Prospect Info: Linden Vey to Canucks for 2nd Round Pick #50; Kings select Defenseman Roland McKeown

[Addison Rae]

He's become so ****ing underrated it's embarrassing. Luongo's elite.

Choker, this choker that.

 

[Brock]

I had McKeown as the 11th ranked OHL player this year.

http://ohlprospects.blogspot.ca/2014/05/my-final-top-50-ohl-players-for-2014_21.html

He finished 10th in my media/scout poll.

http://ohlprospects.blogspot.ca/2014/06/final-mediascout-top-10-for-2014.html

 

[PJ Kings Hockey]

Gann Matsuda at Frozen Royalty has a good article on the situation. Granting A Request and Getting Their Man Were Key Factors In LA Kings Trading Linden Vey To Vancouver

Many were stunned when the trade was announced, lamenting that the Kings would trade Vey, a home-grown prospect (selected in the fourth round (96th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft), who appeared to be right on the cusp of making the big club’s roster.

Don’t let appearances fool you.

Indeed, even though Vey had several chances to show off his NHL-ready skill last season during several recalls from the Kings’ primary minor league affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League, the Kings have a logjam up front, especially at center, where Vey has been playing for the majority of his time in the Kings organization.

In short, there was no spot on the big club’s roster for him, even though he has paid his dues in the minor leagues.

Perhaps more important is that, as reported earlier, Vey’s entry-level contract expires on June 30. Although he would be a restricted free agent, once he was signed to a new contract, he could not be assigned to the minors without clearing waivers.

In other words, unless Vey made the Kings’ opening night roster, he would have to be placed on waivers before being assigned back to Manchester. To be sure, a top prospect like Vey would be quickly claimed by another team, leaving the Kings with nothing in return.

That left Lombardi with a pretty easy decision. The Kings had to try to trade Vey to a team that needed depth at center and could not afford to wait until their turn on the waiver wire came around in October.

 

[T2M]

McKeown is a great pick at #50 but why did he fall so much. He was considered top 15 pick at beginning of season and by the end he was ranked mostly around #25, in worst case early 2nd round. He was also always considered as atleast 5th or 6th best Dman in this year draft(in some cases he was projected as #2 or #3 Dman in 2014 draft).
Yet he has fallen to backend of 2nd round, past by many teams twice and in the end he was only 12th Dman taken.

Was his offensive production such concern? Maybe he had consistency issues? It was pretty big fall down the rankings without any apparent reason (especially when everybody talks so high about him).

Could be something as simple as everybody else going "Wow, McKeown's still on the board, too bad we have this 1 guy ranked ahead of him." When you're in a draft like this last one (heck, it seems like every draft gets like that once you get out of the top tier of players), then that can sometimes explain the fall and it has nothing to do with the player. I think he'll be just fine coming into the factory. Seems like he's got the raw talent and his head screwed on straight, now he'll just have to wait about 4 years to get his chance.

 

[FrozenRoyalty]

Gann Matsuda at Frozen Royalty has a good article on the situation. Granting A Request and Getting Their Man Were Key Factors In LA Kings Trading Linden Vey To Vancouver

You beat me to posting that. Thanks.

I was a bit surprised at how many questions I got about why the Kings traded Vey, and I've seen quite a lot of complaints. Figured this story was needed...turns out it was a great deal for the Kings, and a good one for the Canucks, too. Win-win.

 

[KingLB]

Thanks for the response guys, also no worries Reclamation Project youre a fine poster and thanks for always having our backs in the Luongo threads.

A Canucks fan with a Ducks avi that thinks RP is a fine poster....more character flaws than HO-Sang imo....



That said....where are all this people coming from that say he is a better wing then a center...when have you ever seen him play wing?? He may ultimately become a wing, but his skillset (similar to Loki) is much better utilized at center. To say he is better as a winger (atm) is just false.

 

[BigKing]

Woke up yesterday around 8:15, checked HF on my phone, saw the trade and was immediately displeased. After about five minutes of thinking further about it though, I figured that RFA negotiations were going to be a pain in the ass because Vey knew there wasn't a spot for him on the team and that LA must have had McKeown rated in the 1st round. Good asset management after painting yourself into a corner with said asset.

On the surface, however, Dean just traded a potential 50-point player to a division rival for a "hope this guy works". Vey is an NHL player and Lombardi has said as much. I don't know where the "better on wing" belief has stemmed from, other than damacles saying it for over a year and maybe because he played some wing in Juniors, but he can play center in the NHL.

