Recap the last four years.

[LAKings88]

I’ve struggled to recall the last four years at times. Just trying to keep it straight and get a sense of how they got to this point.

14-15
-Voynov, Stoll, Mitchell, and Richards depart
-Kings narrowly miss after faltering in the stretch
-Traded for Sekera who promptly got injured
-Let Williams go.
-Manchester wins Calder Cup
-Regehr retire?

15-16
-Traded for Lucic at draft
-Big year, clinched early
-wheels fell off at the end
-Traded for Vinny and Schenn
-Was Versteeg here?
-Lost to Sharks who went to the Finals
-Let Lucic walk
-Let Schenn walk
-Vinny retired
-Kopi Extension



16-17
-Quick injured
-Traded for Bishop and Iginla
-Missed playoffs(was it close?)
-Sutter and DL fired
-Draft Vilardi


17-18
-Blake and Luc take over
-Signed Iafallo and Peterson
-Carter injured
-Traded Gaborik for Phaneuf/Thompson
-Traded for Reider
-Lost to Vegas who went to the Finals
-Reider walks
-Draft Kupari
-Doughty signs extension

What am I missing? Getting wrong?

Click to read more...

 

[Sol]

 

[SettlementRichie10]

14/15: wtf
15/16: sigh
16/17: dear god
17/18: depression
18/19: I stared into the void, and the void stared back

 

[KingsFan7824]

16-17
-Quick injured
-Traded for Bishop and Iginla
-Missed playoffs(was it close?)
-Sutter and DL fired
-Draft Vilardi
-Kopi signs extension

No, it wasn't close, and Kopitar re-signed in January 2016, while they were firmly in 1st place. Mitchell also left in the summer of 2014, not 2015. Other than those details, you're good to go.

 

[Herby]

People will look back at amazement how a team who won 2 Cups in 3 years (and was second best team the other year), became below average overnight.

I think variance and luck did favor the Kings significantly in those three years and that did balance out in the following years where the Kings had quite a bit of misfortune.

I think the three biggest things have been the Voynov situation and the failure of TT and TP to be effective 2nd line players. They traded a bunch of picks probably thinking they had two really good 2nd line players for the next 7-8 years and that hasn't been the case.

 

[KingsFan7824]

People will look back at amazement how a team who won 2 Cups in 3 years (and was second best team the other year), became below average overnight.

Unless you look at the mistakes prior to the 2012 run. Then, it's more amazing that they won 2 in 3 to begin with. They gave up Schenn and Simmonds for Richards, and it turns out they were still multiple moves away from winning. It took yet another 1st round asset, on top of the 1st for Penner, and the 5th overall pick, and another good young player. They lucked out that Carter wanted out of Columbus. Had he been happy there, there's probably no Cup in 2012. Then we look at both the Penner and Richards deals the same way we do Lucic. At least there wouldn't have been a Lucic deal though, because Lombardi would've been gone, and the team probably would've been different by June 2015.

Also, how on the edge between success and failure the Kings were in those years. People say they weren't your normal 8th seed in 2012, but they were the 8th seed nonetheless. They were close enough to not making the playoffs that year, for any number of reasons. Down 0-3 and having to win three Game 7's on the road in the same playoff tournament. You don't see that. Literally. The Kings are the only team to have ever accomplished both in the same year. That is defying the odds. The scratching and clawing that had to be done just to get through 2 rounds in 2013.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

People will look back at amazement how a team who won 2 Cups in 3 years (and was second best team the other year), became below average overnight.

I think variance and luck did favor the Kings significantly in those three years and that did balance out in the following years where the Kings had quite a bit of misfortune.

I think the three biggest things have been the Voynov situation and the failure of TT and TP to be effective 2nd line players. They traded a bunch of picks probably thinking they had two really good 2nd line players for the next 7-8 years and that hasn't been the case.

Are we talking about us or Chicago, can't really tell?

 

[The Tikkanen]

The past 4 years=The Richards and Voynov fallout years. Both should still be in the lineup playing quality minutes and forcing other players either down the depth chart or off the roster completely.

 

[Herby]

Are we talking about us or Chicago, can't really tell?

Chicago's run was from 2009 to 2015. The Kings was from 2012 to 2014. Little bit of a longer run.

But if you insist on comparing the two things.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Chicago's run was from 2009 to 2015. The Kings was from 2012 to 2014. Little bit of a longer run.

But if you insist on comparing the two things.

