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

[GoldenBearHockey]

Well that is not what anyone asked for.

I measure winger in goals and centers in points.
So yes, i expect 30 goals minimum from top wingers and PPG points minimum from top centers.

I would even cut the 2nd line some slack and would be happy with close to 30 goals, something like 28 or so.

Anyways, we are talking 17 goals here which is not even close to sufficient for a top 6 role

28 or so.....

61 players last year got....28 or so goals.....

32 teams x 6 spots for...you know, top 6 192 players....and only 31% hit your criteria.....

Yea....its the players that are the problem, not your asinine criteria....

 

[Martyros]

His average or HOF is irrelevant as it gets.
He delivers 19 goals while payed 10 mill right now.

For 10 mill you better be a PPG player at the very least

how many goals do you want an aging two-way future hall of famer to score at the age of 35 after being a ppg in the playoffs for both his rings? I personally think if he's being paid 10 mil, then he should atleast have the decency to play 40 minutes per game. I think he's a quitter and his jersey should be burned.

 

[Kurrilino]

Again, go through all 32 f***ing teams...and tell me how many came close to that? Shit....

I got some time,

NONE....

That was quick.

Then we have to be the 1st one.
You guys always point to what other teams are doing, which i simply don't care about.
I am following the Kings

We have Kempe, who has proven that he can score 30+ goals
Fiala was added who has scored 30+ goals
Kaliev has the potential to score 30 goals and Fagemo is looking like he has an even higher goal potential than Kaliev.

It is absolutely not unrealistic to end up with four 30 goal scoring winger in the near future especially if we add another one by trade or UFA like Pastrnak, Meier or Bertuzzi

28 or so.....

61 players last year got....28 or so goals.....

32 teams x 6 spots for...you know, top 6 192 players....and only 31% hit your criteria.....

Yea....its the players that are the problem, not your asinine criteria....

You are missing the point of 4 wingers on the top 6

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

And this is where we 100% agree.

This is why i want Kopitar and Doughty dusting the press box and let the youngsters figure out who got it and who doesn't.

But the reality is....you aren't going to get it. The team still needs it stars for a plethora of reasons...besides, are you just assuming you can trade these guys off and another team is willingly going to take on 10-mil dollar contracts?

One last thing...what's the problem with Doughty? The dude had Norris numbers last year before he got injured.

 

[Kurrilino]

how many goals do you want an aging two-way future hall of famer to score at the age of 35 after being a ppg in the playoffs for both his rings? I personally think if he's being paid 10 mil, then he should atleast have the decency to play 40 minutes per game. I think he's a quitter and his jersey should be burned.

He asked to be paid 10 Mill at age of 35.
So he better delivers PPG performance or he needs to be removed

This applies to all NHL players

But the reality is....you aren't going to get it. The team still needs it stars for a plethora of reasons...besides, are you just assuming you can trade these guys off and another team is willingly going to take on 10-mil dollar contracts?

One last thing...what's the problem with Doughty? The dude had Norris numbers last year before he got injured.

My problem with Doughty is that he lost all speed and loses every footrace he gets into.
Also his slapshot fell of a cliff and is below AHL level.

I am absolutely aware that there is no trade to be had, this is why they need to be waived.
If there are no takers for free, pressbox it is

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Then we have to be the 1st one.
You guys always point to what other teams are doing, which i simply don't care about.
I am following the Kings

We have Kempe, who has proven that he can score 30+ goals
Fiala was added who has scored 30+ goals
Kaliev has the potential to score 30 goals and Fagemo is looking like he has an even higher goal potential than Kaliev.

It is absolutely not unrealistic to end up with four 30 goal scoring winger in the near future especially if we add another one by trade or UFA like Pastrnak, Meier or Bertuzzi



You are missing the point of 4 wingers on the top 6

And again, NOT ONE f***ING TEAM HAS THAT......

There is this thing, called SALARY CAP.,.....maybe you heard of it?

Or do you support paying wings that are producing, at a quarter of their value?

