Confirmed with Link: PLD TRADED TO WASHINGTON for Darcy Kuemper

[SherVaughn30]

Problem with this comment....Lafferierre looked to be 10X the hockey player PLD was. As a rookie coming out of the NCAA he looked more like a bonadide player than PLD did and outscored him in the playoffs with PLDs loan point being a fluke goal.

We have a right to be mad at Blake for aquiring PLD- Caps fans should be livid.

Nah, maybe a bit mild. We had worse with Kuznetsov/Semin regarding the wrong attitude department.

 

[SherVaughn30]

Blake isn't smart enough to make this deal. I feel like he and Washington GM Brian MacLellan flipped a coin and Blake just happened to come out on top.

Heads = No retention
Tails = 50% retention

Because we know Blake can't negotiate for sh*t.

Kings needed a #1 goalie type and Caps needed to add offensive talent as a pivot. This could be a win/win trade for both teams. When you look at it, neither GM had to get creative.

 

[Kudelski37]

Yeah but with our luck Dubois reverts back to an 80 point player in Washington.

I was willing to give Pretty Lazy Dude at least another season but I’m totally fine with moving on, just sucks at the prior assets given up to get him.

If Blake goes and re-signs Roy with the forward core looking the way it does…

The Caps coach is much more critical of floaters and PLD struggled to complete passes to wide open teammates. I don't see the fit here unless the Caps are banking on buying PLD out at 1/3. It would give them more cap space during Ovi's contract than buying out Kuemper. I don't think cap friendly mentioned the birthday buyout issue with PLD.

 

[psych3man]

PLD could put up 100 assists next season and I wouldn't care. I've been watching this team since 2006 and he's like the only player I've ever truly disliked.

Did you miss the Sean Avery era??

 

[Sausages]

Iafallo put up a better g/gp and pt/gm than PLD in his last season with LA. May be spare parts, but I'd say he was more valuable than PLD was.

Being merely better than PLD means squat.

 

[LeftKinger]

I don't know why anyone cares how much PLD scores in Washington. You can't win with a player like that. He might score 70-80 points but he doesn't back check and doesn't defend with his stick. You put a player like that on a winning team and well, look what happened this season man. Like do you think that he's going to become anything besides a huge defensive liability? You think he's going to give effort defensively? We all know that he won't. You think the Capitals are going to win something with this loser? They're stuck with this bozo for seven years.

It's also nice that Blake presumably cleared the deck for the next front office, but I'm sure he'll f*** that up somehow in a couple weeks. If he's going to make a mistake and give out a long term deal I hope he gives it to Zadorov.

Agreed. You don’t know what you’re getting with that guy. He doesn’t change the game at all. He might make a nice play from time to time but he drags the team down.

 

[kingsfan28]

Its even more than that. Kings had Kuemper in his prime and basically gave him away for free to sign Cal Petersen.
So its Vilardi, Iafallo, Kupari, Durzi, Walker, Grans, 2nd round pick, and paying salary retention to Columbus for Provorov all to end up back at square one with Kuemper.

These are two totally different situation. They got Kuemper, a reclamation project, as FA and signed him to a 1 year deal. Sold high at the TDL and got Reider and a goalie in return from ARZ. At the time, 2018 Petersen was one of the highest goalie prospects in the league and weren't going to keep Kuemper next year. Nobody could've predicted Petersen sucking 5 years later like he did. The big mistake was that contract.

 

[Sol]

…I….i… wouldn’t mind going after Laine

 

[Mattias]

Sadly, that money saved with be spent on both resigning RV and Roy.
That said, we have already had a MAJOR change in philosophy. We traded one-for-one PDL for Kuemper.

1-4-1

Think about it.

 

[KingsHockey24]

We're bringing back Tyler Toffoli, Alec Martinez, and Kyle Clifford this off-season to go along with Kuemper.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

…I….i… wouldn’t mind going after Laine

Me neither.

Nothing matters anyway and we’re doomed, he’s a fun player.

 

[dabeechman]

Being merely better than PLD means squat.

.5ppg players that play a responsible game are apparently trash now. Submit your resume to LA, they'll need another incompetent GM here shortly.

 

[KingsHockey24]

I keep seeing people complain about the package we gave up for PLD.

Vilardi is a stud don't get me wrong, but Iafallo is your most average 3rd liner who had a career worst in production this year and Rasmus Kupari who had 1 assist all season.

f*** it, we lost Vilardi but it could've been way worse.

 

[Peter James Bond III]

Wowzetta. In Phuket, Thailand and woke at 3:55 AM to take a piss and looked at my phone and saw this notice from The Athletic. Had to do a double take.

