Rumor: Planning Ahead: 2019 Off-Season Part 2
- Thread starter KINGS17
- Start date
I think it really depends on when the organization wants to target being a competitive team again. If that goal is 20-21 then Panarin makes a lot of sense. If the goal is to compete in 5 years then a Panarin signing makes no sense. It really comes back to the polarizing argument of a retool versus a rebuild.
I have no idea if Panarin is interested in coming to LA but if he is then Blake should be looking at him as a way to improve the team in both the short and the long term. At it's core, sports is a business and is competing for dollars in the entertainment category. The Lakers made a big splash getting Anthony Davis after a terrible attempt to rebuild through the draft. I would not be surprised if AEG is looking at that and asking why they shouldn't do the same for a guy like Panarin.
The only thing Panarin would do is handcuff the rebuild financially before it really even got started.
How exactly?
All the players the Kings have drafted or will draft in the next couple of years will be on entry level contracts that will end at about the time that the Quick, Carter, and Brown contracts expire. Starting in 22-23 only Kopitar and Doughty will be under contract. There will be a lot of money available at that point to give 2nd contracts to those who need them (and at this point it doesn't appear the Kings have any prospects that will ask for Matthews or Marner type money) as well as support the Panarin contract.
kovacro
Uvijek Vjerni
Wouldn't mind if LA gave the Rangers a ring to check on the price of a guy like Pavel Buchnevich. Apparently he is one of roughly half a dozen Rangers on the block.
Buchnevich would be a nice winger to add, not sure why he would be on the block, nor what the Rangers would want.....let's assume they want a pick...I'd deal the 33rd for him in a heartbeat, and if we needed to add, a 5th or a B/C prospect, that's a given.
Unfortunately, the Rangers would be asking for picks or prospects since that is really the only things the Kings can offer. Maybe Kempe plus a prospect if he still has any appreciable value around the league.
KingsFan7824
Registered User
All of that make sense to a point, but right or wrong, they've already stated they don't plan on doing anything. Panarin has his choice of where to go. If the Kings are lucky enough to be looking at 2 years from now, but other teams are looking at next year, and offering the same money, there's no reason to come here. Kovalchuk came here because the Kings were, correctly or not, looking at 18-19, and they threw the extra year in there to show they were all about today.
They've given no indication that they're about to make a move. They likely bought Phaneuf out only to clear some cash from the payroll. I doubt there's much invested in this team until at least after next year, and that's only if the vets are engaged for 82 games, and the youth actually produces in a winning situation.
KINGS17
Smartest in the Room
- Apr 6, 2006
- 32,564
- 11,711
History has shown you don't build cup winning teams through free agent signings. Generally, cup winning teams are built through the draft and smart trades of picks and prospects for the right players to fill specific holes at a specific time.
There may be a few here who love how the Flyers are going about doing things this summer. They are going for it after all. The idea that signing 27-29 year old UFAs to expensive long-term contracts is also flawed. These players are not "approaching their prime". If a team is lucky they are at their peak performance from ages 24-29. After that it's just a question of how fast the descent is from the top of the peak.
Last edited:
I understand your points but let me play devil's advocate. Yes, the Kings have said they don't plan on doing much this summer. But no one (except the tank crew) is going to be upset if they go back on that and sign a star player just approaching his prime. That is quite different than if they promised to do something and then did nothing.
Second, only a few teams can afford Panarin and even fewer teams fit his criteria of where he wants to go. Of those who can afford him, there are some who don't need him because they have depth or talent at his position. So, at the end of the day, you might only be looking at 2-3 teams that match on all fronts. Florida appears to be one of them but they aren't a big market team although their lack of a state tax is potentially a factor. Now consider the benefits of LA...high profile, big market, potentially big endorsements, a large Russian community, and being marketed as a star.
Third, from the Kings POV it jumpstarts the retool and doubles the Staples excitement from the Anthony Davis signing. It shows the fan base (not the tank crew portion) that they want to win. Panarin would pay for himself if he brings some level of respectability and excitement back to the franchise. Contrast that with a black hole (or worse) finish next year and drafting an 18 year-old from Thetford Mines or Thunder Bay. The latter case may excite the hockey purists but it leaves the average fan indifferent (or worse).
We live in a bubble here on HF where 18 year-olds are the new messiah's and that isn't reality in the rest of the general fandom. Unless the Kings get VERY lucky in the draft next year, this team is headed for years and years of trouble. They can let that happen or they can proactively try to reverse it by getting younger but also getting better at the same time.
lol Let's get one thing straight about LA, the hockey players are not celebrity draws. This isn't a high profile basketball or baseball player here. LA gives no shits about hockey. If anything, lack of media pressure is LA's asset in that regard since the media doesn't even know who plays for this city.
Panarin is going to want a 7-year deal at a cap hit over $9 million per year... We have a little over $13 million in cap space plus a ton of RFA's to sign along with Dion Phaneuf's cap penalty next year. Sure, we will be shedding contracts eventually, but that deal will linger.
It would fly in the face of what Rob Blake just said about rebuilding from within, not to mention they also just mentioned that they won't be a cap team since they don't plan on competing. You aren't going to rebuild the team through free agency. Panarin will likely be in decline with an albatross deal by the time LA plans to compete again. It's time to be fiscally smart again and not get into these crazy contracts.
