Speculation: LA Kings Offseason Thread
- Thread starter ibleedkings
- Start date
- Status
I want to do this... But we surely can't do this, and don't call me shirley.
Fiala - PLD - Kaliyev would be so damn fun but they'd be the ultimate liability defensively. Instead I'd try:
Byfield - Kopitar (goated) - Kempe
Moore - PLD - Arvidsson
Fiala - Danault - Kaliyev
Grundstrom - Lizotte - Corey freaking Perry
Pretty decently balanced forward group. Don't really have a 'shutdown' line but who needs a shutdown line when you have 2 rookies on defense and Phoenix freaking Stopley in net???
Lets ride
BigKing
Blake Out of Hell III: Back in to Hell
I'm sorry, but nobody should be freaking out about Kupari being included and now say it is a very lopsided trade.
It had already been speculated another young player was going the other way. Out of the JAD/Kupari/Kaliyev group, you know which one you want to keep the most. Spoiler: Kaliyev.
It had already been speculated another young player was going the other way. Out of the JAD/Kupari/Kaliyev group, you know which one you want to keep the most. Spoiler: Kaliyev.
kingsfan28
Its A Kingspiracy !
send him away for another pick. Grundstrom is one of the dumbest players i've ever seen play hockey.
Herby
How could Blake have known?
You answered your own question.
The Kings went C in the 1st in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
One of those players was playing C at the end of last year (Kupari the 4C).
The gigantic mistakes on Turcotte and Byfield have come home to roost and for a team trying to contend you just can’t win with Danault as your 2C and Lizotte as the 3C.
The Kings can put Kaliyev in a scoring winger spot, there is nobody they can put in a 2C spot internally.
Schrute farms
LA Kings: new GM wanted -- inquire within
- Jul 7, 2020
- 2,551
- 4,622
agreed. This says to me it's done to the Kings. Mtl has moved on elsewhere to get their new center. If they were still in it, they would hold off and wait to make that trade (or make it a 3-way) once they had the PLD deal set.
This.Is.Done.
Herby I dig your posts and thoughts but I cannot take seriously you calling a 20 year old a "gigantic mistake" after an entire summer of you calling GV a AAAA player. Not trying to turn this into a QB debate but c'mon man keep the hyperbole in check.
Herby
How could Blake have known?
Danault is going to be asked to do heavy work defensively against other teams top centers, no way he has arguably the two worst defensive wingers on his line.
PLD and Fiala will be on a line, and more than likely Kaliyev is the other winger.
Everyone said they wanted to get Kaliyev in a scoring role, right? Well here you go, you massively improve your club down the middle and open up an actual scoring role for AK.
They had a choice between two players and very obviously chose the wrong one. And now 3 years later they have to answer for it.
You and others can listen to Mark Yanetti’s lies on the podcast tour about the Kings not being worried, but no way do they make this trade if they weren’t extremely concerned.
BigKing
Blake Out of Hell III: Back in to Hell
To be fair, he wasn't part of the rebuild. He was drafted while the Kings were still a contender in Bluc's eyes. I'm positive they planned on him challenging for an NHL spot in his D+2 year (The Kovy year) after he tore up the back half of his D+1 year once he finally played but, of course, he missed his entire D+2 season.
Last off-season, Vilardi was mostly a write-off. It clicked for him last year but he still only played 63 games and missed a playoff game as well.
I think Blake is seeing the chance to make sure he at least has some sort of 1C that isn't a Derek Armstrong type once Kopitar isn't that guy anymore. They can hope it is Byfield but they know it isn't Vilardi and they definitely know it isn't Turcotte.
But yeah. To echo Herby's point, Blake thought one of his picks would be an impact center but the production at the NHL level from all of his center selections is beyond pathetic and almost impossible to do on purpose.
Seattle King
Registered User
- Aug 19, 2022
- 878
- 1,994
Let's be honest. I am writing this as someone who has had chronic back issues for his adult life after sports injuries.
Vilardi is injury prone, and a winger. I like him but he is not some unmovable piece that will doom us to failure if he leaves. He is not a reliably healthy player, and if his agent wants some monster contract based on potential production that can only be reached with perfect health and attendance, then Blake should be looking at other options and has settled on this.
Kupari is a bottom 6 winger, there is no top end skill there, we wont even notice he is gone when someone else steps up into his spot.
Iafalol has been at the very top of the must-trade list here for a while now.
This is not some gutting of the franchise. Its three movable assets, only one of which, Vilardi, might actually be something special. One of the biggest mistakes GMs make these days is giving out monster contracts to middle 6 wingers. Gabe Vilardi is a middle 6 winger who appears to be looking for a monster contract.
