Confirmed with Link: Kings Sign Mersch,Dowd!

[Steve Zissou]

Really excited to see Dowd play in the AHL. I have a handle on how I think M&M is going to play but Dude (duder, duderino if you not into that brevity thing)

Stay away from my special lady friend!

 

[kingsfan]

I'm actually more excited about Dowd than I am about Mersch and I like Mersch's upside. I think Dowd though is going to be a very solid 3rd liner for us.

 

[PJ Kings Hockey]

I'm happy to see the kids signed and moving up the system. This type of thing is why we are going to continue being contenders. Just keep replenishing the system. I think if we keep doing this we won't have to go outside the system to replace players. That would also allow us to draft better as we will have all our picks. This draft id like to see a few rws and centers as i see that being set at d and lw for the forseeable future.

Well, I think we're getting a fair amount of bottom-sixers and a few second-line players, but aside from Toffoli, I don't see first-line players coming down our pipeline. No Kopitars or Doughtys. I hope I am wrong.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Well, I think we're getting a fair amount of bottom-sixers and a few second-line players, but aside from Toffoli, I don't see first-line players coming down our pipeline. No Kopitars or Doughtys. I hope I am wrong.

Those are franchise players. You can't consistently have those in the pipeline while being a contender.

 

[PJ Kings Hockey]

Those are franchise players. You can't consistently have those in the pipeline while being a contender.

That's right. Do you see any of our homegrown players playing on the first line in the future, besides Toffoli? I'm thinking Pearson and Zykov are on the second line and Prohorkins, well, we'll just have to see. Right now we have Kopitar, Williams, Gaborik, Richards and Carter in our top six and all of them were first round picks.

Dowd a Hobey Hat Trick Finalist, which means he's a top 3 vote getter.

That's impressive. Way to go, Nic!

 

[Reclamation Project]

That's right. Do you see any of our homegrown players playing on the first line in the future, besides Toffoli? I'm thinking Pearson and Zykov are on the second line and Prohorkins, well, we'll just have to see. Right now we have Kopitar, Williams, Gaborik, Richards and Carter in our top six and all of them were first round picks.

None have been ready for first line work until recently and even then, why would you play them when you have Gaborik, Carter, and Williams? You wouldn't.

 

[PJ Kings Hockey]

None have been ready for first line work until recently and even then, why would you play them when you have Gaborik, Carter, and Williams? You wouldn't.

I am thinking down the road, say 5+ years. Maybe Gravel will end up being the top-line complement to Doughty. Forward-wise?

 

[KingKopitar11*]

Well, I think we're getting a fair amount of bottom-sixers and a few second-line players, but aside from Toffoli, I don't see first-line players coming down our pipeline. No Kopitars or Doughtys. I hope I am wrong.

Agreed. One of the few things I notice about the Kings that there are many players who thrive off one another, as in more of a team game. And not many individual game breakers and talent.

We don't develop top 6 players realistically, only one who has legit top 6 potential and is pretty much there, is Toffoli.

 

[Herby]

Simmonds and Schenn were top 6 forwards who were drafted by the Kings. I think TT is a top six lock and Pearson has a really good shot. But yes, other than that the Kings haven't really given themselves much of a chance to draft top 6 forwards with the drafting strategy in the first round and the fact that two first round picks were traded for Penner and Carter.

Most first line and second line players are drafted in the first round and the Kings either haven't had picks or chose to use the picks on extremely low upside guys like Lewis and Teubert. With the two traded picks, the Teubert and Hickey picks and the Lewis pick the Kings haven't really had much of a chance to develop another Kopitar.

 

[bmr]

Guys - it sure feels like we're absolutely stacked in the farm system. Lombardi and team continues to draft well and make trades when we need to shore up a certain area. I was not feeling this good about the team offensively/defensively at the beginning of the year. It speaks volumes as to how effective these guys have become at their jobs. A big reason why Detroit has been good for so many years.

Can't wait to see how these guys do in Manchester. I think we have a really good shot at the Calder this year.

