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

[LAKings88]

Anniversary of the Zhitnik trade, why did that ever happen?

At this point I'm hoping LA doesn't mess with team chemistry too much. I wonder if a McCabe may be a better fit now. Still hate to give up a first for him tho. Definitely not a 23 1st.

 

[Bandit]

everybody's looking for a big D

I hear you have to go to school for that.

 

[Lt Dan]

Anniversary of the Zhitnik trade, why did that ever happen?

I have always placed equal blame on Gretzky and the Russian Mafia

 

[Kudelski37]

Anniversary of the Zhitnik trade, why did that ever happen?

At this point I'm hoping LA does mess with team chemistry too much. I wonder if a McCabe may be a better fit now. Still hate to give up a first for him tho. Definitely not a 23 1st.

Salary dump, like everything after the 93 run. Fuhr was an expiring contract and the Kings were broke and/or up for sale. Don't remember the exact timing.

 

[LAKings88]

I hear you have to go to school for that.

Feels like it's musical chairs of defensemen. Just don't know who goes where yet. All the same teams in on all the same guys.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Anniversary of the Zhitnik trade, why did that ever happen?

At this point I'm hoping LA doesn't mess with team chemistry too much. I wonder if a McCabe may be a better fit now. Still hate to give up a first for him tho. Definitely not a 23 1st.

Let's hear from the man himself, Sam "The Disaster" McMaster.

 

[mysterman2]

Horrible Trade but then again in that era most where....most infuriating thing was Boucher being injured all the time and having his first solid season just in time for him to be a UFA and signing with the Stars.

 

[Choralone]

My most-hated trade. Of course what we didn't know at the time was how much McNall's finances were built on a house of cards. Literally.

 

[TruKingFan]

If the Coyotes don't move him and at least get back a haul before the deadline, they have overplayed this because he is injury prone and his value is at a high right now. He is playing well after coming back and after the playoffs are over, the contenders are less likely to overpay. That said, if the offers are not good, then they have no other choice. I tend to think that there are equitable offers out there but they are tone deaf and think he is better than what he is and that's why teams are pivoting to guys like Karlsson.

I think the Cryotes already messed this up. JC’s highest value would have been this past summer IMO and the fact he hasn’t been traded means Armstrong had a brain fart and expected a franchise changing haul for the guy. Nope. Not happening.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I think the Cryotes already messed this up. JC’s highest value would have been this past summer IMO and the fact he hasn’t been traded means Armstrong had a brain fart and expected a franchise changing haul for the guy. Nope. Not happening.

Especially now that it's a clear LHD market with him, Gavrikov, and like 8-10 others. Chychrun is clearly the best, but as I've been harping, the talent gap between him and others isn't nearly as large as the reported value gap. AZ gonna get left holding the bag unless one of the window-open teams gets more desperate.

I'll admit I'm hard on Blake but I get the feeling he knows the pressure is firmly on AZ now especially now that they've SAT him and has made his final offer. If I'm Rob I'm saying go ahead and shop him around, we'll be here waiting.

However I'm far LESS confident that Blake isn't ALSO in win-now mode and is actually willing to give up some serious pieces to try to suggest we're winning in the next 3 years or bust

 

[Surf Nutz]

We definitely could use the upgrade. Lemieux has been a liability in just about every game. Bad penalty, or a rep call , he's just bad luck on the ice. He's not good enough to justify what his role is.

Yes but ZaKa is like 3.2 m per year

 

[Peter James Bond II]

Where does Vilardi slot, when he comes back? (hopefully Friday)

You would surely think this must move Lizotte down the 4C. Somehow, Todd will find a way to put Vilardi on line 4, I fear. It honestly seems insane, that the Kings have drafted 4 centers in round 1 since 2017, yet none are playing center on the Kings...above line 4

2017 Vilardi 11 OA, 2018 Kupari 20 OA, 2019 Turcotte 5 OA, Byfield 2020 2 OA.
Yet, none are playing above 4C on the Kings.

 

[Master Yoda]

Where does Vilardi slot, when he comes back? (hopefully Friday)

You would surely think this must move Lizotte down the 4C. Somehow, Todd will find a way to put Vilardi on line 4, I fear. It honestly seems insane, that the Kings have drafted 4 centers in round 1 since 2017, yet none are playing center on the Kings...above line 4

2017 Vilardi 11 OA, 2018 Kupari 20 OA, 2019 Turcotte 5 OA, Byfield 2020 2 OA.
Yet, none are playing above 4C on the Kings.

Lizotte hasn't been playing all that well lately. But my guess is Kupari/JAD sits and Iafallo moves to line 4, and Vilardi back with Fiala/Lizotte.

 

[Fishhead]

Where does Vilardi slot, when he comes back? (hopefully Friday)

You would surely think this must move Lizotte down the 4C. Somehow, Todd will find a way to put Vilardi on line 4, I fear. It honestly seems insane, that the Kings have drafted 4 centers in round 1 since 2017, yet none are playing center on the Kings...above line 4

2017 Vilardi 11 OA, 2018 Kupari 20 OA, 2019 Turcotte 5 OA, Byfield 2020 2 OA.
Yet, none are playing above 4C on the Kings.

Centers make up at least half the forwards taken in the early rounds despite only being 1 of 3 forward positions. That's where the best players always end up from a young age. It's like this on a lot of teams, it's just the way it is. I expect Pinelli to follow this same trend, if he sticks around.

