Speculation: LA Kings Offseason Thread

[AbsentMojo]

I don't disagree with that at all, but i"m suggesting it's manifesting in more than just drafting.

Got it. Ie there may be some mutinous energy fomenting internally

 

[King'sPawn]

One thing that is kind of interesting is that in the past Rosen has said that his source told him that the Kings had "heavy internal discussions" about who to draft in the 2019 1st round. I believe he first said this on twitter but I believe also mentioned it when his site first opened last summer.

But now the source has straight up told him that the scouting team (Yanetti) wanted to draft Zegras but Blake overruled them and went with Turcotte, adding in the nuggets that Tony Granato possibly had some input on the pick and also the stuff about Turcotte's supposed poor attitude at UW and with the Kings.

That leads me to believe that Rosen's sources are people involved in the Kings amateur scouting and that there might be some serious hostility between Blake and his scouts that has gotten worse in the last 15 months or so. I know from reading interviews in the past, scouts hate when GM's trade 1st round picks and prospects because it negates much of the work they put in. Well since Rosen first mentioned the possible "internal debate" thing the Kings have traded two 1st round picks and the guy who honestly is Yanetti's crown jewel pick since Blake took over in Faber. Plus, Zegras and Stutzle continued to run away from Turcotte and Byfield. We know for sure now the scouts wanted Zegras and were overruled, I wonder if the same isn't true of 2021, there were some rumblings (Ruutu especially) but maybe there is more to that.

Obviously I'm not an insider and don't pretend to be - and while Hoven is someone I write for, he's not the only one I speak to. Ultimately, I just keep what little I do know close to the vest until I hear/read more (like this Rosen article) or if I feel like it's safe to divulge what I do know.

Regarding 2019, I heard it was between Turcotte and Zegras, and a third player was a distant possibility. So, that's another reason why I put credence into Rosen's article.

But I also don't necessarily believe this equates to resentment between Blake and the scouts. It's possible, of course, but these scouts put hours upon hours traveling, watching players, putting notes, reports, having heated discussions, etc. They do this knowing full well the very next day the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round picks may be traded away and a lot of their reports don't go towards making an actual pick. The scouts are professionals. Their reports still get used later for when they evaluate players they want to bring in.

I'm just saying despite the frustration with having certain picks or prospects moved, I'm wary to speculate that there's hostility or resentment internally with Blake. Even though at this point, I wouldn't blame them.

 

[AbsentMojo]

yeah quite frankly, to me, rosen is about as close as it gets to "beyond reproach" when it comes to LA media so i gotta respect his word on this one

i think he's made an extensive effort through his career to not speculate without solid ground so i'm gonna listen to what he has to say here and he said what he said pretty specifically

Even when employed by the Kings he was remarkably outspoken on several occasions calling out certain things.. cant remember what exactly but I recall being very impressed by it.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Other than the re-inventing the wheel development strategies he has used on most of his top prospects, this is my biggest issue with Blake.

If you went against your scouting staffs recommendations and drafted this kid, and then he follows that up with the type of season he had at UW, which very likely confirmed the suspicions of your scouts (little offensive upside, durability issues) is it unreasonable to maybe look to move on from him while he still may have had Top 10-15 value? As you mentioned, a GM should be aware of issues before other teams are, the Kings presumably watched Wisconsin play more than any other teams (other than maybe Montreal and NYR), the Kings had rookie camps, etc. This is a point that the "It's just bad luck, everyone had him ranked that high" crowd is missing in all of this. The evaluation and development process doesn't end on draft night. Or maybe you do what NYR did with Lias and just push the eject button and get a 2nd round pick for him sometime last season. The Kings did none of those things, instead they ridiculously pulled him from college early and have had him in the AHL for 3 seasons now, with two NHL cups of coffee mixed in. Apparently he was offered around the league this season, but considering he is still here, the Kings are either expecting to much in return or the rest of the league has written him off.

