Speculation: LA Kings News, Rumors, Roster Thread part VII

[Herby]

The Todd Fawtha sounds rattled. Asked which players need to bounce back, his completely generic answer brings up the reverse sweep as the only specific example of getting things on track. Reading it you’d never know he was in charge of the other side.

LAKI

Things being shuffled around, ha, thanks Todd, only took 4 (non-empty net) points in 30 games for you to move your #1 LW down the lineup. My guess is he is probably still out there on the #1 PP unit.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Things being shuffled around, ha, thanks Todd, only took 4 (non-empty net) points in 30 games for you to move your #1 LW down the lineup. My guess is he is probably still out there on the #1 PP unit.

Yeah when I read 'line shuffling' I was like "who is wearing the Todd skinsuit, blink twice if you're in danger"

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Things being shuffled around, ha, thanks Todd, only took 4 (non-empty net) points in 30 games for you to move your #1 LW down the lineup. My guess is he is probably still out there on the #1 PP unit.

Well no...he moved Iafallo down before to play with Byfield....that was the wish and talk of the board when that was done.....wasn't it?

 

[SufferingSelfCreated]

Kings have to be in the market for a 1C and a scoring winger this off-season, right? Kopitar is no longer a 1C, and we lack finishing pretty much across the board. Our D seems pretty deep, we gotta go big with scoring.

 

[KINGS17]

In the case of Turcotte and Byfield maybe the proper way to develop them is to imitate the way other franchises have successfully developed those types of players instead of insisting doing it your way, when your way does not have the same proven results.

The insistence on having high picks play as teenagers in the AHL did damage and slowed boths development, whether you think the evaluations of them as 17 year olds was right or wrong the organization still deserves blame for the development decisions post-draft.

I have seen the Kings ruin plenty of first round picks by rushing them into the NHL. Dustin Brown was almost one of them. It's too soon to say with Byfield or Turcotte, and let's not forget Byfield's injury has played a role in slowing his development.

Also, Turcotte didn't exactly have the kind of season at Wisconsin everyone wanted to see and has been often injured.

Maybe they both join the Kings earlier in their careers if they had stayed healthy.

 

[KINGS17]

Kings have to be in the market for a 1C and a scoring winger this off-season, right? Kopitar is no longer a 1C, and we lack finishing pretty much across the board. Our D seems pretty deep, we gotta go big with scoring.

At this point no one should be untouchable. The question is does another GM want to touch any of the players the Kings have, including the sacred cows.

 

[Reaper45]

At this point no one should be untouchable. The question is does another GM want to touch any of the players the Kings have, including the sacred cows.

Doughty still has value. Kopitar I just don’t see it though I would move him. I’m not liking the Peterson contract at the moment, or Iafallo’s.

 

[Bandit]

I often wonder why this board despises certain types of players so much. Obviously those being skilled offensive players that would be considered "soft". Even guys the Kings have had issues with like Tkachuk are respected and admired. And I think you kind of brought up the reason by mentioning Kopitar, and its because it's just been so long since we had a player who made you jump out of your seat when he had the puck. Kopitar kind of fit the bill with the skilled part, but Kopi was a unicorn, he was a big skilled, two-way center, he brought it all.

The last time we had a player that was like a Zegras, Gaudreau, Caufield type was Palffy who last played for the Kings in 2004. It's hard to remember having a player like that. We've had a great center in Kopi, a great D in Doughty and a great goaltender in Quick. The two things we have never really had the last decade was an elite offensive defenseman and an elite high skilled scoring forward.



No way Zegras and Stutzle have been in the AHL. Byfield has been up the whole time he has been healthy, Kupari is going to get 60 games and Vilardi got 30. Even Turcotte got 8.

As far as the picks being the right ones, based on what, the rankings? If that is the case there is no such thing as a bad pick ever, Aki Berg and Derek Forbort were picked about where they were ranked, so was Jeff Tambellini. I mean that is fine to think that, but by that criteria there is no such thing as a good or bad draft as long as teams pick guys where they are ranked.

You live in that part of the country, did you ever watch Turcotte play in college, did he really strike you as a worthy top 5 pick?

Funny you mention Palffy, a guy who’s career was cut short due to injury.

I don’t have a problem with skill. I have a problem with guys that bring piss to a shit fight and then cry like bitches about it.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

 

[Herby]

Kings have to be in the market for a 1C and a scoring winger this off-season, right? Kopitar is no longer a 1C, and we lack finishing pretty much across the board. Our D seems pretty deep, we gotta go big with scoring.

#1 centers rarely end up on the trade market or UFA. There was one available last year and the consensus here was that it wasn’t worth it. Can’t imagine there is a legit #1 center available again this summer.

The Kings hopes and dreams for a #1 center basically begins and ends with QB. A lot of pressure on the kid to be the face of the rebuild.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

#1 centers rarely end up on the trade market or UFA. There was one available last year and the consensus here was that it wasn’t worth it. Can’t imagine there is a legit #1 center available again this summer.

The Kings hopes and dreams for a #1 center basically begins and ends with QB. A lot of pressure on the kid to be the face of the rebuild.

The QB anointing as being a Superstar LA King, began right after he was drafted, by all the LA celebrity welcome to LA tweets....Dodger manager Dave Roberts....Snoop Dog and others. Like they all had no idea he was 18 and probably 2-3 years from actually making the Kings and making any kind of impact. It was like they thought he was this #1 pick and being a big part of the team instantly. The season started and they were probably wondering why they weren't hearing his name and seeing him on sports highlights.

 

[KINGS17]

Asst Coach: Yeah, but we're just looking for one guy.

