Confirmed with Link: Kings signing Cammalleri to 1/yr deal, 1m + bonuses

[Reclamation Project]

Wish we would have signed Shattenkirk and Hanzel for 11 million!

 

[SlimCharles]

I'd be happy to be wrong, but I'm not betting on it.

Justin Williams, Pominville and Cammalleri are back with the same teams they were on 10 years ago. How funny is that?

 

[King'sPawn]

And neither is Mike. And you don't know what the rookies can do until you actually play them. Both have an equal shot at putting up 20 goals for the Kings, frankly. My point is what is this team's direction? Are we rebuilding? Are we trying to compete? Which is it? Because being a blackhole team is not a good answer.

This is a depth signing. Someone to fight for a position in training camp. Have you considered all the options?

1) Cammalleri outplays the young players in training camp and gets a spot on the team
2) Cammalleri is outplayed by a young player in training camp and is a $1 million healthy scratch
3) Cammalleri is outplayed by a young player in training camp, gets waived and reassigned to Ontario, and takes up $50k in cap space.
4) Cammalleri is outplayed by a young player in training camp, but Blake doesn't waive him and Stevens plays him.

You seem to be more concerned about #4. Which would be an issue with Stevens, not Blake. If Cammalleri is as bad as you think he is, then Cammalleri outplaying them would be disappointing and I wouldn't want them on the roster anyway. If Cammalleri's a healthy scratch at $1 million, I'd take that over a Gaborik or Purcell healthy scratch. If he's assigned to Ontario and takes up $50k in cap space, who cares?

The Kings are not going to give the kids an NHL roster spot. They have to earn it. Besides, being a black hole team is a lot less worse than it used to be, given that all non-playoff teams have multiple chances of winning the lottery and getting a top 3 pick.

 

[kingsboy11]

Justin Williams, Pominville and Cammalleri are back with the same teams they were on 10 years ago. How funny is that?

Don't forget Hartnell and Sharp going back to their old clubs. At this rate I wouldn't be surprised to see Iginla going back to Calgary.

 

[Stimpythecat]

3) Burying contracts is up to $1,025,000 this season.

 

[King'sPawn]

3) Burying contracts is up to $1,025,000 this season.

So the Kings wouldn't even have a cap hit if they assigned Cammalleri to the AHL? Even better.

 

[SlimCharles]

Don't forget Hartnell and Sharp going back to their old clubs. At this rate I wouldn't be surprised to see Iginla going back to Calgary.

Yeah wow, lots of returns happening!

 

[Face Wash]

or bring back Jarome. Or work on C depth...Call Fisher and see if he'd take a 1 yr $4M deal. We have recording studios in L.A. too ya know.

Or not...

 

[Herby]

This is a depth signing. Someone to fight for a position in training camp. Have you considered all the options?

1) Cammalleri outplays the young players in training camp and gets a spot on the team
2) Cammalleri is outplayed by a young player in training camp and is a $1 million healthy scratch
3) Cammalleri is outplayed by a young player in training camp, gets waived and reassigned to Ontario, and takes up $50k in cap space.
4) Cammalleri is outplayed by a young player in training camp, but Blake doesn't waive him and Stevens plays him.

You seem to be more concerned about #4. Which would be an issue with Stevens, not Blake. If Cammalleri is as bad as you think he is, then Cammalleri outplaying them would be disappointing and I wouldn't want them on the roster anyway. If Cammalleri's a healthy scratch at $1 million, I'd take that over a Gaborik or Purcell healthy scratch. If he's assigned to Ontario and takes up $50k in cap space, who cares?

The Kings are not going to give the kids an NHL roster spot. They have to earn it. Besides, being a black hole team is a lot less worse than it used to be, given that all non-playoff teams have multiple chances of winning the lottery and getting a top 3 pick.

Good post.

This is literally a zero risk signing. And it has much more upside than Purcell or Setoguchi had. Cammalleri can still shoot the puck and be an asset on the PP.

 

[BigKing]

So the new direction is a great draft by Dean's scouts and the signing of prospect free agents that were scouted by Dean's team prior to his firing?

It may seem I'm crucifying Blake but I'm not. I just don't think he, himself, has really done anything yet that wasn't already in motion but, when it happens, he's amazing and "Dean wouldn't of done that".

The coaching change needed to happen. I'm not seeing anything at the top so far though that lends credence to some big paradigm shift in thinking. Signing prospects isn't a new idea since the Kings have tried previously. Prospects more likely to sign here now with the weak pipeline and roster holes.