Bjornfot it's the same thing, the second the Kings committed to Edler and Walker for this season and were going to send Bjornfot back to the AHL (unheard of after 2 NHL seasons) they should have just gotten the best offer they could for him. Instead he spends almost the entire year in the AHL, playing poorly and likely disgruntled because, well, no teams handle players this way. And now he's worth significantly less than he would have been after last season.

Kaliyev, if you keep bringing in veteran offensive wingers, re-signing the wingers you have and converting your failed 1st round centers to wingers to the point where you have no room for him on the roster, just trade him. Don't switch off between playing with Kupari and being a healthy scratch. Just trade him in a deal to fill any of the massive holes on your roster before his value falls. Unfortunately like Turcotte and Bjornfot his value has also taken a big hit in the last 12 months.

Spence will be the next one joining his 2019 draft mates on this list. They likely won't be trading Roy because next year is another year they think they will be contending (Kopi's final contract year). Doughty will be going nowhere obviously, Clarke is knocking on the door, who knows with Durzi. So since he has more waiver eligibility you can safely assume that Spence will be back in the AHL next season and we will be having this same lame discussion next season except he will be up against it for waivers and his trade value will be less.

Man, it seems like just yesterday when people were hyping the hell out of the 2019 draft. And now entering the 2023-2024 season its possible that none of these guys will be in the lineup on opening night. Best chance is Kaliyev, and that is probably in his usual spot next to Kupari or Lizotte.


Your connection to the Kings would make it less likely for people to leak this news to you, as opposed to someone like Rosen. Right or wrong, Rosen is seen now as the most impartial and independent voice covering the Kings.

BTW, for what its worth, I used to play on a beer league with a guy who's brother was an upperclassmen on that Wisconsin team. I shot him a text last night and asked him about this, and he replied to me today that the part about having one foot out the door and not being committed and all-in with the team was true, but that his brother thought Turcotte was a nice kid otherwise, but mostly kept to himself.

Unfortunately we don’t have real hockey media in LA to ask Blake about his decisions on these prospects.

There’s no reason players like Bjornfot, Kaliyev, and Spence should be in the AHL/scratched. It’s such backwards development and roster management.

It just is what it is at this point. Blake will ride the Kopitar/Doughty train until the wheels fall off, and an entire generation of prospects will flounder.

 

[StreetHawk]

Obviously I'm not an insider and don't pretend to be - and while Hoven is someone I write for, he's not the only one I speak to. Ultimately, I just keep what little I do know close to the vest until I hear/read more (like this Rosen article) or if I feel like it's safe to divulge what I do know.

Regarding 2019, I heard it was between Turcotte and Zegras, and a third player was a distant possibility. So, that's another reason why I put credence into Rosen's article.

But I also don't necessarily believe this equates to resentment between Blake and the scouts. It's possible, of course, but these scouts put hours upon hours traveling, watching players, putting notes, reports, having heated discussions, etc. They do this knowing full well the very next day the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round picks may be traded away and a lot of their reports don't go towards making an actual pick. The scouts are professionals. Their reports still get used later for when they evaluate players they want to bring in.

I'm just saying despite the frustration with having certain picks or prospects moved, I'm wary to speculate that there's hostility or resentment internally with Blake. Even though at this point, I wouldn't blame them.

Zegras is a talented player, but I would not call him a core guy. I'd peg him more of a Kessel type of importance. Highly skilled, final piece type of guy, not a guy you want at the beginning of a rebuild. Just doesn't either score enough to justify the lack of defensive awareness and no grit to his game.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Unfortunately we don’t have real hockey media in LA to ask Blake about his decisions on these prospects.

There’s no reason players like Bjornfot, Kaliyev, and Spence should be in the AHL/scratched. It’s such backwards development and roster management.

It just is what it is at this point. Blake will ride the Kopitar/Doughty train until the wheels fall off, and an entire generation of prospects will flounder.

