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

[All The Kings Men]

One of the fastest ways to get me to roll my eyes and stop listening to anything someone is saying is to mention Troy Stetcher as a trade deadline comparable for this year.

Last year the Kings traded a 7th round pick for Troy Stetcher because they had zero idea if they were going to have a single RHD with more than half a season worth of experience in the lineup.

Doughty and Walker were cooked for the year. Durzi and Spence had been called up from Ontario and were rookies.

Matt Roy was injured on March 15th. Troy Stetcher was acquired on March 20th. Troy Stetcher was an absolute necessity, not some kind of move to add veteran savvy or depth. They needed actual NHL players on the roster.

The blueline on March 19th was

Maatta/Spence
Edler/Strand
Moverare/Durzi

 

[Lt Dan]

One of the fastest ways to get me to roll my eyes and stop listening to anything someone is saying is to mention Troy Stetcher as a trade deadline comparable for this year.

What if I invent a device that carries the incapacitated to a wooden horse built by the Greeks as a trick and called it a "Troy Stretcher"

I'll see myself out....

 

[Pucknut50]

I thought Strand played well has size, shoots h

The whole "Lets win another Cup with Kopi and Doughty, one more time" plan seems to be a mirage.
If you choose to carry the $22 million twins on your roster why arent you doing everything you can to win now?
They wont be better next year. They will be older and probably even less engaged than they are now.
The Western Conference is up for grabs, nobody is locked in.
Next year management will be saying "Wait til next year when we have Kopi's AAV off the books, then we can really compete."
Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
After this year do you really trust them to be better next year? The LHD crisis has been ongoing for multiple years. The goaltending crisis has been ongoing for multiple years. No action taken. Without Copley we would be last place.
I also agree that only cosmetic changes will occur between now and the TDL.
I am discouraged by a management team that doesnt have a sense of urgency and doesnt see the opportunity that is at hand.

Where have you heard management say let's win another cup with Kopi and Doughty? They are not going to trade Kopitar. Also Doughty only gets traded if he wants to leave. Right or wrong they deserve that option. They are not that far from legitimate contention. As you said they need a LD and Goaltender. Well Quick comes off the books this year and you can get a #1 goalie with the 5.8 mil quick is being paid. If the Kings really wanted a LD they could easily get one using the likes of Walker, Durzi, and with Edler off the books. Every fan call out urgency This is not Baseball where you get a Billionaire throwing money around willing to pay those penalties. NHL has a hard cap. Me #1 get rid of Durzi. #2 a solid top 4 LD. 3# Goalie better than Copley. All can be done and I think at least one of the 3 will happen very soon. - Side note I think Quick goes on LTIR soon. Kings take the cap relief + say Durzi/Walker to trade for a goalie.

 

[DoktorJeep]

Feels like what’s on the table from the Kings is a conservative package for the big TDL get. So better than Stetcher but worse than Chycrun.

IMO, that equates to a ceiling offer of a 2nd and Toby for a #4 LHD. McCabe seems the best fit. But for him, a mid to late second and a guy who’s an RFA is easily outbid.

Otherwise, what is available to address the issue at LHD? Furthermore, how is the rest of the logjam accommodated on D?

Blake has left himself with no good options. Which anyone with a brain could foresee coming.

 

[All The Kings Men]

better than Stetcher

*snort*

 

[AbsentMojo]

What if I invent a device that carries the incapacitated to a wooden horse built by the Greeks as a trick and called it a "Troy Stretcher"

View attachment 646494


I'll see myself out....

See if you can work Zegras (greek surname) into that comically twisted pun

 

[DoktorJeep]

*snort*

So you’re saying we’re getting Matt Irwin, another ex Shark.

 

[AbsentMojo]

One of the fastest ways to get me to roll my eyes and stop listening to anything someone is saying is to mention Troy Stetcher as a trade deadline comparable for this year.

Last year the Kings traded a 7th round pick for Troy Stetcher because they had zero idea if they were going to have a single RHD with more than half a season worth of experience in the lineup.

Doughty and Walker were cooked for the year. Durzi and Spence had been called up from Ontario and were rookies.

