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

[Raccoon Jesus]

If Mikey keeps building on last year, and Drew is healthy, then the top pair is set.

If you have someone like Sanheim, then the second pairing of him and Roy is set.

Then you've got a mixture of seemingly quality players (Edler, Bjornfot, Durzi, Spence, Clarke) you can use to piece together a solid bottom pairing.

Suddenly the D group would start to look very solid overall.

I could see a Doughty-Anderson / Sanheim-Clarke top four flip flopping in a few years, Doughty-Anderson 2nd pairing? yum.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Fans on twitter sharing the pairings....

Kempe-Kopitar-Fiala
Moore-Danault-Fagemo
Iaffalo-Byfield-Kayilev
Lemeix-Lizotte-Grunstrom

Anderson-Doughty
Edler-Clarke
Walker-Roy

Durzi, Arvidsson out injured.

 

[Lt Dan]

I don't know.

We tried the team effort, role playing and locker room approach and it went horrible

I would like to try an approach where attackers score goals and defenders are able to prevent opponents from scoring.

That approach won us two cups. The team got old and capped out and the future was mortgage so we were in the position that we were in during the Austin Wagner era™

 

[cyclones22]

He's not causing it, he's just part of it. It's just a other body, and another contract. The cap hit with him in Ont isn't anything, but that's a guy they're paying NHL money to play in the AHL, meaning if there's a other guy in a similar situation, they might be slightly less inclined to do it with him, because while we're talking about businesses with millions to spend, it's all real money. Even if you have a lot, you don't want to waste it. Then if he's getting 4th line time in the AHL, you're paying a 4th line AHLer $1.4m.

Blake has done a pretty good job re-signing folks to value deals, with the big exception of Petersen looking really bad. He's going to need to have a big bounce back season or he's toast and our goaltending future is approaching disastrous levels. Anyway, it's the stockpiling of players and contracts, value or not, which causes the problem. Individually in a vacuum, not that bad. But all combined is the issue.

There needs to be more foresight in signing these guys to multiyear deals. There should always be the thought process and expectation that someone will leapfrog them on the roster or organization. Blake is going to need to move on from a handful of young players who are soon to be waiver eligible before there is no trade value in them or find trade suitors for the bridge players he's got on contract.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Blake has done a pretty good job re-signing folks to value deals, with the big exception of Petersen looking really bad. He's going to need to have a big bounce back season or he's toast and our goaltending future is approaching disastrous levels. Anyway, it's the stockpiling of players and contracts, value or not, which causes the problem. Individually in a vacuum, not that bad. But all combined is the issue.

There needs to be more foresight in signing these guys to multiyear deals. There should always be the thought process and expectation that someone will leapfrog them on the roster or organization. Blake is going to need to move on from a handful of young players who are soon to be waiver eligible before there is no trade value in them or find trade suitors for the bridge players he's got on contract.

Whether Petersen works out or not (personally I think he was in his own head about the contract last year but I totally understand why people think otherwise) the goaltending is in an awful spot and is one injury away from tanking the season. Copley and Villalta, lol, while losing Parik and sending Ingham and Hrenak to the ECHL...I mean we know Blake knows but good grief, that's pretty unacceptable. For as much credit as he does and SHOULD get for NHL roster building the goalie pipeline is a f***ing D- and he should be getting raked for it.

 

[Sol]

Fans on twitter sharing the pairings....

Kempe-Kopitar-Fiala
Moore-Danault-Fagemo
Iaffalo-Byfield-Kayilev
Lemeix-Lizotte-Grunstrom

Anderson-Doughty
Edler-Clarke
Walker-Roy

Durzi, Arvidsson out injured.

God. I don’t have an issue with the line up really but man the Kings have so many forwards just riding pine.

There’s a couple forwards that I think the Kings can risk offloading just to make space.

Iafallo, lizotte, and Lemieux. I really like Lizzo but I don’t think it’s right to have so many potentially better players being backlogged. I think Kupari is better than Lemieux and Iafallo for example.

 

[Sol]

Whether Petersen works out or not (personally I think he was in his own head about the contract last year but I totally understand why people think otherwise) the goaltending is in an awful spot and is one injury away from tanking the season. Copley and Villalta, lol, while losing Parik and sending Ingham and Hrenak to the ECHL...I mean we know Blake knows but good grief, that's pretty unacceptable. For as much credit as he does and SHOULD get for NHL roster building the goalie pipeline is a f***ing D- and he should be getting raked for it.

They should trade some of our excess forwards and dmen for goaltending. As sweet as it sounds in no world would a person being in their feelings for two seasons be given another shot. He’s played worse more than he’s played good.

 

[cyclones22]

They should trade some of our excess forwards and dmen for goaltending. As sweet as it sounds in no world would a person being in their feelings for two seasons be given another shot. He’s played worse more than he’s played good.

