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

[crassbonanza]

I suggested Provorov before the deadline and some Philly fans said they would do anything to get rid of him...I then watched some Philly games on center ice, mainly to see him and Konecny...and was not impressed with either...stay clear. Sanheim looks good, though.

The whole team was kind of a mess this year. I've watched a lot of Philly games over the years(even saw him and Konecny's first NHL game against the Kings) and he is a very good dman. I think he would be a huge acquisition for the team, especially if he could be had cheap since Fletch has been all over the place.

 

[kings11]

Yeah - but I didn't think anything of Durzi. So what he has shown beats my expectations.

f***er used a reverse uno!

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

You can't overlook his defensive issues. He's the worst Kings defenseman in his own zone by a wide margin. If he didn't produce on special teams, the team couldn't keep him on the ice while trying to make the playoffs. He is way underwater at even strength.

Yeah - but I didn't think anything of Durzi. So what he has shown beats my expectations.

For sure, I said for a long time Durzi has no shot at the nhl, so that he's playing 28 minutes a night on a playoff team kicks that expectation down for sure. He's brought an element of creativity and sheer balls to the team to where,in the right role, he's Erik karlsson lite--should be able to pop in enough offense to outscore his problems provided he's down the lineup and not playing as if he's Drew Doughty.

 

[David Lunch]

I suggested Provorov before the deadline and some Philly fans said they would do anything to get rid of him...I then watched some Philly games on center ice, mainly to see him and Konecny...and was not impressed with either...stay clear. Sanheim looks good, though.

Appreciate the eyes, I haven’t watched him in a while.

 

[Sleeping Dog]

Hehe, happy someone finally noticed bonus points if you can figure out the other half of of the pic (hint - think legendary American cult film director… or just my username).

Looks like Eraserhead (David Lynch). I was a huge a fan of the Twin Peaks show for the first couple of years, then it got really strange - which is saying a lot considering it was a Lynch show.

 

[kingsfan28]

For sure, I said for a long time Durzi has no shot at the nhl, so that he's playing 28 minutes a night on a playoff team kicks that expectation down for sure. He's brought an element of creativity and sheer balls to the team to where,in the right role, he's Erik karlsson lite--should be able to pop in enough offense to outscore his problems provided he's down the lineup and not playing as if he's Drew Doughty.

I see Durzi as year one, trial by fire training. He will get much better after a few seasons. He's the first dman we've had that finally has some jam to his game.

 

[MBH]

Brendan Lemieux since returning from injury
3 games 0-0-0 -3
0 Shots. 4 hits.
8:08 per game.

Before his injury, he had 10 straight games with at least one shot on goal
10 games 1-2-3 16 shots 10:59/game 29 hits

Def***ingfanged.

A defanged Lemieux belongs in the press box. Bring in Vilardi or Byfield if this shit keeps going.

Lemieux seems to work well with Lizotte. They feed off each other.

 

[Herby]

Agree with the sentiment, but I think by and large that most folks are misreading the situation and real problem here.

This team has no problem drafting or scouting these players. They are all fine choices. The real problem is that the entire direction of the franchise is based on the slow boil acclimation of these kids into an existing roster of young to old veterans. I would guess that they think the benefits are a natural competitive state, a lighter workload, and a developmental program based on slow, incremental matriculation up the ranks of the roster.

The entire tone of the franchise is wrong. They don't realize the healing benefit of cutting ties to the previous identity - which was successful and likely tints the vision, thinking that these once-warriors were still at their peak.

The vets won, won again, got paid BIG, became satisfied and stopped pushing. The tone of this franchise isn't about winning, its about playing out a string, maintaining instead of progressing. Its a dire, depressing tone. There is no true hunger here despite some prideful playing.

Kids coming in aren't allowed to play to their strengths. Has nothing to do with ability. They all have to think instead of react. They have to be in this place at this time and when they aren't they try to correct it instead of just naturally reacting to whats happening around them. You can actively see the confusion, Byfield and Vilardi especially. They look like they are trying to play a game they don't know instead of being encouraged to play the game that they have and learning the rest on the job.

All these kids look like they would thrive in an attacking style of play. That's what kids play now, mostly rushes and counters. In order for that to happen, the team would have to accept that they are going to take some lumps now and that the ends of these great Cup winners careers are going to end with long, slow, exhaled whimpers.

