Speculation: LA Kings News, Rumors, Roster Thread 2022-23 Season Part 2

[Schrute farms]

Thats a thing that todd does consistently is disrespect players in the media. Hes done it everywhere hes been. Not only to players hate it, but overall its an indicator of a manager that cant handle people

TM is The anti Sean McVay — He takes full responsibility and always falls on the sword to the media when it comes to his players.

 

[kingsfan28]

I know it seems like a small thing.

But nothing gets on my nerves more than when a GM gives up an asset to make the team worse.

And I think you might be underestimating how damaging the MacEwen trade has been. It essentially turns the Kings into a 3 line team.

JAD and Kupari were doing some very good things together. The acquisition of MacEwen has put an end to that.

How would it be any different if they kept Pepe? What were they going to do, scratch him for another 30 games? They needed some kind of toughness who won't get a penalty by saying the wrong thing in a scrum. They got rid of a massive liability for a worthless 5th round pick 2 years from now, for a guy who can throw a punch if need. Every team has this kind of guy.

JAD and Kupari might've been doing some good thing but most nights they weren't . Once Moore and Valardi came back someone was the odd man out. So they rotate guys in and out. You don't trade for a guy and then just let him sit. MacEwen is not the reason they haven't been playing well.

 

[Nasti]

The Durzi effect on full display...

The team went to shit as soon as he came back into the lineup. He literally makes the team worse. I will die on that hill.

 

[johnjm22]

How would it be any different if they kept Pepe? What were they going to do, scratch him for another 30 games? They needed some kind of toughness who won't get a penalty by saying the wrong thing in a scrum. They got rid of a massive liability for a worthless 5th round pick 2 years from now, for a guy who can throw a punch if need. Every team has this kind of guy.

JAD and Kupari might've been doing some good thing but most nights they weren't . Once Moore and Valardi came back someone was the odd man out. So they rotate guys in and out. You don't trade for a guy and then just let him sit. MacEwen is not the reason they haven't been playing well.

Lemieux is irrelevant. Just because he shouldn't have been playing anymore doesn't justify MacEwen playing.

MacEwen hasn't added any toughness.

JAD and Kupari might've been doing some good thing but most nights they weren't .

That's straight up false.

You're underestimating how damaging having MacEwen in the lineup is because you're making a line nearly unplayable.

JAD is 5th on the team in goal scoring rate, BTW.

 

[AbsentMojo]

The team went to shit as soon as he came back into the lineup. He literally makes the team worse. I will die on that hill.

100%. That was a good additional piece of hard evidence of the Durzi effect The other one is comparing his team worst +/- (-11) to MikeyAndo (+20) who plays harder matchups.

 

[Johnny Utah]

It's funny how fans want JAD and Spence in the line-up when the Kings are already small and soft.

I counted the number of players and times the Kings were bullied this year:

-Dillon (ran the Kings the whole game) - even the Kings broadcasters pointed this out.
-Zadarov (ran the Kings in two games including the cross check Byfield)
-Tkachuk (put his stick on Quick's helmet) - at least Lemieux tried to get at him.
-Oilers (last two games, in particular last game completely BULLIED).
-MacDavid hit on Anderson - no response.
-Vatrano shot on Copley, who had to stand up for himself LOL.
-Gourde/Dunn/Oleksiak ran and yapped everyone.

Am I blind here?

Also, let's go back to the first round exit last year and Kassian, Kane and Nurse basically bullying everyone and the Kings only had Lemieux.

What about Doughty in the closing press conference saying the Kings more size on D. Everyone is SMALL. Does that mean more Jordan Spence players? Not a Spence hater, but if you have in, then you have to move a Walker out and put an Edler, Gavrikov or a tough LHD next to him.

 

[AbsentMojo]

It's funny how fans want JAD and Spence in the line-up when the Kings are already small and soft.

Its about toughness over replacement...and net value. Spence adds upside but doesnt give up toughness to someone like Durzi or Walker. JAD does give up some toughness to MacEwen, but MacEwww is so brutal of player its a win to replace him. Bottom line is, there is no fixing the lack of toughness this season. So you may as well not try to bandaid fix it, at the expense of some skill you could deploy like JAD.