There's gotta be some Russian backup goaltender in the 23 to 25 year old range that has shown promise but has an elite goaltender in front of him. Well, there were a few last season, but the Kings had already committed 3x5M to Cal already...

 

[Sol]

There's gotta be some Russian backup goaltender in the 23 to 25 year old range that has shown promise but has an elite goaltender in front of him. Well, there were a few last season, but the Kings had already committed 3x5M to Cal already...

I’m not saying this to be dramatic at all but I am 100% sure we can find many goalies better than Cal. And the Kings can easily trade for them. Petersen is a very mediocre goalie. Upgrading goaltending should be an easy task.

 

[TruKingFan]

Fans on twitter sharing the pairings....

Kempe-Kopitar-Fiala
Moore-Danault-Fagemo
Iaffalo-Byfield-Kayilev
Lemeix-Lizotte-Grunstrom

Anderson-Doughty
Edler-Clarke
Walker-Roy

Durzi, Arvidsson out injured.

Lemieux will sit for Vilardi and either Kupari or Fagemo and there’s your opening night roster. When Arvidsson is back Lias goes to Ontario and Clarke back to juniors when Durzi is ready or after 9-games.

 

[Schrute farms]

I'd be open to Jakob C but it would need to be quantity over quality at this point now with his injuries. Plenty for them to take. Something among GV, Thomas, Madden, etc. and maybe one of Bjorn, Durzi or 2nd round pick. Even then, i think that's too much but maybe i'd do it. I'd much prefer going Sanheim route though.

For JC, i would NOT give a 2023 first. Too good of a draft and we'll need that to get a goalie (or true sniper....but goalie).

 

[DoktorJeep]

I like the line combos on day 1 of camp. Assuming no further injuries, if the regular season started tomorrow, we could see..

Fiala Kopitar Kempe
Moore Danault Fagemo
Iafallo Byfield Kaliyev
Lemieux Lizotte Grundstrom

Anderson Doughty
Walker Roy
Edler Clarke

Quick

Real nice mix of youth and experience. The goaltending is the biggest wild card if the rest holds up. But, you kind of expect high scoring, sloppy games in the first quarter of the season. So putting up goals across all four lines early can build some confidence for games down the line.

For me, the spotlight is on Iafallo. Dude is getting overpaid to only be a third liner. To earn his money, he needs to raise the play of Byfield and Kaliyev if they are going to progress next to him. Same for Moore if he wants a raise. He needs to be a consistent driver of play and help a guy like Fagemo show off his skills.

 

[TruKingFan]

I don’t think Fagemo will make the team at Vilardi’s expense (or Kupari for that matter).

 

[cyclones22]

For me, the spotlight is on Iafallo. Dude is getting overpaid to only be a third liner. To earn his money, he needs to raise the play of Byfield and Kaliyev if they are going to progress next to him. Same for Moore if he wants a raise. He needs to be a consistent driver of play and help a guy like Fagemo show off his skills.

Kinda like what Fiala did for Gaudreau and Boldy...

QB, AK and Fiala needs to be a line one day.

 

[Fat Elvis]

Thinking an improved Lias surprises and plays himself onto the opening night roster. Just a gut feeling. No science, reason or facts involved.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Groan.

Tune in for another season of "waivers, how do they work?"

 

[All The Kings Men]

Whether Petersen works out or not (personally I think he was in his own head about the contract last year but I totally understand why people think otherwise) the goaltending is in an awful spot and is one injury away from tanking the season. Copley and Villalta, lol, while losing Parik and sending Ingham and Hrenak to the ECHL...I mean we know Blake knows but good grief, that's pretty unacceptable. For as much credit as he does and SHOULD get for NHL roster building the goalie pipeline is a f***ing D- and he should be getting raked for it.

how many NHL caliber goalies are there in the world? how many of them are a team meant to carry?

I don’t think Fagemo will make the team at Vilardi’s expense (or Kupari for that matter).

He might make it as an understudy for Arvidsson however...

 

[Schmooley]

Groan.

Tune in for another season of "waivers, how do they work?"

Probably means Bjornfot and Spence to the AHL

 

[Sol]

Well when you consider Petersen isn’t an NHL a caliber back up it’s pretty easy to say that our usual second goalie is not existent. We’re one 36 year old goalie pulling his groin to missing the playoffs. Blake has definitely done a bad job with the goalie situation. We have so many excess skaters. Trading for a goalie is paramount.

Petersen was brought in a few years ago to take Quicks spot. The position was given to him by management and was even stated by Fox that Petersen was going to be Quicks successor. And now Petersen is the furthest he’s ever been to taking Quicks spot. That is very worrisome and not defendable.