Matt Roy was injured on March 15th. Troy Stetcher was acquired on March 20th. Troy Stetcher was an absolute necessity, not some kind of move to add veteran savvy or depth. They needed actual NHL players on the roster.

The blueline on March 19th was

Maatta/Spence
Edler/Strand
Moverare/Durzi

Maybe Zegras chirped Stecher 'You're only worth a 7th round pick, thats less than a bag of pucks'

 

[LAKings88]

What I have come to realize, in my great intellect, is that most teams don't want to rebuild. Also, they get monies for playoff games.

I think the overwhelming mentality of front offices are just get in and see what happens.

Boston looks like clear wagon but you never know. Gotta play the games.

The Kings used rebuild term but I think they pivoted too. The blocks of those rebuild are also Byfield, Clarke, and Turcotte. I'm not sure if they will payoff or not honestly. But no cup team is strictly drafted.

I think you go for it whenever you can.

 

[KingsHockey24]

So you’re saying we’re getting Matt Irwin, another ex Shark.

Look down the highway and you'll see our future deadline acquisitions in Nathan Beaulieu/Dmitry Kulikov.

 

[ibleedkings]

Jesus christ some of the bullshit I read on here really makes me wonder how the f*** some of you turn on a computer in the morning....

Like the post right above yours?

 

[Docgonzo]

I know it’s a bit of tinted lenses when it comes to DL, but let’s not act like he was some savant that only made amazing moves. DL loved to just make trades and signings for the sake of them. And only a handful of them were truly good/great.

Dustin Penner 37 points in 117 games for a former 1st and a 1st. And if you argue Tuebert was a bust, remember who picked him.

Halpern for Purcell and a 3rd

Smyth only to have to turn around and trade him again a year later because his family hates LA.

Acquiring Strum and Stefan Legein for future considerations.

Ellerby and Carcillo.

Sekera and Lucic trades. Getting Vinny, Iginla and Luke Schenn.

Getting the ghost of Scuderi in 2016.

Trading for Verstegg

12 games of Ben Bishop.

Free agent signings of Erhoff, Gilbert, Enroth, Latta, Cracknell, McBain, Hunter, Setoguchi, Gagne and Moreau.

Most of those moves are post 2009 the first year they made the playoffs. Lots of those moves are cheap inexpensive moves, But so far Blake has only made 1 actual expensive move in Fiala.

But if you look at a lot of the moves Blake has made, they’re similar to DL. Biggest difference is DL started with a young core and Blake an aging core.

Both had botched goalie decisions, Cloutier and Peterson. Both tried to acquire a culture changing center, Danault and Stoll. Both got an experienced but injured winger Williams and Arvidsson. Both spent high capital on a winger, Penner and Fiala. Both have gone through multiple head coaches.

I agree with the poster that said we knew DL’s plan because DL loved to hear himsef talk. He would talk for hours with his graphs and New York Yankee comparisons. Blake seems more reserved and less public.

DL was 1 Jeff Carter getting traded anywhere but Columbus away from never winning anything here.

 

[Statto]

Feels like what’s on the table from the Kings is a conservative package for the big TDL get. So better than Stetcher but worse than Chycrun.

IMO, that equates to a ceiling offer of a 2nd and Toby for a #4 LHD. McCabe seems the best fit. But for him, a mid to late second and a guy who’s an RFA is easily outbid.

Otherwise, what is available to address the issue at LHD? Furthermore, how is the rest of the logjam accommodated on D?

Blake has left himself with no good options. Which anyone with a brain could foresee coming.

I can’t see Björnfot being moved, it’ll be a RD.

 

[AbsentMojo]

I know it’s a bit of tinted lenses when it comes to DL, but let’s not act like he was some savant that only made amazing moves. DL loved to just make trades and signings for the sake of them. And only a handful of them were truly good/great.

Dustin Penner 37 points in 117 games for a former 1st and a 1st. And if you argue Tuebert was a bust, remember who picked him.

Halpern for Purcell and a 3rd

Smyth only to have to turn around and trade him again a year later because his family hates LA.

Acquiring Strum and Stefan Legein for future considerations.

Ellerby and Carcillo.

