LA KINGS 2023/4 Regular season discussion

[Ollie Weeks]

JAD is fine to plug into the 4th line. Spence gets his deserved roster spot.

 

[King'sPawn]

If you want to argue that the Faber and 1st package be used for a young stud LHD, then go for it, but be prepared to identify who was available, or at least potentially available

I'm saying the Kings shouldn't have spent future capital on something that wasn't an immediate need. If there's nothing available to address organization needs, then you focus on developing your own and continue building.

You don't microwave a steak.

 

[Statto]

JAD over Turc? Id like to see what AT can do and keep him out of the A.. Edit: hmm they called him up yesterday. So RV LTIR must've allowed this.

JAD for 4th line, Turcotte for top 9.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

I'm saying the Kings shouldn't have spent future capital on something that wasn't an immediate need. If there's nothing available to address organization needs, then you focus on developing your own and continue building.

You don't microwave a steak.

Ok, so who were our scoring wingers before the Fiala trade....

Kempe...and.......Arvidsson?

You are arguing that after 2021-2022 scoring was not an immediate need, the same season that the Kings scored 239 goals....total.?

 

[AbsentMojo]

JAD for 4th line, Turcotte for top 9.

Who slots out for Turcotte? There is a log jam at wing now that Laf showed he can play and Kaliyev committed to by Koala. JAD scratch or Ontario is only way to get Turc some reps that I can see.

 

[KingsOfCali25]

It's weird how the number on the jersey impacts how big a guy looks on TV. Lewis always looked a bit small to me as #22. But he looked kind of big Wed night as #61.

I don't think it is the number. I think it is just age and fatness. He's not in his 20s anymore.

 

[tigermask48]

100% and add that he is a local hero

I am pretty sure not including Faber was a no go for Guerin

As someone who was paying attention to both sides of the trade (I live in Minnesota and have friends that are Wild fans) the rumor was Guerin wanted a d-man and had his choice of Faber or Clarke. He wanted Faber as he was a homegrown kid (born in Maple Grove, MN) playing at the University of MN.

 

[Lt Dan]

As someone who was paying attention to both sides of the trade (I live in Minnesota and have friends that are Wild fans) the rumor was Guerin wanted a d-man and had his choice of Faber or Clarke. He wanted Faber as he was a homegrown kid (born in Maple Grove, MN) playing at the University of MN.

So there we have it!

Thanks for adding that bro!!

 

[YP44]

JAD for 4th line, Turcotte for top 9.

Turcotte is in the AHL, was only called up to maximize LTIR for Arvidson

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

As someone who was paying attention to both sides of the trade (I live in Minnesota and have friends that are Wild fans) the rumor was Guerin wanted a d-man and had his choice of Faber or Clarke. He wanted Faber as he was a homegrown kid (born in Maple Grove, MN) playing at the University of MN.

I don't for a second believe Clarke was available

 

[deaderhead28]

And have you ever seen someone hearting the puck into the net?

I did 4 seconds left in the 2nd period when Byfield hearted out to score.

Full picture

As someone who was paying attention to both sides of the trade (I live in Minnesota and have friends that are Wild fans) the rumor was Guerin wanted a d-man and had his choice of Faber or Clarke. He wanted Faber as he was a homegrown kid (born in Maple Grove, MN) playing at the University of MN.

I doubt Clarke was ever available.

 

[Docgonzo]

Would’ve like to see Turcotte next to Moore and Danault and Grundstrom back down on the 4th line. JAD is just a warm body. But also you’d figure these kids have to actually play center at some point….hopefully….so Turcotte playing C in the AHL for a bit is ok.

Just not the biggest Grundstrom or JAD fan.

 

[King'sPawn]

Ok, so who were our scoring wingers before the Fiala trade....

Kempe...and.......Arvidsson?

You are arguing that after 2021-2022 scoring was not an immediate need, the same season that the Kings scored 239 goals....total.?

I'm saying scoring was not an immediate need for a supposedly rebuilding team that had already drafted multiple forwards with high-end picks. And even if they didn't feel the forwards they drafted would eventually fill those needs, you still don't trade future assets so you can compete now while your org still has holes.

What teams declares a rebuild is over when the players and prospects they drafted and developed "aren't ready" to play in big roles? This is Byfield's D+4 season and he's finally expected to start in and stay in a top-6 role. Turcotte's D+5 season still doesn't have him expected in any major role. Bjornfot, Clarke, and Spence are all battling out for a bottom-pairing role. Kupari never played higher than the bottom 6. Fagemo hasn't played more than 10 games in an NHL season. There are a lot of apparently not ready players, so maybe the rebuild shouldn't have been over.

You yell at so many posters about how people need to be patient with the prospects but seem okay with Blake rushing into contention before the prospects are "ready". Blake set these expectations with his decisions and execution. So start yelling at him with the rest of us.

 

[tigermask48]

I don't for a second believe Clarke was available

He was linked to pretty much every Chychrun rumor that was out there. Just because you don't like it or want to believe, doesn't mean he wasn't available.

 

[BigKing]

I have stated the same but then I get response like, retaliation only gets you the penalty box or it is not right to fight back just keep playing the game.

Because what I am saying gets conflated with wanting a two minute a night gorilla on the team.