Cap space can even potentially net you more assets. Such as the Marleau deal, but given how LA responded to that deal should give you a keen clue on how they plan on utilizing their cap space.
SFKingshomer
Registered User
That's an echo from 2006. How many consecutive games did the Kings sell out at Staples Center before this year? The Kings were celebrities 5 years ago but losing has an impact. In 2012-14 people who had never been hockey fans suddenly were. They spent money, bought merchandise, bought tickets, watched games. The last five years that has largely gone away. If they become Buffalo with this rebuild then I can only imagine what an afterthought they'll be. If they start winning again they'll start selling out again and name recognition will return.
Again, you seem to be willing to take a gamble on a rebuild that only works about 10% of the time. Most of the time it goes on and on and on. Look at every draft for the past 10 years...how many of the players drafted in the top 5 have held the SC or even got their teams into the finals? Very few...almost none. And rebuilds don't normally start when the team already has expensive stars locked into long term contracts.
KingsFan7824
Registered User
They've done a terrible sell job if they plan on going after anyone. What would they tell a free agent? Come on over, our vets feel entitled?
The Panthers are close enough to Miami that Panarin won't be worrying about lifestyle. If they get him, and the Kings can somehow bring in Hoffman on the cheap because the Panthers run out of cap space filling in all their holes, that wouldn't be horrible. Potentially makes the team better next year, and he can be sold at the deadline. Assuming the Kings aren't on his NTC list of 10 teams.
The roster has burned 2 GMs investing in it. Lombardi with Richards, Sekera, Lucic, Lecavalier, and Versteeg, and then Blake with Kovalchuk. It's going to take at least another MVP, Norris, and Vezina type seasons from the big 3, and even then Blake might be cautious to jumpstart any retooling because he just went through that.
The biggest problem is the defense. It's Doughty, a borderline top 4 in Martinez, and then nothing but who knows. Unfortunately they couldn't even get Trouba, because he had a specific place in mind. First they need to fix that mess. It's been 5 years since Voynov. They just got rid of Muzzin. They have some potential with the younger guys, but how long did it take Voynov, Martinez, and Muzzin to contribute?
The Panthers are close enough to Miami that Panarin won't be worrying about lifestyle. If they get him, and the Kings can somehow bring in Hoffman on the cheap because the Panthers run out of cap space filling in all their holes, that wouldn't be horrible. Potentially makes the team better next year, and he can be sold at the deadline. Assuming the Kings aren't on his NTC list of 10 teams.
The roster has burned 2 GMs investing in it. Lombardi with Richards, Sekera, Lucic, Lecavalier, and Versteeg, and then Blake with Kovalchuk. It's going to take at least another MVP, Norris, and Vezina type seasons from the big 3, and even then Blake might be cautious to jumpstart any retooling because he just went through that.
The biggest problem is the defense. It's Doughty, a borderline top 4 in Martinez, and then nothing but who knows. Unfortunately they couldn't even get Trouba, because he had a specific place in mind. First they need to fix that mess. It's been 5 years since Voynov. They just got rid of Muzzin. They have some potential with the younger guys, but how long did it take Voynov, Martinez, and Muzzin to contribute?
Selling out games is fine, that doesn't make the Kings a focus in any manner in LA. Just watch local news. Even if there's Kings news it's often skipped. They don't even always report the final scores of games. And honestly, even when they won it all, the coverage was a flash in the pan.
Not sure what your point is. Just be bad and don’t worry about it because no one cares either way?
Point is selling LA as some FA destination because celebrity status just isn't accurate.
I pointed out the top 5 in the drafts because you say it’s the only way to win a SC. But obviously that’s not true.
Signing a free agent like Panarin will make the kings more competitive for the next 5-6 years if they build around him and 11 and 8. How is that a bad thing?
King'sPawn
Enjoy the chaos
- Jul 1, 2003
- 22,922
- 23,487
Honestly, I ignore evaluations of how good the draft is going to be, especially later ones. For a couple reasons:
- Evaluations of the draft change throughout the year based on expectations, so if the consensus has unrealistic expectations which aren't met, people **** on the draft
- Regardless of draft quality, good organizations draft and develop well regardless of the draft class quality
- Fan attitudes shift based on the draft class. E.g. "Not only does our team suck, but we suck during the worst draft in x years!" I just don't like to perpetuate that attitude one way or another. I like to focus on the players.
Sorry if that's not helpful or informative, lol. There are plenty of players to get excited about next year, though.
But it's going to tie up almost half of your cap just for three players.
one thing for me is that the defense still would not be addressed and LA would not have the cap space to address. We would have Drew (maybe Byram) and then a bunch of guys who we hope can handle the NHL.
Not really a contender with our current D even if you add Panarin, and there would be no room to build around him
KINGS17
Smartest in the Room
- Apr 6, 2006
- 32,564
- 11,711
I think the "develop well" part is too often overlooked. Scouts can be identifying good talent, but if you don't have the proper development program it doesn't matter.
KINGS17
Smartest in the Room
- Apr 6, 2006
- 32,564
- 11,711
I never said you have to pick in the top 5. You're likely to get better players drafting in the top 5. You limited your question to the last five years. I tell you what, why don't you go through the Chicago and Los Angeles cup-winning rosters and tell us how many first round picks (not just from their own organization) are on the roster. Then tell us how many of those arrived via a free agent signing a long-term, big money contract.
