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Mike Richards (Warning in OP)

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Trolfoli said:
It's just hilarious that you guys would dump Gaborik for Brown/Williams/Stoll. One of those guys is an elite level goal scorer that can be effective on the first line without being carried. The other 3 I really don't have a problem subbing out for King at this point.

You know... Maybe the Kings should trade Carter while they're at it. :sarcasm:
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Not that I disagree with your point but I'd have a big problem subbing in King for Brown and Williams.

Ziggy Stardust said:
Fedorov, Niedermayer, Kariya, Blake, Hossa were all big ticket UFAs that signed with Western teams.
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Exactly. I'm not going to go through the teams to figure out who signed where, but big names do sign in the West. This off-season in terms of who were bigger names on the UFA market going to the West were Brad Richards, Jarome Iginla, Brad Stuart, Ales Hemsky, Thomas Vanek, Mike Ribiero, Olli Jokinen, Derek Roy, Anton Volchenkov, Paul Stastny, Ryan Miller, and Radim Vrbata. Not all superstars (though some like Miller and Vanek are) but they are all well above average UFA's from this off-season alone.

Now the point was that the Visnovsky move (trading him before his extension kicked in) didn't impact LA's ability to land UFA's. We dealt Visnovsky in June, 2008. The off-season prior to that trade (off-season of 2007) DL signed guys like Nagy and Handzus. Between the Visnovsky move and Gaborik's resigning this off-season, the Kings struck out for the most part in free agency, landing Willie Mitchell and Rob Scuderi as UFA's, and they had to over pay for those IMO. They went 0-for-Drury, Kovalchuk, Richards, Hossa, etc., all of whom we were linked to and believed (and in some cases confirmed) to have offered a contract to.

Again, not saying it's just about the Visnovsky trade, I do think being in the West and being a team the past few years that had no real interest in signing big names played into it, but I think the Visnovsky trade did not do us any favors either and to trade Gaborik just months after he signed a seven year team friendly contract would go over like a ton of bricks with all players, including guys on the team now such as Williams, who we need to sign a team friendly deal in order to keep around.
 
While technically in the West, I have a hard time counting the following:

Kariya - Signed with two Western teams, moving closer East each time.
Hossa - Ask people in Chicago if they are in the West come winter time.
Blake - Signed with Colorado after leaving LA and then came home.
Neids - Only because Rob was here.

The only "superstar" to do it was Federov, which was very surprising. The superstars listed above either started their careers on the West Coast, went to Chicago or had a brother playing on the team they signed for.

The list above me is not exactly a murderers row of talent and doesn't fit the discussion, in my opinion. Iginla spent the majority of his career in Calgary so he is used to the travel and, hey, money talks. Hamhuis was the first person I thought of but I believe he is from B.C. and he moved from a "Western" team in Nashville. Richards chose NY over WC teams and is only back in the "West" because he's still getting paid that NY cheddar and chose to go to a contender that still plays the majority of its games in the middle of the country.

It's not that FAs won't sign with Western teams its that, all things being considered equal, players generally choose to play for EC teams and the sledding gets tougher the further West you are: especially for the big name players.
 
BigKing said:
While technically in the West, I have a hard time counting the following:

Kariya - Signed with two Western teams, moving closer East each time.
Hossa - Ask people in Chicago if they are in the West come winter time.
Blake - Signed with Colorado after leaving LA and then came home.
Neids - Only because Rob was here.

The only "superstar" to do it was Federov, which was very surprising. The superstars listed above either started their careers on the West Coast, went to Chicago or had a brother playing on the team they signed for.

The list above me is not exactly a murderers row of talent and doesn't fit the discussion, in my opinion. Iginla spent the majority of his career in Calgary so he is used to the travel and, hey, money talks. Hamhuis was the first person I thought of but I believe he is from B.C. and he moved from a "Western" team in Nashville. Richards chose NY over WC teams and is only back in the "West" because he's still getting paid that NY cheddar and chose to go to a contender that still plays the majority of its games in the middle of the country.

It's not that FAs won't sign with Western teams its that, all things being considered equal, players generally choose to play for EC teams and the sledding gets tougher the further West you are: especially for the big name players.
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So there's an excuse for pretty much everyone who came to the West to come to the West?

Again, no one said that more players come to the West than the East, it's far more likely for guys to go to the East for various reasons, especially travel or taxation. But players do come to the West for reasons other than wanting to play with their brother or starting their career in the West.

I'm done beating a dead horse though. Point was the Visnovsky issue likely hurt DL's chances to get UFA's and doing so with Gaborik would likely be even more problematic as it would likely stop anyone from giving LA a hometown discount again for several years. If you disagree, fine.
 
Can't count Ryan Smyth on the FA list. He would have played on Tatooine if they offered the most money. That is why he signed with the Avs.
 
Herby said:
Can't count Ryan Smyth on the FA list. He would have played on Tatooine if they offered the most money. That is why he signed with the Avs.
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So in addition to all the other reasons behind discounting western conference signings, now we're rejecting high profile free agents because they signed for the money they were offered? That's quite literally what nearly all free agents do.
 
i think when some are discussing the disparity of Free Agent signings, they're talking in terms of primarily the 4 coastal teams, and not the Western Conference.

up until 2007, no team on the west coast had won a Championship.

i think what people are suggesting with regard to some of those who HAVE signed as FA's out here isn't so much as an excuse as an indication that factors other than hockey itself played big motivators for those decision - like Scott Niedermayer, for instance.
 
Ollie Weeks said:
So in addition to all the other reasons behind discounting western conference signings, now we're rejecting high profile free agents because they signed for the money they were offered? That's quite literally what nearly all free agents do.
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I actually agree with your opinion on this matter, I was just poking fun at literally the greediest player in league history.
 
Herby said:
I actually agree with your opinion on this matter, I was just poking fun at literally the greediest player in league history.
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There is literally no one that comes to mind that has worn a Kings jersey that I despise more than Smyth. Greediest player in league history may be to kind of a label for him. There's very few veterans that have been around as long as Smyth that I don't cheer for to win a Stanley Cup. I was quite content to see him leave the game without getting a ring. Him and Trevor Linden are right up there as the most hated players on my list. I know we don't agree on much Herby, but when it comes to Smyth we sure do.
 
kingsfan said:
There is literally no one that comes to mind that has worn a Kings jersey that I despise more than Smyth. Greediest player in league history may be to kind of a label for him. There's very few veterans that have been around as long as Smyth that I don't cheer for to win a Stanley Cup. I was quite content to see him leave the game without getting a ring. Him and Trevor Linden are right up there as the most hated players on my list. I know we don't agree on much Herby, but when it comes to Smyth we sure do.
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Whats the deal with Linden?
 
Ziggy Stardust said:
Should Jake Muzzin be moved to LW?
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Some good ideas in here!

Wouldn't Muzzin be better used on the right so he's set up for a slapper off the pass?

Lewis on the top line!!! When did that happen last year? That was when Quick injured himself against Buffalo so it was pretty early. It looks like that time again!
 
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