 

[Whiskeypete]

Well, I think we're getting a fair amount of bottom-sixers and a few second-line players, but aside from Toffoli, I don't see first-line players coming down our pipeline. No Kopitars or Doughtys. I hope I am wrong.

unless they are drafting in the top 3, 5 or 10 it is unlikely to nab that type of player. this is why DL and Futa's strategy, vision and team of scouts are so crucial. i think they have been excellent in rounds 2 - 5 and also some success beyond the 5th.

while LA may not get the opportunity to draft the next Doughty or Kopitar, what they can do is trade for them. this is exactly what Dean did to get Carter. he leveraged his assets to go after that top tier talent, in that case it was JJ and a 1st. the same could be said for the trade for Gabby this year for Frattin and picks.

i am happy as hell if LA keeps winning and drafting 25-30 each year, it means the team is a top contender. it just means we don't get top prospects each year and Dean and Futa need to be dialed in at the draft.

i agree also that TT is easy top 6. Tanner looks like a pretty easy fit into a top 6 role on the 2nd line with possible potential to exceed. McNabb and Gravel on the backend look to fit into top 4 roles on the D. after this there is a completely new batch of kids just going to MAN or still in the Jrs and the K we haven't seen yet, so its hard to forecast where they will end up.

the future is very bright for this team. it has never looked better than it does presently.

 

[BigKing]

I am thinking down the road, say 5+ years. Maybe Gravel will end up being the top-line complement to Doughty. Forward-wise?

Five years ago, this team was rolling a Top-6 of Kopitar/Brown/Cammy/Frolov/O'Sullivan and I guess Armstrong. Purcell and Moulson were here too but played sparingly; however, Purcell was the only one thought of to be a Top-6 player.

Fast forward five years and three of those Top-6 guys are out of the league with only two still remaining on the team. In their place, you have serious upgrades in Williams, Carter, Gaborik and Toffoli as Toffoli is already better than O'Sullivan IMO. Then you have a Moulson who has gone on to become a 30 goal scorer in this league who we let walk.

Bottom line is that forecasting based on prospects in the system now for five years down the road is a foolish endeavor. Five years ago, Hickey was penciled in on defense along with Teubert. Oscar Moller was going to be a Top 6 no problem. Then Loktionov was going to be Top 6 and so on.

This team will be fine for the next five seasons barring injuries to Kopitar, Doughty and Quick. Keep producing solid players in the Bottom 1st and 2nd rounds while being shrewd with trades and this team will compete. It's not a shame to not have a Kopitar or Doughty in the system: Kopitar is a hockey machine that should have gone 2nd overall in his draft year while Doughty was only in the pipeline for three months.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Simmonds and Schenn were top 6 forwards who were drafted by the Kings. I think TT is a top six lock and Pearson has a really good shot. But yes, other than that the Kings haven't really given themselves much of a chance to draft top 6 forwards with the drafting strategy in the first round and the fact that two first round picks were traded for Penner and Carter.

Most first line and second line players are drafted in the first round and the Kings either haven't had picks or chose to use the picks on extremely low upside guys like Lewis and Teubert. With the two traded picks, the Teubert and Hickey picks and the Lewis pick the Kings haven't really had much of a chance to develop another Kopitar.

I know everyone hates when I say it, and I even do to, but damn. These are the players picked after those two...

Claude Giroux

Erik Karlsson
Michael Del Zotto
Jordan Eberle
John Carlson

Painful.

 

[kingsfan28]

I know everyone hates when I say it, and I even do to, but damn. These are the players picked after those two...

Claude Giroux

Erik Karlsson
Michael Del Zotto
Jordan Eberle
John Carlson

Painful.

In all fairness, Murray was still the head of scouting [can you say Danny fricking Roussin in the 2nd round!] and even Lombardi said he was relying on their judgement during that draft. Murray was fired a few weeks later I believe.

 

[HYORI 1963]

Guys - it sure feels like we're absolutely stacked in the farm system. Lombardi and team continues to draft well and make trades when we need to shore up a certain area. I was not feeling this good about the team offensively/defensively at the beginning of the year. It speaks volumes as to how effective these guys have become at their jobs. A big reason why Detroit has been good for so many years.

Can't wait to see how these guys do in Manchester. I think we have a really good shot at the Calder this year.

Downside to that is, we won't see majority of these guys as kings regular.

But as long as we keep winning the cup, I'm good!