But those vets don't want that. And their management is all former players who all stayed well past their best-by dates and know all to well that the core still thinks that they can win at this stage, when outside the organization everyone can see that their fires are burning too low to win again.

So the kids come into the league in supporting roles, ones that require them to be competent defensively, robotic to the outdated cause, and somehow nobody other than the fans notice that it is just killing the natural instincts and desire to thrive in an offensive league.

If the idea is that these kids need to work on structure first and second before working on what made them desirable, it isn't working.

Some dipshit on this board earlier this week didn't understand the difference between first and fourth line hockey. Kings17 just brought it up a few posts ago. Attacking hockey is a mindset, not a skill. It must be nurtured and allowed to grow, you can't interrupt it, postpone it, or assume that it will come in later after structure is learned. Careers are too short, every draft creates new opportunities and shifts organizational needs.

You have to be willing to accept tough times in order for progress. There is no progress here. No new players will make enough of a difference, no kids will take over the top spots. The focus must change. I advocated trading the Cup vets for years, even at less than market value, just to prevent this malaise from occurring.

I don't disagree with to much of this, but there are some areas.

For instance, the Turcotte pick. Was it just bad luck and did everyone misjudge his offensive upside? Did the Kings try and get cute by taking a projected secondary piece? I have been critical of the development and the poor pull after his freshman year, but there was nothing that season that made anyone think this was a future NHL star, I am always called a hater for saying that, but it's a sentiment of anyone who follows college hockey closely that he was very underwhelming for a top 5 pick. Usually when you insert someone taken that high in an NHL draft into an NCAA lineup that player is a big star. You can't blame Kings development for that aspect of it, that is on the scouting (Yanetti & Co.) more than development (Blake + Emerson & Co.).

Vilardi, ok yeah he took the guy who fell the most, that is no different than the stategy his buddy DT used to always use to varying levels of success. But did so many teams pass for a certain reason that the Kings should have too? I don't know how much the back injury slowed him down but his lack of speed has basically made put him on the AHL Star/NHL fringe.

That is 2 pretty high picks that it's fair to question evaluation as well as development. Byfield/Stutzle ask me in a year.

Yes, the Kings are committed to winning by playing a certain style that they played to great success for a 3 season run starting a decade ago. That strategy has been shown time and time, especially at the draft table where the Kings have yet to use a 1st on a winger under this regime and have continued to target high character guys who have mostly fizzled out. This should surprise no one when all they did in 2017 was fire the GM and coach and replaced them with the AGM and ACoach. This organization still has a lot of Dean Lombardi people.

I agree with you on most of the stuff, I wanted to give the young players a ton of ice-time this year because 1 of 2 things would have happened. Either they take ownership and you are content with your group or (as happened) young players struggle and you get another top 5 pick to hopefully draft a true star. I hated the push for a playoff spot strategy. By signing Danault they were essentially telling three of the centers taken between 2017-2020 that you had no chance to play your natural position for the next 3 years, minimum. Was that just them acknowledging a mistake? was it trying to make the playoffs this year? was it both?

But I also try and be a realist and acknowledge how well their plan has gone, whether I agree with it or not and there plan has gone pretty well. Danault and Arvidsson have been huge pickups, Edler has played really solid in his greybeard role, AA has provided timely offense in his limited games, Blake's trades with Toronto were great for the team and they are on the brink of the playoffs.

I think we both agree it doesn't really bring them closer to the cup, it maybe even makes them further from it, but I'm still going to enjoy the run.

The craziest thing about this season is how the marquee players of the rebuild had basically nothing to do with the teams success. The Kings used 5 first round picks (2, 5, 11, 20, 22) between 2017 and 2020 and another 6 in that time frame on second rounders (33, 35, 41, 45, 50,51) and of those 11 players, two are currently in what would be considered an optimal Kings lineup Kupari (20) and Kaliyev (33).

 

[kilowatt]

Here's an almost unbelievable stat: Trevor Moore is 11th all time for shorthanded goals by a King. Another weird one: Among goalies with 50 or more starts with LA, the all time leader in save percentage is Jack Campbell.

 

[David Lunch]

Looks like Eraserhead (David Lynch). I was a huge a fan of the Twin Peaks show for the first couple of years, then it got really strange - which is saying a lot considering it was a Lynch show.

Winner winner, chicken dinner (“You just cut them up, like regular chickens!”)

I always thought every team pictures of Handzeus, he have Henry Spencer’s 1,000 yard stare, so I had to photoshop it.