I didn't expect Blake to waive a magic wand. I guess DL was supposed to do that last summer.

 

[Herby]

Dean tried to sign Lucic to a 7 year deal last summer. He was completely out of control with the rentals and the ridiculous term contracts. That coupled with the recent results left AEG no choice. You can't have a three year run like the Kings had between 14-17 and expect management to let that same person stay on.

And have any scouts been fired or has there been even a hint of it?

There very well may have been a schism between certain people in the Kings front office, you have to assume not everyone was on board with the rentals.

And BK, realize you are not a big Blake guy, but you are sharp enough to realize that there was really nothing they could have done to make changes short of trading Carter or Doughty. Clearly no one wanted Brown or Gaborik and the Kings farm system was not good enough to get someone like Drouin.

Hopefully Valardi is ready to step into the NHL as a 19 or 20 year old and be a contributor by his second year, would make the cap situation much better.

 

[BigKing]

Dean tried to sign Lucic to a 7 year deal last summer. He was completely out of control with the rentals and the ridiculous term contracts. That coupled with the recent results left AEG no choice. You can't have a three year run like the Kings had between 14-17 and expect management to let that same person stay on.

And have any scouts been fired or has there been even a hint of it?

There very well may have been a schism between certain people in the Kings front office, you have to assume not everyone was on board with the rentals.

And BK, realize you are not a big Blake guy, but you are sharp enough to realize that there was really nothing they could have done to make changes short of trading Carter or Doughty. Clearly no one wanted Brown or Gaborik and the Kings farm system was not good enough to get someone like Drouin.

Hopefully Valardi is ready to step into the NHL as a 19 or 20 year old and be a contributor by his second year, would make the cap situation much better.

If they ice basically the same roster, what's the difference between DL and Blake right now?

Sutter had to go but I still have a bad feeling about the Dean firing and that's due to Luc and not even Blake.

Blake is like Trump or if Hillary had won: I need him to do well for America's sake but I don't like him at the same time and can't stand it when he is given credit for things he shouldn't.

That being said, I'm excited to read Tikk's thoughts on today. There was no way they were running it back yet here we are. He's got to be the most upset over this.

 

[deeshamrock]

Dean tried to sign Lucic to a 7 year deal last summer. He was completely out of control with the rentals and the ridiculous term contracts. That coupled with the recent results left AEG no choice. You can't have a three year run like the Kings had between 14-17 and expect management to let that same person stay on.

And have any scouts been fired or has there been even a hint of it?

There very well may have been a schism between certain people in the Kings front office, you have to assume not everyone was on board with the rentals.

And BK, realize you are not a big Blake guy, but you are sharp enough to realize that there was really nothing they could have done to make changes short of trading Carter or Doughty. Clearly no one wanted Brown or Gaborik and the Kings farm system was not good enough to get someone like Drouin.

Hopefully Valardi is ready to step into the NHL as a 19 or 20 year old and be a contributor by his second year, would make the cap situation much better.

There was. At the time of the firing/hiring cited was a 'difference in philosophies' . I know some of that was ridding the team of Sutter's stifling, stagnant system and going with a more creative offense system but the trading picks and prospects for a quick fix was part of it too.

 

[deeshamrock]

If they ice basically the same roster, what's the difference between DL and Blake right now?

Sutter had to go but I still have a bad feeling about the Dean firing and that's due to Luc and not even Blake.

Blake is like Trump or if Hillary had won: I need him to do well for America's sake but I don't like him at the same time and can't stand it when he is given credit for things he shouldn't.

That being said, I'm excited to read Tikk's thoughts on today. There was no way they were running it back yet here we are. He's got to be the most upset over this.

BIg difference, Luc and Blake don't have the same vision as Sutter and DL. Luc and Blake are not magicians, they can't produce a top prospect/young player that would be enough to get a Duchene, or Drouin. They signed TT to a fair and drafted well. Vilardi is the real deal, the gods smiled on them and let him drop to 11. Very bright future at 1C for him. They aren't dumb, they know the position the team is in and that is all on DL. All those wrongs can't be undone in 1 yr.

 

[Omni Owl]

Trading for Lucic and the bad deal's to Brown and Gaborik sealed DL's fate. I'll always hate that ****ing Lucic deal, I'm still ******** on it years down the line.

 

[Herby]

BK,

To answer your question, I would assume that AEG trusts Blake more to try and right the ship than the guy who has us in this spot in the first place. With the Richards non buy-out, the Greene and Gaborik extensions, the Lucic trade and attempted contract offer and the state of the farm system it was time to move on.