 

[northernKing]

In all fairness, Murray was still the head of scouting [can you say Danny fricking Roussin in the 2nd round!] and even Lombardi said he was relying on their judgement during that draft. Murray was fired a few weeks later I believe.

Hasn't that same Murray been responsible for ALOT of the youngsters TB has drafted in the last few years? One bad pick and a long list of very good/ great ones is fine by me!

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Hasn't that same Murray been responsible for ALOT of the youngsters TB has drafted in the last few years? One bad pick and a long list of very good/ great ones is fine by me!

Yeah, can't forget about gems like Zultek, Karlsson, Steckel, Biron, Tukonen, Boyle, Tambellini, Grebeshkov, Shefer, etc. Well, at least Boyle is still in the NHL.

 

[lumbergh]

Because college diplomas hold a lot of weight these days lol.

Actually they do. To the tune of ~$17,500 annually for a young person. That college diploma probably means its recipient will earn 50% more than without it.

For a guy like Nic Dowd, who is a Bio-medicine major with a 3.61 GPA, leaving his school without a diploma could be one of the worst decisions he could make. Fortunately, he's a senior and his college playing days are over. He should still be getting his degree when he's done with his classes this semester.

Remember that making the NHL as a prospect is not a sure thing. In fact, I would peg his chances as making it to the show as less than 50/50. There's a good possibility he ends up mired in AHL obscurity, riding busses around for three or four years before leaving hockey. Also remember that these prospects exist outside of hockeysfuture.com. They're real people who have to make a living, whether in hockey or not.

Most college hockey players don't decide to attend college only as preparation for an NHL career. They're there to get a degree too.

Nobody is asking where Scott Parse is these days. At least he was fortunate enough to make it to the NHL AND have that college degree now that he's not in hockey. I have no idea how many guys don't make it to the NHL, have no college degree, and spend their days in a crap job reliving the glory days in their minds or in beer leagues.

 

[Johnny Utah]

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=69877

 

[goosh]

John Hoven via Twitter

MayorsManor has confirmed @glassandout7 has signed an ATO w/ @MonarchsHockey - he's on a flight to Manch. Could play this weekend. #LAKings

No ELC yet.

 

[Whiskeypete]

Hoven tweeted earlier today that Mersch is expected to play this weekend. he didn't mention Dowd though

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

John Hoven via Twitter



No ELC yet.

Oh yes!!!! drooooool

 

[CTKingsFan]

Hoven tweeted earlier today that Mersch is expected to play this weekend. he didn't mention Dowd though

I would guess with Vey in LA that Dowd has a very good chance of playing. Morris mentioned in a interview today, that's it very important to get those guys in and comfortable with the team.

 

[kingsfan]

Hasn't that same Murray been responsible for ALOT of the youngsters TB has drafted in the last few years? One bad pick and a long list of very good/ great ones is fine by me!

Al Murray took over as director of amateur scouting in Tampa Bay in August, 2010, meaning he's been around for the 2011, 2012 and 2013 draft.

Far to early to tell on any of those drafts, though yes, Palat looks like a great steal.

Actually they do. To the tune of ~$17,500 annually for a young person. That college diploma probably means its recipient will earn 50% more than without it.

For a guy like Nic Dowd, who is a Bio-medicine major with a 3.61 GPA, leaving his school without a diploma could be one of the worst decisions he could make. Fortunately, he's a senior and his college playing days are over. He should still be getting his degree when he's done with his classes this semester.

Remember that making the NHL as a prospect is not a sure thing. In fact, I would peg his chances as making it to the show as less than 50/50. There's a good possibility he ends up mired in AHL obscurity, riding busses around for three or four years before leaving hockey. Also remember that these prospects exist outside of hockeysfuture.com. They're real people who have to make a living, whether in hockey or not.

Most college hockey players don't decide to attend college only as preparation for an NHL career. They're there to get a degree too.

Nobody is asking where Scott Parse is these days. At least he was fortunate enough to make it to the NHL AND have that college degree now that he's not in hockey. I have no idea how many guys don't make it to the NHL, have no college degree, and spend their days in a crap job reliving the glory days in their minds or in beer leagues.

Can't Dowd just go back to school if things don't work out?

John Hoven via Twitter



No ELC yet.

Yet.

 

[Fat Elvis]

John Hoven via Twitter



No ELC yet.

Who?