Speculation: LA Kings Offseason Thread

[Schrute farms]

This year (23-24), King's can bring back Gavrikov or sign another D. They're still going to have Cal on the books & Lizotte holding down the 3C.

The Kings are not true contenders and winning anything with Lizotte as the 3C. He's been a really good story, but he's not the 3C for a team hoping to go deep in the SC playoffs (let alone for a full season).

As a 4C he works and is a good option. However, for a team as small & weak as the Kings are, I don't think they have the luxury of having a small & energetic guy like Lizotte. He has some great grit and balls...but he's a midget for a checking line. They need to transform that 4th line into some guys with true size and toughness because i don't see anywhere else they can add that (not lines 1-3 and not in the D corps).

 

[Piston]

This year (23-24), King's can bring back Gavrikov or sign another D. They're still going to have Cal on the books & Lizotte holding down the 3C.

The season after that Cap goes up, that's eaten by Roy's UFA raise.

Arvidsson's 4AAV comes off the books. Arvidsson will be resigned or someone brought in to fill his role. Not filling that space will move the roster backwards. Maybe 2M frees up, but probably not.

Kopi, probably re-signs around 6. 4 M freed up.

Any leftover money from Cal buyout will be invested in a starting goalie.

Maybe 5-6M to improve the center position. Danault, Kopi (aging), JT Compher? That's not enough to compete. Even if Byfield or Vilardi breakout it's unlikely they'll be able to defend some of the top forwards in the league.

How do you get over the top & improve the team? Now you're looking at cutting Roy's ufa deal. Does that make the team better?

Option 1, find another cheap Danault clone.

Option 2, ask for Doughty's 7 team trade list & replace him by retaining Roy & Gavrikov.

Without a big move, just don't see how the playoffs are anything other than watching Lizotte go up against Eichel, McDbag, Berniers.

OK, let's say this upfront- Anze Kopitar is the greatest King of all time. He is a first ballot Hall of Famer and #11 will hang in the rafters.

But, Patrice Bergeron who has almost identical value for his team played his age 37 season at a $2.5mm cap hit with a $1.5 mm base salary. He did this in order to help his team win another Cup. That is where negotiations with Kopitar need to start and end if he really wants to finish his career here. If he wants dramatically more than that, I say pass. This is a business at the end of the day and loyalty only takes you so far. Kopitar has been more than fairly compensated over his career, and now it's time to prove he cares more about winning than he does about how much he is paid.

 

[chris kontos]

If there was somehow we could get matthews without sacrificing any of our present skaters
We could present our team during the summer as the ice capades '24! And in the regular season as holiday on ice nhl style!
While this is going on our management team could do educational seminars titled: sucess through entropy: turning nihilistic absence into 7 figure paydays

 

[All The Kings Men]

Change the uniforms.

out of curiosity... is this a personal preference or is there an in story explanation for how this would make a difference?

 

[chris kontos]

Feathery boas would be a FABULOUS addition to our nhl version of the ice capades!

 

[kinghock]

Trade Roy for picks this summer, give Gavrikov a fair deal. Do not qualify JAD, let MacEwen and Edler go. Re-sign Vilardi and Kupari. Keep the cap space. Buyout Walker.

Do NOT re-sign Kopitar or Arvidsson.

Play Bjornfot and Doughty, Gavrikov and Clarke, and Anderson and Spence. Keep Durzi as the 7th defenseman, revolve into the lineup when the kids need to sit a bit. Roll with Copley and Peterson. Play the forward kids in the spots to promote growth.

Use the $19 million freed by Kopitar, Arvidsson and Peterson to attack the free agent/trade market in the summer. Change the uniforms. Promote a new, younger, more aggressive Kings team.

I agree with everything you stated here with exception of one sentence: Keep Durzi as the 7th defenseman
Durzi needs to go.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

out of curiosity... is this a personal preference or is there an in story explanation for how this would make a difference?

lol, good one!

 

[kinghock]

If there was somehow we could get matthews without sacrificing any of our present skaters
We could present our team during the summer as the ice capades '24! And in the regular season as holiday on ice nhl style!
While this is going on our management team could do educational seminars titled: sucess through entropy: turning nihilistic absence into 7 figure paydays

Getting Matthews will destroy Kings ability to have deep team and to be able to be playoff winner/contender.

