GDT: Still Jeff Carter's team vs Bruins at Staples Center 7:30 PM PST

[Herby]

K17,

They didn't have to start over after 2014 though. They could have taken a step back, reassessed and reloaded.

They could have stuck with Kopitar, Quick, Doughty, Carter etc.

Instead they chose to bring back the corpse of Richards and cement skates Greene using up over $8m in cap space. Richards and Greene were playing at or worse than the level of a player on an ELC.

They could have written off 2015 as a loss, rather than foolishly trading a 1st and a prospect for a rental.

Same thing with 2016, no need to trade for a rental when you weren't winning a Stanley Cup.

 

[KingTrouty]

He "played six seasons with the St. Louis Browns of the American League from 1907 to 1912.". Thus explaining his old-school philosophy.

Expectations weigh heavily on this team.

 

[damacles1156]

Dustin Brown is not playing to the level of his contract, but he has closed the price gap a lot this year. Brownie is playing some good hockey.

When 2/3rds of your alleged top line consists of Dwight King and a player who never ever shoots the puck you are in trouble.

Pearson was bad tonight, just some stupid plays

Well guess I will save on playoff ticket $$.

Dustin Brown has been good all season, guy is bringing it nightly.

 

[Herby]

Dustin Brown is not playing to the level of his contract, but he has closed the price gap a lot this year. Brownie is playing some good hockey.

When 2/3rds of your alleged top line consists of Dwight King and a player who never ever shoots the puck you are in trouble.

Pearson was bad tonight, just some stupid plays

Well guess I will save on playoff ticket $$.

I used to defend King, but it's time for him to move on. Along with Lewis, Clifford and Gaborik.

 

[damacles1156]

I used to defend King, but it's time for him to move on. Along with Lewis, Clifford and Gaborik.

I wouldn't lump Lewis in there, Lewis is once again doing exactly what you ask of the guy, and having another career year.

Probably the only bottom six guy you want to keep along with Dowd/Nolan.

The Kings can't jettison their entire bottom six, they don't even have AHL guys ready for even those roles.

 

[fsanford]

The next one? They're not that easy to find. Maybe the next one is 10 years from now. Could be 20.

How many teams win 2 Cups in 3 years? Montreal hasn't been the same since the 70's. The Islanders and Oilers haven't been the same since the 80's. The Penguins got lucky to get both Crosby and Malkin so soon after the early 90's with both Lemieux and Jagr. The Wings, Avs, Devils, and Stars aren't what they were between the first and second lockouts, although the Wings managed to stretch things out a bit.

Those Black Hawks are crafty ******** though aren't they
Then again they are kind of forced to re-tool a bit after winning cups. Things don't get stale.

 

[damacles1156]

Those Black Hawks are crafty ******** though aren't they
Then again they are kind of forced to re-tool a bit after winning cups. Things don't get stale.

The Kane/Toews contracts have forced the Hawks to keep moving players off the roster.

With Kane/Toews age, it's been a good thing for the Hawks.

 

[johnjm22]

For years the weak spot of this team has been scoring but you never questioned their effort. Under both TM and DS there's been many games where the team worked their ***** off but couldn't finish.

Tonight was different. They looked lazy in the third.

You're in a playoff race, down by one goal going into the final period and you only muster 2 shots on goal? Terrible.

The only way to have a chance at salvaging the season is a coaching change IMO. It doesn't guarantee they'll turn it around, but it's the one big move you can make that will shake things up quickly.

 

[damacles1156]

For years the weak spot of this team has been scoring but you never questioned their effort. Under both TM and DS there's been many games where the team worked their ***** off but couldn't finish.

Tonight was different. They looked lazy in the third.

You're in a playoff race, down by one goal going into the final period and you only muster 2 shots on goal? Terrible.

The only way to have a chance at salvaging the season is a coaching change IMO. It doesn't guarantee they'll turn it around, but it's the one big move you can make that will shake things up quickly.

It would potentially help a guy like Kopitar. Get him out of his own head.

But someone like Gaborik, not a chance, Gabo is done, the guy is in total coast mode collecting a check.

Even if the Kings waive him, he gets paid.

 

[fsanford]

The Kane/Toews contracts have forced the Hawks to keep moving players off the roster.

With Kane/Toews age, it's been a good thing for the Hawks.

They also didn't get burned too much on their long term deals.

Hossa still produces..

But they also were willing to give up some quality assets to move a bad contract Bickell cost them Teravainen.

Would the Kings be willing to give up a young NHL ready D man to Vegas to get them to take Gaborik's contract?

