Prospect Info: LAK Draft (45th, 2020) RD Brock Faber - USNTDP, USHL

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Some Twitter scuttlebutt, no idea if it's accurate. Assuming it is, then sitting there with Blake watching the Kings give up six unanswered after declining that offer must have been interesting.

I think it has to be hard for a young guy playing for his hometown team and just coming off a loss in the NCAA final to separate himself from it and start thinking about anything else. I'm not worried yet, but it's a situation to keep an eye on, especially if Minnesota comes close again without winning it next year.

Maybe I am reading too much in Hoven staff on his twitter, but after he informed that Faber will not sign contract with Kings he is saying: “Look for the Kings to thin the herd at RHD this summer. Way too many”.

It is not directly related, but it looks to me that Faber is now available for good trade.
 
Maybe I am reading too much in Hoven staff on his twitter, but after he informed that Faber will not sign contract with Kings he is saying: “Look for the Kings to thin the herd at RHD this summer. Way too many”.

It is not directly related, but it looks to me that Faber is now available for good trade.
Petty, I think he’ll be another M.E. Vlasic but the Kings need to do what’s best.. looks like Grans will be the next kid up…
 
Just to toss it out there... to the best of my knowledge the Kings are sitting at 49 contracts. I don't know if they plan on Clarke or Chromiak playing for the Reign once their OHL season end but they both have signed ELCs meaning if they join the Reign they bring the contracts up to the 50 max.

Signing Faber to an ELC and having him play for the Kings would eliminate the possibility of Clarke/Chromiak joining Ontario. They could have theoretically signed Faber to an ELC that starts NEXT year and had him play in Ontario on an ATO the rest of this season but if the Reign were to have an extended run and the Kings weren't then you're looking at a potential Spence, Grans, Faber, Clarke jam in Ontario THIS year which I don't know maybe the talent is so good it doesn't matter but there are always multiple angles to consider.

I think.

EDIT: Chromiak OR Clarke would bring the contract number to 50. I don't think they can both join Ontario this year.

If we're out of it Blake could probably try trading Strand's rights for "future considerations" to open up another spot, Seattle's only got 34 SPCs.
 
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Teams have done it before. Charlie McAvoy debuted for the Bruins in a playoff game. I think some don't realize how good Faber is, he certainly could have played over a couple of these guys. Plus it's not like some long-term vet would have been sitting, they would have inserted him into the lineup and probably taken out Troy Stecher, a guy on an expiring contract who had played less than 10 games with the Kings.



It's hard to argue the results of Ontario when it comes to developing defenseman. But Bob Motzko is a great developer of talent as well, I think he will be fine playing another season in the Big Ten. Maybe he can add some offense to his game. I think he could jump into the Kings lineup a year from now and be really good.
Makes sense. Build up more strength and endurance with college workouts, play some competitive and meaningful hockey, then jump over the AHL onto the big club in a year. I'm a little skeptical if a year in the AHL would have done him any better. On the other hand, if he had jumped onto the Kings right now, maybe he'd be better than Durzi on the defensive side.
 
I don't think he's making the story up. Not sure what the reporter who covers the Minnesota hockey scene gets out of making something like this up. If he has a source inside the program he is not going to out him.

Blake: Hi Brock, we'd like you to sign with the Kings and begin your professional career.

Faber: No, I am good, I want to return to school.

Blake: What if we put you in to the lineup for the Kings on Sunday in your home state?

Faber: No, I am good, I want to return to school

Very likely that is how the conversation went. The Kings either thought.

1. Faber could help the team immediately in the NHL
2. Playing him in one NHL right away was fine if it meant locking him up for all of next year.
 
i... don't believe that. that just seems like fantasy talk to me to offer a kid a spot like that
It's not unheard of.

Teams will offer a player some NHL games as a way to entice them to sign. DL did it with Piskula. Brickley and Lizotte I think as well.

Those guys were all UFA's though.
 
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It's not unheard of.

Teams will offer a player some NHL games as a way to entice them to sign. DL did it with Piskula. Brickley and Lizotte I think as well.

Those guys were all UFA's though.

The unlikelihood lies in the timing. Specifically, a promise to be in the lineup vs hometown Minnesota on Sunday afternoon after being eliminated in the Final Four on Thursday night. Factor in that the Kings are barely holding onto any chance of making the playoffs and each game is crucial, there's zero chance that rumor is true.
 
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I heard that Brocky has been training with Jaroslav Modry so he can become the best dman in the galaxy
 
Right. The player holds all the leverage in this situation. There is almost zero financial upside to playing in the minors on an ELC if an nhl roster spot is realistically available. 30 guaranteed nhl games eclipses a full season of AHL pay.

And for the holding organization, the more leverage the prospect holds, the trade value goes down. Usually with these college UFAs, they make it known that they will only sign with their preferred team. Either based on geography (Fox, Vesey) or available ice time like the guy who Minnesota just traded to ARI.

Blake looks weak after it’s publicly reported he goes to visit Faber to sell him on the Kings and comes away empty handed. If I’m Faber, I’m looking for assurances that a roster spot is carved out for me coming out of pro camp. And the Kings are in no position to do that by their own choices.

This kid is obviously betting on himself. I think he’s letting the press clippings get to his head. Playing well in weak international tournaments is notable but nothing about his performance says production player. Can’t miss I’d agree with. If anything he’s proven he has a good shot as a #5/6 defenseman but no one would put cash down that he’s a top 3.

Agree, but it doesn't have to be about money or a role: it's about choosing where you get to work. If he is a can't miss and he wants to play in Minnesota, I'm sure they would be happy to oblige. If he were hell bent on playin in Minnesota, he'd probably take less on a shorter deal and bet on himself again if necessary.

