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

[Bandit]

Groan.

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

Gotta make room for Edler, obviously.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Kings are currently 1 over roster max. RV prob not going to be ready for opening night.. maybe they put him on LTIR and wont have to waive anyone out of camp.. means he would be gone 10 games / 24 days... but the upside gives Kings more time to evaluate who to keep / who to waive

 

[goosh]

Probably means Bjornfot and Spence to the AHL

D pairs will probably shift once Durzi is back in the fold.

 

[KingsFan7824]

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.

We literally just watched them get to Game 7 of the 1st rd without Doughty, Drew Doughty, for 50 games, when nobody would've said that was possible one year ago today, and we're still playing the one injury away from tanking the season game? How many games did Doughty, Walker, Anderson, and Edler miss? They were still within striking distance of home ice.

 

[cyclones22]

Apples and oranges. There are six defensemen who play every night. The Kings also had NHL level prospects in the minors. While they were unproven they had much better pedigrees and performances than whatever it is the Kings have in the minors for goaltending. It's akin to losing your quarterback in the NFL. If you have bad quarterback play in NFL you're not making the playoffs.

 

[KingsFan7824]

A year ago today, the Kings could not survive without just Doughty for 50 games, let alone the rash of other injuries to the defense. It's what top 5 pick are they getting, not how many playoffs wins can they get.

 

[YAYSAY]

We literally just watched them get to Game 7 of the 1st rd without Doughty, Drew Doughty, for 50 games, when nobody would've said that was possible one year ago today, and we're still playing the one injury away from tanking the season game? How many games did Doughty, Walker, Anderson, and Edler miss? They were still within striking distance of home ice.

And part of that success was Quick turning the clock back and playing beyond his expectations

 

[VILARGOD]

We seriously just let 3rd round pick Parik walk? I could have sworn he was higher on the depth chart then Hrenak. I was rooting for Parik, wtf happened man. We just chose not to resign him? He didn’t want to re sign with us? Tf happened

 

[kingsboy11]

We seriously just let 3rd round pick Parik walk? I could have sworn he was higher on the depth chart then Hrenak. I was rooting for Parik, wtf happened man. We just chose not to resign him? He didn’t want to re sign with us? Tf happened

He signed an AHL deal with the team in Cokorado I think. So technically we still own his rights. If anything it's free development for us because of our massive log jam of goalies with the Reign.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Turcotte still has post concussion issues.. that is brutal. This guy needs to be properly dealt with - id be fine with a knee or some kind of fracture Andreas Englund at eliteprospects.com

 

[KingsFan7824]

And part of that success was Quick turning the clock back and playing beyond his expectations

And other players on the roster can't ever exceed expectations ever again?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

And other players on the roster can't ever exceed expectations ever again?

I think people reasonably have higher expectations for a bunch of 1st and 2nd round picks pitching in to patch up the D than a bunch of longshot prayers holding down G.

And if your strategy is "maybe a longshot prayer will exceed expectations," then yeah, you deserve to get raked. Hope is not a strategy, particularly when it's been a long-term concern.

 

[crassbonanza]

And other players on the roster can't ever exceed expectations ever again?

I think it is fair to say the Kings had a few players exceed expectations. Danault had a 13.9 SH%, when his career SH% was 9. It's possible that he maintains that, but at 29 years old it is just as(if not more) likely that he falls back towards his career average. Moore doubled his career points just last season, did he blossom at 27 or did he have an outlier season? Kempe doubled his previous career high in goals scored, same thing, did he finally put it together or will he revert?

Are our expectations that those 3 maintain their production? Especially if Kopitar slides production wise, we could be in serious trouble. I mean we are penciling Mikey Anderson on the top pair and he has a career 8 points in 57 games. Scuderi put up 6 points in 21 games in his last hurrah with us and everyone was screaming to get him off the top pair.

I am definitely worried about a goaltending regression because I don't think this team has the guns to outscore poor goaltending.

 

[KingsHockey24]

I want Lemieux and Grundstrom together all season.

They know how to BANG.

 

[FrozenKing18]

I want Lemieux and Grundstrom together all season.

They know how to BANG.

Let them bang, bro.

 

[Choralone]

Let them bang, bro.

 

[Reaper45]

I want Lemieux and Grundstrom together all season.

They know how to BANG.

Bang bros amirite?

Or is this more of a DDP Bang?

Bang Energy drink?

 

[KingsFan7824]

I think people reasonably have higher expectations for a bunch of 1st and 2nd round picks pitching in to patch up the D than a bunch of longshot prayers holding down G.

And if your strategy is "maybe a longshot prayer will exceed expectations," then yeah, you deserve to get raked. Hope is not a strategy, particularly when it's been a long-term concern.

A year ago today, there is nobody saying if Doughty misses 50 games, that the Kings end up where they did. You could've rattled off every name that had a good year, and nobody thinks it happens.

And who's talking strategy? Every team always has someone exceed, as well as someone that falls short. The Kings had plenty of both last year.

I think it is fair to say the Kings had a few players exceed expectations. Danault had a 13.9 SH%, when his career SH% was 9. It's possible that he maintains that, but at 29 years old it is just as(if not more) likely that he falls back towards his career average. Moore doubled his career points just last season, did he blossom at 27 or did he have an outlier season? Kempe doubled his previous career high in goals scored, same thing, did he finally put it together or will he revert?