 

[AbsentMojo]

I like the line combos on day 1 of camp. Assuming no further injuries, if the regular season started tomorrow, we could see..

Fiala Kopitar Kempe
Moore Danault Fagemo
Iafallo Byfield Kaliyev
Lemieux Lizotte Grundstrom

Anderson Doughty
Walker Roy
Edler Clarke

Quick

Real nice mix of youth and experience. The goaltending is the biggest wild card if the rest holds up. But, you kind of expect high scoring, sloppy games in the first quarter of the season. So putting up goals across all four lines early can build some confidence for games down the line.

For me, the spotlight is on Iafallo. Dude is getting overpaid to only be a third liner. To earn his money, he needs to raise the play of Byfield and Kaliyev if they are going to progress next to him. Same for Moore if he wants a raise. He needs to be a consistent driver of play and help a guy like Fagemo show off his skills.

Same. On top of what you mentioned he's blocking the likes of Kupari and Fagemo (who is not going to be on the roster when RV comes back).. there is a logjam at wing, and Iafallo is expensive for what he brings - esp considering that team is up against the cap.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

how many NHL caliber goalies are there in the world? how many of them are a team meant to carry?

If Quick gets injured, we have to pray Cal returns to form.
If Cal gets injured or doesn't return to form, we're reliant on a soon to be 37 year old Quick and Pheonix Copley.
Behind them, they gave up Parik and have the suckfest of Villalta in the A and Ingham and Hrenak in the ECHL, none of which re legit NHL options at this point.

So, our season comes down to a prayer circle for 37 year old Quick to have a great swan song, a return to form or step forward for Petersen, or that a guy with 2 NHL games and a .878 this decade can step in, or that one of the B/C prospects somehow goes nuclear.

Surely you can agree this is less than ideal at best with no sure things to start the year and far fewer sure things behind them.

You don't need a bunch of NHL caliber goalies, but ideally you have a surefire starter and backup and a bluechip prospect/veteran journeyman to step in, especially if you're a playoff team. Right now, the Kings have absolutely jack shit in the minors...at least for a team with playoff aspirations.

Imagine entering the playoffs with Petersen/Copley/Villalta. Eager to see the spin on that.

And again I am 100% certain the organization sees this given their pursuit of Wallstedt, but to enter the year like this, Blake deserves some shit.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Well when you consider Petersen isn’t an NHL a caliber back up it’s pretty easy to say that our usual second goalie is not existent. We’re one 36 year old goalie pulling his groin to missing the playoffs. Blake has definitely done a bad job with the goalie situation. We have so many excess skaters. Trading for a goalie is paramount

I agree.. the goalie situation is close to critical... I was hoping Blake wouldve got a nice prospect into the pipeline over the summer. The aerosmith song living on the edge enters the mind.

 

[King'sPawn]

If Quick gets injured, we have to pray Cal returns to form.
If Cal gets injured or doesn't return to form, we're reliant on a soon to be 37 year old Quick and Pheonix Copley.
Behind them, they gave up Parik and have the suckfest of Villalta in the A and Ingham and Hrenak in the ECHL, none of which re legit NHL options at this point.

So, our season comes down to a prayer circle for 37 year old Quick to have a great swan song, a return to form or step forward for Petersen, or that a guy with 2 NHL games and a .878 this decade can step in, or that one of the B/C prospects somehow goes nuclear.

Surely you can agree this is less than ideal at best with no sure things to start the year and far fewer sure things behind them.

You don't need a bunch of NHL caliber goalies, but ideally you have a surefire starter and backup and a bluechip prospect/veteran journeyman to step in, especially if you're a playoff team. Right now, the Kings have absolutely jack shit in the minors...at least for a team with playoff aspirations.

Imagine entering the playoffs with Petersen/Copley/Villalta. Eager to see the spin on that.

They really need to improve the prospect pool in net

 

[Sol]

They really need to improve the prospect pool in net

The amount of good middle of the road prospects we have I think the Kings can easily package that for a serviceable goalie. Bjornfot+ should get us something good, right ?

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Well when you consider Petersen isn’t an NHL a caliber back up it’s pretty easy to say that our usual second goalie is not existent. We’re one 36 year old goalie pulling his groin to missing the playoffs. Blake has definitely done a bad job with the goalie situation. We have so many excess skaters. Trading for a goalie is paramount.

Petersen was brought in a few years ago to take Quicks spot. The position was given to him by management and was even stated by Fox that Petersen was going to be Quicks successor. And now Petersen is the furthest he’s ever been to taking Quicks spot. That is very worrisome and not defendable.

You said the same shit about Quick 10 years ago...there's a reason why your player evalutions are a joke.

Probably means Bjornfot and Spence to the AHL

Along with Kupari....etc.