Yes, a bit longer, but they also didn't have a sudden loss of players like Voynov or a player decline like Richards as Tikkanen mentioned above, those two things dont happen, Kings run is probably as long, maybe a year shorter etc

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Yes, a bit longer, but they also didn't have a sudden loss of players like Voynov or a player decline like Richards as Tikkanen mentioned above, those two things dont happen, Kings run is probably as long, maybe a year shorter etc

Chicago actually lost a number of good players between Stanley Cups, like Dustin Byfuglien, who is a far better player than Voynov.

Brad Richards was like their version of Mike Richards, except without the off-ice issues. Just a former top center who declined quite a bit when they added him.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Chicago actually lost a number of good players between Stanley Cups, like Dustin Byfuglien, who is a far better player than Voynov.

Brad Richards was like their version of Mike Richards, except without the off-ice issues. Just a former top center who declined quite a bit when they added him.

They replaced Byfuglien with Nick Leddy, we replaced Voynov with McBain....yes, they lost players, but that was by choice, with a replacement in mind, and planned out, huge difference.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

They replaced Byfuglien with Nick Leddy, we replaced Voynov with McBain....yes, they lost players, but that was by choice, with a replacement in mind, and planned out, huge difference.

It actually wasn’t by choice. A huge error on Dale Tallon’s part in tendering a qualifying offer to Byfuglien (among others) resulted in him becoming a UFA, which cost the Blackhawks a ton of money to re-sign. It was a big reason Tallon ended up being ousted in Chicago.

Leddy was hated by Blackhawks fans, and Chicago won another Cup without him in 2015. That team relied on their top 4 dmen and barely gave ice time to its 3rd pairing.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Chicago had a dominant 6 year run, which included three championships. But they did have their stinker years, including 2011 and 2012, two first round losses.

I think the Kings becoming the only team to really stop them during that time speaks volumes to just how good those years were for LA.

We can crap on the current incarnation of the team, but it’s foolish to denigrate their dominant 2012-2014. They were neck and neck with Chicago for the best team in the league during that timeframe, and everyone else was a clear tier below.

 

[Kingsfan1]

Biggest failures was losing Voynov who is arguably a top 2 dman. Also like other posters mentioned above , Toffoli and Pearson stagnated or got worse they didn’t improve . I thought they would be great 2nd liners for years . Toffoli can still produce but he’s just to slow , Pearson just looks useless . I’d trade him

 

[KingsFan7824]

The past 4 years=The Richards and Voynov fallout years. Both should still be in the lineup playing quality minutes and forcing other players either down the depth chart or off the roster completely.

Simply can't lose both for nothing. Voynov was a young, top 4, relatively cheap RHD. You don't just find those guys. Nobody is trading them to you(without giving up something really good). They haven't filled that hole in any way in 4 years. A giant loss in a hard cap league.

Richards. The Cups were worth it. They were still multiple moves away from winning after getting Richards, and lucked out that Carter wanted out of Columbus, but the Cups were worth it. However, since June 2014, Schenn has 100 goals and 237 points, and Simmonds has 121 goals and 217 points. In terms of the team today, you can't get less than 3 solid seasons from Richards himself, when you give up that many goals and points. It's a hard cap league, and mostly because Richards quickly broke down physically, that has turned into a very inefficient trade long term. It wasn't a trade made for the long term, but I'm guessing Lombardi was figuring on more than 3 years at most, which includes 4th line Richards. Even if they got rid of Richards in 2014, who knows what the replacement would've been.

Throw that in with the missed or traded 1st round picks from 2006 to 2016, and things are going to get difficult. It all eventually catches up.

Chicago actually lost a number of good players between Stanley Cups, like Dustin Byfuglien, who is a far better player than Voynov.

Brad Richards was like their version of Mike Richards, except without the off-ice issues. Just a former top center who declined quite a bit when they added him.

Chicago had a dominant 6 year run, which included three championships. But they did have their stinker years, including 2011 and 2012, two first round losses.

I think the Kings becoming the only team to really stop them during that time speaks volumes to just how good those years were for LA.

We can crap on the current incarnation of the team, but it’s foolish to denigrate their dominant 2012-2014. They were neck and neck with Chicago for the best team in the league during that timeframe, and everyone else was a clear tier below.

The biggest difference between the Kings and Hawks(outside of regular season success) is that the Hawks got to a conference final, and won the Cup, in separate seasons, with both Kane and Toews on their ELC's. The Kings got out of the 1st round only after both Kopitar and Doughty were on their 2nd contracts. Take out 2009 and 2010, and the Hawks have the same 3 year window as the Kings where they won twice. It was just a much shorter time frame for the Kings. You look at all the future assets Lombardi had to trade just to get out of the 1st round in 2012, going back to the Penner deal, compared to the 2010 Hawks team, or even the 2009 team, it's night and day.