There are much bigger things to worry about in the near future with this team so I'm not going to start worrying now; however, I am a long-time Kings fan so it wouldn't be shocking to get Fox'd on this one.
 
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So...might be a good time to get familiar with the Wild prospect list.
Bill Guerin, be fair. You can have one of the best defensemen under 20 yrs old in the world.
Love their list...Wallstedt, Rossi, Boldy, Lambos.
 
Re: Hoven's comments about "Look for the Kings to thin the herd at RHD"

That needs to happen regardless of Faber's immediate decision. Hoven included Strand in his list. Strand and Stetcher are UFA.

Doughty
Roy
Walker
Durzi
Spence
Grans
Faber
Clarke
Strand
Stetcher

That's 10 RHD. Hoven chooses his words carefully for maximum backpedal (sorry John when someone tells you I said that) and even if Stetcher and Strand are the only two departures that still covers the statement "look for the Kings to thin the herd"

There's no reason to suddenly believe Faber is more or less likely to be traded.
 
Just to toss it out there... to the best of my knowledge the Kings are sitting at 49 contracts. I don't know if they plan on Clarke or Chromiak playing for the Reign once their OHL season end but they both have signed ELCs meaning if they join the Reign they bring the contracts up to the 50 max.

Signing Faber to an ELC and having him play for the Kings would eliminate the possibility of Clarke/Chromiak joining Ontario. They could have theoretically signed Faber to an ELC that starts NEXT year and had him play in Ontario on an ATO the rest of this season but if the Reign were to have an extended run and the Kings weren't then you're looking at a potential Spence, Grans, Faber, Clarke jam in Ontario THIS year which I don't know maybe the talent is so good it doesn't matter but there are always multiple angles to consider.

I think.

EDIT: Chromiak OR Clarke would bring the contract number to 50. I don't think they can both join Ontario this year.

Is Clarke eligible to play in the AHL this year? I thought it was OHL or NHL because he’s a CHL player and he turns 20 next year.
 
Is Clarke eligible to play in the AHL this year? I thought it was OHL or NHL because he’s a CHL player and he turns 20 next year.
Honestly I can't say for sure. In my head I thought that somehow an OHL player could join an AHL team for a playoff push once their CHL season was done regardless of age restriction but maybe I had that wrong.

EDIT: should be simple enough to check maybe I will...

EDIT 2: I won't.
 
The unlikelihood lies in the timing. Specifically, a promise to be in the lineup vs hometown Minnesota on Sunday afternoon after being eliminated in the Final Four on Thursday night. Factor in that the Kings are barely holding onto any chance of making the playoffs and each game is crucial, there's zero chance that rumor is true.
The Kings just played Spence, Durzi and Stretcher over 20 minutes each last game.

I'm not saying I necessarily believe what that Twitter guy said, but I don't think it's that far-fetched either.
 
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The Kings just played Spence, Durzi and Stretcher over 20 minutes each last game.

I'm not saying I necessarily believe what that Twitter guy said, but I don't think it's that far-fetched either.
And Durzi and Stretcher were problems in each of the last games.
 
Honestly I can't say for sure. In my head I thought that somehow an OHL player could join an AHL team for a playoff push once their CHL season was done regardless of age restriction but maybe I had that wrong.

EDIT: should be simple enough to check maybe I will...

EDIT 2: I won't.
I think that Clarke could ink a contract now and it would count against the limit. But he wouldn’t be AHL eligible till 20 years old, and his ELC year 1 would slide if he played 9 or fewer pro games next season out of kings camp.
 


7:17 - (regarding immediate goals) "Getting drafted is obviously a huge accomplishment and something I've been dreaming about for a long time. This is really just the start though. There's a lot of things I really want to accomplish still – being at the University of Minnesota a National Championship is one of them. Definitely that's my next goal and what I want to achieve and I think we have a great group here to do it."
 
I think that Clarke could ink a contract now and it would count against the limit. But he wouldn’t be AHL eligible till 20 years old, and his ELC year 1 would slide if he played 9 or fewer pro games next season out of kings camp.
Clarke has already signed his ELC.

Somehow I got it in my head that Clarke could join the Reign for a playoff push once his OHL season is done.

Regardless of where he would play the bulk of the 2022-23 regular season.

I haven't yet double checked to see if that is correct or not. For now I'll just assume it's not correct.

IF HE CAN join the Reign during a playoff push the question is then does his ELC begin counting towards the 50 contract max but that's an important "If"
 
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Clarke has already signed his ELC.

Somehow I got it in my head that Clarke could join the Reign for a playoff push once his OHL season is done.

Regardless of where he would play the bulk of the 2022-23 regular season.

I haven't yet double checked to see if that is correct or not. For now I'll just assume it's not correct.

IF HE CAN join the Reign during a playoff push the question is then does his ELC begin counting towards the 50 contract max but that's an important "If"
any update on the 'twisted knee' injury to Clarke?
 
Re: Hoven's comments about "Look for the Kings to thin the herd at RHD"

That needs to happen regardless of Faber's immediate decision. Hoven included Strand in his list. Strand and Stetcher are UFA.

Doughty
Roy
Walker
Durzi
Spence
Grans
Faber
Clarke
Strand
Stetcher

That's 10 RHD. Hoven chooses his words carefully for maximum backpedal (sorry John when someone tells you I said that) and even if Stetcher and Strand are the only two departures that still covers the statement "look for the Kings to thin the herd"

There's no reason to suddenly believe Faber is more or less likely to be traded.
Boom!! Shots fired! This could start a podcast war.
 

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