GDT: Kings Training Camp 2022/2023!

[Herby]

Start the season with 8 D

This is something that I have brought up but isn't often discussed or taken seriously it seems.

The issue is, that means they could only keep 1 waiver eligible forward as a healthy scratch. They can minimize that if Vilardi overtakes Fagemo. But you would think if the 8 d-man option were what they were thinking that they would have just started Vilardi with Moore and Danault and put Fagemo on an AHL line, but they didn't. Also, it's not like VA is going to be out forever.

This is where the waivers stuff is stupid and so poorly managed because you are both trying to prevent guys from hitting waivers but also trying to field the best team possible in what is going to likely be a very competitive battle for a playoff spot again this season. If Fagemo is deemed to be the best player for that spot should he get it (a true meritocracy)? Or should he not get it so that they can not lose someone like JAD or Lias to waivers?

I think with as tight as the playoff race could be, you need to field the best possible lineup and can't really worry about losing guys like that to waivers.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Hughes had a much better D+2 than Byfield did, and a big breakout in D+3. I don’t think this comparison excuses Byfield as much as you think it does.

Did Hughes have "it" in either of those years? How about Draisaitl?

Nice parry, though.

My point is only that you guys are suggesting it's nice and clean, cut and dry, you'll know right away, when very clearly it isn't.

Some folks here would have moved Draisaitl, Wheeler, Hughes et. al. based on how they 'looked' in their teen years.

Anyway, we should be celebrating Clarke, instead of finding fresh ways to shit on Byfield, who has been fantastic thus far as well. But you do you, I guess.

 

[BigKing]

I always lean more to seasoning up a prospect a bit so I'm not 100% in the camp of thinking you need to put a guy in the NHL in his D+2 year based on draft position alone. That said, if that player is stuck in the CHL and has zero to gain then it is stupid to put them down there at the expense of someone like Sean Walker who will be nothing but a small footnote in Kings history.

Lombardi brought back a 37 year old Sean O'Donnell to ride shotgun to Doughty as a rookie. Blake just brought back a 36 year old (37 this season) Edler, in theory causing a logjam that forces a prospect to Ontario or maybe Clarke to a different Ontario. Coincidence that they've been paired together?

For this rebuild/retool to work, they need significant production from one of these ELC guys while Kopitar is still relevant as a Top 6 player. I've given up on all of the first round picks except for Byfield and Clarke to be able to do that (significant production means legit Top 6/Top 4 D with offense within the next two seasons) but here we are with Byfield supposedly getting real minutes this year and Clarke being the star of camp so far.

We can talk about Blake and Co. over cooking prospects but Kaliyev was in all of last year and so was Byfield. What we can't really argue about is that they are trying to win now as opposed to continuing to suck: Danault and RV signings say it all as well as the ice time for the prospects in the NHL.

The accusation is that they are "trying to do both" in terms of winning now and grooming prospects which is an issue since the prospects get limited minutes. Well, if Brandt Clarke helps you win now and having him play in the OHL this season is trash for his development, it seems like having him on the NHL squad this season is a perfect scenario: especially because they aren't shy with minutes when it comes to prospects that play defense.

 

[kinghock]

Durzi/Spence/Clarke may have stolen his spot when he was hurt last season

Where is Bjornfot in your parings?

Bjornfot>Durzi

 

[TruKingFan]

Would be a horrible message to send to the other prospects that you have to worry about re-signing in the next year or two.

Perhaps. But everyone’s different. Who would’ve thought Anderson would be ok with signing for 1 year?

 

[redcard]

We had 14 different defensemen suit up for us last season, we currently have 14 under contract.

Maata (28 y.o.), Stetcher (28), Wolanin (27), Strand (25), Clague (24) gone

Essentially replaced on the depth chart by:

Clarke (19), Grans (20), Nousiainen (21), Paquette-Bisson (25), Allard (24)

It looks like a log jam now, but if we get hit with the injury bug again all of these guys could be seeing NHL action.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Perhaps. But everyone’s different. Who would’ve thought Anderson would be ok with signing for 1 year?

None of know the inner-workings or what was agreed to 'unofficially'. Kings have cap issues, Anderson is worth more, there's more to the story to him just being 'ok' with signing for lower value.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

For those wondering about the length and girth of Byfield's stick...

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

For those wondering about the length and girth of Byfield's stick...

Yah, his stick last season was half that size.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Did Hughes have "it" in either of those years? How about Draisaitl?

Nice parry, though.

My point is only that you guys are suggesting it's nice and clean, cut and dry, you'll know right away, when very clearly it isn't.

Some folks here would have moved Draisaitl, Wheeler, Hughes et. al. based on how they 'looked' in their teen years.

Anyway, we should be celebrating Clarke, instead of finding fresh ways to shit on Byfield, who has been fantastic thus far as well. But you do you, I guess.

You brought up Hughes. Not me. Hughes had a solid D+2, much better than Byfield’s, and a huge breakout in D+3. So by your own generous comparison, Byfield is still behind the curve.