Are our expectations that those 3 maintain their production? Especially if Kopitar slides production wise, we could be in serious trouble. I mean we are penciling Mikey Anderson on the top pair and he has a career 8 points in 57 games. Scuderi put up 6 points in 21 games in his last hurrah with us and everyone was screaming to get him off the top pair.

I am definitely worried about a goaltending regression because I don't think this team has the guns to outscore poor goaltending.

All of this basically could've been said one year ago today. We don't know who will be the surprises yet. That's why we watch.

This guy is going to slide. Regression. It's always defeatist.

 

[crassbonanza]

All of this basically could've been said one year ago today. We don't know who will be the surprises yet. That's why we watch.

This guy is going to slide. Regression. It's always defeatist.

Despite those 3 wildly outperforming expectations, Kopitar led the team in scoring last season by 13 points. Despite Doughty missing 43 games last season he led the blue line in scoring by 4 points. Kempe/Danault/Moore wildly outperforming expectations were not the leaders of the team last season, they were still the complimentary pieces. The veteran 3 of Kopi/Doughty/Quick are still the most important pieces for the team and any regression by them is going to hurt.

 

[KingsHockey24]

Bang bros amirite?

Or is this more of a DDP Bang?

Bang Energy drink?

Two XL bangers and a petite sandwiched between em'. (Blake Lizotte)

 

[Herby]

Groan.

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

It's not just for defenseman, it is for forwards as well. But it looks like the Kings will add to their league leading number of AHL games played by 1st rounders. This time with a guy who has played the last two seasons in the NHL.

106 NHL games played at 19-20 years old and then in the AHL at 21. Totally makes sense, if they really don't think Bjornfot is an NHL player they should just trade him and take the best offer they get.

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

He is pencilled in, just not to play. That is why he and Vilardi are with Tynan. It gives them a chance to play them in camp and pre-season games with the closest thing they have to an NHL'er while not disturbing the other lines they are planning to run with once the season starts. . If at some point something changes (say Fagemo and Vilardi switch) or Lias and Lemieux switch we can re-evaluate. But for now this is what they like.

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

This is a franchise that is obsessed with AHL marinating, more than any other team in the league. Hoven was right, the plan is to send Kupari back down there. I really doubt there is anything Kupari can do to win a spot.

And Fagemo won't make the team over Vilardi, but he is going to play over Vilardi until VA returns, and then he will return to the AHL as the Kings refuse to shit or get off the pot with Vilardi and Lias. The organization thinks Fagemo is a better player than those two, the camp groups prove it. But he like Kupari won't stick once the team is healthy.

Lias and Gabe are 24 and 23 year old veteran players on one-way expiring contracts. The Kings clearly feel they are behind younger players like Kaliyev and Fagemo. It's extremely unlikely that either one has any trade value to other teams around the league. I just don't understand what if any kind of plan there is for these players. Is it to just have them as healthy scratches for most of the season (like Lias was last year) and then just let them walk at the end of the season?

I guess the debate is, what is a better place for Fagemo and Kupari to be and develop. Is it playing every game in the AHL. Or is it being up and practicing with the NHL team and maybe getting in 25-30 games when there are injuries or someone is struggling?

I know what the Kings think, they are always going to defer to the AHL. But what does everyone else think?

Kupari and Fagemo will both be waiver eligible age a year from now, btw.

 

[funky]

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.

We should have the equivalent of 5 mil to spend at the deadline plus possible LTIR cushion if one of the goalies gets hurt.

Not disagreeing with you at all. Just looking at possible scenarios/ fixes/ options.

 

[All The Kings Men]

I could have sworn he was higher on the depth chart then Hrenak

If I may...

Higher on who's depth chart?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

A year ago today, there is nobody saying if Doughty misses 50 games, that the Kings end up where they did. You could've rattled off every name that had a good year, and nobody thinks it happens.

And who's talking strategy? Every team always has someone exceed, as well as someone that falls short. The Kings had plenty of both last year.

Then what are we talking about? We were in the middle of a discussion about roster construction with respect to goalies, were we not?

And of course not, as soon as Doughty went down we were pretty much all 'welp there goes the season,' but the point is the difference between the D and F depth charts and the G depth chart is astronomical. I'm not sure why that's controversial to you? Our goalie depth chart is by far the worst part of the org at this point and I think Blake deserves some criticism for it. Straight up, do you disagree? I felt like this was one of my most milquetoast takes ever but here we are.

Sure, maybe Quick and Petersen get hurt and Pheonix Copley leads us to a Cup. But I sure felt a hell of a lot better about calling up Durzi and Spence than I would about Villalta and Copley as there's pedigree and performance there, as opposed to a guy who can barely post a .888 despite playing on powerhouse teams at every freaking level and an AHL lifer with 2 nhl games this decade and no history of NHL success.

 

[Kudelski37]

Copley was perfectly adequate as a back up for the Caps. If the Kings need more than that, they will need to make a trade. The alternative is crossing fingers when the Bedard lotto drawing goes down. I think the odds of Pederson bouncing back are better than winning the draft lotto.