I know you all know the following but just to summarize: 8 and 11 induced (either by their presence or actual request) the half-rebuild approach where you fill your top 9 with vets and hope 1 or 2 prospects can bust in there or fill in on an injury.. instead of do a proper rebuild and let them cut their teeth (at or near) the positions they should eventually hold down. Its not tenable in the cap era as we all know. You need some cheap contracts in your top 9 and d-corps that actually produce or you end up at the cap ceiling with big holes on the roster - case in point 23/24 Kings. The Moore signing was clear evidence of an unrealistic approach to the roster in my mind.

 

[Herby]

Zegras is a talented player, but I would not call him a core guy. I'd peg him more of a Kessel type of importance. Highly skilled, final piece type of guy, not a guy you want at the beginning of a rebuild. Just doesn't either score enough to justify the lack of defensive awareness and no grit to his game.

He’s a championship caliber 2C. His defensive shortcomings will improve enough where he is passable. We give Byfield who has been an offensive black hole the benefit of the doubt where some believe he can still be a franchise center but we assume TZ’s defensive game is locked in. I’m not saying he will be Patrice Bergeron but even a below average two-way player with his already proven offensive ability is going to be a huge asset.

The Ducks have Zegras as their locked in 2C, the 1C will be taken care of in a few weeks since they are guaranteed in getting a big time 1C prospect. Maybe even a once in a decade type. Compare that to the Kings and their C situation.

Btw, Watching Jack Hughes and seeing where he is now vs where he was is a major feather in the cap for NJ management. Hughes was completely lost his first season in the league, he was nowhere close to being an NHL player. But they never waivered, he got a ton of good ice time, PP time, he skated with quality players. He wasn’t sent to the f’n AHL or put on a line with garbage players. Even when he struggled early in his 2nd season they stuck with him, they didn’t prematurely end their rebuild, they let him grow until he was ready to be the face of the franchise and then started bringing in outside pieces to help him and their other youth.

Basically the exact opposite to how Blake handled everything to do with QB’s development.

 

[Statto]

Obviously I'm not an insider and don't pretend to be - and while Hoven is someone I write for, he's not the only one I speak to. Ultimately, I just keep what little I do know close to the vest until I hear/read more (like this Rosen article) or if I feel like it's safe to divulge what I do know.

Regarding 2019, I heard it was between Turcotte and Zegras, and a third player was a distant possibility. So, that's another reason why I put credence into Rosen's article.

But I also don't necessarily believe this equates to resentment between Blake and the scouts. It's possible, of course, but these scouts put hours upon hours traveling, watching players, putting notes, reports, having heated discussions, etc. They do this knowing full well the very next day the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round picks may be traded away and a lot of their reports don't go towards making an actual pick. The scouts are professionals. Their reports still get used later for when they evaluate players they want to bring in.

I'm just saying despite the frustration with having certain picks or prospects moved, I'm wary to speculate that there's hostility or resentment internally with Blake. Even though at this point, I wouldn't blame them.

I liked the pick at the time, the issue is everything that’s happened since then. I know this will bug some people but I have no doubt intangibles played a big part in the pick. In that area it seems Zegras is the polar opposite, no idea if that was a factor. Turcotte is a culture defining player and had he been handled properly and also not been injured (my favourite word IF) then it’s a different story. I think we’d talk alot about wishing others played with Turcottes heart and drive - I agree, probably in a middle 6 role. .

Theres been a lot of discussion about this teams lack of heart and character. Two big parts of the solution to that are Turcotte and Akil Thomas… or were hoped to be. Thomas if his last injury hasn’t wrecked him physically could still emerge although this coming season is probably his last chance. He was just starting to look good & was providing leadership and grit until he re-injured his shoulder. Until then I thought he was looking like a late season call up candidate.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Btw, Watching Jack Hughes and seeing where he is now vs where he was is a major feather in the cap for NJ management. Hughes was completely lost his first season in the league, he was nowhere close to being an NHL player. But they never waivered, he got a ton of good ice time, PP time, he skated with quality players. He wasn’t sent to the f’n AHL or put on a line with garbage players. Even when he struggled early in his 2nd season they stuck with him, they didn’t prematurely end their rebuild, they let him grow until he was ready to be the face of the franchise and then started bringing in outside pieces to help him and their other youth.

