GDT: New Yawk Rangers @ Loss Angeles Kings 3/25/17 7:30pm PST, 790KABC FSW

[KINGS17]

I think most of us knew a rebuild/retool was on the horizon after the collapse last year, coupled with Lucic walking. The team on paper in August 2016 was correctly projected by most of us to be a bubble playoff contender. And it looks like the Kings are finishing 9th, so there ya go.

A scorched earth rebuild is pointless unless you can offload Brown, Gaborik, Kopitar, and Quick. Trading Carter alone does nothing but further cement us in the black hole.

I'm all for a scorched earth rebuild. Keep Doughty and everyone else under 30. Sign Bishop long term. Start over.

But if we do that you absolutely need to recoup a high pick or bluechip center prospect that can develop into a #1 C. Kopitar has fallen off this year, yes. But the fact remains that every contender needs a #1 C, and they inevitably cost a ton of money to keep. That's the reality of building a contending hockey team.

This team will not win another Cup without a #1 C. I hope that's clear to everyone.

I agree. I think the best teams going forward are going to be the teams with their best players on very reasonable long term second contracts with a sprinkling of vets added to provide toughness and experience.

I think Edmonton is on their way to getting there.

 

[AlphaBravo]

Unless there is a McDavid or Matthews in the 2018 draft there is no point in doing a rebuild because Kopitar remains the better 1C option in the next 5+ years. If Sutter stays as our head coach, our team-wide defense is so good that we don't need high end defensemen to be competitive. If we trade Muzzin and Martinez in separate deals to get two top 6 wingers or 1 top 6 winger and sign Hanzal as our 2c with Carter at wing, we will be a better team. We would just have to sign a mobile puck moving defenseman for cheap like a Gilbert signing.

The team would be:

Top 6 winger-Kopitar-Carter
Pearson-Hanzal-Toffoil
Brown-Kempe-Gaborik
Andreoff-Dowd-Brodzinski

Do what you can to get rid of Clifford and Lewis which clears up around $4MM in cap space. We can't get rid of Gaborik or Brown so maybe we can unload other plugs making more than $1MM on bottom six.

 

[KingsFan7824]

I think most of us knew a rebuild/retool was on the horizon after the collapse last year, coupled with Lucic walking. The team on paper in August 2016 was correctly projected by most of us to be a bubble playoff contender. And it looks like the Kings are finishing 9th, so there ya go.

Look at what Lombardi has done since the playoffs last year. All of it has been has been trending toward retooling. Didn't go out of his way to sign Lucic. A bunch of 1 year space fillers in free agency. 3 young guys made the team out of camp. I know people want 20, but it usually doesn't work that way. Didn't trade anything for a goalie when Quick went down. The defense has become as young and/or inexperienced as it's been in years, if not in Lombardi's entire run as GM. Added a pick at the deadline by actually trading a skater from one of the Cup teams. Essentially moved up in the draft by trading a prospect.

If Lombardi is going to be fired, and move up in the organization, or whatever, he hasn't gone out in a blaze of glory by making the situation worse or anything. I think he's come to accept what the roster is.

 

[fsanford]

And for the record, I don't think Kopitar is doomed to regression now. Guy had one bad year. It's still amazing to me that the same people who made excuses for Dustin Brown year after year are now crapping all over Kopitar for 70 below average games.

because of his contract and this years numbers, Kopitar is one of the worst contracts in the league at this moment in time

Never defended Brown's regression, (with a bit of a bounce back this year), but its okay to put Kopitar in the cross hairs, that contract screams 70+ points a year, and dude should pot 30 goals which probably means playoff vs golfing in a couple of weeks.

I too think he will bounce back next year, if they get a new coach that tells these guys stop skating to the corners to set up the cycle and instead go to the net.

Last night another example I think it was Andy on the rush, watched Dowd, he should have been driving to the net. Instead heads to the corner as though he was expecting a pass in hopes to cyle. Its freaking maddening.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

because of his contract and this years numbers, Kopitar is one of the worst contracts in the league at this moment in time

Never defended Brown's regression, (with a bit of a bounce back this year), but its okay to put Kopitar in the cross hairs, that contract screams 70+ points a year, and dude should pot 30 goals which probably means playoff vs golfing in a couple of weeks.

I too think he will bounce back next year, if they get a new coach that tells these guys stop skating to the corners to set up the cycle and instead go to the net.

Last night another example I think it was Andy on the rush, watched Dowd, he should have been driving to the net. Instead heads to the corner as though he was expecting a pass in hopes to cyle. Its freaking maddening.

Kopitar has scored 30 goals twice in his career. I don't know why you expected him to get 30 now just because of his contract.

Yes, Kopitar is playing below average this season. But he should be a known quantity to all of us. At his best, he's a 20 goal, 65-70 point play making two way Center. That's all he's ever going to be.

 

[KINGS17]

Unless there is a McDavid or Matthews in the 2018 draft there is no point in doing a rebuild because Kopitar remains the better 1C option in the next 5+ years. If Sutter stays as our head coach, our team-wide defense is so good that we don't need high end defensemen to be competitive. If we trade Muzzin and Martinez in separate deals to get two top 6 wingers or 1 top 6 winger and sign Hanzal as our 2c with Carter at wing, we will be a better team. We would just have to sign a mobile puck moving defenseman for cheap like a Gilbert signing.

The team would be:

Top 6 winger-Kopitar-Carter
Pearson-Hanzal-Toffoil
Brown-Kempe-Gaborik
Andreoff-Dowd-Brodzinski

Do what you can to get rid of Clifford and Lewis which clears up around $4MM in cap space. We can't get rid of Gaborik or Brown so maybe we can unload other plugs making more than $1MM on bottom six.

Where do you get the cap space for this player? Eight of your top nine aren't cheap.