I'm not a fan of developing a guy with legit talent and then handing him to a division rival. Hopefully McKeown can become an NHL player because this feels a lot like throwing Purcell away. I know the return here is better just based on potential than what came back in the Purcell trade, but Purcell was also sent to a team that doesn't matter to LA.

It is what it is due to not having spots on the roster and I can't blame Vey for requesting a trade so he can get his career started. I just don't like some of the hand wringing going on over Vey in this thread. Kid is a player and can be a 2nd line center on a decent team. He's going to have a nice career: hopefully it doesn't bite us in the ass.

 

[kingsfan]

Woke up yesterday around 8:15, checked HF on my phone, saw the trade and was immediately displeased. After about five minutes of thinking further about it though, I figured that RFA negotiations were going to be a pain in the ass because Vey knew there wasn't a spot for him on the team and that LA must have had McKeown rated in the 1st round. Good asset management after painting yourself into a corner with said asset.

On the surface, however, Dean just traded a potential 50-point player to a division rival for a "hope this guy works". Vey is an NHL player and Lombardi has said as much. I don't know where the "better on wing" belief has stemmed from, other than damacles saying it for over a year and maybe because he played some wing in Juniors, but he can play center in the NHL.

I'm not a fan of developing a guy with legit talent and then handing him to a division rival. Hopefully McKeown can become an NHL player because this feels a lot like throwing Purcell away. I know the return here is better just based on potential than what came back in the Purcell trade, but Purcell was also sent to a team that doesn't matter to LA.

It is what it is due to not having spots on the roster and I can't blame Vey for requesting a trade so he can get his career started. I just don't like some of the hand wringing going on over Vey in this thread. Kid is a player and can be a 2nd line center on a decent team. He's going to have a nice career: hopefully it doesn't bite us in the ass.

So we traded potential for potential?

Yeah, I don't like the fact we traded Vey to Vancouver, but Vey was in the same boat as Hickey a few years back; no room on the pro roster and waiver eligible this fall. At least DL got a 2nd (and with that a kid many on this board, myself included, think the Kings had ranked in the 1st round on their draft list) in the trade and didn't let him go via waivers like Hickey. THAT was a poor decision.

 

[lumbergh]

It's very possible that Vey could have made the team as a 13/14 forward. The Kings didn't have to trade him, though I understand why they did. Who is going to ride the pine now? Do the Kings bring back Fraser?

 

[KopitarFAN]

It's very possible that Vey could have made the team as a 13/14 forward. The Kings didn't have to trade him, though I understand why they did. Who is going to ride the pine now? Do the Kings bring back Fraser?

Possibly Andy Andreoff, he would have to clear waivers to stay in the AHL next year.

 

[goosh]

Possibly Andy Andreoff, he would have to clear waivers to stay in the AHL next year.

I think this is the key to the trade. With Jordan Nolan onboard, that leaves one forward spot open for Vey/Andreoff, both of whom would need to go through waivers to be assigned to Manchester. Kings brass love Andreoff, and he better suits a bottom-six role.

 

[HYORI 1963]

I'm glad to see AA is out of options. Looking forward to seeing him in a kings uni. As for Vey, he was never really in the long term plan for the kings imo. We simply have better options, with Shore and maybe even Weal. Having said that, I do think he'll be a solid center for the nux, and I wish him nothing but the very best.

 

[BigKing]

So we traded potential for potential?

Yeah, I don't like the fact we traded Vey to Vancouver, but Vey was in the same boat as Hickey a few years back; no room on the pro roster and waiver eligible this fall. At least DL got a 2nd (and with that a kid many on this board, myself included, think the Kings had ranked in the 1st round on their draft list) in the trade and didn't let him go via waivers like Hickey. THAT was a poor decision.

Potential that is further along for potential. One in the hand is worth two in the bush.

I understand why it happened and like the return based on the situation (RFA, full depth chart) but I am of the belief that room should have been made for him. But, hey, I really believed in Scott Parse so what do I know? I don't see many Kings prospects come through the system with Vey's skill-set.

This is, however, the NHL version of "First World Problems".

 

[kingsfan]

Potential that is further along for potential. One in the hand is worth two in the bush.

I understand why it happened and like the return based on the situation (RFA, full depth chart) but I am of the belief that room should have been made for him. But, hey, I really believed in Scott Parse so what do I know? I don't see many Kings prospects come through the system with Vey's skill-set.

This is, however, the NHL version of "First World Problems".

Ok, so how would you do this?

 

[CTKingsFan]

Possibly Andy Andreoff, he would have to clear waivers to stay in the AHL next year.

I agree. He's NHL ready, he can play all 3 positions, and will have a low cap hit.