Coach: You mean like that dumb SOB that just tripped over the blue line?

 

[ru4reals]

Why you gotta sh*t on my beer league game like this.

 

[apocalypse]

It's the entire development philosophy that is wrong with this team. And yes, it starts with Blake.

 

[apocalypse]

I want to see Kupari moved into Iafalllo’s spot. He has really improved his game, is a big bodied player that skates with pace, and can finish. I know he’s not a true first line player but at this point he might be one of our better options.

Our third line isn’t bringing us a whole Lotta points as it is. Just have Alex go down and be a park hound and let the two talented big boys on the line get some shots off.

Put our fourth line back together and give the boys a couple games to shake off the cobwebs. Two of them are just coming back from injuries and hopefully a game off wakes up Kaliyev as he did make some blatant errors lately. I love the kid and it doesn’t bother me having them sit every once in a while. No sitting a guy during a playoff hunt not have been the best time but let’s see how he responds .

As for the second line, don’t touch what’s not broke. Let them play.

What makes you think Kupari's not a "true first line player"?

 

[DryIslandBartender]

The QB anointing as being a Superstar LA King, began right after he was drafted, by all the LA celebrity welcome to LA tweets....Dodger manager Dave Roberts....Snoop Dog and others. Like they all had no idea he was 18 and probably 2-3 years from actually making the Kings and making any kind of impact. It was like they thought he was this #1 pick and being a big part of the team instantly. The season started and they were probably wondering why they weren't hearing his name and seeing him on sports highlights.

Byfield was hyped up as a #1 pick in most other drafts. He was hyped to the max, that just comes with being the #2 pick. I don’t fault the org for that and making him the face of the rebuild/future. That’s what any organization would do.

Whether or not he’s the guy or can handle the pressure, that’s on the organization to figure out. Obviously they think he is the answer.

 

[cyclones22]

Just lots of conclusions being jumped to with the young players. Realize that earlier in the year, people liked Kupari at center and he looked pretty good. Then he was on the line of death and he struggled and the shine faded off. Then he was sent down to Ontario and played wing for a good spell and played well. Now he's back up primarily at the wing and he's performing much better, even though TMc played him at center a few games. Now, keep in mind he's almost 2.5 years older than Byfield. So talking down QB when compared to Kupari's current performance is ridiculous. With young players, things can change in the development path in just a few months, let alone years. Linemates, position and deployment matters.

 

[Mats26]

One thing is for sure, if we don't address the lack of scoring and power play this offseason, we'll be a bubble team chasing the league for a real long time.

 

[kilowatt]

This is what I'd like to see next game:

Moore - Danault - Vilardi
Kempe - Kopitar - Kupari
Grundstrom - Byfield - Arvidsson
Lemieux - Lizotte - Kaliyev

It's time to shake a few lines up.

 

[respD]

This is what I'd like to see next game:

Moore - Danault - Vilardi
Kempe - Kopitar - Kupari
Grundstrom - Byfield - Arvidsson
Lemieux - Lizotte - Kaliyev

It's time to shake a few lines up.

I like Kupari on the wing too, he seems much more dynamic there, and I also could see him producing on one of the top lines.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

This is what I'd like to see next game:

Moore - Danault - Vilardi
Kempe - Kopitar - Kupari
Grundstrom - Byfield - Arvidsson
Lemieux - Lizotte - Kaliyev

It's time to shake a few lines up.

there's not going to be any major shake up to lines with 8 games left and the playoffs still in grasp. More often than not in the previous 74 games, the established lines have worked in our favor -- now is not the time for experimentation. If they fall out in the next 4-5 games, sure...let's f*** around with lines all day long.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

there's not going to be any major shake up to lines with 8 games left and the playoffs still in grasp. More often than not in the previous 74 games, the established lines have worked in our favor -- now is not the time for experimentation. If they fall out in the next 4-5 games, sure...let's f*** around with lines all day long.

and just to add...

changing up lines isn't going to do shit unless our players execute -- bottom line, our players need to sack up and dig deep, if that doesn't happen, it doesn't matter what line they are on. Gut punch time for the players right now -- they either rise to the occasion or they don't.

 

[RaymondReddington]

and just to add...

changing up lines isn't going to do shit unless our players execute -- bottom line, our players need to sack up and dig deep, if that doesn't happen, it doesn't matter what line they are on. Gut punch time for the players right now -- they either rise to the occasion or they don't.

Hard to "sack up" when you aren't in the lineup
or
When you are not put in the situations you were made for

:cough: 34 :cough:

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Hard to "sack up" when you aren't in the lineup
or
When you are not put in the situations you were made for

:cough: 34 :cough:

Oh yeah, I forgot that Kaliyev is the savior of the franchise.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Kings have to be in the market for a 1C and a scoring winger this off-season, right? Kopitar is no longer a 1C, and we lack finishing pretty much across the board. Our D seems pretty deep, we gotta go big with scoring.

The answer is Byfield.

Kopitar isn't going anywhere, for evey reason we've all already talked about for what seems to be 1000 years. I do not undersrand why people keep dreaming he'll be gone. Danault doesn't seem unhappy, so he's staying put too.

Byfield was drafted to be the guy. Maybe he's not, but there's no other option. If you want a new 1C, it has to be Byfield. And, despite whatever, he has to carry himself like one. His play on the ice does not say guy that can carry big minutes. He's not playing like Kopitar at the same age. Not the same ice time, blah, blah, but in his limited minutes, there's nothing efficient about those minutes

The top 4 centers seem pretty set for at least the next couple seasons.