 

[bmr]

I don't disagree with to much of this, but there are some areas.

For instance, the Turcotte pick. Was it just bad luck and did everyone misjudge his offensive upside? Did the Kings try and get cute by taking a projected secondary piece? I have been critical of the development and the poor pull after his freshman year, but there was nothing that season that made anyone think this was a future NHL star, I am always called a hater for saying that, but it's a sentiment of anyone who follows college hockey closely that he was very underwhelming for a top 5 pick. Usually when you insert someone taken that high in an NHL draft into an NCAA lineup that player is a big star. You can't blame Kings development for that aspect of it, that is on the scouting (Yanetti & Co.) more than development (Blake + Emerson & Co.).

Vilardi, ok yeah he took the guy who fell the most, that is no different than the stategy his buddy DT used to always use to varying levels of success. But did so many teams pass for a certain reason that the Kings should have too? I don't know how much the back injury slowed him down but his lack of speed has basically made put him on the AHL Star/NHL fringe.

That is 2 pretty high picks that it's fair to question evaluation as well as development. Byfield/Stutzle ask me in a year.

Yes, the Kings are committed to winning by playing a certain style that they played to great success for a 3 season run starting a decade ago. That strategy has been shown time and time, especially at the draft table where the Kings have yet to use a 1st on a winger under this regime and have continued to target high character guys who have mostly fizzled out. This should surprise no one when all they did in 2017 was fire the GM and coach and replaced them with the AGM and ACoach. This organization still has a lot of Dean Lombardi people.

I agree with you on most of the stuff, I wanted to give the young players a ton of ice-time this year because 1 of 2 things would have happened. Either they take ownership and you are content with your group or (as happened) young players struggle and you get another top 5 pick to hopefully draft a true star. I hated the push for a playoff spot strategy. By signing Danault they were essentially telling three of the centers taken between 2017-2020 that you had no chance to play your natural position for the next 3 years, minimum. Was that just them acknowledging a mistake? was it trying to make the playoffs this year? was it both?

But I also try and be a realist and acknowledge how well their plan has gone, whether I agree with it or not and there plan has gone pretty well. Danault and Arvidsson have been huge pickups, Edler has played really solid in his greybeard role, AA has provided timely offense in his limited games, Blake's trades with Toronto were great for the team and they are on the brink of the playoffs.

I think we both agree it doesn't really bring them closer to the cup, it maybe even makes them further from it, but I'm still going to enjoy the run.

The craziest thing about this season is how the marquee players of the rebuild had basically nothing to do with the teams success. The Kings used 5 first round picks (2, 5, 11, 20, 22) between 2017 and 2020 and another 6 in that time frame on second rounders (33, 35, 41, 45, 50,51) and of those 11 players, two are currently in what would be considered an optimal Kings lineup Kupari (20) and Kaliyev (33).

If Turcotte can stay healthy, he will be a very important piece to this team. Zegras is missing something that Turcotte has. We can't always equate impact to numbers. Danault is a prime example of this in Montreal.

I think with Vilardi it comes down to how bad he wants it and if he can persevere through the growing pains of becoming a regular in the NHL. I feel the same way about Byfield.

Totally agree on Danault, Arvidsson and Edler. Danault is my absolute favorite player on this team and could end up being my favorite King at the end of this. He's definitely going on my next jersey.

My concern is the next couple of years with this team. We are going to be in that window where we really need to take a step forward and find out who will be the most impactful toward another Stanley cup run. Kopitar has really looked sluggish this year. The goaltending situation is another area where i'm worried. Quick won't be around forever and Petersen does not look like the guy who is ready to step into that role. Might never be... I think they are going to have to pick up someone else.

It's a great time to be a Kings fan.

 

[YP44]

Brendan Lemieux since returning from injury
3 games 0-0-0 -3
0 Shots. 4 hits.
8:08 per game.

Before his injury, he had 10 straight games with at least one shot on goal
10 games 1-2-3 16 shots 10:59/game 29 hits

Def***ingfanged.

A defanged Lemieux belongs in the press box. Bring in Vilardi or Byfield if this shit keeps going.

Lemieux seems to work well with Lizotte. They feed off each other.

why do you think he is defanged? I am thinking he is still not 100% is all. I am comfortable enough with where LA is in the standings that I would sit Lemieux till playoffs or till he is 100%. Maybe last game put him back in to test things out

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

If Turcotte can stay healthy, he will be a very important piece to this team. Zegras is missing something that Turcotte has. We can't always equate impact to numbers. Danault is a prime example of this in Montreal.