Basically the exact opposite to how Blake handled everything to do with QB’s development.

As you've documented here and many times elsewhere - Blake has a blind spot for the importance of development. He and TM seem to think slow boiling prospects making them earn their way onto the roster in their mid-20s circa 2000s Red Wings is still a viable approach. They havent digested that the salary cap makes this approach completely obsolete. You are right to point out that every other org in the league does it differently.

 

[BigKing]

Traded a 2nd for Lias Andersson, that's just off the top of my head....pretty sure there were 3-4 others in there

Realize I worded it poorly. I didn't mean actual draft picks but players he either drafted or acquired (Grundstrom, Durzi, Madden etc.).

Speaking of Grundstrom and Durzi...that Muzzin trade looking pretty rough right now. Probably going to come down to what Blake gets in a Durzi deal.

 

[Herby]

As you've documented here and many times elsewhere - Blake has a blind spot for the importance of development. He and TM seem to think slow boiling prospects making them earn their way onto the roster in their mid-20s circa 2000s Red Wings is still a viable approach. They havent digested that the salary cap makes this approach completely obsolete. You are right to point out that every other org in the league does it differently.

That is the most frustrating thing, is the deviation from proven development paths and the awful results it has produced. And these guys never have to answer for it. Nobody in the media cares, the bloggers don’t ever ask, I’ve submitted that questions to these guys when they do the fan questions stuff but it never gets asked.

I really wonder what would have happened had the Kings done with QB what most other teams would have done. I know in my debates with GBH he thinks the NHL would have damaged him permanently, but it’s hard to think the results could be any worse than they have been so far. With Turcotte maybe it matters less, I don’t think there was a 2nd liner in there no matter what development choice they made, but the Kings have a huge 3C hole that maybe would have been filled by now with traditional development.

And the worst part of all of this is, they have a kid now in Clarke who is probably the most talented one they have drafted, and all indications are they are headed down this same ridiculous development path with him. And this one could be damaged even more than the QB one.

 

[AbsentMojo]

And the worst part of all of this is, they have a kid now in Clarke who is probably the most talented one they have drafted, and all indications are they are headed down this same ridiculous development path with him. And this one could be damaged even more than the QB one.

I think we agree that the risk of injury between AHL and NHL is pretty close and probably higher in AHL. So lets take that out of the equation. Then you ask where can this kid best develop - no brainer. So then you ask, if I put him on the NHL roster, does it make us a better team or worse - again another no brainer. But you know these rocket scientists will make up some bullshit to keep him in the A...where the real reason is you have 2 guys that are obsolete (Durzi and Walker) with another year on their contracts and the optics are too bad to get rid of them.

 

[Nasti]

That is the most frustrating thing, is the deviation from proven development paths and the awful results it has produced. And these guys never have to answer for it. Nobody in the media cares, the bloggers don’t ever ask, I’ve submitted that questions to these guys when they do the fan questions stuff but it never gets asked.

I really wonder what would have happened had the Kings done with QB what most other teams would have done. I know in my debates with GBH he thinks the NHL would have damaged him permanently, but it’s hard to think the results could be any worse than they have been so far. With Turcotte maybe it matters less, I don’t think there was a 2nd liner in there no matter what development choice they made, but the Kings have a huge 3C hole that maybe would have been filled by now with traditional development.

And the worst part of all of this is, they have a kid now in Clarke who is probably the most talented one they have drafted, and all indications are they are headed down this same ridiculous development path with him. And this one could be damaged even more than the QB one.

I’m not as concerned about Clarke being ruined because the Kings have shown that they can at least develop defensemen. My concern is that they will once again choose to play inferior players for the next couple of years for no reason whatsoever. We‘ve talked about it all year. They want to win now so they don’t play their prospects, yet in some cases, the prospects are better than the vets and give them a better chance at winning but still don’t play them. It makes zero sense.

