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

[Surf Nutz]

Ok, I get your point, answer me this......how are two lottery tickets going to help this team, now and in the future?

We could get some LHD's , Goaltending, size and toughness. depending on the lottery.
Or Chickenrun for 2 ist and a prospect.
No one player can turn it around.
It has to come from within mainly.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

This sounds about right.

 

[Telos]

Some interesting things from Rosen:

The team’s internally and externally stated goal, in its most basic form, has been to link the younger generation to the older generation. Within The Plan or whatever you’d like to brand the half-decade wilderness the LA Kings are attempting to dig out from, the expectations were to compete and potentially earn a playoff spot in 2021-22, take strides towards challenging for the division in 2022-23, and then hope to measure within an arm’s length of the conference’s elite by 2023-24.

Only 23 can be carried on an active roster, and it’s no secret the Ontarians are already getting restless. All six defensemen signed through next season are right-handed. Something’s got to give. Related: the trade fax machine at the NHL offices is growing cobwebs. The biggest name on defense traded this season has been – Ethan Bear? Dmitry Kulikov on the left side? There’s just no movement at the moment, with the familiar left-shot trade targets – Jakob Chychrun, Vladislav Gavrikov, Joel Edmundson – remaining in place. The market has not yet been set.

 

[tny760]

that seems a bit detached from what we were told the last few years

getting punted from the first round, trading for a scorer 2 seasons in a row, now the goal is to maybe make the playoffs? i don't think so

 

[LAKings88]

Some interesting things from Rosen:

Doughty
Clarke
Durzi
Spence
Roy
Walker

imho Roy and Walker need to go. Clarke, Durzi, and Spence can platoon for a year.

Need to find that LHD to settle the back end. Likely more of SAH defender to balance the offense on the right.

I stilly think Toby should be in the lineup getting experience.

 

[King'sPawn]

Some interesting things from Rosen:

Nothing like linking the youth and vets like spending most of the time playing them on separate lines and different roles than what you want the youth to take over for.

 

[head eyes]

that seems a bit detached from what we were told the last few years

getting punted from the first round, trading for a scorer 2 seasons in a row, now the goal is to maybe make the playoffs? i don't think so

The goal for this year according to that Rosen post is to challenge the division.

 

[Eagle Fang]

Some interesting things from Rosen:

I guess at the end of the day, the team is on target. They are 2nd in the division based on points and technically challenging for the top spot... sort of.

 

[kilowatt]

I stilly think Toby should be in the lineup getting experience.

He's got 110 regular season games over 4 seasons. He's good enough and has enough experience to at least be getting bottom-pairing minutes at this point. It's just ridiculous to not be playing him. Our left side should be Anderson, Bjornfot, and Edler, and we should be looking for an Edler replacement yesterday.

 

[tny760]

The goal for this year according to that Rosen post is to challenge the division.

oh

i read 21-22 and went "derp it's 22 now must be that one"

 

[Telos]

I guess at the end of the day, the team is on target. They are 2nd in the division based on points and technically challenging for the top spot... sort of.

That is what I gathered from it as well in the sense of internal's reasonings right now. It is pretty much what Blake would say if you backed him into a corner. You know he would acknowledge it in the same way as his Petersen presser in that they are still working through it but are on target, etc. I have a feeling though that these next two years are critical results-wise for Blake & Co. Blake's contract extension this offseason was for 3 years when this "plan" was supposed to end with the team in the ballpark of the elite....

The other is a reiteration of the obvious, that the prospects are getting a little restless with their utilization. This clearly isn't a Shangrila marriage of the old and new on this roster per the plan of merging the two, turning things around quickly enough to compete sooner to appease the old guard and influx enough youth to have a future with while aiming at a mobile, skillful, fast skating team.

All that sounds nice but it is clearly not how the team is being utilized. TMac's contract expires after next season. If things continue as they are, there is a good chance he may be fired next year as I don't see him currently accomplishing what they've been selling. The rest of this season is going to be critical for TMac and I expect to see something from him as the season winds to the second half....

Those were just the two paragraphs that interested me the most at least.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

There is no “plan.” It was reported that Blake committed to a 3 year rebuild in December 2019. Now the plan is to challenge for the division this season? Huh?

Then again the usual groupies will eat this up so hey, Blake is doing something right.

 

[Kurrilino]

The Kings do not have a single 30 goal scorer.

Kempe floating his way to a career year with an extraordinary shooting percentage one time doesn’t constitute a 30 goal guy. How’s that working out this year? Or any year prior.