Oh and yes, I play Sultan + Shepard all night on my bluetooth speaker....chill EDM and good to sleep to. But also good to listen to awake.

I have not slept since and read every post...listened to Jesse + Zach D and the short presser.
Geez, dumb questions and someone that tried to say 'necessitates' 3 times and never could get it right...and someone that kept asking if Blake considered 'releasing Dubois a month ago' and Blake said what do you mean? The guy still didn't move off that and said it 2 more times.
(was thinking buyout? Waive him?)

I'm happy this has ended...cannot imagine another 7 years of this going on..."yes, I need to be better" PLD and talking about transition and learning the system and getting more comfortable.
Someone that gets paid 8.5 M a yr for 8 yrs...shouldn't have to acclimate or learn and the team that signs someone like that, made a mistake.

At least Blake stayed true to the exit interview: 'it's time to get uncomfortable and that starts with ME'....He did the uncomfortable. .said he took the blame and don't blame the player. At least he's taking accountability. BUT, now the fixing this begins. It's interesting that they filled the goalie position this way and now have 23.4 M to work with, UPGRADING PLD for 8.5 M (or however they break that up) into 2, 4 to 4.5 M forwards. Many questions come to mind...(hoping they move on from Roy and none of this $ is for him, Liz, Lewis or Grundstrom)

Kuemper? Hey, no way they were getting out of this, without a 1/3 buyout or taking on another bad contract....and if they could make a 1 for 1 trade and not give up another asset or retain anything, it;s a win. But, it's the next moves that make the difference.

Positives:

1. Kuemper has played here and was 10-1-3 2017-18 and without that record, Kings miss the playoffs, period. Yeah, 7 yrs ago. But at least he won a cup only 720 days ago. He was good in 22-23 and while not good last year, I am sure the last week, (once talks started) the Kings goalie coaches probably watched all 33 of Darcy's games and have an idea how to help him and I expect he'll come in and do the work...good guy, good character, knows many here.
I looked up 'Avalanche Cup run 2022' hoping to see that Darcy beat the Oiler in Western Conf finals, and while they swept the Oil, 4-0, it was Francouz that went 4-0! But Darcy won the finals.
2. Ullmark, Saros, Gustavsson, etc, would cost assets and the Kings are not ready to contend.
If they even got Ullmark, he and his agent would want to extend like 4-6 yrs...that's a non starter.
Blocks Portillo and even Slukynsky. Use this money to get 1 F and 1 D. Ones hopefully under 29 and can play.
3. The room...probably improves....I noticed after PLD came to LA, he went to Dodger games, threw out a ball, etc and then tried to get involved and start his dog charity and build a house...I wonder how many really made relationships w him? I thought Phil, being Quebec ties, would see them hang like Phil and Durzi did...never saw that...AND, it was Laferriere, that became his best friend? Kind of odd...that PLD became best buds with a rookie and not the core group? At least that;s all I saw...THIS will be good for Alex! He can get in with the core more and also be good for Turcotte, Clarke and Akil...as they come in. I think this will be good for Laferriere. To immerse into the BETTER pros and core leadership.
4. QB negotiations. A good thing. They can present Q "we're happy you've done the work and taken such big steps...we see you as a center and know that's your goal" (QB said in his exit that he sees himself as a center) This can only help in negotiations, as he now has the chance at what his goal is. Whether or not it helps the Kings get a favorable deal. QB has to be pleased, that he can get a shot at C.
5. The next 2 weeks, will possibly make or break the next 3-6 years?

Don't need a big name...need big game players that can play, are good teammates and hungry.....and even better, if they hate the Oilers, Ducks, Vegas and Canucks.

2 forwards...or 1 F and 1 D. I see Hronek has set the D market 7.25 M??
I was hoping for a shot at Skjei...or Zadorov...Dillon? Don't bring Marty back.
I would not rule out 1 yr, low $. Character, good shot blocker and good for youth
like Spence and Clarke. Upgrade from Englund. I like Dillon. Need big tough, LHD that will be punishing of Oilers, Ducks, VGK.

Forwards? Heard the Toffoli rumors....geez, are the Kings afraid of players they are not familiar with? Would not be against it...as long as not overpaid in $ or term. DeBrusk? 27 and played with a broken hand...thus the 40 pt PLD level...but had a good playoff. Stephenson? Marchessault?
Teravainen? Trenin? Foegele? Hate the oil...but gotta admit, he's played well and scored 20 this yr...as long as he secretly hates many of his teammates and wants to beat them??
I never liked Marchessault, but never hated him...a 42 goal scorer that made 3.5?
Maybe they do sign Arvy...as long as it's only 2 yrs and NO more than his 4.0 M per. If they won't do that, look to others. Afraid of his health, only.
Looking over the UFA's I'd welcome all of them, compared to PLD!!!!!!!!!!!! F YEAH.

