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

  • Work is still on-going to rebuild the site styling and features. Please report any issues you may experience so we can look into it. Click Here for Updates
Status
Not open for further replies.
Sturm deserves a lot of the blame (obviously). But the Kings really don't have a natural finisher on the roster other than Kaliyev who is a 20 year old rookie. The PP is was an achilles heel to the games of both DD and AK even when they were in their 20's, and now they are on the back nine of their careers. The PP is one area where having a Jimmy or Joe who can just fire the puck past a goalie from the circle is more important than the x's and o's.

The Kings are also heavily unbalanced with left shots when it comes to skilled forwards that play the PP. A right shooting skilled forward like a Pavelski or Giroux could really help out the PP simply by giving Kopitar that cross-ice one-time option from his stationary spot on the right half wall.

For all the time they have had Frk and Kaliyev they have avoided this as much as they humanly can

Funny enough the one game they kept Frk there kept everyone honest and the PP was humming
 
3 holes we need to fill on the way to becoming contenders in a few years.

Acquired via trade, prospect or UFA.

1- A pure filthy sniper that can skate and not hurt us 5-5. Help the PP, be the trigger man. An NHL version of Frk. Play wing for QB and get him going. How good would we be with Panarin on this team right now, how good would QB get with the breadman on his wing? Kaliyev?

2- Big bruising D man. Roy is good but he is no Matt Greene. Need a mobile but effective PK shutdown animal. i.e Willie Mitchel with some speed. Edler was good, we need a younger version though.

3- Power forward. Josh Anderson type or cheaper, i.e Nicolas Roy depending on cap space. Lemieux can't be banging bodies alone, we need to get bigger without sacrificing talent and our 5-5 play. Helenius could fit into that mold.

I would add: a new special teams coach and crossing my fingers Cal will be the man when we contend.
 
After Moore became our whipping boy earlier in the season, I think we are all eating crow on that one now. He is just so versatile and can be put in any situation.

Here's the weird thing to me - it seems like you can put Danault with anyone and it elevates the line. I'm not so sure that's the case with Kopitar. I would definitely keep Moore-Danault-Arvidsson intact. I think Kempe-Kopitar-Iafallo also makes sense. That third line should definitely be Byfield, but i'm sure McClellan will keep tweaking who he puts with him.
I think the Byfield line should have Kempe and Iafallo on it. Give QB all the ability to succeed. You can balance out the rest like this:

Arvy - Kopi - AA
Moore - Danault - whoever
Kempe - QB - Iafallo
Lemiuex - Lizotte - Kaliyev
 
I think the Byfield line should have Kempe and Iafallo on it. Give QB all the ability to succeed. You can balance out the rest like this:

Arvy - Kopi - AA
Moore - Danault - whoever
Kempe - QB - Iafallo
Lemiuex - Lizotte - Kaliyev

Kempe--Kopitar--AA/XXX (Brown)
Arvidsson--Danault--Moore
Iafallo--Byfield--Kaliyev
Lemieux--Lizotte--Grundstrum

We need to find someone to take that top winger spot at the TDL. Would have been nice to get Laine or Tarasenko (last offseason)
 
Kopi and Doughty just don’t shoot enough or quickly enough. Just shoot gerd dang it! FN lollygaggers.
VVTwTyR.gif
 
3 holes we need to fill on the way to becoming contenders in a few years.

Acquired via trade, prospect or UFA.

1- A pure filthy sniper that can skate and not hurt us 5-5. Help the PP, be the trigger man. An NHL version of Frk. Play wing for QB and get him going. How good would we be with Panarin on this team right now, how good would QB get with the breadman on his wing? Kaliyev?

2- Big bruising D man. Roy is good but he is no Matt Greene. Need a mobile but effective PK shutdown animal. i.e Willie Mitchel with some speed. Edler was good, we need a younger version though.

3- Power forward. Josh Anderson type or cheaper, i.e Nicolas Roy depending on cap space. Lemieux can't be banging bodies alone, we need to get bigger without sacrificing talent and our 5-5 play. Helenius could fit into that mold.

I would add: a new special teams coach and crossing my fingers Cal will be the man when we contend.

#1 is Kaliyev. He will be a 40 goal scorer in the next 4 years.
 
3 holes we need to fill on the way to becoming contenders in a few years.

Acquired via trade, prospect or UFA.

1- A pure filthy sniper that can skate and not hurt us 5-5. Help the PP, be the trigger man. An NHL version of Frk. Play wing for QB and get him going. How good would we be with Panarin on this team right now, how good would QB get with the breadman on his wing? Kaliyev?

2- Big bruising D man. Roy is good but he is no Matt Greene. Need a mobile but effective PK shutdown animal. i.e Willie Mitchel with some speed. Edler was good, we need a younger version though.