Also, let's not get too crazy. The Hawks owned the Kings from that first game after the lockout, where they raised the banner in front of the Hawks, up through to almost the end of the 2nd period in Game 2 of the 2014 series. They were not neck and neck with the Hawks before the 3rd period of Game 2. The Hawks picked Quick apart in that 2013 series. The Kings couldn't stop Kane from scoring in LA, let alone in Chicago. The Kings were always a step behind the Hawks, until that 2014 series was over, which the Kings will always have as an accomplishment.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

I've commented here on your board before that as a Hawks fan I kinda feel a kinship with Kings fans because between our 2 teams we owned the league for 4 seasons, and that 2014 conference finals playoff series was as good as it gets. An earlier post mentioned Hawks fans hate Leddy and the main reason we hate Leddy is the series winning goal in OT of Game-7 bounced off Leddy past Crawford and the reason it bounced off Leddy was because he had his stick knocked out of his hands and instead of making the right play, he took the time to retrieve his stick and was late covering in front of the net.

Now, since 2015, both our teams have gone down hill and we both ask - how did we get here? Both teams lost good players for sure and that's the main reason. You guys missed the playoffs a couple years ago and we missed for the first time in 10 years last season. Two of our core guys from all three Cups left last year - Hossa retired due to skin problem and Hjalmarsson was traded. Keith and Seabrook ain't what the used to be, especially Seabrook and we have a rookie and a bunch of 5/6/7 d-men. We;re still feeling the effects of Bowman's bonehead trade of Panarin for Saad, especially because Saad has regressed a bunch from a few years ago. We have some highly thought of d-prospects in the pipeline but even if everything goes as well as it can we're probably still a couple years away from be a legitimate contender. The hope is we get back into contention before Toews and Kane fade away.

Do you guys have some potential stars on the way or what's your short/long term outlook?

 

[DoktorJeep]

I've commented here on your board before that as a Hawks fan I kinda feel a kinship with Kings fans because between our 2 teams we owned the league for 4 seasons, and that 2014 conference finals playoff series was as good as it gets. An earlier post mentioned Hawks fans hate Leddy and the main reason we hate Leddy is the series winning goal in OT of Game-7 bounced off Leddy past Crawford and the reason it bounced off Leddy was because he had his stick knocked out of his hands and instead of making the right play, he took the time to retrieve his stick and was late covering in front of the net.

Now, since 2015, both our teams have gone down hill and we both ask - how did we get here? Both teams lost good players for sure and that's the main reason. You guys missed the playoffs a couple years ago and we missed for the first time in 10 years last season. Two of our core guys from all three Cups left last year - Hossa retired due to skin problem and Hjalmarsson was traded. Keith and Seabrook ain't what the used to be, especially Seabrook and we have a rookie and a bunch of 5/6/7 d-men. We;re still feeling the effects of Bowman's bonehead trade of Panarin for Saad, especially because Saad has regressed a bunch from a few years ago. We have some highly thought of d-prospects in the pipeline but even if everything goes as well as it can we're probably still a couple years away from be a legitimate contender. The hope is we get back into contention before Toews and Kane fade away.

Do you guys have some potential stars on the way or what's your short/long term outlook?

I would sacrifice a goat at midnight for a player like Debrincat on the Kings.

 

[KINGS17]

I've commented here on your board before that as a Hawks fan I kinda feel a kinship with Kings fans because between our 2 teams we owned the league for 4 seasons, and that 2014 conference finals playoff series was as good as it gets. An earlier post mentioned Hawks fans hate Leddy and the main reason we hate Leddy is the series winning goal in OT of Game-7 bounced off Leddy past Crawford and the reason it bounced off Leddy was because he had his stick knocked out of his hands and instead of making the right play, he took the time to retrieve his stick and was late covering in front of the net.

Now, since 2015, both our teams have gone down hill and we both ask - how did we get here? Both teams lost good players for sure and that's the main reason. You guys missed the playoffs a couple years ago and we missed for the first time in 10 years last season. Two of our core guys from all three Cups left last year - Hossa retired due to skin problem and Hjalmarsson was traded. Keith and Seabrook ain't what the used to be, especially Seabrook and we have a rookie and a bunch of 5/6/7 d-men. We;re still feeling the effects of Bowman's bonehead trade of Panarin for Saad, especially because Saad has regressed a bunch from a few years ago. We have some highly thought of d-prospects in the pipeline but even if everything goes as well as it can we're probably still a couple years away from be a legitimate contender. The hope is we get back into contention before Toews and Kane fade away.