 

[Piston]

Very interesting discussion- and rich content. A few points:

I don’t think we can pin any of the blame on AEG. Name another King’s owner that won a Cup. AEG spends up to the Cap, allows management to have autonomy without outside interference and ultimately demands results on the ice as DL found out. Would you rather have an owner sticking his nose into day-to-day management? See Donald Sterling or Dan Snyder for an alternate approach.

As stated previously, Rosen confirms there was a coup engineered to remove DL. While unstated, I think it is safe to assume that it was Luc who was behind it. DL consistently kept Luc out of hockey decisions, and Luc had no right being involved in the business side of the franchise and wanted a larger role. He used his reputation within the organization and boyish charm to get his way. Everything that has transpired since then is completely on Luc, hence my signature.

While Blake has done a mediocre to respectable job as GM, his choice of a coach was a complete mismatch of where the team was at the end of 2019. We needed a coach with a proven record of developing youngsters. TM is known for getting the most out of a veteran roster (even while consistently falling short of a Cup). We needed a coach who could work with youngsters, who could show patience, tolerate forgivable mistakes and identify what role each prospect would eventually fit. Instead, we have a coach with a system that demanded players who were suited for his approach and had no patience for youngsters that couldn’t immediately fill a required role.

At the same time, on what planet do highly paid employees set the agenda for the organization. In corporate America, for better or worse, it’s the C-Suite that runs things and employees are free to take their services elsewhere if they don’t like it. I think the cave to 11 and 8 goes back to Luc’s original sin- he convinced AEG that DL and DS were the ones holding the team back and that he, Luc, could win another Cup with this group. When that patently failed in 2019, instead of using the opportunity to start with a blank slate and trade ALL the vets, BLuc cut short a needed rebuild to appease the top employees. This is easy to say given 20-20 hindsight, but when Drew said he was tired of losing, the response should have been to ask which team he wanted to be traded to and thank him for his service.

As Herby points out, the biggest error was the devaluation of assets that has occurred under Blake’s watch. Several prospects such as Turcotte, Kaliyev and Bjornfot had real value. Now, they are depreciated. Asset management is the most important job of a GM, and Blake has fallen short.

Having said that, it is not too late. Kopitar and Doughty still have value. I know Blake will never do this, but the right move is ask them where they would like to try and win another Cup. The Kings will not as long as they are here. In AK’s case we can even offer to retain 50%. The guy who, in my opinion, figured this out was Bill Guerin. He paid a huge price to get Parise and Sutter out of his locker room even though they could still play. This was necessary for a culture change. We will have to pay far less to accomplish the same thing- one year of Kopitar retention at 50% and 4 years of DD at 33%. Staying with the same coach and same leadership group will fit Einstein’s definition of insanity- doing the same thing all over and expecting different results.

 

[lexlavender]

I will forever keep saying this, but the devaluation of our prospect pool also comes down to, ironically, Blake hoarding quantity for way too long. Blake had no real vision on what he wanted our development of NHLers to look like, what he wanted our lines to look like, and just relied on "player playing themselves into positions". Thus we hoard tons of DOA players like McEwen, Lemiuex, Anderson, Walker, Durzi, etc, etc, etc., switching them in and out willie nillie. We have an incredible log jam in every single one of our NHL positions, and that means players don't get ice time and deteriorate. This has been happening for years, and there is no indication that Blake understands it's an issue.

 

[Bandit]

We have an incredible log jam in every single one of our NHL positions,

* except goalie and LHD

 

[KINGS17]

One thing that is kind of interesting is that in the past Rosen has said that his source told him that the Kings had "heavy internal discussions" about who to draft in the 2019 1st round. I believe he first said this on twitter but I believe also mentioned it when his site first opened last summer.

But now the source has straight up told him that the scouting team (Yanetti) wanted to draft Zegras but Blake overruled them and went with Turcotte, adding in the nuggets that Tony Granato possibly had some input on the pick and also the stuff about Turcotte's supposed poor attitude at UW and with the Kings.

