Ontario Reign 21-22 Thread 2: Reigndrops keep falling on my head

[Fishhead]

Goalies are notoriously difficult to draft and develop, trading for a somewhat older underachiever (i.e. Campbell) is the way to go. The Kings grabbed a couple of good ones at the draft in Bernier and Quick, but those were an anomaly.

It's not like Ingham or Villalta are blue-chippers, they are mid and late-rounders. But still, their numbers have to be taken with a grain of salt. The AHL is often a mess systematically so numbers can really suffer. Look at Tarasov in Columbus, or even better Luukkonen in Buffalo. Both guys have looked pretty good in limited time this year, yet their AHL numbers aren't good at all. Personally I could see how Ingham or Villalta don't have much of a future with the Kings anyways. The clock is starting to tick with regards to finding a second to Petersen and there is too much at stake to give them a few games to see how they perform in a more structured system. I'm holding out hope for Villalta but I just don't see him as having "it".

 

[kinghock]

I know so it's either our AHL goalies simply all suck or defense is a problem. Just from the eye-test it seems like our goalies just suck, but from a structural standpoint, someone else probably has a better read.

Our AHL goalies simply all suck is correct statement.
Even Parik has issues.
He has bad rebound control, not moves from side to side well and is not very stable.
I think Kings biggest problem is not on defense, it is goalie situation.
Quick is almost finished and Peterson is not his heir apparent...

 

[LAKings88]

Any updates on Wrobo?

#wedonttalkaboutwrobo

 

[Fat Elvis]

How's Thomas looking? Giving him 15 games to get back into the swing of things. Good to see him get his 1st point the other day. Got into a scrap too, how'd he do?

 

[bmr]

How's Thomas looking? Giving him 15 games to get back into the swing of things. Good to see him get his 1st point the other day. Got into a scrap too, how'd he do?

I'm in the camp that thinks Thomas will never make the Kings roster.

 

[kilowatt]

I'm in the camp that thinks Thomas will never make the Kings roster.

I think his upside is Trevor Lewis, but given his injuries, he's certainly no guarantee.

 

[Fishhead]

I had pretty high hopes after his solid AHL rookie season, but now I just don't know. Was it the crazy surgery? Was he just overachieving? Impossible to say right now, but I think it's going to be another couple years minimum for him.

 

[cyclones22]

It was double shoulder surgery wasn't it?

 

[Sleeping Dog]

It was double shoulder surgery wasn't it?

That’s how I remember it. He needs some time to get back in game shape.

 

[King'sPawn]

Not worried about Thomas, yet. He had double shoulder surgery.

We'll have a better idea of his path and development arc after training camp next season.

 

[Fat Elvis]

Hoping he finishes this season on an uptick, injury free.

 

[Statto]

Not worried about Thomas, yet. He had double shoulder surgery.

We'll have a better idea of his path and development arc after training camp next season.

Agreed. He was very good in the AHL last season whilst needing the surgery. I agree that training camp is the important time for him and given his sky high character they will give him every opportunity to succeed.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Yeah this has to be a recovery stretch. I can't imagine he'd go from looking so good BEFORE double shoulder surgery to a lesser player after. He just needs some time. I'm sure he'll be pushing for a roster spot at camp again and start seeing some spot callups next year.

 

[Fishhead]

Yeah this has to be a recovery stretch. I can't imagine he'd go from looking so good BEFORE double shoulder surgery to a lesser player after. He just needs some time. I'm sure he'll be pushing for a roster spot at camp again and start seeing some spot callups next year.

The good thing is that it was shoulders, and while the recovery will take a lot of time it's nothing as foreboding as a back or knee. I had a reconstruction myself years ago and they said 6 months before it was completely back to normal, and it took me substantially longer than that. Yeah, I could finally hold two beers after three months but I would say it was more like a year before I stopped feeling something was off. I wasn't hitting the gym all the time to speed it along, but a big part of it was that mental voice in the back of my head wondering if it was truly fixed.

 

[bmr]

I think his upside is Trevor Lewis, but given his injuries, he's certainly no guarantee.

Akil is a great guy, but I don't see any room for him in the next couple of years.

 

[SufferingSelfCreated]

Akil is a great guy, but I don't see any room for him in the next couple of years.

We didn't see room for Durzi either. If the player is good enough, they will play themselves onto the team.

 

[bland]

Akil is a great guy, but I don't see any room for him in the next couple of years.

Where are you looking?

 

[kilowatt]

I actually don't mind Thomas having a long road to recovery — we have too many guys knocking on the door as is, and if he's a slow burn that can help us in a few years' time, that'll be awesome. I think he has two more years of waiver eligibility as well, so he won't have to clear waivers until 2023-24.