Do you guys have some potential stars on the way or what's your short/long term outlook?

Vilardi is probably the only prospect of real note and he has so far had chronic back problems. We may have a decent goalie on the way in Petersen.

I think Amadio (only 21 years old) could be a solid 3C on a contending team some day, so I think he is a keeper for the Kings. He seems to be in Stevens doghouse though.

Kempe has been a disappointment. He may be nothing more than an energy player on a contending team.

Pearson and Toffoli who should be in their prime right now and making their marks in the NHL have been disappointing. They are both around the same age as Saad and both have regressed. It sure doesn't take a forward's production long to go down once they get satisfied and aren't working as hard as they did a few seasons ago.

After that it's a bunch of question marks.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

Vilardi is probably the only prospect of real note and he has so far had chronic back problems. We may have a decent goalie on the way in Petersen.

I think Amadio (only 21 years old) could be a solid 3C on a contending team some day, so I think he is a keeper for the Kings. He seems to be in Stevens doghouse though.

Kempe has been a disappointment. He may be nothing more than an energy player on a contending team.

Pearson and Toffoli who should be in their prime right now and making their marks in the NHL have been disappointing. They are both around the same age as Saad and both have regressed. It sure doesn't take a forward's production long to go down once they get satisfied and aren't working as hard as they did a few seasons ago.

After that it's a bunch of question marks.

What's the prognosis on Vilardi? Hopefully he can get past the back problems.

I always liked Toffoli and still do but I was never sold on Pearson. He played OK on the "70's line" but it was more about Carter and Toffoli - at least that's the way it seemed to me from a distance. At least you guys still have a solid d-corps that should be remain good for the next few years. The Hawks have Keith who is more like a 3/4 guy now and Seabrook is adequate with limited minutes like as a 5/6 guy and a bunch of barely 5/6/7 guys to go along with the first of a bunch of good d-prospects to make it to the NHL (Jokiharju). In other words - overall defense is not good.

 

[KINGS17]

What's the prognosis on Vilardi? Hopefully he can get past the back problems.

I always liked Toffoli and still do but I was never sold on Pearson. He played OK on the "70's line" but it was more about Carter and Toffoli - at least that's the way it seemed to me from a distance. At least you guys still have a solid d-corps that should be remain good for the next few years. The Hawks have Keith who is more like a 3/4 guy now and Seabrook is adequate with limited minutes like as a 5/6 guy and a bunch of barely 5/6/7 guys to go along with the first of a bunch of good d-prospects to make it to the NHL (Jokiharju). In other words - overall defense is not good.

Regarding Vilardi, who knows. He injured himself during training last summer. I think Vilardi and the Kings medical and training staff have a lot to figure out in terms of what he needs to do to stay on the ice.

The Kings have Doughty. Martinez and Muzzin have been a disaster when paired together. Phaneuf is too slow for this NHL, and the Kings can't seem to find a number 6. I think Muzzin and Martinez still have value in a trade and the Kings should explore moving them both this season. One of them should have been dealt two years ago at a minimum.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

Regarding Vilardi, who knows. He injured himself during training last summer. I think Vilardi and the Kings medical and training staff have a lot to figure out in terms of what he needs to do to stay on the ice.

The Kings have Doughty. Martinez and Muzzin have been a disaster when paired together. Phaneuf is too slow for this NHL, and the Kings can't seem to find a number 6. I think Muzzin and Martinez still have value in a trade and the Kings should explore moving them both this season. One of them should have been dealt two years ago at a minimum.

I'll trade you any Hawks d-man currently on the roster for Martinez or Muzzin with the exception of Keith and Jokiharju. The thing with the other Hawks d-men - they can't play defense well enough to not be a liability regardless any offensive skills they may have.

 

[deaderhead28]

Recap the last four years.


Kicking the can down the road while not filling the position of needs.

 

[KINGS17]

I'll trade you any Hawks d-man currently on the roster for Martinez or Muzzin with the exception of Keith and Jokiharju. The thing with the other Hawks d-men - they can't play defense well enough to not be a liability regardless any offensive skills they may have.

I don't think the Kings and Blackhawks make good trading partners at this time. Both organizations are likely trying to unload and then acquire the same type of assets. Both organizations need to look to teams like the Leafs, Preds, and Jets in the West, and any number of contenders in the East to right the ship.

 

[mrkolice]

that short period with sad delinquent episodes of epic proportions, highlightning voynov, stoll and richards. afterwards the team never really recovered.