 

[bmr]

If you asked me right now, these would be my preferred D lines for next year:

Anderson/Doughty
Gavrikov/Clarke
Bjornfot/Roy

OK, let's say this upfront- Anze Kopitar is the greatest King of all time. He is a first ballot Hall of Famer and #11 will hang in the rafters.

But, Patrice Bergeron who has almost identical value for his team played his age 37 season at a $2.5mm cap hit with a $1.5 mm base salary. He did this in order to help his team win another Cup. That is where negotiations with Kopitar need to start and end if he really wants to finish his career here. If he wants dramatically more than that, I say pass. This is a business at the end of the day and loyalty only takes you so far. Kopitar has been more than fairly compensated over his career, and now it's time to prove he cares more about winning than he does about how much he is paid.

I would definitely be looking at something like a 2-year deal for Kopitar in the range of $3-4 mill. You don't wanna insult the guy, but it would help to look at comparable deals throughout the league. That being said, Kopitar is still the better player between him and Bergeron. Kopi had friggen 28 goals this year. The offensive depth on this team and the new PP strategies will keep him playing at a high level. He's a very durable dude.

 

[KINGS17]

out of curiosity... is this a personal preference or is there an in story explanation for how this would make a difference?

Well,

a. the uniforms suck, and they always have

b. the inference was "new uniforms" = "new identity for the team".

 

[AbsentMojo]

Change the uniforms.

Ya - the change to Raider colors always bugged me...the one after that with the blue was very original and I liked it. Going back to Raiders was blah and unimaginative. If they change, I think the reverse retro Forum gold ones are pretty cool. They should propose a few and have the fans vote the new colors.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Well,

a. the uniforms suck, and they always have

b. the inference was "new uniforms" = "new identity for the team".

No matter how loudly a dozen message board junkies bitch and moan, the team is never going to separate themselves from the one jersey that is synonymous with their only championships.

Personally, I love them and it was the only jersey that gave me the inspiration to actually spend money on and purchase one. All the other were definitely anti chick-magnets.

 

[bland]

The Kings are not true contenders and winning anything with Lizotte as the 3C. He's been a really good story, but he's not the 3C for a team hoping to go deep in the SC playoffs (let alone for a full season).

As a 4C he works and is a good option. However, for a team as small & weak as the Kings are, I don't think they have the luxury of having a small & energetic guy like Lizotte. He has some great grit and balls...but he's a midget for a checking line. They need to transform that 4th line into some guys with true size and toughness because i don't see anywhere else they can add that (not lines 1-3 and not in the D corps).

The bigger concern is developing a #1c that can play as a constant offensive threat and produce better than the bottom third of the top line centers

out of curiosity... is this a personal preference or is there an in story explanation for how this would make a difference?

Yes. These differences aren't necessarily felt immediately, and often take time to denote changes in history. Sort of a bookend to the greatest time in team history while observing a new look, new identity and most importantly a new set of expectations.

You are marking an end of an era, and the beginning of a new identity. It allows the Cup years to have their own specific image.

 

[chris kontos]

No matter how loudly a dozen message board junkies bitch and moan, the team is never going to separate themselves from the one jersey that is synonymous with their only championships.

Personally, I love them and it was the only jersey that gave me the inspiration to actually spend money on and purchase one. All the other were definitely anti chick-magnets.

Wonders "yeah.. it musta been the jersey"
LMAO

 

[Schrute farms]

The bigger concern is developing a #1c that can play as a constant offensive threat and produce better than the bottom third of the top line centers

The problem with the Kings is that the "bigger concern" is debatable -- it should be one (or maybe two) clear items for a team ready to contend. But the Kings have multiple ones that fans would rightly argue are #1: 1C as you laid out; size with toughness/physicality; #1 goalie; LHD; 3C; coach; GM; limited cap space;

 

[King'sPawn]

Well, Chicago clearly will fail their rebuild with Bedard because they aren't changing their jerseys.

 

[johnjm22]

The top 50 NHL unrestricted free agents: Ryan O'Reilly, Tyler Bertuzzi and more

A look at the NHL's top 50 unrestricted free agents, with player cards showing future trajectories and value for the most intriguing ones.

theathletic.com

Carson Soucy
Projected contract: $2.4 million x three years
Model value: $2.6 million

Projected Offensive Rating: -2
Projected Defensive Rating: +1


Luke Schenn
Projected contract: $1.9 million x three years
Model value: $1.4 million

Projected Offensive Rating: -2
Projected Defensive Rating: -1

No player saw their stock rise more in the playoffs than Schenn, who elevated his game to previously unseen heights. He was a defensive beast for the Leafs and while teams should be wary not to overpay for that, Schenn is a nice piece to have. A proven playoff performer.

