I will never say I like Blake more than Lombardi....but at least Blake recovers and impoves the team, each of the last 3 offseasons.
Summer 2021 - Danault signing. Bold in length and $. Danault has excelled and surpassed 20 goals
Arvidsson for a 2nd and 3rd. Scores 20 goals, solid all around...and considering came off back surgery.
Helped make the best 2nd line in years.
Edler helped back end (just should not have resigned him)
Summer 2022 - Fiala for #1 and Faber. If not injued, would have led Kings in scoring and possibly he and Vilardi, Amderson being healthy. could have helped beat Edm. Got Mikey signed to 1 million. Fiala would have led the team in scoring, playing mostly with Lizotte? Are you kidding?
Summer 2023 - Signs Gavrikov. Whether or not how, he's the best D out there to be had. The price paid to move Cal and Walker was not that hefty. Grans is not even a good AHL player. That;s not Rob's fault. There's enough money to sign Gabe and a goalie Korpisalo or ? It would be so funny to see them sign Hill and Hill go on to beat Edm, Vgk, or Avs next year. Danault and Fiala were Summer surprises...let's see if there's one for 2023.
Dean's failings were 3 years of faliures, 2014-2017. after the Gaborik trade. Not a single upgrade in 3 years. Yet, he's virtually enshrined here. Could not make 1 single upgrade in his last 3 years.
Absolutely built something extraordinary from these: Vis for Greene and Stoll. O Sullivan for Williams. Schenn, Simmonds for Richards. Signing Mitchell. J Johnson +1 for Carter. Scuderi the first time around. Regehr for 2 2nds. Penner, I guess. Lot's of character and grit.
Compare Blake's last 3 years to Dean's 2014 -2017. Danault one of top Smmer 2021 adds.
Fiala possibly best Summer ad., 2022. (he;'s still scratching the surface)
2023. No team will add a better D than Gavrikov. Whether or not he was already King.
Gav said he would not talk deal and definitely become a free agent July 1. Well? Kudos
to Blake for getting it done,. Gav didn;t do what he said he was going to do!
Looking at the Quick + #1 for Gavrikov, Korpisalo, it's a good deal. They freed cap to get Korpisalo or equivalent goalie. I still believe a healthy Fiala, Vilardi and Anderson, would have made a real difference.
Consider good deals: Fiala at 7.9 Gavrikiv at 5.875. Mikey at 4.1
All 3 GREAT deals. But all I see is the atrociuos Cal 5 mil and Walker 2.65 mil
I expect that since they made an early strike and remove Cal (we still believe in him? exit interview . lol) and Walker. Shows they have more plans and will execute them.
Dean's body of work. Look at from Gaborik onward. 3 years of not 1 single upgrade. All during
#11, 8, 32, 23 primes.
Thank you for the amazing 9 years
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possible Summer surprises:
deal 1 or more of Lizotte, Durzi, AI.
Sign someone like Domi ? A Lizotte upgrade.
A goalie no one has on their radar.
1 forward or defenseman surprise acquisition.