That leads me to believe that Rosen's sources are people involved in the Kings amateur scouting and that there might be some serious hostility between Blake and his scouts that has gotten worse in the last 15 months or so. I know from reading interviews in the past, scouts hate when GM's trade 1st round picks and prospects because it negates much of the work they put in. Well since Rosen first mentioned the possible "internal debate" thing the Kings have traded two 1st round picks and the guy who honestly is Yanetti's crown jewel pick since Blake took over in Faber. Plus, Zegras and Stutzle continued to run away from Turcotte and Byfield. We know for sure now the scouts wanted Zegras and were overruled, I wonder if the same isn't true of 2020, there were some rumblings (Ruutu especially) but maybe there is more to that and Blake overruled them again.

I don't think scouts mind when the results are deep playoff runs and winning Stanley Cups. They understand that picks and prospects are assets to be used in winning the cup.

...but when the results are this kind of BS, I am sure they don't like it.

I will forever keep saying this, but the devaluation of our prospect pool also comes down to, ironically, Blake hoarding quantity for way too long. Blake had no real vision on what he wanted our development of NHLers to look like, what he wanted our lines to look like, and just relied on "player playing themselves into positions". Thus we hoard tons of DOA players like McEwen, Lemiuex, Anderson, Walker, Durzi, etc, etc, etc., switching them in and out willie nillie. We have an incredible log jam in every single one of our NHL positions, and that means players don't get ice time and deteriorate. This has been happening for years, and there is no indication that Blake understands it's an issue.

Definitely a departure from Dean's white board and slotting players by birth year into key positions on the team. It didn't always end up as planned, but at least he had a plan.

 

[bmr]

He’s a championship caliber 2C. His defensive shortcomings will improve enough where he is passable. We give Byfield who has been an offensive black hole the benefit of the doubt where some believe he can still be a franchise center but we assume TZ’s defensive game is locked in. I’m not saying he will be Patrice Bergeron but even a below average two-way player with his already proven offensive ability is going to be a huge asset.

The Ducks have Zegras as their locked in 2C, the 1C will be taken care of in a few weeks since they are guaranteed in getting a big time 1C prospect. Maybe even a once in a decade type. Compare that to the Kings and their C situation.

Btw, Watching Jack Hughes and seeing where he is now vs where he was is a major feather in the cap for NJ management. Hughes was completely lost his first season in the league, he was nowhere close to being an NHL player. But they never waivered, he got a ton of good ice time, PP time, he skated with quality players. He wasn’t sent to the f’n AHL or put on a line with garbage players. Even when he struggled early in his 2nd season they stuck with him, they didn’t prematurely end their rebuild, they let him grow until he was ready to be the face of the franchise and then started bringing in outside pieces to help him and their other youth.

Basically the exact opposite to how Blake handled everything to do with QB’s development.

With serious character issues. If he can iron those out, great. But i've seen several instances of sh*t he has pulled this year which make me not want to have him on my team.

 

[KINGS17]

As you've documented here and many times elsewhere - Blake has a blind spot for the importance of development. He and TM seem to think slow boiling prospects making them earn their way onto the roster in their mid-20s circa 2000s Red Wings is still a viable approach. They havent digested that the salary cap makes this approach completely obsolete. You are right to point out that every other org in the league does it differently.

Hmm, did Blake play in the minors? Did Luc?

 

[BringTheReign]

I gotta be honest, I agree with most of Rosen's points, but I don't like how he wrote about Turcotte and Blake overriding Yanetti. If you're going to make statements of that nature, I feel like you should take more time to flesh them out rather than jam them into a larger, meandering article. It comes across as thrown out there rather than what it should be treated as which is fairly serious new information on its own right.

