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

[johnjm22]

Well, Zhitnik fetched a HOF goalie. [ducks]

He also got us Philippe Boucher, who ended up having a couple great seasons...for the Stars.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

 

[Fishhead]

Durzi now with 18 points in 25 games. 59 point pace.

If he maintains close to this pace, you've got a 24 year old, 50+ point dman, signed for 1.7M, with RFA contract expiry status. How much trade value does a player like that have? It's gotta be pretty fat.

Can't keep all of Durzi, Clarke and Spence. At least one of them is going to be moved.

Definitely some riches on the back end. Durzi would go nuts in a place with a completely offensive system. Not to say that the Kings defense isn't offensive, that's actually the perfect adjective right now.

If Clarke or Spence weren't in the system, we'd be debating what his next contract would look like, defensive deficiencies and all. I'd still feel more comfortable if we saw Spence a little more this year at the NHL level even though he was really solid in his first callup.

 

[Nasti]

A day that will live in infamy.

 

[Fripp]

Well, Zhitnik fetched a HOF goalie. [ducks]

I wish there was a reaction emoji that morphed from laughing to crying because that was my actual reaction.

 

[Statto]

I hope the pick is for this years draft, given it’s depth.

 

[YP44]

for some on here that would be a dream come true

 

[SmytheKing]

A day that will live in infamy.

Only if we stop talking about it.

 

[Statto]

for some on here that would be a dream come true

Don’t. I’m trying not to get irritated at the Norris thread on the main board, debating DD’s win. Honestly for my money had LA been on the east coast he’d have at least two because the voters would have voted based on watching him play, not the points tallies.

 

[Little Psycho]

I know LA was his and Toews favorite place to play like 10 plus years ago but we also have too many young guys waiting for a spot and he ain’t a LHD or goalie so pass

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Turcotte for Patrick Kane

Blake and Co then are shocked at his lack of backchecking and put him on the 4th line and PK

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Seeing Patrick Kane in a Kings jersey would be an acid trip.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

In Vilardi's first 15 games, he had 10 goals and 5 assists for 15 points.

In the last 12 games, he has 3 goals and 1 assist for 4 points.

True breakout year or fluke start?

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

In Vilardi's first 15 games, he had 10 goals and 5 assists for 15 points.

In the last 12 games, he has 3 goals and 1 assist for 4 points.

True breakout year or fluke start?

True Breakout......considering his history......

People might have gotten fooled into thinking he was a PPG prodigy........but I think where he ends up is right in the middle......

 

[Nasti]

In Vilardi's first 15 games, he had 10 goals and 5 assists for 15 points.

In the last 12 games, he has 3 goals and 1 assist for 4 points.

True breakout year or fluke start?

Somewhere in between. That’s why I was telling people to cool their jets when they were talking about over $5 million a year for his next contract.

 

[johnjm22]

3 goals in 12 games is still a 20 goal pace.

 

[Cianide]

In Vilardi's first 15 games, he had 10 goals and 5 assists for 15 points.

In the last 12 games, he has 3 goals and 1 assist for 4 points.

True breakout year or fluke start?

If he was in his natural position of center, he'd be doing more.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

In Vilardi's first 15 games, he had 10 goals and 5 assists for 15 points.

In the last 12 games, he has 3 goals and 1 assist for 4 points.

True breakout year or fluke start?

Don't look now, but a few of us said that would be the cost of playing with Kopitar...

He's more in the middle anyway

 

[AbsentMojo]

If he was in his natural position of center, he'd be doing more.

Wing is better - takes less energy. Jeff Carter came up as a center and played wing a lot and switched back and forth. There's hardly a difference other than the amount of skating.. centers skate more, have harder def assignments and take faceoffs. How does playing center give him more capability in your mind?

 

[Statto]

Wing is better - takes less energy. Jeff Carter came up as a center and played wing a lot and switched back and forth. There's hardly a difference other than the amount of skating.. centers skate more, have harder def assignments and take faceoffs. How does playing center give him more capability in your mind?

For me, you play him with two quick guys that keep the opposition on their heels which creates space. He’s great at finding the soft spots on the ice. It’s why it worked so well with Iafallo and QB. He reads the game very well and the extra jump in his skating over the first couple of strides made all the difference.

Do I think he can play C? Yes, but I think he is better defensively at wing. It’s about getting the right line combinations and yes he had a quick start but he’s now facing tougher match ups, so I’d fully expect goals to be harder to come by. What’s good is that his general game play still seems good as does his attitude, granted that’s just the eye test. Get the right line combination and I think his scoring goes up - as it does with most players.

 

[kings11]

Don’t. I’m trying not to get irritated at the Norris thread on the main board, debating DD’s win. Honestly for my money had LA been on the east coast he’d have at least two because the voters would have voted based on watching him play, not the points tallies.

Lmfao.. did you see that shit too..
I had to remind myself that I’ve been racking up flaming Moes at a high rate

 

[YP44]

Don’t. I’m trying not to get irritated at the Norris thread on the main board, debating DD’s win. Honestly for my money had LA been on the east coast he’d have at least two because the voters would have voted based on watching him play, not the points tallies.

Fully agree with the norris. Although I do think the year he won was more on past years merrit than that season.

 

[Statto]

Fully agree with the norris. Although I do think the year he won was more on past years merrit than that season.

I think he was the D man that every cup contender wanted to win for 3-4 years. I would have argued if he’d had gotten 3 Norris’ he was so dominant at shutting down other teams top players. His minutes were crazy, but back then he had the legs for it. I still think he has a lot to offer but needs 5 mins less per game, it soon adds up. If they did that they’d be saving him 17 (23 minute equivalent) regular season games on the year.

 

[KingsFan7824]

In Vilardi's first 15 games, he had 10 goals and 5 assists for 15 points.

In the last 12 games, he has 3 goals and 1 assist for 4 points.

True breakout year or fluke start?

That says he's probably not a 55g guy.

Somewhere in between. That’s why I was telling people to cool their jets when they were talking about over $5 million a year for his next contract.

If he gets 50pts this year, he's getting $5m.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

For me, you play him with two quick guys that keep the opposition on their heels which creates space. He’s great at finding the soft spots on the ice. It’s why it worked so well with Iafallo and QB. He reads the game very well and the extra jump in his skating over the first couple of strides made all the difference.

Do I think he can play C? Yes, but I think he is better defensively at wing. It’s about getting the right line combinations and yes he had a quick start but he’s now facing tougher match ups, so I’d fully expect goals to be harder to come by. What’s good is that his general game play still seems good as does his attitude, granted that’s just the eye test. Get the right line combination and I think his scoring goes up - as it does with most players.

I'm really happy that some of his junior skills that made him more than a handful defensively are now translating in the NHL and resulting in production. Stickhandling in a phone booth, that's one I didn't expect to translate as well--dude can dangle NHL pros with the best of them. But the mark-stone-esque puck theft being strong on sticks and being an absolute load off the boards are the skills I knew would help him make it once he got his strength. Give this kid another year and he'll be prime Corey Perry.

I don't think those are skills that make him an effective C, though. He just doesn't cover enough ground fast enough no matter how smart he is, he's a much better fit at wing imo.