I want a collective team toughness. When you don't have an enforcer, the argument is "team toughness". Well, they don't even have that. This team has proven time and time again during Blake's tenure that they don't know what to do once the other team stops playing nice.

When the other team plays nice, the Kings look really good because that offense looks great. Other team gets mean and the Kings shrink.

There’s an alternate universe in which we traded Doughty and had a defense consisting of Faber, Clarke, and Spence.

Doughty just won a Norris and Blake thought he had a real contender.

Blake most likely doesn't trade him anyways if 2018 looked like 2019 but Doughty might not have signed on if it looked like a rebuild. Anyways, that's part of the problem with 2018. Some argue it didn't delay anything but not outright sucking that season was a total bummer. Got Kupari out of it and a giant Doughty contract. Awesome.

 

[DoktorJeep]

I think we can safely look back at April 2017 and say it wasn’t Lombardi/ Sutter holding the players back from continued greatness.

 

[YP44]

He was linked to pretty much every Chychrun rumor that was out there. Just because you don't like it or want to believe, doesn't mean he wasn't available.

I thought he was linked because that was Arizona's ask, but LA refused to include?

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

He was linked to pretty much every Chychrun rumor that was out there. Just because you don't like it or want to believe, doesn't mean he wasn't available.

And those Chyrchrun rumors with Clarke in them got to the point where Rob Blake actually had to call Clarke to tell him the rumors were false. Just because rumors are out there in force doesn't make them true.

32 Thoughts: Wrapping up the NHL trade deadline

In this weeks notes, Elliotte Friedman writes on Ottawa's big move for Jakob Chychrun, Edmonton's move for Mattias Ekholm and much more.

www.sportsnet.ca

20. The Chychrun situation was an emotional ride for some of the Kings. When Arizona first sat out the defenceman on Feb. 11, there were plenty of rumours Los Angeles was to be the destination. GM Rob Blake informed Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke they wouldn’t be dealt, and constantly indicated no trade was as close as had been rumoured. For several days, some of the players who thought they might be involved were half-joking with each other when they arrived every day. “Still here?” “Yup, still here.” Not easy.

 

[YP44]

I think we can safely look back at April 2017 and say it wasn’t Lombardi/ Sutter holding the players back from continued greatness.

Was time for Sutter to....well Sutter should have gone earlier. I always thought Lombardi should have been given chance to rebuild/retool

 

[Sol]

You have the gift of hindsight when making this statement.


You might be right. But there's additional factors.

Doughty has had a NMC since the 2018/19 season. So if you're suggesting they had traded Doughty sometime between 2018 and today... You'd need Doughty himself to be willing to agree to be traded. By all accounts, that was never something he would've agreed to.

If you're suggesting they should've traded him prior to 2018 then sure, there's maybe a conversation to be had there. He was making $7 million and was a top 5 defenseman in the world at worst. Teams would've been interested, sure.

But was ownership??? That's another big factor. Trading Doughty around 2016/2017/2018 would have essentially meant ownership was signing off on starting a rebuild - By all accounts, that wasn't something they were interested in.

So even if you do want to claim it was obvious the Kings were headed downhill around the time Doughty signed his extension and the team should've traded him before resigning him... You're assuming at least one of the following:
- Doughty was willing to be traded
- Management/Ownership was willing to sign off on a rebuild sometime around 2017

We know both weren't true.

Obviously now we can sit around online and say the team/organization would've been better off going that route... But at the time it would've been a huge risk and likely wasn't possible given ownership almost definitely wouldn't have signed off on it.

So again, we're playing the would've/should've/could've game with A) the benefit of hindsight and B) the idea that these things were possible to begin with (they likely weren't for various reasons)

I had this sentiment when the kings were rebuilding

 

[Statto]

Who slots out for Turcotte? There is a log jam at wing now that Laf showed he can play and Kaliyev committed to by Koala. JAD scratch or Ontario is only way to get Turc some reps that I can see.

I’d play him in a role he can succeed in. He’s not a 4th line player stylistically. He’s first man up at C IMO in the top 9 and I’m playing him over JAD in the top 9 at wing also. Laf hasn’t locked a spot at wing either.

Don’t get me wrong if it’s 4th line or nothing then sure he takes it. However then everyone will bitch when he does not produce.

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

He was linked to pretty much every Chychrun rumor that was out there. Just because you don't like it or want to believe, doesn't mean he wasn't available.

Wasn't linked as available by the Kings from one credible person. If Clarke was available, Chychrun would be a King right now

 

[YP44]

I wish the team canada stuff would just come out, that way I could make wild claims that LA should go after Hart.

 

[KopitarGOAT420]

Am I the only one who doesn't get the JAD hate???

Sure he's not the most exciting / best offensive player in the world but he's a pretty damn good overall hockey player IMO.

To have him as a 13th forward who can rotate in to the bottom 6 is pretty solid, no?

 

[YP44]

Am I the only one who doesn't get the JAD hate???

Sure he's not the most exciting / best offensive player in the world but he's a pretty damn good overall hockey player IMO.

To have him as a 13th forward who can rotate in to the bottom 6 is pretty solid, no?

I like JAD and think he could have easily been on LA's 4th line and PK over Lewis. Same with Fagemo.