CLEAN SLATE. well...it's a slate with cracks and sharpie marks that won't erase!
No more eff ups. Zero. I honestly HOPE that Luc and Bergevin were not on board with this
deal and Blake told them, "I'm doing what needs to be done..."don't you 2, have a coffee date with Brisson?"

FREE AGENTS:::

Thank You - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Thank you for the amazing 9 years

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[Ghetty Green]

Vilardi and Durzi

So Vilardi

 

[kingsfan28]

What did he do to pull this shit off !?!

Jedi Mind Trick

 

[Nogatco Rd]

win win move IMO as a caps fan. here's to hoping each player finds their game again

 

[Peter James Bond III]

The Caps have more problems than PLD....OVI is bigger than Skinner is, with his goalie ensemble.
Sweating out that much, playing 'padel' tennis?
Wow. Needs a 14 day liquids only fast, followed by Boot Camp training.

 

[Schmooley]

These are two totally different situation. They got Kuemper, a reclamation project, as FA and signed him to a 1 year deal. Sold high at the TDL and got Reider and a goalie in return from ARZ. At the time, 2018 Petersen was one of the highest goalie prospects in the league and weren't going to keep Kuemper next year. Nobody could've predicted Petersen sucking 5 years later like he did. The big mistake was that contract.

Oh yea they sold high and got Reider and Wedgewood? You gotta be joking. Did you really just type thats selling high? Kuemper went on to win a stanley cup in his prime and the Kings got Reider and still havent found a goalie.
The depths you go to defend management are astounding. Are you related Blake or Luc?
You cant possibly believe this nonsense you wrote.

 

[Buddy The Elf]

Problem with this comment....Lafferierre looked to be 10X the hockey player PLD was. As a rookie coming out of the NCAA he looked more like a bonadide player than PLD did and outscored him in the playoffs with PLDs loan point being a fluke goal.

We have a right to be mad at Blake for aquiring PLD- Caps fans should be livid.

Let's not ignore the fact that Laferriere also dropped the gloves and fought on behalf of Dubois in the first game of the season last year.

Another random thought, which part of the "Masterclass" is it where you trade a bunch of assets to rid yourself of a 5 mil cap AHL quality goalie, then trade assets for an underperforming over paid center, then trade him for a 5 mil cap hit AHL quality goalie? Lol.

Yeah, that's quite the paradox!

 

[shuchukfan]

Is this the first trade in history where both teams were happy to get rid of their guys?

 

[DryIslandBartender]

Can you believe people actually bought PLD jerseys?

I’ll be waiting for the PLD jerseys to hit the discount rack, and then I’ll have it altered.

DeBust
DeGone
DeSaster

DeBluc’ed

 

[KingPuckChoo]

at the 3:33 mark , Blake's tenure as GM is well described

 

[Lt Dan]

I’ll be waiting for the PLD jerseys to hit the discount rack, and then I’ll have it altered.

DeBust
DeGone
DeSaster

DeBluc’ed

DeBitchass

 

[Surf Nutz]

Realistically, what the f*** was Blake thinking bringing in PLD? You pay that much money for him to be a 3rd line center? Blake 100 percent didn’t think this through. As bad PLD was he didn’t even have a future here.

Kopitar extended? Ok…
Byfields gonna be a center for sure
You have Danault who has performed admirably.

Where did you expect to slot this guy at that price for 8 years? I’d rather have had PLD fail on the first line than the 3rd line. It was awful scouting bringing him in the first place and he didn’t have a real chance of being a top 6 player anytime soon. He was not going to supplant Kopitar Danault and Byfield anytime soon, what was the point of diving head first in and paying top center money and assets for a 3rd line player.

The curse of Kopitar and Doughty continue to block routes for any players

Things changed with Byfield cementing his 2 season breakout.

Remember you were bagging on him in September.

I never understood why Bluc kept drafting and signing/trading for centers. It really effed up the development of some key players, putting Byfield on the wing was absolutely stupid.

Now we got Byfield/Kopi/Danault/ maybe Turcotte down the middle.

Now I don’t think the Kings are done making trades, I expect toffoli to be signed as well.

Putting QB with Kopi and Kempe was a great moved after he initially struggled at C.

Hear the rumbles, I am not big on Toffoli and how much he will get.