 

[jgs]

What do you all think of Peter Laviolette as the Kings coach next year. He is a URFA after this season. I know this is a stretch because TM is Blake's buddy. But I think Peter would do a much better job, he has won the Cup too.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Its about toughness over replacement...and net value. Spence adds upside but doesnt give up toughness to someone like Durzi or Walker. JAD does give up some toughness to MacEwen, but MacEwww is so brutal of player its a win to replace him. Bottom line is, there is no fixing the lack of toughness this season. So you may as well not try to bandaid fix it, at the expense of some skill you could deploy like JAD.

I'm fine with JAD, Spence and Lizotte and all the midgets in the world if you have a Reaves, Lucic or MacDermid and TM actually PLAYS THEM.

 

[AbsentMojo]

I'm fine with JAD, Spence and Lizotte and all the midgets in the world if you have a Reaves, Lucic or MacDermid and TM actually PLAYS THEM.

Yes the roster is constructed with a complete blindspot for toughness..Durzi showed some of it last year, and they declawed him for this year. Maybe Tmac makes them wear skirts int he locker room until they soften up. The entire Org flatly does not value what to me is one of the essential qualities of winning hockey... im fine with going for speed in the lineup.. but not to the point you dont have any guys that will square up and pound someone if needed.. Lemieux was close to being a good addition.. he skates, he actuallly has some hands.. but unfortunately he start to suck shit.

 

[Johnny Utah]

It's funny because guys like Emerson, Stoll and Greene was around and they like toughness. Also, Nick Seeler of the Flyers mentioned on a podcast that he trains with Jeremy Clarke, who works with the Kings and is a fight trainer and owns a fight gym.

Ontario had Doty (hurt), Helenius (hurt in a fight), and now Gouldbourne (formers Flyer).

 

[Bandit]

The team went to shit as soon as he came back into the lineup. He literally makes the team worse. I will die on that hill.

So will the kings.

 

[Bandit]

Am I blind here?

yes.

there is no one to put in the lineup tougher than JAD and Spence. Icing a less talented but still chickenshit roster does nothing but make the team worse.

Corey Perry is top 10 in fights in the nhl this year. You should probably get used to it.

 

[Herby]

It's funny because guys like Emerson, Stoll and Greene was around and they like toughness. Also, Nick Seeler of the Flyers mentioned on a podcast that he trains with Jeremy Clarke, who works with the Kings and is a fight trainer and owns a fight gym.

Ontario had Doty (hurt), Helenius (hurt in a fight), and now Gouldbourne (formers Flyer).

Every player currently in management/coaching/development positions played the game when it was tougher, but most teams are soft now, it's just the way the game has evolved. I wish the Kings had a tougher player who could skate a regular shift, but they don't, maybe next season.

And also, past experiences as players doesn't mean much as far as managerial philosophy. Rob Blake and Luc Robitaille played zero combined AHL games, yet the Kings under their management have probably the most AHL focused development philosophy in the NHL.

 

[Surf Nutz]

What do you all think of Peter Laviolette as the Kings coach next year. He is a URFA after this season. I know this is a stretch because TM is Blake's buddy. But I think Peter would do a much better job, he has won the Cup too. the

Maybe the season after, I think Tmacs contract is up.
He gets big bucks they will not want to eat.
Then Blake's contract is up the year after.
So Blake may be ready to pull out the stops and sign a different coach.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Durzi-Roy GA/P60 2.95
Gavrikov-Roy GA/P60 .32

That's insane.

“Leave Todd alone.”

 

[Ollie Weeks]

“Leave Todd alone.”

Unga bunga

 

[Surf Nutz]

Every player currently in management/coaching/development positions played the game when it was tougher, but most teams are soft now, it's just the way the game has evolved. I wish the Kings had a tougher player who could skate a regular shift, but they don't, maybe next season.

