Love the optimism on Clarke. Future Star no doubt in my mind but if he gets to 45-50 pts next season, it would be unexpected from my perspective! He would have to play a lot and get PP1 time. I start watching the Kings last year and I saw a coach that seems to be conservative in his approach. I highly doubt Clarke will get PP1 at least in the first 40-50 games though I think that would be the best move. I was not impressed with Doughty on the point last year, My question is whether the Kings have a decent right handed one timer on the PP?? Clarke is so deceptive and skilled to set up the RH one timer.
Speculation: LA Kings Offseason Thread
- Thread starter ibleedkings
- Start date
- Status
With Todd behind the bench, no D man besides Drew is even going to sniff PP1 time, and it’s best we all make our peace with it.
Durzi was by far the more effective PP option of the two last season, but the deployment never changed, and it most likely won’t be any different with Clarke.
Durzi was by far the more effective PP option of the two last season, but the deployment never changed, and it most likely won’t be any different with Clarke.
kilowatt
the vibes are not immaculate
- Jan 1, 2009
- 18,684
- 21,757
I’m fine with Clarke manning the second power play unit in his rookie season
I agree wholeheartedly.
I was mainly just pointing to the big change in philosophy that would be needed to see anything else happen in that regard.
bland
Registered User
- Jul 1, 2004
- 7,960
- 12,190
I have to go to bat for Drew here, he finished tied for 10th among all defensemen in power play points. He is not a problem in that spot.
Raccoon Jesus
We were right there
I don't think people realize how much this team will miss Drew Doughty.
He's just set the bar impossibly high. Top 3 Dman of this generation, especially all-around all-situations.
He had a great season statistically there, but he certainly was not the straw that stirred the drink there, I would argue.
When you look at the whole picture though, Drew has been fantastic as a whole, and I don’t know what else could even be asked for. He will retire as the best king of all time, IMO.
Raccoon Jesus
We were right there
I think if anything Doughty has been terribly underrated since about 2016.
Deserved for about half of 2019-half of 2021, but he's been otherwise Norris-level in 2018 and 2022 with the rest of them being merely human top-10 dman years.
Eager to see what he has this year, a year removed from a surgery that clearly impacted his shooting and was otherwise on track for his best production season ever.
Deserved for about half of 2019-half of 2021, but he's been otherwise Norris-level in 2018 and 2022 with the rest of them being merely human top-10 dman years.
Eager to see what he has this year, a year removed from a surgery that clearly impacted his shooting and was otherwise on track for his best production season ever.
All The Kings Men
Registered User
- Apr 7, 2016
- 2,301
- 5,492
Victor Hedman & most would say Erik Karlsson (I would not).
I'd rather have Duncan Keith over Karlsson
If Keith is too old, Roman Josi
raswilliam
Registered User
85 days until the home opener. pictured baby muzzin rocking #85
King'sPawn
Enjoy the chaos
- Jul 1, 2003
- 22,923
- 23,491
Capfriendly is assuming a 23-man roster. The Kings will probably go with a 21-man roster
Raccoon Jesus
We were right there
I'd say Karlsson and Keith
and then there's overlap with Hedman on one end and Chara on the other, of course the 'new guys' are taking over now.
All The Kings Men
Registered User
- Apr 7, 2016
- 2,301
- 5,492
CapFriendly is assuming a 22 man roster with three goalies.
Capfriendly has Kings with 13 forwards (not including Fagemo), 6 D (including Clarke, not including Bjornfot or Spence), and 3 goalies.
They are 750K over the cap. Rittich will go down, so that put them right at the cap.
The issue is the Capfriendly scenario has Bjornfot and Fagemo in Ontario and JAD in LA. I think that might change.
They are 750K over the cap. Rittich will go down, so that put them right at the cap.
The issue is the Capfriendly scenario has Bjornfot and Fagemo in Ontario and JAD in LA. I think that might change.
All The Kings Men
Registered User
- Apr 7, 2016
- 2,301
- 5,492
They have Englund at LD3. He's got the highest cap hit of all the potential candidates so replacing him with Bjornfot actually increases cap space by a hundred thousand.
Even if Fagemo were to replace JAD it wouldn't change the cap situation.
The Kings will carry 21 players unless they trade someone to make space or someone is placed on LTIR.
They are currently under the cap with a 21 man roster consisting of 19 skaters and 2 goalies.
However you might like to distribute the healthy scratched player.
They just made the playoffs and went a game further without him a season ago.
He gets too much ice time to the point where he becomes ineffective as you saw specifically in a game this last playoff.