 

[Martyros]

Then we have to be the 1st one.
You guys always point to what other teams are doing, which i simply don't care about.
I am following the Kings

We have Kempe, who has proven that he can score 30+ goals
Fiala was added who has scored 30+ goals
Kaliev has the potential to score 30 goals and Fagemo is looking like he has an even higher goal potential than Kaliev.

It is absolutely not unrealistic to end up with four 30 goal scoring winger in the near future especially if we add another one by trade or UFA like Pastrnak, Meier or Bertuzzi



You are missing the point of 4 wingers on the top 6

and which teams have 4 30+ goal scoring wingers?

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

My problem with Doughty is that he lost all speed and loses every footrace he gets into.
Also his slapshot fell of a cliff and is below AHL level.

Ok, no offense, but you either don't watch the games are you are delusional.

I am absolutely aware that there is no trade to be had, this is why they need to be waived.
If there are no takers for free, pressbox it is

Ridiculous.

 

[Herby]

One of my favorite contradictions is the people who complain about contracts that Norris, Stutzle and Suzuki signed and lament for the days of the 2nd or "bridge" contract but then also complain about 35 year olds making $10m a year on the back-end of deals signed in their primes.

So what are the players supposed to do, sign 3-4 year bridge deals and then sign 5 year deals instead of 8 year deals when they are in their stone prime?

And Kurri, take a breather man. You have completely lost your mind. Waive Doughty and Kopitar? And replace them with who? Jordan Spence and Gabe Vilardi?

 

[King'sPawn]

So what are the players supposed to do, sign 3-4 year bridge deals and then sign 5 year deals instead of 8 year deals when they are in their stone prime?

They're supposed to consult the fans to understand what they're "worth" and just accept that the fans will love them until deemed expendable the moment a player is not performing at a level expected of them.

Or they can just sign for league minimum until they retire. Make it two-way contracts so they'll get paid less in the AHL. And don't you dare have a NMC or NTC.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

There's a reason why Kurrilino was never taken seriously around these parts, and he's reminding us as to why that is.

 

[Sol]

On a different note. I feel like every time I watch Akil Thomas play I’m left very unimpressed. Sucks but I don’t see a real reason why he should have a spot on the Kings. If he has any value, they should trade him.

 

[Herby]

The problem is not that Kopitar is making $10m as a 2C talent over the final 2 years of his contract. That is the way it works for star players in their final couple of years of their big $$ contracts. (Another reason it’s better to give 8 years at 22 or 23 than it is at 26 or 27)

It’s that the Kings don’t have a potential 1C or probably even a potential 2C this season out of any of the three centers they drafted high between 2017-2020.

Kopitar is made the scapegoat for organizational mistakes when all he did was age. Some people here (especially in GDT’s) seem angry that Anze Kopitar is not aging like Tom Brady, and that is not fair.

 

[Schrute farms]

It’s that the Kings don’t have a potential 1C or even a potential 2C this season out of any of the three centers they drafted high between 2017-2020.

Also, have you forgotten already that we signed Austin Matthews in 2024?!?!

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

It’s that the Kings don’t have a potential 1C or even a potential 2C this season out of any of the three centers they drafted high between 2017-2020.

How is it we've already determined that this can't be Byfield??

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

The problem is not that Kopitar is making $10m as a 2C talent over the final 2 years of his contract. That is the way it works for star players in their final couple of years of their big $$ contracts. (Another reason it’s better to give 8 years at 22 or 23 than it is at 26 or 27)

It’s that the Kings don’t have a potential 1C or even a potential 2C this season out of any of the three centers they drafted high between 2017-2020.

Kopitar is made the scapegoat for organizational mistakes when all he did was age. Some people here (especially in GDT’s) seem angry that Anze Kopitar is not aging like Tom Brady, and that is not fair.

Disagree, Byfield still has that potential...if he gets there is another story

 

[Herby]

Also, have you forgotten already that we signed Austin Matthews in 2024?!?!