 

[BringTheReign]

Having said that, it is not too late. Kopitar and Doughty still have value. I know Blake will never do this, but the right move is ask them where they would like to try and win another Cup. The Kings will not as long as they are here. In AK’s case we can even offer to retain 50%. The guy who, in my opinion, figured this out was Bill Guerin. He paid a huge price to get Parise and Sutter out of his locker room even though they could still play. This was necessary for a culture change. We will have to pay far less to accomplish the same thing- one year of Kopitar retention at 50% and 4 years of DD at 33%. Staying with the same coach and same leadership group will fit Einstein’s definition of insanity- doing the same thing all over and expecting different results.

I get what you're going for here, but there is an ocean of difference between where Suter and Parise were then versus where Kopitar and Doughty are now. Parise and Suter were bottom 6 and bottom pairing by the time they were bought out. They were being given outsized roles because no one wanted to disrespect them. Guerin wasn't tanking his team's playoff or contending chances by buying them out, and therefore was able to sell the idea to ownership.

If you move Kopitar and Doughty now, you're taking a top 15 #1C and a top 15 #1D off your roster. No NHL owner is ever going to allow for a move like that on a team that just qualified for the playoffs two years in a row. You don't even need to look at hockey operations to find a reason why; you just need to look at dollars and cents lost in years where a team is playoff-competitive versus not.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Just read Rosen’s article.

What further evidence do people need that Rob Blake is completely lost as a general manager?

Don’t think I’ve ever felt so myopic about the future of this franchise.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Just read Rosen’s article.

What further evidence do people need that Rob Blake is completely lost as a general manager?

Don’t think I’ve ever felt so myopic about the future of this franchise.

LOL yea......let's rephrase that to what it really is, Don't think you've ever felt optimistic about this franchise.....ever...including the Cup runs, be honest, they caught you by surprise

 

[Matt13]

Btw, Watching Jack Hughes and seeing where he is now vs where he was is a major feather in the cap for NJ management. Hughes was completely lost his first season in the league, he was nowhere close to being an NHL player. But they never waivered, he got a ton of good ice time, PP time, he skated with quality players. He wasn’t sent to the f’n AHL or put on a line with garbage players. Even when he struggled early in his 2nd season they stuck with him, they didn’t prematurely end their rebuild, they let him grow until he was ready to be the face of the franchise and then started bringing in outside pieces to help him and their other youth.

Basically the exact opposite to how Blake handled everything to do with QB’s development.

As you've documented here and many times elsewhere - Blake has a blind spot for the importance of development. He and TM seem to think slow boiling prospects making them earn their way onto the roster in their mid-20s circa 2000s Red Wings is still a viable approach. They havent digested that the salary cap makes this approach completely obsolete. You are right to point out that every other org in the league does it differently.

Jack Hughes vs Quinton Byfield, the two are such polar opposites, I don't think its fair to anyone to use that as the example of success. Jack would have been success with Willy D behind the bench as well.

The Devils were the bottom of the league for Jacks first couple of years. They didn't have any veteran presence and they certainly were not making the playoffs, in fact I believe they were the bottom of the East his first year.

Jack has certainly benefited from the evolution of the Devils as well. He is a generational talent and didn't need time in the AHL.

Byfield was always talked about as a project. The expectation should have been he spend some time in AHL as a project. However aren't we exaggerating his time in the AHL as an issue? If it wasn't for a broken ankle or covid, and waiver wire issues he probably would have spent a lot less time in the A.

The only player everyone talks about here is Adrian Kempe and what a success story he is. After he was drafted in 2014, he played a season with Modo and 104 games in the AHL before being called up in the 16-17 season. Byfield has spent under 60 games over 3 years in the AHL. Kempe during his first season's in the NHL TOI is 12:14, 13:20, and 14:30. QB has been at 15:01, 12:09, and 14:04.

I am no defender of Blake or the Koala. My only argument is that its up to QB to become the 2nd overall pick that everyone expected him to be, his treatment is fair and its up to him to show he belongs on the top line on a playoff team, not just handed it because of his draft position.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Someone wrote here....or another thread, not completely sure,

That LA Management has the philosophy, that young players need to be able to TAKE the jobs from veterans....

Who here has an issue with that philosophy? If a young player can't take the job away from a veteran....why would you just give him one?