He was a top 3 dman of his generation. A new generation has arrived with Makar, Fox, Mcavoy, Hughes etc…
Drew was better than all them besides Makar when he was in his prime.
He also takes too much of the cap now.
Sol
Smile
- Jun 30, 2017
- 24,540
- 20,696
Not to shit on Drew but he wasn’t that good at all last season. I think his point totals has more to do with the unholy amount of PP time he gets.
He slows down the PP way too much which is why he was also a factor of the top PP being pretty ineffective previously. He has honestly one of the worst shots I’ve ever seen for a top caliber dman.
I always went up to bat for drew but you can tell he’s not that guy anymore at all which is normal.
Right now we miss the drew of old but this current drew I wouldn’t miss too much if he retired today.
He slows down the PP way too much which is why he was also a factor of the top PP being pretty ineffective previously. He has honestly one of the worst shots I’ve ever seen for a top caliber dman.
I always went up to bat for drew but you can tell he’s not that guy anymore at all which is normal.
Right now we miss the drew of old but this current drew I wouldn’t miss too much if he retired today.
You’re selling the impacts of Drew incredibly short if you truly believe that “you wouldn’t miss him too much if he retired today”
Nobody is filling those shoes anytime soon.
Sol
Smile
- Jun 30, 2017
- 24,540
- 20,696
He doesn’t have the same drive anymore either.
There’s not much size to those shoes that need filling as hard as it may seem to some people.
I think Clarke is already a direct upgrade from current day Doughty. His offensive prowess completely favors him over any of his defensive weakness that he might have that doughty doesnt.
I’m also pretty high on Spence.
Anderson-Clarke
Gavrikov-Roy
Bjornfot-Spence
That’s better than
Anderson-Doughty
Gavrikov-Roy
Bjornfot-Clarke.
It’s clarkes time to shine so I wouldn’t miss current day doughty
Last edited:
Doughty’s shot was god awful for 90% of the year but seemed to improve near the end, both by eye test and statistically (20% shooting, 6 goals in final 15 games). I bet a lot of it was due to the wrist surgery and just needing more time for it to get back to full strength. But I was calling for him to get demoted from PP1 for most of the year bc his shot was insanely bad.
Ziggy Stardust
Master Debater
Just imagine how dominant Byfield can be when he packs on some pounds and adds more muscle.
He'll be a force on every shift when he gets his shit together.
Besides getting stronger, improving on his shot and staying healthy are going to be pivotal in order for him to advance into a legitimate top six forward in the lineup. I'm expecting big things from him this season.
He'll be a force on every shift when he gets his shit together.
Besides getting stronger, improving on his shot and staying healthy are going to be pivotal in order for him to advance into a legitimate top six forward in the lineup. I'm expecting big things from him this season.
DoktorJeep
Fair winds and following seas Nikolai.
Doughty is the highest paid player on the team and has been since 2019. He’s the 7th highest cap hit in the entire league. For that contract, you’re paid to dominate in both the regular and post season. Even if the past performance was there, the current earnings are based on providing equivalent value on the ice. Intangibles don’t factor into a top ten salary, they’re baked in to even sniff that number.
It is a problem when your highest paid player isn’t dominating consistently every night, and gets no heat. It says that’s it’s ok to make the most money and not be accountable for results.
Last playoffs, Doughty was 49th of 50 defenseman in points. With 3 assists in 6 games, he just edged out Ian Cole. Matt Roy scored 1 goal, which was 1 more than Doughty. You can’t make $11M and legitimately claim you were dying for playoff hockey scoring 0 goals. And the guy you matched up against, Bouchard, was #1 in D points in the playoffs with 17 in 12 games.
It’s a joke to stroke Doughty and say there are bigger problems elsewhere. When the guys driving the Ferraris aren’t earning their pay, why should any down the pecking order feel accountable?
It is a problem when your highest paid player isn’t dominating consistently every night, and gets no heat. It says that’s it’s ok to make the most money and not be accountable for results.
Last playoffs, Doughty was 49th of 50 defenseman in points. With 3 assists in 6 games, he just edged out Ian Cole. Matt Roy scored 1 goal, which was 1 more than Doughty. You can’t make $11M and legitimately claim you were dying for playoff hockey scoring 0 goals. And the guy you matched up against, Bouchard, was #1 in D points in the playoffs with 17 in 12 games.
It’s a joke to stroke Doughty and say there are bigger problems elsewhere. When the guys driving the Ferraris aren’t earning their pay, why should any down the pecking order feel accountable?
RayMartyniukTotems
Registered User
- Jul 8, 2022
- 6,732
- 2,710
- Status