 

[TonySCV]

The NHL's awkward draft photos strike again.

Could they not find a jersey that fit? Puck Daddy: "In which Roland McKeon appears to be wearing a small LA Kings camping tent (and/or one of Dustin Penner's leftovers). The reason he looks like a Weeble is because he's holding a stick, athought it's difficult to see it; as it stands, McKeon resembles a Hockey Buddah, or at the very least one played by Paul F. Tompkins."

 

[kingsfan28]

The NHL's awkward draft photos strike again.

Could they not find a jersey that fit? Puck Daddy: "In which Roland McKeon appears to be wearing a small LA Kings camping tent (and/or one of Dustin Penner's leftovers). The reason he looks like a Weeble is because he's holding a stick, athought it's difficult to see it; as it stands, McKeon resembles a Hockey Buddah, or at the very least one played by Paul F. Tompkins."

Looks like they gave him a goalies jersey.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

The NHL's awkward draft photos strike again.

Showing the hand like a straight pimp!

 

[Trolfoli]

Ok, so how would you do this?

Fit Vey in the line up?

Gaborik/Kopitar/Brown
Pearson/Richards/Carter
King/Stoll/Williams
Clifford/Vey/Toffoli

4 solid lines... Of course Vey is not the typical 4th line gritty center and traditionalist won't like Vey slotted on the 4th. I would much rather have someone with the ability to make a pass/play then Colin Fraser who just dumps the puck and tries to hit people despite being one of the smallest guys on the ice. In Fraser's defense it isn't all his fault as he said if he gets too creative he gets benched. That's in the past.

Porky, if he makes it over, could force the same issue where the Kings are forced to play a skill forward at 4c vs. a grinder.... I'll die laughing if DL has amassed too many skilled players and not enough grinders so that it forces Sutter into a line up like this.

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

Fit Vey in the line up?

Gaborik/Kopitar/Brown
Pearson/Richards/Carter
King/Stoll/Williams
Clifford/Vey/Toffoli

4 solid lines... Of course Vey is not the typical 4th line gritty center and traditionalist won't like Vey slotted on the 4th. I would much rather have someone with the ability to make a pass/play then Colin Fraser who just dumps the puck and tries to hit people despite being one of the smallest guys on the ice. In Fraser's defense it isn't all his fault as he said if he gets too creative he gets benched. That's in the past.

Porky, if he makes it over, could force the same issue where the Kings are forced to play a skill forward at 4c vs. a grinder.... I'll die laughing if DL has amassed too many skilled players and not enough grinders so that it forces Sutter into a line up like this.

A couple problems with your roster:

1) Toffoli is wasted on the 4th line.
2) Until proven otherwise, Richards is nowhere near a second line player anymore
3) Sutter is still coaching the Kings, so you have to include Lewis in the lineup
4) Considering the above, there is no spot for Vey

 

[Reclamation Project]

Just doing his best Ryan Getzlaf impression...

 

[KingCanadain1976]

I'm glad to see AA is out of options. Looking forward to seeing him in a kings uni. As for Vey, he was never really in the long term plan for the kings imo. We simply have better options, with Shore and maybe even Weal. Having said that, I do think he'll be a solid center for the nux, and I wish him nothing but the very best.

wow i am as well. I think he will be in the lineup in no time. He has a good set of hands and will add some offense to the bottom six. It may take till jan to be a regular but I'm thinking 10 goal season is possible.

 

[King'sPawn]

My shift by shift video of Roland McKeown:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLF2_3LAZZg

 

[Rorschach]

Every single time someone wants out of LA it winds up great for us and bad for the player...just ask Brad Richards.

I don't wish ill on Linden though, I just think McKeown...just look at him, he's thrilled to come to LA. Love that pic in Gann's article. I just have a really good feeling about the pick/prospect.

 

[T2M]

Every single time someone wants out of LA it winds up great for us and bad for the player...just ask Brad Richards.

I don't wish ill on Linden though, I just think McKeown...just look at him, he's thrilled to come to LA. Love that pic in Gann's article. I just have a really good feeling about the pick/prospect.

I wish Vey the best, he earned the chance but he can't crack the Kings top 6 (not an easy task). Good luck in Vancouver, but I don't see him getting the chance to be a King killer with the Kings grinding the 'Nucks in wave upon wave of black sweaters.

As for McKeown, I think LA is the one franchise where you don't have to be a specialist defenseman at 18. The more you can do, the more you'll be allowed to do. Look at what's happened for Martinez. We appreciate skill and drive and all around game. If he has patience and work ethic, he'll be thankful everyday that he fell into this development system.