And also, past experiences as players doesn't mean much as far as managerial philosophy. Rob Blake and Luc Robitaille played zero combined AHL games, yet the Kings under their management have probably the most AHL focused development philosophy in the NHL.

You were pretty quite with less harping on player development and everything else you continually re emphasize, during the Kings point streak.

Is it just me or have I never ever seen you compliment anything Kings management and player development does..

With all due respect, being fair and balanced and not always on the negative side of the argument would lend to your credibility by making you seem less biased.

 

[Herby]

You were pretty quite with less harping on player development and everything else you continually re emphasize, during the Kings point streak.

Is it just me or have I never ever seen you compliment anything Kings management and player development does..

With all due respect, being fair and balanced and not always on the negative side of the argument would lend to your credibility by making you seem less biased.

Why would my opinion on the Kings development decisions change because of a points streak at the NHL level that was mostly the result of players drafted by other GM's or trades.

I've complimented the Kings before, they handled Mikey Anderson perfectly, they kept him in school two years, didn't keep him in the AHL forever, he was up in the NHL at 20, and look he has been one of their best success stories, if only they had handled others similarly. Amazing what happens when you take a traditional proven development path, right?

I also gave the Kings credit for realizing that Vilardi at C was a dead-end and moving him to the wing was great, it was a career saving move for the player and a significant boost for the team this season.

Said TM should have been coach of the year last year, and has done an excellent job producing a winning product the last two years, and that the people blaming him for lack of development should look elsewhere.

But speaking of fair and balanced, when have you been fair and balanced?

Turcotte pulled from NCAA, you said it was the right move, correct?
Byfield in the AHL, you said it was the right move, correct?
Clarke in the AHL next year would be the right move, correct?
Bjornfot in the AHL this year was the right move, correct?
Kupari in the AHL as a teenager was the right move, correct?

Where is your balance?

 

[kingsfan28]

Lemieux is irrelevant. Just because he shouldn't have been playing anymore doesn't justify MacEwen playing.

MacEwen hasn't added any toughness.

That's straight up false.

You're underestimating how damaging having MacEwen in the lineup is because you're making a line nearly unplayable.

JAD is 5th on the team in goal scoring rate, BTW.

oh, 5th on goal scoring rate. What is that some advance stat to make your point? There were nights when JAD and Kupari were so bad, along with Grundy that line sat or any combo of them sat an entire 3rd. I agree that MacEwen hasn't been good, to say that line is unplayable with him there is just as false. JAD and Kupari shouldn't need anyone not named MacEwen to succeed there.

 

[Surf Nutz]

Why would my opinion on the Kings development decisions change because of a points streak at the NHL level that was mostly the result of players drafted by other GM's or trades.

I've complimented the Kings before, they handled Mikey Anderson perfectly, they kept him in school two years, didn't keep him in the AHL forever, he was up in the NHL at 20, and look he has been one of their best success stories, if only they had handled others similarly. Amazing what happens when you take a traditional proven development path, right?

I also gave the Kings credit for realizing that Vilardi at C was a dead-end and moving him to the wing was great, it was a career saving move for the player and a significant boost for the team this season.

Said TM should have been coach of the year last year, and has done an excellent job producing a winning product the last two years, and that the people blaming him for lack of development should look elsewhere.

But speaking of fair and balanced, when have you been fair and balanced?

Turcotte pulled from NCAA, you said it was the right move, correct?
Byfield in the AHL, you said it was the right move, correct?
Clarke in the AHL next year would be the right move, correct?
Bjornfot in the AHL this year was the right move, correct?
Kupari in the AHL as a teenager was the right move, correct?

Where is your balance?

If you are not cognizant of the recent pattern I observed it could be a coincidence or perhaps you did it sub consciously.

You make it sound like the team and not the kid and his family decide if they stay in college.

It would seem to me the kid and his family would have 51%+ of the input on that life shaping decison.
So you agreed when that happen with Mikey, when he took your preferred path?
But it was him and his family that did that not Blake.
Hey great example that supports your developmental recommendations regardless but it was a family decsion.
Some kids that enjoy school may want to stay longer.
Some that may have been watching their dad play pro and or don't like college as much may be eager to turn pro.