But it should have been here by now, that is the reality of the situation in today’s NHL. You hit those picks and you hit them early. And certainly what the expectation in-house should have been. I can guarantee you that was the plan, to have **one** of these guys be able to at least be a solid 2C Kopitar while Kopitar was still useful as a fringe 1C/2C. Does Byfield explode this year and become a 2C? It’s certainly possible, but due to the ridiculous decisions early on in his career it’s more reasonable to expect him to establish himself as a useful NHL’er and then hope for a breakthrough next year, but again that is Kopitar a year older and barring injury 80+ more games of wear on the aging tires.

It’s probably just as likely that AK falls off significantly as it is QB is a 2C caliber player this year. I don’t expect either to happen and it’s probably more a slower decline and slower ascent. Which again is not great for a guy who is in his mid 30’s. They needed more instant results from the draft capital used.

And again, that is not fair to hold that against AK. Players his age should not be counted on to be the best players on a team trying to take the next step. His role should have been reduced by now, but it’s hard to blame TM. Literally no one stepped up to even remotely challenge it.

 

[lumbergh]

The problem is not that Kopitar is making $10m as a 2C talent over the final 2 years of his contract. That is the way it works for star players in their final couple of years of their big $$ contracts. (Another reason it’s better to give 8 years at 22 or 23 than it is at 26 or 27)

It’s that the Kings don’t have a potential 1C or even a potential 2C this season out of any of the three centers they drafted high between 2017-2020.

Kopitar is made the scapegoat for organizational mistakes when all he did was age. Some people here (especially in GDT’s) seem angry that Anze Kopitar is not aging like Tom Brady, and that is not fair.

BTW, Kopitar is making $7M this season and next season. Nobody seems to remember this.

 

[Herby]

Disagree, Byfield still has that potential...if he gets there is another story

But again. When?

I don’t disagree that QB has the potential to be a 1C. But in AK’s age 33 season he rotted away in the AHL gaining nothing that made him ready to be a useful NHL player. Last year he was a replacement level player in AK’s age 34 season. What is the realistic hope this year, that he has a Jack Hughes 2nd year type season, like 35-45 points? I think that is reasonable, but this is AK’s age 35 season. So if the breakout comes next season (which again I think is reasonable) how good is AK at 36? Another reason why every other team in the NHL would have handled things differently with QB than the Kings did.

The Kings used very high picks on centers when AK was 30, 32 and 33. One of them should be a 2C or better by now.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

But again. When?

I don’t disagree that QB has the potential to be a 1C. But in AK’s age 33 season he rotted away in the AHL gaining nothing that made him ready to be a useful NHL player. Last year he was a replacement level player in AK’s age 34 season. What is the realistic hope this year, that he has a Jack Hughes 2nd year type season, like 35-45 points? I think that is reasonable, but this is AK’s age 35 season. So if the breakout comes next season (which again I think is reasonable) how good is AK at 36? Another reason why every other team in the NHL would have handled things differently with QB than the Kings did.

The Kings used very high picks on centers when AK was 30, 32 and 33. One of them should be a 2C or better by now.

Why? Why SHOULD one of them be anything by now?

Again, you aren't talking normal development years either.....and you are ignoring a players INDIVIDUAL needs etc, your idea was to throw QB in the deep end and let him sink or swim....which is what LA has done with nearly ever prospect from 1980 to 2006....remember how good that turned out for everyone?

We have AK and Danault this year.....the horror....next year...we have AK and Danault...or....Danault and AK.....let Byfield develop before we start panicking about anything.....

I know...I know...should have been developed by now, look at every other team......because it's a one size fits all for development...right?

 

[King'sPawn]

BTW, Kopitar is making $7M this season and next season. Nobody seems to remember this.

Oh, they know. They just don't care. I've brought it up before. But they reply with "I don't care. CAP HIT"

 

[Herby]

Why? Why SHOULD one of them be anything by now?

Again, you aren't talking normal development years either.....and you are ignoring a players INDIVIDUAL needs etc, your idea was to throw QB in the deep end and let him sink or swim....which is what LA has done with nearly ever prospect from 1980 to 2006....remember how good that turned out for everyone?

We have AK and Danault this year.....the horror....next year...we have AK and Danault...or....Danault and AK.....let Byfield develop before we start panicking about anything.....