I think with Vilardi it comes down to how bad he wants it and if he can persevere through the growing pains of becoming a regular in the NHL. I feel the same way about Byfield.

Totally agree on Danault, Arvidsson and Edler. Danault is my absolute favorite player on this team and could end up being my favorite King at the end of this. He's definitely going on my next jersey.

My concern is the next couple of years with this team. We are going to be in that window where we really need to take a step forward and find out who will be the most impactful toward another Stanley cup run. Kopitar has really looked sluggish this year. The goaltending situation is another area where i'm worried. Quick won't be around forever and Petersen does not look like the guy who is ready to step into that role. Might never be... I think they are going to have to pick up someone else.

It's a great time to be a Kings fan.

Kopitar is toast

Last nights' top 9 by age:
25-34-27
26-28-28
28-24-37
That would be the 5th oldest team in the NHL, they need to start really pushing the youth.


More questions than answers going into next season:

Scoring, historically low xGF%;


Goaltending (Quick 25th, Petersen 50th out of 59 qualifying goalies, no real prospects of note);

Special teams: 27th PP 22nd PK worst combination of all NHL teams except MTL and AZ

prospect depth at LHD, G

Deployment/minutes spread--i.e. what to do about Anze Kopitar vs. the kids at F


Lots of assets to spend and/or integrate but I'm definitely in scared mode seeing how vet-reliant these last games that were supposed to be 'meaningful games' for the youth have become.

 

[Fat Elvis]

Tend to agree RJ, but I'd like to see how the rest of this season plays out before I let my mind tackle what's ahead. But lots of questions and IF's heading into next year for sure. Lots

 

[bmr]

Kopitar is toast

Last nights' top 9 by age:
25-34-27
26-28-28
28-24-37
That would be the 5th oldest team in the NHL, they need to start really pushing the youth.


More questions than answers going into next season:

Scoring, historically low xGF%;


Goaltending (Quick 25th, Petersen 50th out of 59 qualifying goalies, no real prospects of note);

Special teams: 27th PP 22nd PK worst combination of all NHL teams except MTL and AZ

prospect depth at LHD, G

Deployment/minutes spread--i.e. what to do about Anze Kopitar vs. the kids at F


Lots of assets to spend and/or integrate but I'm definitely in scared mode seeing how vet-reliant these last games that were supposed to be 'meaningful games' for the youth have become.

The hardest job for Blake now is to trade assets where we are plentiful and fill in the gaps that will have meaningful impact in the playoffs. The area that has surprised me the most is our depth on defense. I don't think any of us ever dreamed that we would see Durzi, Spence and others take such a leap so soon. Even Grans was light years ahead of the 'raw' type of prospect I thought we were getting. Clarke/Faber and others still going to be knocking on the door.

It's lucky for us that Montreal underestimated how meaningful Danault was to their team. Hopefully management can do their due diligence and find some other diamonds in the rough, even if it means trading some significant pieces.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Tend to agree RJ, but I'd like to see how the rest of this season plays out before I let my mind tackle what's ahead. But lots of questions and IF's heading into next year for sure. Lots

Yeah not trying to skip ahead. I guess what i"m saying is I'm taking an 'it is what it is' approach to the rest of this season since it's now exceedingly clear we aren't getting meaningful adjustments/change. I'm just hoping they're much much more flexible in the offseason and going forward and that we're going to start focusing on getting younger rather than trading assets for 28 year olds to appease Frankenberry.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

Kevin Fiala is still my number one target if we are improving the wings this summer.

26 years old next season, shot focused, line driving winger that doesn’t need star linemates to put up points. Can either prop up a fading Kopitar or augment an emerging Byfield.

 

[MBH]

why do you think he is defanged? I am thinking he is still not 100% is all. I am comfortable enough with where LA is in the standings that I would sit Lemieux till playoffs or till he is 100%. Maybe last game put him back in to test things out

Hurt maybe?
Not meshing with Kupari maybe. Too little TOI?
I don't know.
But he's quiet out there - and that's not his game.

 

[MBH]

Kevin Fiala is still my number one target if we are improving the wings this summer.

26 years old next season, shot focused, line driving winger that doesn’t need star linemates to put up points. Can either prop up a fading Kopitar or augment an emerging Byfield.