 

[johnjm22]

But someone like Gaborik, not a chance, Gabo is done, the guy is in total coast mode collecting a check.

What annoys me is that he's still physically capable. It's not like his body is breaking down. He's simply decided not to care and just cash out.

 

[kingsfan28]

Might as well pull the goalie now, but typical sutter fail he will wait til there's 20 seconds left

You were close. How many times has he done this this season?

 

[KingsFan7824]

K17,

They didn't have to start over after 2014 though. They could have taken a step back, reassessed and reloaded.

They could have stuck with Kopitar, Quick, Doughty, Carter etc.

Instead they chose to bring back the corpse of Richards and cement skates Greene using up over $8m in cap space. Richards and Greene were playing at or worse than the level of a player on an ELC.

They could have written off 2015 as a loss, rather than foolishly trading a 1st and a prospect for a rental.

Same thing with 2016, no need to trade for a rental when you weren't winning a Stanley Cup.

Written off 2015? They're competitive people, even the guys up in the office. You only get so many chances to win in pro sports. They weren't that far from a playoff spot, they were defending champs, and there was still talk of a switch. Hey, just get in as an 8th seed. Hey, come back from down 0-3. That was the Kings.

If they had made the playoffs in 2015, I don't think Lombardi does the Lucic deal. Why? The pick going to Carolina would've been the 2015 pick in that scenario, and it wouldn't have been a lottery pick, so there was no chance it turns into McDavid/Eichel. Since they didn't make the playoffs, the 2016 pick goes to Carolina instead, which was the Matthews draft, and as the Kings had already shown an ability to miss the playoffs, it's tougher to trust them to make it in 2016. If that pick ends up being Matthews, the whole thing ends up as a complete disaster that nobody ever lets go of.

Of course had Voynov not happened, there's no need for Sekera. Maybe they keep that 1st, or maybe it gets traded for something added to the team, instead of just filling a out of nowhere hole on the roster.

Seems a little too easy to say just write off a season, or just get the next wave of great players through the draft to replace the great players you have, or just get rid of guys a year too early rather than a year too late. All those things sound good, but when you're in it, when you have the thought that you have a chance to actually win, it's easier said than done.

 

[fsanford]

You were close. How many times has he done this this season?

I was sitting there and saying the same thing, Kings had the puck in Bostons zone under 2 minutes, and I am yelling for Budaj to go to the bench

While I don't want Sutter to follow the Patrick Roy philosophy of pulling goalies, I would not mind him shift just slightly closer to it.

 

[Bandit]

Kopitar 1pt in his last 8 games.

Surprised he's done that much.

Think he cracks 10 goals this season?

Not a ****ing chance. He might not crack 8, which is what it would take to tie Dwight King.

I'm so tired of all these Kopitar posts. I'm not saying you guys aren't right but just watching him play and reading about him is getting to me. He's having an extremely disappointing season and looks like it will stay that way.

Then maybe Kopitar should stop playing like a *****?

You were close. How many times has he done this this season?

Again, the problem is not Sutter. The problem is the team can't do anything on the ice. Not even simple **** like getting the puck deep in the last minute with the goalie pulled.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Those Black Hawks are crafty ******** though aren't they
Then again they are kind of forced to re-tool a bit after winning cups. Things don't get stale.

They haven't won again yet. They won very early, when both Kane and Toews were on their ELC's. Both Kopitar and Doughty already had $7m cap hits for the 2012 Cup. Then they had a cap purge, had a couple 1st round out years before their 2 Cups in 3 year window, then another cap purge. Went out in the 1st round last year, and we'll see how things go from here.

They also didn't get burned too much on their long term deals.

Hossa still produces..

But they also were willing to give up some quality assets to move a bad contract Bickell cost them Teravainen.

Would the Kings be willing to give up a young NHL ready D man to Vegas to get them to take Gaborik's contract?

Bickell had 1 year left on his deal. Gaborik does not. Very different situations.

 

[Docgonzo]

Those Black Hawks are crafty ******** though aren't they
Then again they are kind of forced to re-tool a bit after winning cups. Things don't get stale.

It also helps players want to go there, majority of players don't want to come out West

 

[kingsfan28]

Four-to-one loss.

Only goal was scored by a rookie defenseman getting his first NHL goal.

Calgary won tonight and is 4 points ahead. We'll meet them 4 times. So, there's still a chance.

Technically.

Wil Wheaton said it best during the pregame show, "The Kings blew all their games in hands to teams not in the playoffs or to teams they should've destroyed"

 

[Bandit]

Remember when Eric Daze was the best Chicago had? Everything ebbs and flows.