Sekera and Lucic trades. Getting Vinny, Iginla and Luke Schenn.

Getting the ghost of Scuderi in 2016.

Trading for Verstegg

12 games of Ben Bishop.

Free agent signings of Erhoff, Gilbert, Enroth, Latta, Cracknell, McBain, Hunter, Setoguchi, Gagne and Moreau.

Most of those moves are post 2009 the first year they made the playoffs. Lots of those moves are cheap inexpensive moves, But so far Blake has only made 1 actual expensive move in Fiala.

But if you look at a lot of the moves Blake has made, they’re similar to DL. Biggest difference is DL started with a young core and Blake an aging core.

Both had botched goalie decisions, Cloutier and Peterson. Both tried to acquire a culture changing center, Danault and Stoll. Both got an experienced but injured winger Williams and Arvidsson. Both spent high capital on a winger, Penner and Fiala. Both have gone through multiple head coaches.

I agree with the poster that said we knew DL’s plan because DL loved to hear himsef talk. He would talk for hours with his graphs and New York Yankee comparisons. Blake seems more reserved and less public.

DL was 1 Jeff Carter getting traded anywhere but Columbus away from never winning anything here.

Oh yeah DL started off w a bang obtaining and extending Cloutier...that was like he was on acid (or owed someone a favor).. then did some dumpster diving and got Valeri Bure who never played a game. Then next year he got Alyn McCauley who i think had missing knee ligament.. and played 10 games - those were the good ol days when I thought DL was a madman. OK so thats debit side of his ledger. The guy brought a lot to the table in terms of he got buy in from Leweike for a total rebuild, he brought in guys like JW (for OSul).. Green and Stoll, ODonnell, Richardson (for picks), drafted Voynov and Martinez, etc. He aligned Manchester with the Kings system. He had the middle out philosophy and stuck to it. He created a culture where players from around the league looked at LA as a good place to play (and not just live). All that stuff was from his leadership.

 

[DoktorJeep]

I can’t see Björnfot being moved, it’ll be a RD.

Moving Durzi or Roy is subtracting too much while trying to add. Walker’s would clear waivers, so his trade value is nill. So, which RD is moving? Spence? Most fans would scream if Spence was moved for a rental journeyman.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Like the post right above yours?

Pretty much

 

[SettlementRichie10]

The lengths people go to denigrate the regime that actually won something in desperate effort to prop up the regime that has won nothing astounds me.

Also going to write down “but poor Blake inherited an aging core” right next to “no way you could trade Kopitar and Doughty” in my Total Lack of Self Awareness Doublethink Diary. Thanks.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I know it’s a bit of tinted lenses when it comes to DL, but let’s not act like he was some savant that only made amazing moves. DL loved to just make trades and signings for the sake of them. And only a handful of them were truly good/great.


DL was 1 Jeff Carter getting traded anywhere but Columbus away from never winning anything here.

And so far Blake is two completely depleted positions (G, LD) away from anything at all but a legacy of blackholing.

It's a results oriented business. I don't care how much window dressing Blake has if he can't seal the deal just like I don't care how many stupid little failures DL had when going Cup-WCF-Cup.

Most of the 'bad' moves were moves trying to keep a Championship team alive; we can only dream that Blake is in a position to try to extend that rather than simply try to make the playoffs and survive the 1st round despite spending AEG money to and beyond the cap and hoarding a wealth of assets that he refuses to spend OR develop appropriately.

Feel free to put "kept all his 1st round picks" on his GM gravestone I guess.

And at least we knew DL was a bit of a mad scientist but one with a 'type' of player; all we know about Blake is he is too conservative, I'm not sure he'll know when it's time because no one has any clue what his actual vision is, he refuses to go all in but he also refuses to start handing keys to kids unless someone gets hurt first, but his 'type' of player appears to be waterbug 5'10" forechecking forwards and 5'10" two-way RHD. This guy would play all 4 'normal' dudes on NES Ice Hockey.

 

[Docgonzo]

The lengths people go to denigrate the regime that actually won something in desperate effort to prop up the regime that has won nothing astounds me.