I know...I know...should have been developed by now, look at every other team......because it's a one size fits all for development...right?

Why is LA’s development path so much different from every other team? You say “individual needs” all the time. What about Byfield and Turcotte’s individual needs made it optimal for their development to play in the AHL as teenagers? Turcotte’s college teammate, who was a far better player as a freshman was told by his NHL team to go back to school. Cale Makar went back to school, Matt Boldy went back to school, Matty Beniers went back to school, Quinn Hughes went back to school. I just struggle to understand what “individual needs” warranted that promotion to the pro level.

Have the results been as good so far as teams that use more traditional means of development? I know you hate to deal with results, but in hindsight would you change each of those decisions based on the results since then?

What is a reasonable expectation to where a #11, #5 and #2 picks should be entering their D+6, D+4 and D+3’s?

You think I am being unreasonable expecting *one* of them to be a 2C by now? I’m not expecting all of them, but is one of them really being unreasonable?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

One of the things @KINGS17 and I agree on that would make all of the above totally fine is non-guaranteed contracts...but unfortunately we'd never see that.

On a different note. I feel like every time I watch Akil Thomas play I’m left very unimpressed. Sucks but I don’t see a real reason why he should have a spot on the Kings. If he has any value, they should trade him.

He's not an 'impressive' player, there's very little flash there. He's just super effective all around and above-average at everything but yes, the criticism is what's his pro identity? He's not 'elite' at anything. He is a very good playmaker. The idea is, sort of like JAD, he's a bottom-six guy with intangibles that should be able to move up the lineup with 2nd line upside, think Trevor Lewis. Play just moves forward when he's out there. I would say that makes it a little unfortunate that he's a stereotypical King because people won't appreciate that a decade in (and not sure I blame them/you for that at all).

If they can get fair value sure, trade him, but I think he's gonna be a good deep roster player for cheap when we need it.

Also he didn't look great at this rookie camp but he was fantastic down the stretch for Ontario, I'd encourage you to give him a chance to show out a bit this year in a bigger role with health.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Why is LA’s development path so much different from every other team? You say “individual needs” all the time. What about Byfield and Turcotte’s individual needs made it optimal for their development to play in the AHL as teenagers? Turcotte’s college teammate, who was a far better player as a freshman was told by his NHL team to go back to school. Cale Makar went back to school, Matt Boldy went back to school, Matty Beniers went back to school. I just struggle to understand what “individual needs” warranted that promotion to the pro level.

Have the results been as good so far as teams that use more traditional means of development? I know you hate to deal with results, but in hindsight would you change each of those decisions based on the results since then?

What is a reasonable expectation to where a #11, #5 and #2 picks should be entering their D+6, D+4 and D+3’s?

You think I am being unreasonable expecting *one* of them to be a 2C by now? I’m not expecting all of them, but is one of them really being unreasonable?

How do you guys use that ignore function again?

 

[bland]

The problem is not that Kopitar is making $10m as a 2C talent over the final 2 years of his contract. That is the way it works for star players in their final couple of years of their big $$ contracts. (Another reason it’s better to give 8 years at 22 or 23 than it is at 26 or 27)

It’s that the Kings don’t have a potential 1C or probably even a potential 2C this season out of any of the three centers they drafted high between 2017-2020.

Kopitar is made the scapegoat for organizational mistakes when all he did was age. Some people here (especially in GDT’s) seem angry that Anze Kopitar is not aging like Tom Brady, and that is not fair.

There is zero problem with what Kopitar is doing or has done, the problem was that signing him to that extension guaranteed a prolonged period of stagnation before the inevitable descent and prohibited progress from occuring as quickly as it could have otherwise. There was no other outcome remotely as likely as what actually happened here.

So, pay the man what he is definitely worth and let the team suffer for it for over half a decade, or be proactive and move on, likely suffering for less time. Sign him or trade him, either way the team was going to be worse off in the then coming years, but trading him afforded the opportunity of a rebuild much faster than what happened.

As a fan I would much rather have a proactive management team that puts faith in their decisions than one who inherited a mess and doubled-down on it.