 

[fsanford]

Written off 2015? They're competitive people, even the guys up in the office. You only get so many chances to win in pro sports. They weren't that far from a playoff spot, they were defending champs, and there was still talk of a switch. Hey, just get in as an 8th seed. Hey, come back from down 0-3. That was the Kings.

If they had made the playoffs in 2015, I don't think Lombardi does the Lucic deal. Why? The pick going to Carolina would've been the 2015 pick in that scenario, and it wouldn't have been a lottery pick, so there was no chance it turns into McDavid/Eichel. Since they didn't make the playoffs, the 2016 pick goes to Carolina instead, which was the Matthews draft, and as the Kings had already shown an ability to miss the playoffs, it's tougher to trust them to make it in 2016. If that pick ends up being Matthews, the whole thing ends up as a complete disaster that nobody ever lets go of.

Of course had Voynov not happened, there's no need for Sekera. Maybe they keep that 1st, or maybe it gets traded for something added to the team, instead of just filling a out of nowhere hole on the roster.

Seems a little too easy to say just write off a season, or just get the next wave of great players through the draft to replace the great players you have, or just get rid of guys a year too early rather than a year too late. All those things sound good, but when you're in it, when you have the thought that you have a chance to actually win, it's easier said than done.

But after Sekara bit you in the butt with a high UFA price tag and thus unable to resign him, you don't learn anything

You go out and trade for another UFA in Lucic, if you did not have the $$ to sign Sekera, what made Lombardi think he could sign Lucic?

That is not even being a Monday morning QB. Okay you got burned on Sekara, so double down trading assets to get a guy you will not be able to afford to resign.

It is fair to question Lombardi on this.

 

[kingsfan28]

Surprised he's done that much.



Not a ****ing chance. He might not crack 8, which is what it would take to tie Dwight King.



Then maybe Kopitar should stop playing like a *****?


Again, the problem is not Sutter. The problem is the team can't do anything on the ice. Not even simple **** like getting the puck deep in the last minute with the goalie pulled.

I understand this, but I swear, this may be the 5th or 6th time we've had control with at least two minutes to go, and the goalie stays in until we lose it or it comes out of the zone, like tonight. Next thing you know, empty net goal. It's maddening why he does this.

 

[fsanford]

It also helps players want to go there, majority of players don't want to come out West

Aside from Campbell what UFA's did the sign this year?
Maybe there others but he is the only one that comes to mind.

 

[KingsFan7824]

But after Sekara bit you in the bit with a high UFA price tag and thus unable to resign him, you don't learn anything

You go out and trade for another UFA in Lucic, if you did not have the $$ to sign Sekera, what made Lombardi think he could sign Lucic?

That is not even being a Monday morning QB. Okay you got burned on Sekara, so double down trading assets to get a guy you will not be able to afford to resign.

It is fair to question Lombardi on this.

Can't know for sure or anything, but I don't think Lombardi ever thought he could re-sign Lucic. He had to have Boston retain 50% just to get him here. He brought him in because the Kings didn't have a 1st in 2016, so there was nothing to lose that particular year.

He protected the pick traded for Sekera in case they missed the playoffs in 2015, in case it was a lottery pick and they somehow won to get McDavid, but then the team actually missed the playoffs after not being able to beat the Canucks and Oilers in the last week of the season. On top of that, Sekera got hurt before the last week of the season.

Jones had little value for the Kings in June 2015, nobody they might've picked in 2015 would be helping the team all that much right now, and is Miller the top 4 guy the Kings have been missing? The Kings currently have the youngest defense they've had in years, and Miller has 4 goals and 9 points.

 

[fsanford]

They haven't won again yet. They won very early, when both Kane and Toews were on their ELC's. Both Kopitar and Doughty already had $7m cap hits for the 2012 Cup. Then they had a cap purge, had a couple 1st round out years before their 2 Cups in 3 year window, then another cap purge. Went out in the 1st round last year, and we'll see how things go from here.



Bickell had 1 year left on his deal. Gaborik does not. Very different situations.

Kane and Toews were pulling 6.3 million cap hits before their current deals marginal differences from Kopitar and Doughty.

Face it they never miss the playoff, they are not sweating getting in , and they were a Martinez goal in 2014 from winning 4 cups.

They also retool style, they used to be a much bigger team, Buff, Ladd, now they have morphed into a smaller skilled team. Its pretty impressive really

 

[kingsfan28]