Kings are going to have some big questions coming soon. Here's our estimated waiver eligibility from CapFriendly:

• Madden: 23-24
• Vilardi: 22-23
• Turcotte: 24-25
• Kupari: 23-24
• Fagemo: 23-24
• Anderson-Dolan: 22-23

Next season, Vilardi and JAD would need to pass through waivers (as would Anderson and Durzi, although they're already NHL locks in my eyes). The season after that, Madden, Kupari, Thomas, and Fagemo.

 

[apocalypse]

I actually don't mind Thomas having a long road to recovery — we have too many guys knocking on the door as is, and if he's a slow burn that can help us in a few years' time, that'll be awesome. I think he has two more years of waiver eligibility as well, so he won't have to clear waivers until 2023-24.

Kings are going to have some big questions coming soon. Here's our estimated waiver eligibility from CapFriendly:

• Madden: 23-24
• Vilardi: 22-23
• Turcotte: 24-25
• Kupari: 23-24
• Fagemo: 23-24
• Anderson-Dolan: 22-23

Next season, Vilardi and JAD would need to pass through waivers (as would Anderson and Durzi, although they're already NHL locks in my eyes). The season after that, Madden, Kupari, Thomas, and Fagemo.

I could see Vilardi becoming a regular next season, question is, has he developed enough? Give him a one way contract. JAD is ready. Guy's got it. Where does he fit in though? Definitely a logjam at forward. Byfield needs to develop and replace Kopitar on that line. Kopi needs to slide down to the third line. The other 4...it's a real logjam.

 

[kilowatt]

I could see Vilardi becoming a regular next season, question is, has he developed enough? Give him a one way contract. JAD is ready. Guy's got it. Where does he fit in though? Definitely a logjam at forward. Byfield needs to develop and replace Kopitar on that line. Kopi needs to slide down to the third line. The other 4...it's a real logjam.

If Brown retires and Athanasiou walks, that’s a straight swap next season.

Kempe - Kopitar - Kaliyev
Moore - Danault - Arvidsson
Iafallo - Byfield - Vilardi
Lemieux - Lizotte - JAD

Grundstrom and Andersson as extras.

 

[Trash Panda]

I actually don't mind Thomas having a long road to recovery — we have too many guys knocking on the door as is, and if he's a slow burn that can help us in a few years' time, that'll be awesome. I think he has two more years of waiver eligibility as well, so he won't have to clear waivers until 2023-24.

Kings are going to have some big questions coming soon. Here's our estimated waiver eligibility from CapFriendly:

• Madden: 23-24
• Vilardi: 22-23
• Turcotte: 24-25
• Kupari: 23-24
• Fagemo: 23-24
• Anderson-Dolan: 22-23

Next season, Vilardi and JAD would need to pass through waivers (as would Anderson and Durzi, although they're already NHL locks in my eyes). The season after that, Madden, Kupari, Thomas, and Fagemo.

Subtract AA and brown, add Gabe & A-D, problem solved.

It starts to get more complicated after that, but if you start the transition you’ll get a much better sense of what this team looks like in the future. It’ll make trading away guys who aren’t waiver exempt much easier, because holes will be identified. Even recycling players to recoup low-mid picks is preferable to losing them on the waiver wire in order to protect the feelings of a glory years re-tread.

 

[kinghock]

Subtract AA and brown, add Gabe & A-D, problem solved.

It starts to get more complicated after that, but if you start the transition you’ll get a much better sense of what this team looks like in the future. It’ll make trading away guys who aren’t waiver exempt much easier, because holes will be identified. Even recycling players to recoup low-mid picks is preferable to losing them on the waiver wire in order to protect the feelings of a glory years re-tread.

It is not related to your post, but did anybody see how Tkachev saved Russian Olympic team from overtime loss to Sweden covering Swedish player in front of Russia goal during Olympic semifinal yesterday?

 

[ru4reals]

It is not related to your post, but did anybody see how Tkachev saved Russian Olympic team from overtime loss to Sweden covering Swedish player in front of Russia goal during Olympic semifinal yesterday?

I don't believe it's the Kings Tkachev. There are two dudes with the same name I'm pretty sure of it. Disregard my comment if you knew already. But just a FYI.

 

[bmr]

Where are you looking?

Hopefully he proves me wrong. He was second behind Kaliyev in points for the Reign in 2020-21. I remember he did have that really big game where he had a hat trick.

 

[kinghock]

I don't believe it's the Kings Tkachev. There are two dudes with the same name I'm pretty sure of it. Disregard my comment if you knew already. But just a FYI.

OK, thank you