Speculation: Pierre-Luc Dubois Mega thread. (LAK frontrunner, but Montreal has circled back)

[Kurrilino]

Byfield played the majority of last season on Kopitar's wing. Whatever, make Kupari the 4C and put someone else on Danault's line. How is Kopitar-PLD-Danault worse than Eichel-Stephenson-Karlsson?

Unless the Kings are holding out for Matthews, Draisaitl or McDavid to sign with them in free agency, which is a massive risk on so many levels, they should trade for PLD to compensate for the mistake of failing to trade for Eichel.

Again, PLD is not a #2 center and Kopitar is not a #1 center but both demand salary as if they were.
If the Kings are not finishing their rebuild, we will be back to square one very soon.

Byfield and Kupari have all the tools to be the #1 and #2 center, at some point we have to let them play some hockey, signing PLD is the opposite of what the Kings need.

Just to explain my position a little more, a #1 center needs to score the very least 80+ points
and a #2 center 70+ points if the target is to even remotely compete in the playoff.

We are facing opponent players who score 90+ points on a regular base, not to mention the Edmonton guys.

 

[funky]

Again, PLD is not a #2 center and Kopitar is not a #1 center but both demand salary as if they were.
If the Kings are not finishing their rebuild, we will be back to square one very soon.

Byfield and Kupari have all the tools to be the #1 and #2 center, at some point we have to let them play some hockey, signing PLD is the opposite of what the Kings need

How is PLD not considered a 2nd center?

Kupari does not have the tools to be a 2nd line center.

 

[Hodge]

Again, PLD is not a #2 center and Kopitar is not a #1 center but both demand salary as if they were.
If the Kings are not finishing their rebuild, we will be back to square one very soon.

Byfield and Kupari have all the tools to be the #1 and #2 center, at some point we have to let them play some hockey, signing PLD is the opposite of what the Kings need.

Just to explain my position a little more, a #1 center needs to score the very least 80+ points
and a #2 center 70+ points if the target is to even remotely compete in the playoff.

We are facing opponent players who score 90+ points on a regular base, not to mention the Edmonton guys.

Great, Kopitar has one season left on his contract. Let him walk and run Byfield and Dubois as your top two centers for the foreseeable future. Or extend Kopitar for 1-2 seasons to give Byfield more time to acclimate to the NHL on the wing. You can slowly transition him to center when he's ready and move Kopitar to the wing.

Also Kupari a future 2C? Rasmus Kupari? The guy who's already 23 and barely a NHLer?

 

[Kurrilino]

Great, Kopitar has one season left on his contract. Let him walk and run Byfield and Dubois as your top two centers for the foreseeable future. Or extend Kopitar for 1-2 seasons to give Byfield more time to acclimate to the NHL on the wing. You can slowly transition him to center when he's ready and move Kopitar to the wing.

Also Kupari a future 2C? Rasmus Kupari? The guy who's already 23 and barely a NHLer?

He is barely a NHL'er because he gets 4th line minutes and duties.
If you would watch him, you see the speed and dangling paired with great playmaking abilities.
His line with Fiala and Vilardi ripped everything apart in the preseason before the coach went back to the Old Folks reunion tour

 

[Nickel eye Heel hers]

Any center over 50 points a season could be called a reasonably good 2nd line center.
70+ points is a 1st line C. On more than a few teams.

 

[Kurrilino]

Any center over 50 points a season could be called a reasonably good 2nd line center.
70+ points is a 1st line C. On more than a few teams.

The target is to compete for the cup, not to maintain a league membership.
You don't get far with a 70 and 50 point combo.

 

[Peter Tagli Eddie]

The target is to compete for the cup, not to maintain a league membership.
You don't get far with a 70 and 50 point combo.

Vegas just won the cup with a 60 pt 1 C

 

[Kurrilino]

Vegas just won the cup with a 60 pt 1 C

Eichel scored 82 points before injury and 66 points in 67 games last season

 

[Jetabre]

Again, PLD is not a #2 center and Kopitar is not a #1 center but both demand salary as if they were.
If the Kings are not finishing their rebuild, we will be back to square one very soon.

Byfield and Kupari have all the tools to be the #1 and #2 center, at some point we have to let them play some hockey, signing PLD is the opposite of what the Kings need.

Just to explain my position a little more, a #1 center needs to score the very least 80+ points
and a #2 center 70+ points if the target is to even remotely compete in the playoff.

We are facing opponent players who score 90+ points on a regular base, not to mention the Edmonton guys.

Wtf @ the bolded. He's a very good 2C and can step in at 1C if you got no one else for the job. I swear people are creating some strange narratives about the guy around here.

 

[Steve Zissou]

Kupari has all the tools to be the #2 center, at some point we have to let them play some hockey.

(Kupari) is barely a NHL'er because he gets 4th line minutes and duties.
If you would watch him, you see the speed and dangling paired with great playmaking abilities.

PLD is not a #2 center

@Kurrilino likes to pretend to speak for Blake, management, and all Kings fans here in the Trade Rumors board but I can assure he doesn't even speak for ex-Bailey the team mascot who got fired because he liked to touch people in strange and bizarre ways.

@Jetabre @Hodge @funky

 

[Romang67]

Again, PLD is not a #2 center and Kopitar is not a #1 center but both demand salary as if they were.
If the Kings are not finishing their rebuild, we will be back to square one very soon.

Byfield and Kupari have all the tools to be the #1 and #2 center, at some point we have to let them play some hockey, signing PLD is the opposite of what the Kings need.

Just to explain my position a little more, a #1 center needs to score the very least 80+ points
and a #2 center 70+ points if the target is to even remotely compete in the playoff.

We are facing opponent players who score 90+ points on a regular base, not to mention the Edmonton guys.