Also going to write down “but poor Blake inherited an aging core” right next to “no way you could trade Kopitar and Doughty” in my Total Lack of Self Awareness Doublethink Diary. Thanks.

Since I’m under the assumption this was aimed at me, I’ll reply. I can see the argument for reading Doughty for futures and trying to rebuild. But by the time Blake took over Kopitar already had his contract that was given to him by DL. You know a lot of teams with the capspace to take on a 10mil 8 year player?

 

[King'sPawn]

The lengths people go to denigrate the regime that actually won something in desperate effort to prop up the regime that has won nothing astounds me.

Also going to write down “but poor Blake inherited an aging core” right next to “no way you could trade Kopitar and Doughty” in my Total Lack of Self Awareness Doublethink Diary. Thanks.

Even if we all agreed on inheriting an "aging core", Blake is approaching 6 years in the organization. And the organization has been leaning on them this entire season. This is the first season Kopitar may not lead the team in scoring in years - the only two times he didn't was when he was a rookie and when he played through an injury.

But my question of Team identity focuses on the overall scope and decision-making is just so incongruent.

They lacked scoring, particularly from the blueline, after losing to Vegas. So they bring in Kovalchuk and put him in front of the net.

They want a team that is more offensive, but they put offensive prospects in the bottom six so they can learn not to be a defensive liability and grind. Then they say Kaliyev needs to play in the top-6, but then trade one of their top defensive prospects to bring in Fiala.

They acted like the rebuild was over but the only core pieces acquired during the rebuild playing in a top role was Mikey Anderson. As if the purpose of rebuilding is just to acquire pieces but developing them into meaningful, regular players isn't part of the reBUILDING phase.

Then Clarke, to me, is the most egregious. While it will never be said, you can't convince me that his handling wasn't motivated by sliding his contract another year.

It's like the whole identity of the team is based on some meta interpretation of standard practice, and acting like you're more intelligent than the other 31 teams.

Of course Lombardi wasn't perfect. And nobody's expecting Blake to be.

 

[Sol]

I think it’s fair to look at DL with the utmost charity however I think that poster is right that he was a Jeff Carter not panning out to not warranting any slack at all. But that’s all hindsight and we won’t know what would happen if Carter did fail. I do think DL got a ton of slack however. I think the phrase that it’s hard to know what to do after you win the cup, is true for sure. However DL did a ton of damage to the team and I think his desperation really set the Kings back heavily. Bad trades, bad drafting, and over emotional in his transactions.

Definitely it’s a matter of perspective where you line up. I think there’s good cases to on the opposite end of the spectrum. I just happen to think he was pretty overrated. I think DL was at his best when he got hired.


I think where Blake SUCKS MASSIVE BALLS is through establishing the identity of the team vs Lombardi. Lombardi was clear. I think where Blake SUCKS MASSIVE GIGANTIC BALLS is having back up plans. DL made trades to address issues because he usually had spares (before the cup). Blake has zero contingency plans and it’s super obvious.

 

[DoktorJeep]

Please end the revisionist history that Blake took over a shit show or that Lombardi got lucky.

Rob Blake says Kings don't need to rebuild

The chief hack Beckerman said they’re going right back to competing. How’d that work out?

Straight from Kopitar’s mouth, Dean expected to win sooner and had a vision from day 1.

Anyone who supports BLuc is deluded in thinking we have the best possible management for this franchise.

 

[johnjm22]

Sometimes there's a thin line between success and failure.

DL came very close to that line.

Had it not been for Sutter, DL probably gets fired and the Richards trade goes down as arguably the worst trade in franchise history.

 

[DoktorJeep]

Sometimes there's a thin line between success and failure.

DL came very close to that line.

Had it not been for Sutter, DL probably gets fired and the Richards trade goes down as arguably the worst trade in franchise history.

Wrong. In anything of true scope and competition, money and brains wins out in the end. Maybe not right away, but eventually yes. The line between repeat champ and dynasty is where the line is thin. Lombardi failed to build a dynasty is the only criticism that can be objectively levied.

 

[cyclones22]

We're in the midst of Schrödinger's rebuild. It is both a rebuild and not a rebuild at the same time.