And we have no idea what Dean's vision was, for all we know he could have wanted to trade Pearson and the 1st to get out from under Brown or Gaborik and then sign Shattenkirk, who knows.

 

[Herby]

Trading for Lucic and the bad deal's to Brown and Gaborik sealed DL's fate. I'll always hate that ****ing Lucic deal, I'm still ******** on it years down the line.

The Lucic deal was the final death blow, IMO. You really realize now the best teams are the ones who are going to have high end superstar talent making a ton of money and able to fill in the rest with great drafting, the Kings basically gave up on that model. The Kings were trading the picks that could be used on those types of players for support players like Lucic and Sekera.

 

[BigKing]

BK,

To answer your question, I would assume that AEG trusts Blake more to try and right the ship than the guy who has us in this spot in the first place. With the Richards non buy-out, the Greene and Gaborik extensions, the Lucic trade and attempted contract offer and the state of the farm system it was time to move on.

And we have no idea what Dean's vision was, for all we know he could have wanted to trade Pearson and the 1st to get out from under Brown or Gaborik and then sign Shattenkirk, who knows.

I was thinking about this while running today regarding AEG.

This is a money thing, right? In a buyout, they don't actually pay Greene the full amount owed, do they? Cap hit next season for no reason it seems but does it save them actual money?

I think sealing anything for DL was spending Phil's money for no return and less that he wouldn't be able to turn it around. I feel any schism is a Luc influenced thing. Seemed a bit old boys club and the first UFA is an old friend. I know it's low risk but it reeks of LA Kings S.O.P. pre-Lombardi.

 

[Reclamation Project]

People keep throwing around Drouin and Duchene, but where does the $$$ come from? Kings couldn't afford those contracts right now and Duchene will get over 7 million.

The Lightning received a top defensive prospect and that clown in Colorado turned down a massive package from the Islanders (which he could have packaged for an even better deal).

I just don't get some of these comments. The goal right now should be to reload the pipeline (which started this year with some great additions) and hope in the next 2-3 years you have some great ELC talent ready to step up.

 

[KINGS17]

Dean tried to sign Lucic to a 7 year deal last summer. He was completely out of control with the rentals and the ridiculous term contracts. That coupled with the recent results left AEG no choice. You can't have a three year run like the Kings had between 14-17 and expect management to let that same person stay on.

And have any scouts been fired or has there been even a hint of it?

There very well may have been a schism between certain people in the Kings front office, you have to assume not everyone was on board with the rentals.

And BK, realize you are not a big Blake guy, but you are sharp enough to realize that there was really nothing they could have done to make changes short of trading Carter or Doughty. Clearly no one wanted Brown or Gaborik and the Kings farm system was not good enough to get someone like Drouin.

Hopefully Valardi is ready to step into the NHL as a 19 or 20 year old and be a contributor by his second year, would make the cap situation much better.

I think in 6 to 8 months this will have been obvious, but some still can't understand why.

 

[KINGS17]

If they ice basically the same roster, what's the difference between DL and Blake right now?

Sutter had to go but I still have a bad feeling about the Dean firing and that's due to Luc and not even Blake.

Blake is like Trump or if Hillary had won: I need him to do well for America's sake but I don't like him at the same time and can't stand it when he is given credit for things he shouldn't.

That being said, I'm excited to read Tikk's thoughts on today. There was no way they were running it back yet here we are. He's got to be the most upset over this.

This is the season where Robitaille, Blake and AEG attempt to squeeze every nickel out of the 2011-12 to 2013-14 run.

 

[Kingsfan1]

Meh I'm starting to get excited about Cammy being back only because I know he can score but he's old man , does he still have wheels/speed ? He had a family issue to deal with and usually is good for 25 goals . Him with Kopitar can work

 

[Docgonzo]

Biggest difference between DL and Blake to me, since I've been lucky enough to meet both, is Blake is more personable and charming. This might help more when dealing with college UFAs, players from Europe. IMO DL was not good with negotiations.

 

[Bandit]

This is the season where Robitaille, Blake and AEG attempt to squeeze every nickel out of the 2011-12 to 2013-14 run.

"Just get in and anything can happen!!!"

 

[BigKing]

Biggest difference between DL and Blake to me, since I've been lucky enough to meet both, is Blake is more personable and charming. This might help more when dealing with college UFAs, players from Europe. IMO DL was not good with negotiations.

I can get on board with that.