The Knights JUST won without having that. Like, less than two weeks ago.

 

[howkie]

You don't trade Vilardi for PLD it doesn't make sense depth wise. You trade a Iafallo or maybe Arvi but not Villardi. Vilardi can play center or wing. Teams need depth to go far in the playoffs, you don't trade a Vilardi.

Is not PLD like 1 year older than Vilardi? PLD is maybe the best outcome you reach with Vilardi and that is not even high chance reaching that. Time is ticking for Kings when it comes to the forward depth, time to chip in.

 

[quietbruinfan]

Ullmark would make a ton of sense with all of the money LA has been clearing. I also bet Boston would much rather send Ullmark out west than to a team in the east.

Hall and/or Ullmark sure works for a center. Problem is I don't think that's enough for Vilardi etc. Hall as a dump works. Hall and grz for Kupari and Turcotte or Roy; There are possibilities here.

 

[kinghock]

You don't trade Vilardi for PLD it doesn't make sense depth wise. You trade a Iafallo or maybe Arvi but not Villardi. Vilardi can play center or wing. Teams need depth to go far in the playoffs, you don't trade a Vilardi.

You trade Vilardi, because it looks like he does not want bridge deal.
He wants big contract and Kings are not ready to commit to him.

 

[SherVaughn30]

I agree, I think Hellebuyck is the target. Apparently he wants 9.5 I think I read so clearing cap lile they did would make sense.

He's very good, but not $9.5 million good. I wouldn't give more than $8 million on his next contract.

Helle? Why not shoot for the moon and pay up for Hart?

Flyers could be maybe asking too much? Helle is proven(Vezina) even though age 30. Hart is 24, and already had 5 seasons with only one fairly good season where the Flyers made the playoffs. Also, Hart has had some early injury issues, while Helle is a workhorse. Hart might be a better trade for the Oilers as Skinner is just a big goalie but I don't see him as nothing more than a long term platoon/backup.

 

[SherVaughn30]

You trade Vilardi, because it looks like he does not want bridge deal.
He wants big contract and Kings are not ready to commit to him.

It would be a shame if they part on Vilardi. He has great hands in tight around the net and had to work hard to overcome early injuries.

 

[BB88]

I hope Nashville isn’t trading saros..
I don’t want to rush askarov

Then they’ll end up wasting his highesr value.

They’d create a massive bidding war for him if wanted.

& then sign a veteran goalie to help Askarov, Nashville isn’t competing next year anyways

 

[Oddbob]

I don't think signing Korpisalo would be considered a big ''Deal''

Wouldn't even be considered a medium deal.

 

[Armourboy]

Then they’ll end up wasting his highesr value.

They’d create a massive bidding war for him if wanted.

& then sign a veteran goalie to help Askarov, Nashville isn’t competing next year anyways

No one knows what Trotz has up his sleeve, he has 14 million in cap and a lot of assets to play with.

That said I have one name out of left field for LA fans, Forsberg. I could see him waiving his NMC to go to LA as there was talks of him signing there instead of Nashville.

 

[Omar]

They will if they have to.

No they won’t. It would be a slap in the face to the other two.

 

[kinghock]

No one knows what Trotz has up his sleeve, he has 14 million in cap and a lot of assets to play with.

That said I have one name out of left field for LA fans, Forsberg. I could see him waiving his NMC to go to LA as there was talks of him signing there instead of Nashville.

No, this ship is already sailed.

 

[kinghock]

David Pagnotta was giving wrong info about LA and Chychrun in the past.
He is not credible regarding Kings info.
I have no trust in his info at all.

 

[Qwijibo]

No they won’t. It would be a slap in the face to the other two.

Hughes himself has said differently.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

The truth lies in between. Habs fans thought Danault was a good player but not particularly productive and not enough to give him the moon. And it seems like Bergevin had the same opinion. And it was a case where the Habs didn't have great center depth and so Danault had to play a role that maybe he wasn't offensive enough to play. It's the old Habs curse of guys at center not being in the right chair. It happened with so many guys Koivu, Plekanec, etc...As far as Danault himself, he mentioned he didn't want to be in the shadow of the young guys KK and Suzuky. Both Danault and KK were pissed and left whereas if they knew that the other did, they maybe would not cause they would have had more icetime with the other leaving, basically.

That's completely false. Danault was the drink that stirred that defensive line. Everyone knew it after the cup run. Danault stonewalled every C he matched up against during that playoffs until the finals. The problem was that Danault wanted out of Montreal. He took the same offer that the Habs gave to leave for LA. He knew Weber / Price were done and there was no future as a contender.

PLD is a completely different scenario. He wants to play in Montreal. That doesn't obligate the Habs to trade for him. Not when they have a rebuild plan. Not when it would take significant assets to get him, then you have to overpay him on his next deal for a 65pt 2C. You don't do that. If he's your own player or a UFA (where you don't have to give up assets), then it might be justified to satisfy a need.

If the Kings give up significant value (Valiardi / Byfield / Clarke) for PLD then pay him 8.5+ AAV, they will have gotten fleeced.

 

[bmr]

Not sure what this means, but if you can turn Vilardi into PLD you do it.

I say that as someone that follows the Kings as a second team. Obviously you hope he can stay and Winnipeg accepts a lower player on the pole, but come on.



What do you mean? PLD was taken one draft ahead of Vilardi and has like 150+ more points. He also doesn’t have the crazy injury history.

IMHO, there is not much separating the two right now. Vilardi’s shooting percentage is higher and he impacted a ton of games last year. Injury history is a valid point but outside of that hit against the boards last year he was pretty healthy.

I just think the Kings are in a better position if they can do a bridge w Vilardi and sign a nails goalie.