The skillset for a center in the NHL is really demanding.

Even though Byfield is playing well on the first line, I'd put Vilardi in his spot and put QB between Fiala and Iafallo.

 

[KINGS17]

I have always placed equal blame on Gretzky and the Russian Mafia

One and the same. No one knows the secret identity of the double agent Ueyn Gretzkiov. He is like the Soviet Batman, only evil because he is a commie and a Marxist.

 

[Lt Dan]

One and the same. No one knows the secret identity of the double agent Ueyn Gretzkiov. He is like the Soviet Batman, only evil because he is a commie and a Marxist.

Woah woah, he also hate puppies. Which makes him evil

 

[LAKings88]

Where does Vilardi slot, when he comes back? (hopefully Friday)

You would surely think this must move Lizotte down the 4C. Somehow, Todd will find a way to put Vilardi on line 4, I fear. It honestly seems insane, that the Kings have drafted 4 centers in round 1 since 2017, yet none are playing center on the Kings...above line 4

2017 Vilardi 11 OA, 2018 Kupari 20 OA, 2019 Turcotte 5 OA, Byfield 2020 2 OA.
Yet, none are playing above 4C on the Kings.

QB Kopi Kempe
Moore Danault Arvidsson
Fiala Lizotte Vilardi
Iafallo ??? Kaliyev

Kupari
JAD
Lemieux
Grundstrom

Ideally QB goes to 3C, Lizotte drops down to 4C and AI goes to Kopi's wing by default.

Given how well QB is doing on the wing, who knows.

(Maybe you can package Walker and Grundstom/Lemieux for a LD) and clear some cap space.

 

[cyclones22]

QB Kopi Kempe
Moore Danault Arvidsson
Fiala Lizotte Vilardi
Iafallo ??? Kaliyev

Kupari
JAD
Lemieux
Grundstrom

Ideally QB goes to 3C, Lizotte drops down to 4C and AI goes to Kopi's wing by default.

Given how well QB is doing on the wing, who knows.

(Maybe you can package Walker and Grundstom/Lemieux for a LD) and clear some cap space.

And it's not just QB benefitting from playing on the 1st line. Both Kopi and Kempe are getting a production bump out of it.

 

[AbsentMojo]

QB Kopi Kempe
Moore Danault Arvidsson
Fiala Lizotte Vilardi
Iafallo ??? Kaliyev

Kupari
JAD
Lemieux
Grundstrom

Ideally QB goes to 3C, Lizotte drops down to 4C and AI goes to Kopi's wing by default.

Given how well QB is doing on the wing, who knows.

(Maybe you can package Walker and Grundstom/Lemieux for a LD) and clear some cap space.

Ideally you trade Iafallo at the deadline.. with everyone healthy, Iafallo slots in on the 4th line... normally you dont spend 4m on a 4th liner. Kaliyev is certainly not a 4th liner. Id rather see Vilardi centering Fiala and Kaliyev. In practice Fiala becomes the play driver/maker on whatever line he is on.. so the main thing Gabe would have to focus on is the D-zone coverage.

 

[Fishhead]

I just don't like Lizotte between Fiala and Iafallo, that line could be more productive. Byfield might fit because he's a space maker, and we all see what Fiala does with space. It would be difficult to mess with that first line right now, though.

 

[LAKings88]

I just don't like Lizotte between Fiala and Iafallo, that line could be more productive. Byfield might fit because he's a space maker, and we all see what Fiala does with space. It would be difficult to mess with that first line right now, though.

Fiala has the puck so much you just need a center that is defensively responsible. Would be nice if Lizotte was a bit taller and had more of a scoring touch.

 

[Fishhead]

Ideally you trade Iafallo at the deadline.. with everyone healthy, Iafallo slots in on the 4th line... normally you dont spend 4m on a 4th liner. Kaliyev is certainly not a 4th liner. Id rather see Vilardi centering Fiala and Kaliyev. In practice Fiala becomes the play driver/maker on whatever line he is on.. so the main thing Gabe would have to focus on is the D-zone coverage.

Which Gabe is not proficient at. He doesn't have the wheels for that, it's a surefire way to watch his production plummet.

If they want to just toss defense out the window on that line it would totally work.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Horrible Trade but then again in that era most where....most infuriating thing was Boucher being injured all the time and having his first solid season just in time for him to be a UFA and signing with the Stars.

It was just standard operating procedure for the Kings to prematurely give up on good, young defensemen. This also happened on February 14.

 

[Fishhead]

Fiala has the puck so much you just need a center that is defensively responsible. Would be nice if Lizotte was a bit taller and had more of a scoring touch.

I agree with this, and it's weird how he doesn't mesh with Kopitar. I'm surprised he was never really tried with Danault.

 

[LAKings88]

Ideally you trade Iafallo at the deadline.. with everyone healthy, Iafallo slots in on the 4th line... normally you dont spend 4m on a 4th liner. Kaliyev is certainly not a 4th liner. Id rather see Vilardi centering Fiala and Kaliyev. In practice Fiala becomes the play driver/maker on whatever line he is on.. so the main thing Gabe would have to focus on is the D-zone coverage.

Iaffalo is redundant but they love him so much. I'd like to see Kaliyev get a shot with Fiala and move Gabe up with Kopi and Kempe.