Rumor: Planning Ahead: 2019 Off-Season Part 2

[YP44]

Rob Blake - former Shark
Todd McLellan - former Shark
Trent Yawney - former Shark
Marco Sturm - former Shark

well, at least our odds of finishing first in our division have never been stronger

Former Shark
di do do di di da do do do

 

[BigKing]

Because LA has roster spots open.

So does that answer why Blake should do it? Why would a free agent want to do it, at least one that isn't just looking for one more year of a paycheck.

It's been pointed out here numerous times but these defensive prospects aren't kids: LaDue/Walker/Roy/MacD/Brickley are all 24 or older (LaDue will be 27 on opening night!). This is most likely the time to find out what--if anything--there is for these guys as NHL players. Clague is the only real prospect and "kid" that has a shot at being on the big club next year.

8/24/27/Three of the six dudes mentioned above

Any veteran defenseman they can sign is a short-term stop gap that will do nothing in the sense of helping this team contend since they won't be this season or next. Just play one of the guys you already have instead in the event that there might actually be something there as opposed to being the last team to pay Schenn or Engelland NHL money.

The only reason I would sign some meh vet is if they were tough but that won't be necessary if MacD is cruising around out there.

 

[AmadiosAmigos]

Calvin de Haan would have been another nice addition. They gave up 2 RFAs of no consequence which we could have easily done. Ughhhhh

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Calvin de Haan would have been another nice addition. They gave up 2 RFAs of no consequence which we could have easily done. Ughhhhh

Why do the Kings need de Haan and his $4.55M cap hit?

 

[AmadiosAmigos]

Why do the Kings need de Haan and his $4.55M cap hit?

Sorry, I was under the impression our D corps wasnt very good and that all the younger players coming up could use a stabilizing presence to play with. Guess I was wrong.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Sorry, I was under the impression our D corps wasnt very good and that all the younger players coming up could use a stabilizing presence to play with. Guess I was wrong.

Who are all the younger players coming up to take spots this season? A stabilizer like de Haan making $4.55M for another three seasons, after trading Muzzin, doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.

 

[AmadiosAmigos]

Who are all the younger players coming up to take spots this season? A stabilizer like de Haan making $4.55M for another three seasons, after trading Muzzin doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.

What does our D look like as of today?

Forbort-Doughty
??? - Amart
??? - ???
???

Roy, Walker, Ladue all righties
MacDermid, Clague lefties

Not exactly oozing with NHL experience..


We traded Muzzin and added valuable assets. Replacing him for next to nothing would be an added bonus

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Forbort-Doughty
Martinez-Walker
MacDermid-Roy/LaDue

The blueline is set with those seven next season, and if a young prospect is ready to step in, the Kings aren’t hindered by a bad contract that’ll block them from opening up a spot.

 

[BigKing]

It's like, the defensive corp isn't very good overall but then they also have Drew friggin Doughty out there along with another 2-time, Cup winning vet in Martinez. Forbort will be playing in his 4th full NHL season as well and has extensive AHL experience.

The "young guys" aren't young--except Clague--and have all played pro-hockey at some level, including Clague.

The only one that needs a stabilizer is Clague. This team has Drew Doughty wearing a letter and getting paid gobs of money. If he and Kopitar want to be a contender in this city ever again, they are going to have to become leaders and "stabilizers". Every other Cup guy's contract will have run out by the time this team is in the playoff hunt, or they will be in their last season. It is imperative for 11/8's own future to really take a mentoring and leadership role seriously because the only possibility of them ever winning with the Kings again is for the current batch of prospects to yield significant results.

Pair Clague with Drew. He's a LHS. If he plays well in camp and earns a spot, then let him play with the best guy as opposed to Walker or something. Assuming Clague plays well enough to make the team:

Clague/Doughty
Martinez/Roy
Forbort/Ladue or Walker

They actually have enough RHD to move Martinez to his natural spot. In this set-up, there is a "stabilizer" on each pairing while the most important prospect--Clague--gets to play with Doughty. I'm definitely not saying they need to shove Clague in to the lineup and I'd like MacDermid in there somehow, but they already have enough veterans for half of the Top 6 and five other guys to fill the rest of it out. Is that a Cup winning D corp? Absolutely not. It doesn't matter though. What's more important is maybe figuring out that Matt Roy is a competent RHS #6 defenseman v. paying Calvin De Haan $4.55MM the next three years while you aren't contending.

This also doesn't take into account the possibility of late-season call-ups for Anderson or Durzi. Clague was going to get one this year before the broken foot.

 

[Fishhead]

Calvin de Haan would have been another nice addition. They gave up 2 RFAs of no consequence which we could have easily done. Ughhhhh

His contract was probably viewed as too risky because of his injury. Plus, his contract isn't insured so if he get's injured the Kings pay his salary, not insurance. I'm guessing that's why his value is so low.