Literally no one here is advocating to trade Byfield. Stop it.

 

[All The Kings Men]

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

You brought up Hughes. Not me. Hughes had a solid D+2, much better than Byfield’s, and a huge breakout in D+3. So by your own generous comparison, Byfield is still behind the curve.

Literally no one here is advocating to trade Byfield. Stop it.

I've brought this up a few times and I'm going to continue cause I think it's important....it took Olli Jokinen (#3 pick) 300+ games to become a premier center in the league. 300 games -- that's 4 full seasons.

Not being sarcastic, but who's Kent Wilson?

 

[Ollie Weeks]

Anderson/Doughty
Walker/Roy
Edler/Clarke--see how he fares
Durzi, it's inevitable someone gets hurt

Only harm I see is losing moverare to waivers, I mean if they didnt' bring back Edler in favor of Moverare I would have been okay with it.

Bjornfot/Spence ripping up the AHL? Yes please. Those guys need to be playing and playing big minutes, not sniffing around the fringes of the NHL roster.

I’ve always figured the reason Moverare got two years was to try to discourage a waiver claim if they wanted to send him down to start the season.

I liked what I saw from him last year, losing him wouldn’t hurt much but he seems like a solid 6/7 in the making.

 

[AKL]

Do you guys know where Fiala is projected to slot in in the lineup and who his linemates might be? Has your coach given you any kind of hints there?

 

[Sol]

Since Petersen left the game last night with a lower body injury. And the Kings have a ton of defenseman on the line. I dont think it's a bad time to get rid of some Dman for a goaltender.

 

[ibleedkings]

As I wrote on the prospects board, there's literally zero chance that Clarke goes back to Juniors. Someone on here said it perfectly, he has the ''lt'' factor that a King prospect hasn't had since Doughty stepped in. His hockey IQ, vision, puck poise, passing, and the way he controls the game at 19 years old is mind boggling.

Brandt Clarke will bring balance to this board, even turning Sol and Axl into soul mates. He is the chosen one!

 

[Herby]

You brought up Hughes. Not me. Hughes had a solid D+2, much better than Byfield’s, and a huge breakout in D+3. So by your own generous comparison, Byfield is still behind the curve.

Literally no one here is advocating to trade Byfield. Stop it.

In fairness to QB. He didn't get the luxury of learning the NHL ropes and improving on a terrible team like Hughes and basically every other high pick for the last dozen years did in their D+1 ,leading to better results in the subsequent years.

20-21 was a complete waste and throw-away year for Byfield, so it's fair to look at last year as the equivalent of Hughes's D+1 where like QB he was completely lost and not ready to play in the league. In Hughes's D+2 he put up a 45 point pace and followed it up with a 90+ point pace last year. I don't think anyone here expects QB to be as good offensively as Hughes, so something like 35-45 points this season and then maybe around 60-65 points the final year of his ELC would be a nice result.

 

[Sol]

Do you guys know where Fiala is projected to slot in in the lineup and who his linemates might be? Has your coach given you any kind of hints there?

first line with Kopitar and Kempe.

 

[AKL]

first line with Kopitar and Kempe.

Thank you

 

[FSL KINGS]

PSA: Björnfot has 44 games left of waiver eligibility according to cap friendly.

Which teams are waiving goalies this year?

 

[cyclones22]

Since Petersen left the game last night with a lower body injury. And the Kings have a ton of defenseman on the line. I dont think it's a bad time to get rid of some Dman for a goaltender.

I think the Kings easily have the assets to trade for a goaltender. The problem is the 10.8M in cap space used by 2 goaltenders this season and Cal is getting 5M next season. If Cal doesn't prove himself this season, the Kings are f'd with that type of money on the hook.

 

[dman3474]

Anderson Doughty
Walker Roy
Elder Durzi/Clarke

If Clarke can’t hack it he goes back and Toby comes up to split time with elder. Plus Blake keeps looking for a trade partner for some of the right D

If Clarke comes up and lights it up, he stays. Plus Blake keeps looking for a trade partner for some of the right D and has more assets to move.

Either way the only potential waiver loss would be Moverare on defense.

 

[cyclones22]

At least one of the defensemen is bound to not be healthy enough for the start of the season.

 

[johnjm22]

If Clarke is legit, you just try and move out some assets where we have a glut, in order to make room.

Anderson-Doughty
Chychrun-Roy
Edler-Clarke

Looks good to me. Each pair with a defensive dman, and an offensive dman. Everyone on the correct side.

If it costs you some combination of 1st, Bjornfot, Durzi, Vilardi/JAD, Walker, then oh well. You might be overpaying but you're going to devalue and lose some of these assets anyways, so might as well move out the glut.

 

[All The Kings Men]

I've brought this up a few times and I'm going to continue cause I think it's important....it took Olli Jokinen (#3 pick) 300+ games to become a premier center in the league. 300 games -- that's 4 full seasons.


Not being sarcastic, but who's Kent Wilson?

Fancy stat guy that used to cover the Flames.