I highly doubt Soucy only gets 2.4M for 3 years.

 

[Piston]

I would definitely be looking at something like a 2-year deal for Kopitar in the range of $3-4 mill. You don't wanna insult the guy, but it would help to look at comparable deals throughout the league. That being said, Kopitar is still the better player between him and Bergeron. Kopi had friggen 28 goals this year. The offensive depth on this team and the new PP strategies will keep him playing at a high level. He's a very durable dude.

With respect, I disagree with your premise. This is not about insulting the guy or paying fair value. It's about winning another Cup. If Anze wants to win one here and thinks it's possible, he needs to take a home town discount like Bergeron and Krejci did. Otherwise, he is welcome to take a max contract or try and win a Cup elsewhere. There is never a guarantee that any player gets to play his entire career with a single organization. The greatest player in NHL history played for four different franchises. The dude's made over $100 million so far, he doesn't need any more money. What it comes down to is if the $3-$4 mm you suggest offering might not be deployed on someone else who is not 37 and 38 years old with lots of miles on the tires.

 

[johnjm22]

If the Kings wanted to add a 3C, instead of using QB there, there's no shortage of interesting options on the UFA market.

It would take a lot of maneuvering to get the cap space though, especially when you still need a LHD and goaltender.

 

[YP44]

out of curiosity... is this a personal preference or is there an in story explanation for how this would make a difference?

For me a crown needs to be front and center, not a chev simple or a home plate. At minimum getting rid of the shoulder piping and adding a white hem stripe to the black should be done and would make the jersey very sharp.

Personal preference for me is to have more purple in there too.

Anyone think Doughty would accept a trade to buffalo?
Close to his home, but still in the US.
Buffalo is up & coming
Doughty could endlessly troll the Tronto Media.

Buffalo's D is so deep already

 

[bmr]

With respect, I disagree with your premise. This is not about insulting the guy or paying fair value. It's about winning another Cup. If Anze wants to win one here and thinks it's possible, he needs to take a home town discount like Bergeron and Krejci did. Otherwise, he is welcome to take a max contract or try and win a Cup elsewhere. There is never a guarantee that any player gets to play his entire career with a single organization. The greatest player in NHL history played for four different franchises. The dude's made over $100 million so far, he doesn't need any more money. What it comes down to is if the $3-$4 mm you suggest offering might not be deployed on someone else who is not 37 and 38 years old with lots of miles on the tires.

I'm down for a hometown discount, but $2-3 mill might be stretching it. Hopefully they can sell him on the plan for bringing another cup and he will buy in.

 

[KINGS17]

With respect, I disagree with your premise. This is not about insulting the guy or paying fair value. It's about winning another Cup. If Anze wants to win one here and thinks it's possible, he needs to take a home town discount like Bergeron and Krejci did. Otherwise, he is welcome to take a max contract or try and win a Cup elsewhere. There is never a guarantee that any player gets to play his entire career with a single organization. The greatest player in NHL history played for four different franchises. The dude's made over $100 million so far, he doesn't need any more money. What it comes down to is if the $3-$4 mm you suggest offering might not be deployed on someone else who is not 37 and 38 years old with lots of miles on the tires.

Actually, Bobby Orr only played for the Bruins and the Blackhawks.

 

[funky]

out of curiosity... is this a personal preference or is there an in story explanation for how this would make a difference?

our uniforms are not bad, well other then the ridiculous chrome buckets that are absolutely disgusting.

however they tease us with these third retro jerseys that are gorgeous. then rarely wear them.

Its like driving a Mustang GT for the majority or the time, then given a clown car every once in a while then allowed to drive a Ferrari. Would you not want to have the Ferrari full time?

Just my take.

 

[kingsholygrail]

No way Luc lets go of his brainchild that is the current jerseys.

 

[King'sPawn]

I'm kind of tired of changing jerseys up, especially with the Kings winning their first cups wearing the current jerseys.

It's pretty uncommon to change jerseys. They might update a bit for the times, but how often does a logo actually change?