The Kings are.. oof

[Bank Shot]

For all the smack talk Leafs got about consistently losing to Boston, and running back with the same core “the definition of insanity”..

This kings team is brutal. 4 straight years of losing to the oilers who have started sieves in net, including this year where career backup/AHL goalie Calvin Pickard 4-0’s them.

Since 2015 they have either missed the playoffs or lost in the first round.

At what point do we stop ignoring this teams faults and ask if they should blow it up?

The only teams the Oilers have lost to the last 3 seasons are the Cup winners.

It's not like the Kings have been losing to a team like the Leafs that has usually lost in the first round every season.

 

[Stephen]

No comment on playoff futility from a Leafs fan, but one oddball thing about the Kings, is that like the Rangers, they went into a youth movement for a few years and didn’t seem to get noticeably younger.

 

[Macheteops]

Sure, I'll play.

The Kings blow it up and trade away Kopitar, Doughty, Fiala, Kempe and Danault. All players who are old enough where they probably have either slowed down or retired when the team is ready to compete again.

What's step 2?

Step 2: Don't rush your rebuild (aka Faber for Fiala)

Step 3: Wait for McDrai to retire

 

[GoldenSeal]

Sure, I'll play.

The Kings blow it up and trade away Kopitar, Doughty, Fiala, Kempe and Danault. All players who are old enough where they probably have either slowed down or retired when the team is ready to compete again.

What's step 2?

Suffer

 

[BaileyFan]

The obvious best move for the Kings at any point over the past 4 years has been to blow it up and actually finish the rebuild that Blake and Robitaille abruptly cancelled in 2021. Outsider fans see the playoff appearances, they see them getting “unlucky” to face the Oilers, they see the 105 points and they think that the Kings must have done something right. They really seem to not understand just how much they stunted the development of their formerly top rated prospect pool and have built the epitome of a high-floor, low-ceiling roster.

The best move for the Kings currently is still to blow it up, and that probably includes Byfield too now.

 

[Crazy8oooo]

to be fair to the Kings if it wasn't for Chicago they would have 3. Same with Chicago having 7 if Kings didn't exist.

If we’re playing that game, the Ducks would’ve also had one in a 2003 if not for the Devils and 2015 if not for Chicago.

 

[Dust]

LA was one clear away from a series win.

One clear from being up 3-1, but the warts had started to appear already. Still no guarantee they close out the series.

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

You got guys like kuzmenko and gavrikov not committing to signing. If they leave. It would leave a big void

 

[Martyros]

2 in 57
1 in 31
We still got 26 years to get a 2nd cup and be on the same pace as the kings

Imagine getting a 25 year head start, and still not being first team to bring cup to California, WILD.

sure, or you can be Buffalo and never get one.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Rebuilds suck. Fans are too willing to jump into a teardown rebuild just because things aren't working. It's basically a 7 year process when you get started. Tons of losing, tons of wasted draft picks, it sucks. If you're lucky!

Besides, the Kings are playing with house money at this point. They won their Cups with Doughty and Kopitar, now the fanbase gets enjoy watching them ride off into the sunset of their careers, occasionally seeing some playoff games. Same with the Penguins until recently. I wish as a Hawks fan I was able to see more of Toews, Kane, and Keith in the playoffs.

Maybe they sign Marner as a UFA and add more elite scoring to their team? Who knows. There are options out there besides just giving up and tearing it down

 

[La Bamba]

Rebuild or retool around byfield

I’d be very pleased as an Oiler fan if they built around Byfield

Kings are a strong team and are close to breaking through. They need a couple of big trades again this summer to retool a bit but they shouldn’t tear it down imo

 

[Raistlin]

they should be extremely disappointed in losing to an edm team without Ekholm and playing their backup. Esp beating them handily 4 times just in the month of April before their collapse. They are mentally weak. I dont think they are meant to do much until Kopitar and Doughty retires.

 

[Osprey]

 

[Lahey]

they should be extremely disappointed in losing to an edm team without Ekholm and playing their backup. Esp beating them handily 4 times just in the month of April before their collapse. They are mentally weak. I dont think they are meant to do much until Kopitar and Doughty retires.

Exactly my thoughts imo

 

[quackquackquack]

While they have a competitive roster now, they've obliterated their pipeline. Its basically just Byfield and Clarke. The Kings have some critical thinking to do.