Fiala is having a career year.
I'd stay away. Paying UFAs after a career year is a good way to get your cap killed.

Also, exactly how small/soft do you want this team to be?

 

[MBH]

Kopitar is toast

Last nights' top 9 by age:
25-34-27
26-28-28
28-24-37
That would be the 5th oldest team in the NHL, they need to start really pushing the youth.


More questions than answers going into next season:

Scoring, historically low xGF%;


Goaltending (Quick 25th, Petersen 50th out of 59 qualifying goalies, no real prospects of note);

Special teams: 27th PP 22nd PK worst combination of all NHL teams except MTL and AZ

prospect depth at LHD, G

Deployment/minutes spread--i.e. what to do about Anze Kopitar vs. the kids at F


Lots of assets to spend and/or integrate but I'm definitely in scared mode seeing how vet-reliant these last games that were supposed to be 'meaningful games' for the youth have become.

At forward, the Kids didn't prove it.
I've been saying all year Byfield's not ready. If he was going to be in the NHL, he should have been on the wing this year, next to Kopitar or Danault. He could have learned the speed of the game, how to make plays at speed, and then shifted over to C next year.
Instead, he's been trying to carry lines at center and getting smoked.

If you absolutely insisted on Byfield at C, then he needed veteran, two-way wingers.
Instead he got Brown, Athanasiou and then the unproven Vilardi.

Vilardi? Spent all year in the AHL - a shockingly bad decision.
And then gets called up to play with a struggling rookie C.

NHL coaches are biased towards veterans by nature.
So when a GM clearly indicates he wants his team to make the playoffs and goes out and acquires veterans... if those rookies struggle, they're out.

It's shocking the Byfield thing went as far as it did.
But it might be returning soon to a lineup near you, because Kupari was terrible yesterday.

The best thing for the prospect watchers right now is to hope that when there's an injury, a kid steps in and makes the best of it.

Otherwise, I think you're waiting for next year. In that case, Blake needs to let some of these veteran forwards walk - and not replace them with UFAs.

 

[cyclones22]

Kopitar can still be effective if the deployment and usage is right. This would have been the season to play one of the young guys on his wing for an extended amount of time. Not just a game or two or a period or two. You can no longer build around him. Stacking his line with players to make him better.

What the young forwards needed this season are training wheels. To be paired with good veterans so they can learn how to make good reads and through experience know where to be on the ice...but instead TMc sticks them all on one line. You're expecting a rookie to carry a line. And that is not reasonable.

If you've got three row boats are you going to stick the three greenhorn rowers in the same boat by themselves and expect them to keep pace? No you're going to place one of them with two good veterans. And not AA and Brown FFS. That's not insulation that's gas for the fire. One of the hotshot wings needs to be on Kopi and Danault's wings next season. And Byfield needs to have a Moore or Arvidsson or Iafallo glued to him. If this doesn't happen next season then there's going to be a huge drop off.

 

[BringTheReign]

I think Provorov is a great buy-low candidate. I have faith that Yawney could get him back to a stud top-pairing player given what he’s done with our defense core thus far.

 

[cyclones22]

I think Provorov is a great buy-low candidate. I have faith that Yawney could get him back to a stud top-pairing player given what he’s done with our defense core thus far.

Depending on the cost I agree with you. Like any player he has warts. But his deployment hasn't been favorable. So I don't think he's bad with the numbers that he has put up.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

Fiala is having a career year.
I'd stay away. Paying UFAs after a career year is a good way to get your cap killed.

Also, exactly how small/soft do you want this team to be?

Well he is an RFA, even though I know what you mean. Even if that’s the case and he were due for a dip, I think he will maintain close to his production with better linemates/more ice time/more PP time. Minnesota generally has him on PP2 and ES with Boldy and Freddy Gadreau. I think we can do as well or better for him in LA.

I don’t consider him to be particularly small or soft. No less than AA, for instance, for whom Fiala would be a masssive upgrade. Anyway, the way things are going I would like to get to the “we can score but are p***yes” stage before we jump right to the “overpay for lunchpailers” finishing touches.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

Depending on the cost I agree with you. Like any player he has warts. But his deployment hasn't been favorable. So I don't think he's bad with the numbers that he has put up.

I’m curious about Provorov too, but some Philly fans’ comments on here make me leery. He seems to suck on the PP, and not know it, if the plan is to stick him there. If we want a guy who can help crush ES minutes and leave the PP to the righties, he might fit the bill.