This is not a huge mistake by Blake. It looks fairly sound. Details in full will be needed before I make an appraisal but on the face it might be solid.
Vilardi is injury prone, and a winger. I like him but he is not some unmovable piece that will doom us to failure if he leaves. He is not a reliably healthy player, and if his agent wants some monster contract based on potential production that can only be reached with perfect health and attendance, then Blake should be looking at other options and has settled on this.
Kupari is a bottom 6 winger, there is no top end skill there, we wont even notice he is gone when someone else steps up into his spot.
Iafalol has been at the very top of the must-trade list here for a while now.
This is not some gutting of the franchise. Its three movable assets, only one of which, Vilardi, might actually be something special. One of the biggest mistakes GMs make these days is giving out monster contracts to middle 6 wingers. Gabe Vilardi is a middle 6 winger who appears to be looking for a monster contract.
This is not a huge mistake by Blake. It looks fairly sound. Details in full will be needed before I make an appraisal but on the face it might be solid.
BigKing
Blake Out of Hell III: Back in to Hell
And they were already worried about Vilardi as a C and Turcotte in general when they signed Danault.
Now they have concerns with Byfield.
I'm not even referring to Yanetti and you can't assume that's what I'm basing anything on.
For competing now - Stutzle was the better choice bc he was more pro ready having played against men. For ceiling - the unicorn 6'5 center who can skate and produce at every level he's played.
You can call it "extremely concerned," sure. Calling it a "huge mistake" is overstating it considering the development curve at play. And you know just as well as anyone that who f***ing knows what kind of leash/dev plan Stutzle would have been given in the Kings org. Def not what happened in Ottawa.
When do they admit they've given up on Byfield ever being a premier center in the NHL? What a developmental shitshow.
Sol
Smile
- Jun 30, 2017
- 24,506
- 20,636
Even then. What’s the point of Byfield at this point? Even if he’s good he’s out a spot. Do they really think this guy is that bad that he can’t play center?
Byfield-Kopitar-Kempe
Moore-Danault-Arvidsson
Fiala-PLD-Kayilev
Grundstrom-Lizotte-Fagemo/JAD/McEwen OR one of Lucic, Reaves, Kassian, Comtois.
Moore-Danault-Arvidsson
Fiala-PLD-Kayilev
Grundstrom-Lizotte-Fagemo/JAD/McEwen OR one of Lucic, Reaves, Kassian, Comtois.
I could be down. Was just trying to balance things out a bit as Fiala/PLD/Kaliyev would be a line full of players that aren't great defensively.
Would LOVE to see that though. Hell yeah. High OCTANE baby
kingskring
Registered User
- Dec 3, 2012
- 3,621
- 1,907
thank you for this personal anecdote
Back injures can derail the career's of many Athletes regardless of the sport they play
Herby
How could Blake have known?
If Kopitar signs a 3 year extension or something similar to Jordan Staal it basically locks QB in as a winger. Which based on last seasons results might be the best place for him to play.
And look, this isn't the way I wanted to try and build. I think instead of talking about PLD we should be talking about who we are looking at with our Top 5 pick in this draft, but Blake went with the faux rebuild to try and contend with 11 and 8. And most people were pretty happy with the Danault and VA trades, even though it very obviously meant the end of the rebuild.
The Kings probably went from having a 5% chance at a SC next season to having a 10% one, is that inspiring, no? But the team is certainly better now than it was yesterday, especially down the middle.
You can't win a SC with Danault as a 2C, not unless you have a McDavid or Mackinnon 1C.
For those of you who hate this trade, do you disagree with that statement?
Little Psycho
I solemnly swear I'm up to no good
As also someone with chronic back issues since 19, I’ve always been worried about Vilardi’s health. Sneezing can cause a herniated disc so you never really know with him.
kingskring
Registered User
- Dec 3, 2012
- 3,621
- 1,907
BigKing
Blake Out of Hell III: Back in to Hell
He's not out a spot. He is a $895k cap hit wing for this season.
Kopitar is in the last year of his deal. Does he want to play more? He's already down two of his buddies and he's made a nice chunk of change.
He will be playing center for the Kings long after PLD has asked for a trade or has been bought out.
I have a feeling Kopitar might only sign 1-2 years. He looks exhausted. Brown has retired, why does Kopitar need to play any longer. Two Stanley Cups, tons of money.
Nasti
Registered User
This just feels like Blake throwing shit at the wall to see if it sticks. It’s something to see the fanbase almost unanimously hating this trade. I really don’t like giving up Vilardi. At the same time, I don’t believe in this roster, I don’t believe in the roster after the potential deal, and I don’t believe in Blake as a GM. So why not, I guess.
- Status