Dude is the poster child for one-dimensional winger where puck possession goes to die.

I am utterly confused.

He scored 35 goals last season and is on pace for 30 despite piss poor play.
I expect the top 6 wingers to be one dimensional as they can be.
You score 30+ goals, you can do whatever you want.
The target of a hockey game is also to actually score goals, just being in puck possession means nothing.
I assumed that we learned that lesson over the past 5 years

 

[FSL KINGS]

The plan was to leave the option open to compete sooner. Goaltending & Defense collapsed this year. If not the King's should have been in position to make a small push for the playoffs.

Now, they are looking at a further out timeline as there is just too much wrong to fix this season. First need is to find the next starting goalie. Second is to sort out the defense. Forwards look set, outside of some of the kids breaking out & taking spots.

Trade, (Doughty, Roy)
Mikey, Clarke
Björnfot, Spence
Durzi
Long term this is what makes sense. Clarke & Spence are too good not to take spots in the near future. That leaves 1 place on the right for Doughty or Roy. The trade target could swap places with Mikey.

Forwards
Fiala, Kopi, Kaliyev
Moore, Danault, Arvidsson
Iafallo, Kempe, Vilardi
Grundström, Lizotte, JAD

Kopitar & Arvidsson have one season left after this one. Byfield can push Lizotte to wing when he's ready. Moving Kempe or Iafallo doesn't make sense when you have 1 year on 2 of the forwards. There are better ways of arranging that forward group, but that requires some trades or signings. The easier path is to just let Kopitar & Arvidsson's contracts burn off & rearrange the roster at that time.

Edit: Have a feeling Blake will always shoot for fighting in the playoffs if the opportunity exists.

 

[FSL KINGS]

Follow up,
Best trade option for a LD right now is probably a player for player swap. Roy + Madden for Gavrikov or something. Giving up a 1st with Copley as your best preforming goalie right now is a bit frightening.

Philly is rumored to be bumping Chuck Fletcher up to president (only) & bringing in Briere as the new GM some time around the New Year. Wonder if Provorov could be an option.

Outside of that, might just have to wait on that LD until after the draft.

Edit: If the team isn't looking to be competitive this year or next due to goaltending & defense being too young, maybe it makes sense to explore moving Kopi to a contender.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

 

[kilowatt]

I am 100% certain that Blake will re-sign Kopitar. I just hope it’s to a reasonable contract.

 

[Trash Panda]

I am 100% certain that Blake will re-sign Kopitar. I just hope it’s to a reasonable contract.

The best thing for both parties is to go separate ways.

There is no way forward for the franchise when they are holding onto old war horses.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

$5m AAV Kopitar playing 13 minutes a night and centering a third line is fine, I guess.

And I only say that because it looks like only one of the Big Three center prospects is currently projecting to be a top six center.

 

[kings11]

$5m AAV Kopitar playing 13 minutes a night and centering a third line is fine, I guess.

And I only say that because it looks like only one of the Big Three center prospects is currently projecting to be a top six center.

Only if the top line is composed of two kids and Fiala

 

[Schmooley]

I am 100% certain that Blake will re-sign Kopitar. I just hope it’s to a reasonable contract.

By that time the center depth should be Byfield-Danult-Turcotte-Helnius or maybe Pinelli over Turcotte if they deal him this year for a left dman.

 

[Ghetty Green]

Doughty
Clarke
Durzi
Spence
Roy
Walker

imho Roy and Walker need to go. Clarke, Durzi, and Spence can platoon for a year.

Need to find that LHD to settle the back end. Likely more of SAH defender to balance the offense on the right.

I stilly think Toby should be in the lineup getting experience.

Moverare

 

[Kingspiracy]

How about Logan Stanley for a bottom pair LD option to add some weight to the blue line. He doesnt seem that popular on the Jets. Perhaps a cheaper option that some more established players.

Would he be any better at D than Mac D was? (obviously nowhere near the pugalist)

 

[Sol]

According to many Kings fans they don’t want to take a chance at him because of his injuries but they also want someone good for a reasonable price.

 

[Statto]

According to many Kings fans they don’t want to take a chance at him because of his injuries but they also want someone good for a reasonable price.

I personally don’t think he’s the right solution and the injuries definitely play a part in his value. They will probably be asking for Byfield, Spence or Clarke so it definitely not an option as far as I’m concerned. If we were potentially contenders it’s a different discussion but he’s not putting us over the top. We’d still be short of a #1 netminder and would still need to trade for a physical D-Man.

We would be giving up too much trade capital to end up with the same holes on the roster.