term vision behind this or say going after Saad, Schwartz etc have made those points before this happened. This would be like criticizing people such as yourself for complaining if they traded for Eichel or blew it up. No one is criticizing the trade or think it makes the Kings worse, or that the picks will amount to anything, we are asking how it brings the Kings closer to Stanley Cups. Dave Taylor made a ton of these types of trades and FA signings as Kings GM, it immediately made the team better on the ice, but I think it was proven that it didn't get the Kings closer to the ultimate goal

You have been pretty strongly against trading for Eichel, as much as people like me and @johnjm22 have been against bridge trades. I can disagree but I respect the logic behind that view. Give us the same courtesy, please. Say you think we are wrong, but don't act like we are just complaining for the sake of complaining, we aren't.

Furthermore, while prospect adoration is certainly a thing and I do agree that people want to rebuild for to long, it's not as if that is the case with many of us here. I think you would find many of the people who don't like this trade would welcome an Eichel trade tomorrow, which would both weaken the prospect pool and make the team better, kind of contradicting what you said.

If the Kings have 2018 type seasons the next 2-3 years do you find that to be a positive in the big picture of getting back to a SC level?

Do you think the Kings have enough at the top to contend in the future assuming the Top 5 pick part of the rebuild is over?

 

[Lt Dan]

Don't knock it until you try it!!!

 

[bland]

Those moves were made not knowing they would get Richards and Carter a few years later.

I think those Cups mess with our minds. We look back from them, and see this perfect, long term, essentially inevitable path DL put the franchise on.

DL made the moves he made to simply make the Kings better than they were the day before. I'll get Smyth as a stepping stone, and then when the time is right, move him. No, he got Smyth to have Smyth, because it made the team better in 09-10. He probably thought he'd finish his contract as a King.

There is a lot more to it than that, this was definitely a longterm plan by Lombardi - his GM breakfasts foreshadowed so much of what came to fruition.

You can't start a linear plan to a Cup, you plan to be a contender and have the appropriate assets available to strike when and if you are ready to go further. If you don't reach that end stage, you certainly don't want to be tied down by prohibitive contracts, and you definitely don't spend all your capital to reach that stage.

Lombardi had all that planned, then once he struck gold he changed the plan to stay there instead of dropping down for a year or two then going again.

 

[bland]

Not really, most of the best teams hit a home run on a player in the 20s or even in later rounds.

Marchand and Pasta and Bergeron
Rantanen was 11
Stone was “late round
Benn was late round
O’Reilly was 33rd
Guentzel was 77th
Tampa has so many it’s crazy. Point, Kucherov, Palat, Killorn, Cirelli
Aho was 33rd

You need to usually hit with a high and then come up big later in the draft. Edmonton had a lot of high picks in a row and it really hasn’t helped them much besides raise expectations and contracts.

One thing the detractors are missing here is that it is extremely rare to draft ready made stars right out of the box. The players listed above came into organizations who had competent teams who offered a competitive enviornment.

The Kings of the last two years were not competent. That enviornment was no place to successfully bring in young players. The Kings needed to add competent players with competitive drive so that the kids had a positive level to strive to match, not a negative one to settle into.

That's why I love this deal. I hope there is another just like it. I am not sure why people don't see the arch of the plan, it seems obvious to me.

 

[Docgonzo]

So while taking out the puppy this morning I started thinking about how many top 10 picks cup champions have. So I did some research and found most cup winners have 1-2 top 10 picks that were they’re own picks on the cup winning rosters. And a lot of the 1sts are traded for or signed as FA.

Tampa- 9 total 1st rounders, 2 own top 10 picks, 6 traded for/FA

Blues- 9 total 1st rounders, 1 own top 10 pick, 3 traded for/FA

Capitals- 12 total 1st rounders, 2 own top 10 picks, 6 traded for/FA

Penguins- 7 total 1st rounders, 3 own top 10 picks, 3 traded for/FA

Penguins- 8 total 1st rounders, 3 own top 10 picks, 3 traded for/FA

Blackhawks- 6 total 1st rounders, 2 own top 10, 2 traded for/FA

Kings- 11 total 1st rounders, 1 own top 10 picks, 6 traded for/FA

Blackhawks- 7 total 1st rounders, 2 own top 10 picks, 3 traded for/FA

Kings- 9 total 1st rounders, 1 own top 10, 4 traded for/FA

Bruins- 4 total 1st rounders, 1 own top 10 pick, 3 traded for/FA

 

[tomd]

That's the problem. It needs to be a top 5 pick.

The entire focus of the organization right now should be trying to get another Byfield caliber prospect.

Arvidsson is a black hole move.

Something tells me you're not going to like the next month or so...

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Hilarious that a trade for a legit top 6 forward for a 2nd and 3rd round pick is getting bemoaned, because now the Kings won't suck as much as someone would like to get a better 1st round pick.

Only on HF, fellas.

Especially when that trade is made while the playoffs are actively still happening as if that's the only thing that's going to happen this summer.

This probably doesn't move the needle much either way.

I think having his drive and talent in the top-6 makes us a little better than Brown slugging along.

I think this is an unfair take. People are not complaining for the sake of complaining, most of us who don’t really understand the long-term vision behind this or say going after Saad, Schwartz etc have made those points before this happened. This would be like criticizing people for complaining if they traded for Eichel or blew it up. I personally have more respect and appreciation for people who stick to their guns than change their opinions once something happens.

If the Kings have 2018 type seasons the next 2-3 years do you find that to be a positive in the big picture of getting back to a SC level?

I appreciate and respect @johnjm22 's take to a degree but see above, this is basically like grading Blake's whole offseason on the first move. While the playoffs are still going, he's added a lottery ticket in Tkachyov and at worst a solid play-driving energetic talent in Arvidsson. If he's done for the next few months sure, it's fair to treat it as if we're just signing Kovalchuk and kicking back. But it's barely July.

Now if you're someone that's 100% tank-or-bust, sure, this will make you grumpy, but it's probably better to get on board with the idea that Kopitar and Doughty aren't going anywhere either, so being upset about a trade for an established player is going to be a very very repetitive concern for the next years.