I feel the Kings see Vil and Byfield as guys that can potentially return to center depending on their progress and team needs.
THey even stated as much recently.
Winger is not a life sentence.

Its nice to see you have complimented the team but the fact it was Tmac is ironic.
He i the gateskeeper that demands players, play on lower lines, are scratched, play in Ontario , etc. until they can do the little things right as evidenced by Kempe Vilardi and most all the Kings youth.

I have criticized the Kings at times but the more they have exceeded their expectations and timelines after great decsions by Blake the less of it I have done.
I was screaming for Blake and Tmac to be fired first halfo of last season.
they showed me by the end of the playoffs , how wrong I was.
I stayed patient first half this year.
I now like all Blakes moves except Peterson, but i blame the player when he is young more but no complete absolution

No I did not say Turc pulled from NCAA and I actually thought he was not all that at Wisco and he should have stayed.
Kids are not pulled.
the Kings counsel them and let them know what they see, with a vested interest in getting them signed, skewing what they say.
The kid and his family make the final decision.
I liked giving Byf a look last year but after the injury he should have stayed in the AHL.
Clarke AHL under evaluation, make room at the deadline if he is doing the little things right enough to satisfy Tmac for significant usage.
Another theing you avoid is Tmac is making the lineup, no point in these arguments if the player wont get past him and into significant usage.
Yup keeping Bjo down and signing Edler was a good move, but it did not go as well because Edlers recovery..
Bjo needs a new contract and he will be signed cheaper than if he played NHL, especailly if had a breakout seasons.
You also igore the contract staggering Blake does and how he keeps players down unti after a certain age and subsequent contracts to leave room to cheaply acquire Arvy and Fiala's and sign Danaults.
Kupari is looking very promising and earned a role with good PK.
He is still not finishing his chances well after his solid skating gives him opportunities so he was developed correctly.
No mention of Vilardi and Kempe, 2 prize developments?

So I dont know all your old posts and you dont know mine.
Yours remain one sided and mine have become more one sided with Blakes excellent acquisitions and the improved performance in the seasons and the playoffs.

 

[Surf Nutz]

oh, 5th on goal scoring rate. What is that some advance stat to make your point? There were nights when JAD and Kupari were so bad, along with Grundy that line sat or any combo of them sat an entire 3rd. I agree that MacEwen hasn't been good, to say that line is unplayable with him there is just as false. JAD and Kupari shouldn't need anyone not named MacEwen to succeed there.

 

[Herby]

Teams offer the contracts, not the players. Turcotte and Caufield both wanted to go pro, only one did, why? Because one team thought it was in the best interest of the players development and one didn't. Which team made the better decision? If the players make the decisions and the teams have no choice why did Caufield return to Wisconsin?

I don't know how you can continue to say that the players make the decisions when it comes to offering contracts, it's just flat out wrong, but you will keep saying it so what can I do.

Maybe every once in a blue moon a player chooses to leave school for major junior (Coyle), but that was not the case here, the Kings had the option to assign Turcotte to the OHL, they didn't, because as has proven time and time again the Kings want players in the AHL as quickly and for as long as possible. But keep on trying to shift the blame from the AHL obsessed GM to the 19 year old player for the laughably bad development decision.

So you are saying that the Kings intentionally sandbagged Bjornfot by putting him in the AHL this year to get him to sign for a lesser amount this summer? Who does this? Who thinks this? No team is holding back a young player and damaging his potential to save a few hundred thousand in cap space. Is this another example of Blake playing chess while the rest of the league is playing checkers?

I already gave them credit for how they handled Vilardi. But they also made poor decisions a long the way, including him over Byfield in 2020.

Kupari being a 4th line PK specialist as a 1st round pick is not anything amazing or worthy or praise, you know the expectations are 1st round picks are supposed to be pretty good players right?

How would you rate the Kings success in developing 1st rounders under Blake.

#12 Vilardi?
#20 Kupari?
#5 Turcotte?
#22 Bjornfot?
#2 Byfield?
#7 Clarke?

Those are a lot of pretty high picks, how would you rate the ROI?

 

[Surf Nutz]

Teams offer the contracts, not the players. Turcotte and Caufield both wanted to go pro, only one did, why? Because one team thought it was in the best interest of the players development and one didn't. Which team made the better decision? If the players make the decisions and the teams have no choice why did Caufield return to Wisconsin?

I don't know how you can continue to say that the players make the decisions when it comes to offering contracts, it's just flat out wrong, but you will keep saying it so what can I do.

Maybe every once in a blue moon a player chooses to leave school for major junior (Coyle), but that was not the case here, the Kings had the option to assign Turcotte to the OHL, they didn't, because as has proven time and time again the Kings want players in the AHL as quickly and for as long as possible. But keep on trying to shift the blame from the AHL obsessed GM to the 19 year old player for the laughably bad development decision.

So you are saying that the Kings intentionally sandbagged Bjornfot by putting him in the AHL this year to get him to sign for a lesser amount this summer? Who does this? Who thinks this? No team is holding back a young player and damaging his potential to save a few hundred thousand in cap space. Is this another example of Blake playing chess while the rest of the league is playing checkers?

I already gave them credit for how they handled Vilardi. But they also made poor decisions a long the way, including him over Byfield in 2020.

Kupari being a 4th line PK specialist as a 1st round pick is not anything amazing or worthy or praise, you know the expectations are 1st round picks are supposed to be pretty good players right?

How would you rate the Kings success in developing 1st rounders under Blake.

#12 Vilardi?
#20 Kupari?
#5 Turcotte?
#22 Bjornfot?
#2 Byfield?
#7 Clarke?

Those are a lot of pretty high picks, how would you rate the ROI?

Chronological:
1. Team offers contract.
2. Player and his advisors, family decide whether to accept it. Like Brock Faber.
I don't know anything about Caufield.
Why would the Kings want players at a college or Uni on the East Coast woking with amateurs and subject to the negative influences of peers and the college party temptations?
THat is why the want kids training with their pros at the Kings practice facility and being evaluated with all their other major prospects on the Reign.
It is a win win win.
Its a lose for you because you are out east watching college hockey.

I am saying after signing Edler the Kings had the option to keep Bjo down for redevelopment and evaluation.
I actually thought he should have been called up a litlle sooner and had displayed improvement.
Its not the small savings on contracts this year.
its the savings on the contract he nedds to sign as RFA this summer as a mostly AHLer vs and NHLer or worse cae NHLer that had a breakthrough season.
If that happend we may have had to trade him or someone else we want to keep.

Kupari has solidified a role and entry to the lineup.
Hopefully he will start finishing his efficient zone entries and cycling with better shots and passes .
And move up the lineup and onto the PP.
He is what 21 and 22?
Just like Kempe and Vilardi, you need patience and to wait for your high picks to break out when they are ready , usually closer to mid 20's.

The only development I am unhappy with is not keeping Byf down after injury last year.
It was a waste after that because he was not ready for the playoffs.
If I am Byfs mentor, I make him watch his playoff games he played early in the series.
I like less than 9 games and ELC sliding, it helps stagger and keep down contract costs.

i appreciate the info on things you complimented the Kings on, that I did not know about.
However they are not as recent.

Hold em and let em break out in the AHL, preferably after their ELC and resign em cheaper.
Use added saving for prime pieces to bring the youth into a winning play off bound locker room.

ROI is a concern and the Kings failed in structuring these players as they transitioned.
I bet they are already handling it differently.
As I said before the NHL is pretty similar, once playoff position battles start, without the Bush leaguers trying to get promoted.

Look at how Zegras has been playing on the defensive side of the puck and in OT if you want to see what can happen when players are brought up without being held accountable to do the little things right and earn a spot in the lineup.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Simmonds just kicked the crap out of Michael Penzetta.

Why not bring him back next year on a one year deal?

Byfield and Simmonds together!