3- Power forward. Josh Anderson type or cheaper, i.e Nicolas Roy depending on cap space. Lemieux can't be banging bodies alone, we need to get bigger without sacrificing talent and our 5-5 play. Helenius could fit into that mold.

I would add: a new special teams coach and crossing my fingers Cal will be the man when we contend.

Great post. If they can get a stay at home tough D man then they likely don’t need the power forward.

Blake needs to start drafting some grit because he has really gone the soft route in his resent drafts minus Helenius.
 
AA has 4 goals in 14 games and brings speed and even some grit. He has good chemistry with his teammates - they seem to really like him.

Also, if you back on hockey db - AA was teammates in juniors with Lemieux and Olli Maata. Small world.
I can’t agree. He’s a player you sign if you are tanking and want the odd pretty goal to keep your fans entertained. He’s not consistent and you don’t know what you’re going to get from him. He has talent and skill but doesn’t apply it consistently , cheats offensively and doesn’t check properly (I’m not just talking body checks). They might like him, but that’s not relevant.

Extendeding him would basically be announcing that we have zero confidence in Kaliyev, Fagemo, Turcotte, Vilardi etc. AA just doesn’t fit in the lineup, not if we are trying to build to a cup. I’m fine playing him now so we can perhaps move him but if he’s still here after the TDL I’d have him in the press box for the rest of the year, no matter how many injuries or Covid outbreaks we get. That’s just me though.
 
Great post. If they can get a stay at home tough D man then they likely don’t need the power forward.

Blake needs to start drafting some grit because he has really gone the soft route in his resent drafts minus Helenius.

I was thinking we'll need to get bigger to get past Vegas or even the Flames. Adding Helenius + power forward, and a big D man would make us less vulnerable to physical play.

I mean even the AVs traded a 4th for McDermid, just for the playoffs after Reaves man handled their D. Right now we got the speed but we are too soft for a long playoff run.
 
He has low IQ, lack of discipline and really bad defensively.
He is really good player to have when game is on the line.

I like AA for his speed and his shot, but I also worry that he doesn't fit into this team's identity or culture.

Blake is definitely going to have to make a move before the season is over. There is too much forward depth floating around and we really need to shore up the left side on D. I wouldn't want to sell low on some of these guys. Kupari is one guy I would give up along with our #1 pick and maybe one other roster guy to get a big impact D. I'd still like to see Moverare over a few more games to see if there's any drop off or not.
 
Last edited:
I was thinking we'll need to get bigger to get past Vegas or even the Flames. Adding Helenius + power forward, and a big D man would make us less vulnerable to physical play.

I mean even the AVs traded a 4th for McDermid, just for the playoffs after Reaves man handled their D. Right now we got the speed but we are too soft for a long playoff run.
You’ll be getting 2 of 3 in the next 2-3 years..
Helenius
Lee - has been a very good pick that’s flown under the radar..
Soucy????
 
Size does not equate to being physical.

I keep seeing people on here quote getting players with size but they play like Jeff Schultz.

Vince Dunn plays a much more mean game than a JC and he's like 3 inches smaller.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kingsfan
Size does not equate to being physical.

I keep seeing people on here quote getting players with size but they play like Jeff Schultz.

Vince Dunn plays a much more mean game than a JC and he's like 3 inches smaller.
This is a big misconception among casual fans, along with the correlation between “big” hits being the only metric of physicality.

Slava Voynov was short, stocky, and rarely made the big contact that sent bodies flying; but he was one every bit as physical as Mitchell or Regher on those teams. Easily one of the most effective roster players at using his skating to gain good body position and finish hard on opposing fore checkers. It was an incredibly under rated part of his game, that contributed immensely to the buzz saw that was that era of Kings hockey.

It’s much more preferable to have an “average” sized d man who can effectively use the body to funnel plays outside & shut down the cycle, over a “big” man who is less effective at that but can lay a highlight reel hit.
 
This is a big misconception among casual fans, along with the correlation between “big” hits being the only metric of physicality.

Slava Voynov was short, stocky, and rarely made the big contact that sent bodies flying; but he was one every bit as physical as Mitchell or Regher on those teams. Easily one of the most effective roster players at using his skating to gain good body position and finish hard on opposing fore checkers. It was an incredibly under rated part of his game, that contributed immensely to the buzz saw that was that era of Kings hockey.

It’s much more preferable to have an “average” sized d man who can effectively use the body to funnel plays outside & shut down the cycle, over a “big” man who is less effective at that but can lay a highlight reel hit.
Slava also wouldn't take shit from other players. We have a lot of pedestrian D that just get pushed around.

 
  • Like
Reactions: YP44
Slava also wouldn't take shit from other players. We have a lot of pedestrian D that just get pushed around.


Unfortunately, he also wouldn’t take any shit from his significant other. Hard turning that switch off for some guys I guess.

Sometimes, an Ivan gonna Ivan.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad