Confirmed with Link: LA Kings @LAKings Welcome to Los Angeles, Phillip Danault!

[cyclones22]

The Kings were competitive vs their division last season with every team except the Avs and Vegas who absolutely ran circles around them. Danault is going to help against teams like that to help stymie the ridiculous possession advantage and shutdown their top lines.

 

[johnjm22]

Kopitar needs to put up 25 goals/80 points next season. Top shutdown center Danault reducing his load and a multiple 30 goal scorer Arvidsson on his wing. No excuses now.

Next year will be his best opportunity to do it.

I don't think there's a chance in hell he scores 80-100pts next season.

He's 34. He completely fell off a cliff the last quarter of this season.

65pts is my guess.

 

[KINGS17]

I don't think there's a chance in hell he scores 80-100pts next season.

He's 34. He completely fell off a cliff the last quarter of this season.

65pts is my guess.

You could be right, but there won't be any more excuses about too many hard minutes for Kopitar.

 

[Gjwrams]

Kopitar is a UFA in 3 years and will be 36-37. Will he retire?

The good news in 3 years Danault will be 31 and likely the top center unless Vilardi, Byfield or Turcotte step forward. Even as a number 2 or 3 center at 31 that’s not bad.

Now! If one of our young guns are not 1C in 3 years....Houston we have a problem. . This was a great signing!

 

[raswilliam]

I like this signing. maximize your $10 mil center investment in Kopitar by lifting some defensive responsibility from him. Less time on PK and dzone starts equal a fresher Kopi in the Ozone. Takes pressure off some of the kids and let them develop longer. Also gives the Kings more trade options to beef up other positions (trade center depth for other needed positions). All we gave up here was $, no assets.

I feel like our prospect pool is a blank canvas and we dont fully know how well some of these prospects will develop (or not). Let the kids stew another year to figure out what we have and hopefully gain some value for potential trade options or positions with the big club.

 

[Rusty Batch]

Kopitar has played really good, really consistently, in fact he's averaged more ppg in his 30s then he did in his career before he hit 30.

There is this whole group of Kings fans that for years have been shitting on him and praying for his downfall so that they can finally be right. Just seems silly and time to turn the page.

 

[johnjm22]

You could be right, but there won't be any more excuses about too many hard minutes for Kopitar.

I'm trying to think, when was the last time someone 34 or older scored 80+ points?

If you're 34 and scoring 65pts, that pretty damn good.

 

[Rusty Batch]

I think Danault is a good player and underrated. He will help our team quite a bit. I just think it's a little ridiculous to be giving out 6 yr contracts to ufa's right now.

I also wonder what that means for our prospect pool given we have so much center depth there already. I assume the plan is to put Byfield at 2C until he can take over for Kopi at 1c. But it does seem that even projecting a few years forward it's going to be difficult to give the combination of Byfield/Kopi/Danault less than 50 minutes. Meaning you only have about 10 minutes left over for a 4C. So none of our other C prospects will find any reasonable amount of time at that position for years.

Do we move Turcotte, Vilardi, and Kupari to wing?

Or do we also move a couple of them for a legit #1LD? Lots of options there, but something has to happen.

 

[KINGS17]

I'm trying to think, when was the last time someone 34 or older scored 80+ points?

If you're 34 and scoring 65pts, that pretty damn good.

I agree. At this point I am just along for the ride with the crowd who advocates the theory that hard minutes cut into Kopitar's offensive production. If it is correct, the Kings will make the playoffs next season, and the kids will have a great learning experience.

 

[Piston]

Just so everyone's clear here, there's no guarantee that Byfield, Vilardi, or Turcotte are ever as good as Danault, let alone Kopitar. These are elite hockey players. Nothing should be handed to these kids. If they want the 2C role, go take it from him. Same with Brown's 1/2RW position. Dude's gonna be 37, be better than him.

I obviously want our prospects to be the best players to ever play hockey, but we've drafted exactly two ultra-elite players since 2000: Kopitar and Doughty.

This is a great point. Danault is the Kings undisputed #2 Center now. If Byfield, Turcotte and Vilardi, our top Center picks in three of the past five drafts can't take the job away from him, shame on them. He's certainly not going to hand the role to them. And, if we are fortunate that the kids step into their potential, we'll still be left with an ultra-elite 3C.

 

[bland]

I think Danault is a good player and underrated. He will help our team quite a bit. I just think it's a little ridiculous to be giving out 6 yr contracts to ufa's right now.

I also wonder what that means for our prospect pool given we have so much center depth there already. I assume the plan is to put Byfield at 2C until he can take over for Kopi at 1c. But it does seem that even projecting a few years forward it's going to be difficult to give the combination of Byfield/Kopi/Danault less than 50 minutes. Meaning you only have about 10 minutes left over for a 4C. So none of our other C prospects will find any reasonable amount of time at that position for years.

Do we move Turcotte, Vilardi, and Kupari to wing?

Or do we also move a couple of them for a legit #1LD? Lots of options there, but something has to happen.

But it doesn't have to happen this year. Blake now has the cover, the assets and the cap room to completely overpay for the exact player they want, and a whole year to build that relationship with the team they want to deal with - all while the pro roster is in a much better, and more importantly, much more stable enviornment to introduce young players.

The six years here are nothing to worry about at all, they are of no consequence to the cap and are only a possible future concern if the kids come in and play so damn well that their second contracts blow up the figures. Anze will be out of the picture by that point too.

 

[johnjm22]

I agree. At this point I am just along for the ride with the crowd who advocates the theory that hard minutes cut into Kopitar's offensive production. If it is correct, the Kings will make the playoffs next season, and the kids will have a great learning experience.