 

[BigKing]

AEG has got to be done spending any more money than they need to on this team. If not, Marleau is currently an LA King waiting to be bought out.

 

[kovacro]

Interested to see what RFA defenseman do not get qualyifing offers. Maybe the Kings go that route and pick one up that doesn’t get a QO.

 

[KingCanadain1976]

i think that the kings have cap space and i noticed that the cap didnt go up as high as expected So i have a feeling there will be teams in a cap crunch that need to shed some cap Like Vegas and we can get a defense man that way

 

[The Tikkanen]

The Kings can still sign some veteran defense via free agency. The guys nobody else wanted to a 1 year deal with the hopes the guy plays his ass off and you can deal him at the TDL. I'm not taking the statement Blake made saying he wont sign any free agents literally. I think he was talking about big money free agents.

 

[AlphaBravo]

Blake made it clear the roster is already set. Why are people clamoring for a vet defenseman? Let’s have the overage “kids” get their playing time and prove if they are NHL worthy. I don’t want LaDue stuck playing one game out of 7 or so again. Or Brinkley rotating in and out. Let’s see them play.

With a vet signed we will also have a hard time calling on Anderson or another young prospect to get a few NHL games under their belt.

 

[HeadInjury]

I know +/- isn't an exact science, but Roy was a -1 in 25 games, Walker was a -8 in 39 games, MacDermidd was a -1 in 11 games and LaDue was a +0 in 33 games. MacDermidd was heavily sheltered minutes wise, but the other guys seemed to be holding their own, particularly Roy. I think Ziggy's pairings above is going to how they will roll.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Just get Forbort and Doughty separate and I don't care who else is where.

 

[HeadInjury]

Just get Forbort and Doughty separate and I don't care who else is where.

I think you're going to have to wait until at least the trade deadline for that.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I think you're going to have to wait until at least the trade deadline for that.

Hm.

Anyone see Tanya Harding lately?

 

[Telos]

I dunno what you guys are talking about. Next year we will have Forbort dishing to Austin "Eyes Shut" Wagner for all the goals! No one can stop us.

 

[KingsFan7824]

The Muzzin trade wasn't that different.

For some reason, capfriendly isn't showing contract history on Demitra, but I think he had 2 full years left on his deal at the time of the trade, at what was probably a higher % of the cap than Muzzin is currently(or at the time of his signing). I forget what Demitra's hit was at back then. Was it $5m? $6m? Gaborik was at $6m in 06-07, which was 14% of the cap. That's more of what I meant, because yeah, that same sort of trade happens all the time. Teams don't really trade for big money old guys anymore though. As a 1 year rental, sure.

The Kings can still sign some veteran defense via free agency. The guys nobody else wanted to a 1 year deal with the hopes the guy plays his ass off and you can deal him at the TDL. I'm not taking the statement Blake made saying he wont sign any free agents literally. I think he was talking about big money free agents.

They have that guy in Forbort. Maybe even LaDue. There is really no reason to sign anyone, especially if they keep Leipsic. Maybe another Zack Mitchell type. Other than that they're good to go.

New guys are always fun. It's what makes this time of year worth paying attention to. While guys like Amadio and Wagner aren't new anymore, they're still young guys likely be in the lineup more often. Prokhorkin is new though. He's basically the Kings free agent signing. 3 of the 6 D for opening night will be different than they were last October, if they do nothing on July 1st. The players that will fill those 3 spots aren't new anymore either, but none of them will have yet played the equivalent of 1 full NHL season, essentially making them rookies. That's a significant turnover year to year, just not sexy, or worth paying attention to.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Yeah, I can't think of any UFA the Kings would sign that would make this board do anything but groan. It will make early July boring, but our moves are already made.

 

[johnjm22]

For some reason, capfriendly isn't showing contract history on Demitra, but I think he had 2 full years left on his deal at the time of the trade, at what was probably a higher % of the cap than Muzzin is currently(or at the time of his signing). I forget what Demitra's hit was at back then. Was it $5m? $6m? Gaborik was at $6m in 06-07, which was 14% of the cap. That's more of what I meant, because yeah, that same sort of trade happens all the time. Teams don't really trade for big money old guys anymore though. As a 1 year rental, sure.

I remember it so well I don't even have to look it up. Demitra's cap his was 4.5M. 10% of the cap (8M in today's money).

And yes it was a 3 year deal, so he had 2 years left.

 

[damacles1156]

Should cheer you guys up, this never gets old.

 

[KINGS17]

Could also be a possibility the Kings look to the waiver wire before the season starts, as they did with Kyle Quincy once.