I think he needs that hard minute cut just to maintain production. The 80-100pts window for him is gone. That ship has sailed.

It's extremely rare for a player 34+ to score 80 points. That's why giving up assets to try and make this team contend was a terrible idea. (Some people wanted to do it anyways).

 

[HookKing]

I like this signing. maximize your $10 mil center investment in Kopitar by lifting some defensive responsibility from him. Less time on PK and dzone starts equal a fresher Kopi in the Ozone. Takes pressure off some of the kids and let them develop longer. Also gives the Kings more trade options to beef up other positions (trade center depth for other needed positions). All we gave up here was $, no assets.

I feel like our prospect pool is a blank canvas and we dont fully know how well some of these prospects will develop (or not). Let the kids stew another year to figure out what we have and hopefully gain some value for potential trade options or positions with the big club.

I totally agree -- which means no more resting on the halfwall on the pp. Doughty -- you listening?

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

The standard UFA contract, about a million too high and a year too long. Oh well, this is what happens at the top end of free agency. Vilardi's days as a center on the Kings are numbered. As for Danault, I have serious reservations about this deal, and feel the Kings will regret it.

 

[tbrown33]

I would love to see what a line with Turcotte and Danault together looks like. Iaffalo was similarly at the top of the NHL in xGA, natural shut down fit there. If you go Iaffalo-Danault just gotta pair them with a finisher, maybe AA or RV

 

[Martyros]

Plot twist. Danault puts up 2 goals and 98 assists while Kopitar does more of the heavily lifting on the defensive end.

 

[Mats26]

So the plan to increase offense was to sign a defensive forward to a 6 year deal in hopes it allows a 34 year old center to produce more?

I don't think that is the plan at all.
From the interviews I saw, he will get a bigger role and PP time with the Kings. I expect 40-50 pts from Danault while also reducing Kopi's ice time from PK duties. There is 0 guarantee that this will result in more production from Kopitar though.

 

[FrozenKing18]

I’m on board with this one. I hope he’s utilized right. Danault eats up some of Kopitar’s minutes and this frees up Kopitar to be more offensive. Also shelters our prospects for a bit of time.

 

[cyclones22]

This is a slotting thing, not just for Kopitar's benefit. It helps all of the centers. All of them get easier matchups and more o-zone starts.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Guess we're looking at Byfield/Danault/Kopitar as the middle down the road with Kaliyev on Byfield's wing and Turcotte on Danault's wing. Lots of 200 foot shutdown talent there.

 

[bland]

So the plan to increase offense was to sign a defensive forward to a 6 year deal in hopes it allows a 34 year old center to produce more?

I don't think that is the plan at all.
From the interviews I saw, he will get a bigger role and PP time with the Kings. I expect 40-50 pts from Danault while also reducing Kopi's ice time from PK duties. There is 0 guarantee that this will result in more production from Kopitar though.

I think there will be an offensive bump just by having a team that won't be stuck in fruitless attempts to get out of their own zone. Better defensive zone coverage leads to more possession and more opportunities for transition, which leads to a stronger forecheck, which gets the defensemen more involved in the attack.

No, the Kings won't be challenging for any scoring titles, but they should be much more competent while waiting for the more dynamic players to mature.

 

[KINGS17]

I think he needs that hard minute cut just to maintain production. The 80-100pts window for him is gone. That ship has sailed.

It's extremely rare for a player 34+ to score 80 points. That's why giving up assets to try and make this team contend was a terrible idea. (Some people wanted to do it anyways).

Has Blake really given up any assets yet though? I don't think he has given up anything of real value.

I, as some others do, view the Danault signing as being very similar to Lombardi bringing in Handzus.

I don't really expect the Kings to contend during Kopitar's current contract. I actually think they will be lucky to win a playoff series before his contract is up. However, in the case of Danault, if he helps bring the kids along, I am in favor of this signing. Danault could be a valuable piece as a 3C on a contending team, which if it is to happen will likely have Byfield as the 1C, and Clarke on the top pairing. We are still at least a couple of years away from seeing those two players fill those significant roles.

 

[kingsfan28]

I think the difference is that Danault is starting in the defensive zone the majority of the time while playing against top lines.

Yeah, I dont think i can take another year of Kempe getting smoke at the dots again.

 

[Maynard]

I’m on board with this one. I hope he’s utilized right. Danault eats up some of Kopitar’s minutes and this frees up Kopitar to be more offensive. Also shelters our prospects for a bit of time.

You’re a bot, right?

 

[johnjm22]

Has Blake really given up any assets yet though? I don't think he has given up anything of real value.

I, as some others do, view the Danault signing as being very similar to Lombardi bringing in Handzus.

I don't really expect the Kings to contend during Kopitar's current contract. I actually think they will be lucky to win a playoff series before his contract is up. However, in the case of Danault, if he helps bring the kids along, I am in favor of this signing. Danault could be a valuable piece as a 3C on a contending team, which if it is to happen will likely have Byfield as the 1C, and Clarke on the top pairing. We are still at least a couple of years away from seeing those two players fill those significant roles.

No, I don't really think he's given up much of anything this offseason, while still adding Danault and Arvidsson. That's why I'm basically okay with these acquisitions, even though I don't like Danault's contract.

We were fortunate Handzus basically worked out (he was good 2 of his 4 years IMO). No guarantee Danault will work out as well. These types of deals usually don't work out.

There were people around here who were okay with trading Turcotte, or Byfield, or 1st round picks to try and make us a contender right now. I was criticizing that mentality.