What should LA do at the deadline?

[Schmooley]

Oh I see. I thought you were asking who went back the other way.

I think Brown could be dropped down to Lemieux's spot.

Take Lemieux out of the lineup?

 

[All The Kings Men]

I've been thinking about this a lot lately.

I've almost 100% reached the "do absolutely nothing" place and I'm pretty ready to scream obnoxiously with anyone that disagrees.

Chychrun MIGHT (MIGHT MIGHT MIGHT) help the franchise out moving forward next season and beyond and an "upgrade" at forward MIIIIGHT "improve" the current roster...

but this team is way better than anybody is really admitting to. The things everybody talks about as problems aren't actually problems and the strengths are actually way stronger than people are giving them credit for.

 

[LAKings88]

I've been thinking about this a lot lately.

I've almost 100% reached the "do absolutely nothing" place and I'm pretty ready to scream obnoxiously with anyone that disagrees.

Chychrun MIGHT (MIGHT MIGHT MIGHT) help the franchise out moving forward next season and beyond and an "upgrade" at forward MIIIIGHT "improve" the current roster...

but this team is way better than anybody is really admitting to. The things everybody talks about as problems aren't actually problems and the strengths are actually way stronger than people are giving them credit for.

It has to make sense in a hockey trade kinda way. I’m still concerned about too many prospects and too few spots but maybe that gets addressed in the Summer.

I say don’t mess with chemistry tho.

 

[All The Kings Men]

It has to make sense in a hockey trade kinda way. I’m still concerned about too many prospects and too few spots but maybe that gets addressed in the Summer.

I say don’t mess with chemistry tho.

It would have to be an overwhelmingly obvious "hockey trade"

This team doesn't currently have any glaring weaknesses that can be easily "fixed".

I don't want to hear about the left side of the defence or depth forwards either.

 

[Schmooley]

I don't want to hear about the left side of the defence or depth forwards either.

In other words you dont want to hear people saying they can upgrade the lineup spots of Brown or Maatta?

 

[TruKingFan]

If AA does not have a place in the roster then he needs to be gone by the trade deadline - otherwise just let him walk as a UFA his value at the end of the season would be a big fat nothing.

I just think that a combo of AA/Walker/draft pick/B-level prospects MAY still result in a useable depth player (LHD or forward) that may or may not have an expiring contract for the playoff run. Come on Blake be a little creative since the team is winning.

 

[All The Kings Men]

In other words you dont want to hear people saying they can upgrade the lineup spots of Brown or Maatta?

I don't think "upgrading" single players in a one for one swap necessarily makes the overall team better.

People can say whatever they want about some other player being better than some other player... the TEAM doesn't need to "get better" when it comes to an overall defensive effort.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

It would have to be an overwhelmingly obvious "hockey trade"

This team doesn't currently have any glaring weaknesses that can be easily "fixed".

I don't want to hear about the left side of the defence or depth forwards either.

I think if they can get a pure shooter then yes, otherwise no.

They dont have enough pure shooters,

 

[Herby]

If AA does not have a place in the roster then he needs to be gone by the trade deadline - otherwise just let him walk as a UFA his value at the end of the season would be a big fat nothing.

I just think that a combo of AA/Walker/draft pick/B-level prospects MAY still result in a useable depth player (LHD or forward) that may or may not have an expiring contract for the playoff run. Come on Blake be a little creative since the team is winning.

No one is giving anything of value for AA. The only way he is traded is if the Kings go for a bigger cap hit guy and need to dump off a contract on someone like Phoenix or Vancouver. I wouldn't be shocked to see him overseas next season, how much longer will he be able to milk that flukey 30 goal season.

 

[All The Kings Men]

I think if they can get a pure shooter then yes, otherwise no.

They dont have enough pure shooters,

I don't care what specific pieces they do or don't have. I care about how all the pieces blend together for a team effort.

They're not struggling to score goals.

 

[johnjm22]

but this team is way better than anybody is really admitting to.

This team doesn't currently have any glaring weaknesses that can be easily "fixed".

IMO, this is only true if Byfield is good from here on out.

 

[All The Kings Men]

IMO, this is only true if Byfield is good from here on out.

Well now we're getting into... "are they playing well" vs "are they coming out of the lineup"

I'm confident Byfield is about to start showing why he's an NHL but even if he doesn't... I'm not sure he's coming out of the lineup unless his play takes a precipitous dive.

 

[Choralone]

I think there is a market for AA for playoff-bound teams. He adds instant offense, and you don't have to worry about how many games it will take him to learn the system because he won't anyway, right? Just throw him over the boards.

 

[BigKing]

I think there is a market for AA for playoff-bound teams. He adds instant offense, and you don't have to worry about how many games it will take him to learn the system because he won't anyway, right? Just throw him over the boards.

I don't know. Last time he was a deadline rental, he bombed all over the ice in Edmonton.

I think they keep him as insurance. Not sold that they give Vilardi a taste again this season and they'd rather plug AA in if necessary.

This all assumes that a Grundstrom takeover is actually complete.

 

[bland]

I don't care what specific pieces they do or don't have. I care about how all the pieces blend together for a team effort.

They're not struggling to score goals.

The last 15-20 games are above and beyond expectations. They won plenty of games earlier this year, but about 10 games ago they changed from the kinds of wins that make you think "ya know what, this team just might be on to something" to looking for them to come back down to Earth and they just haven't done it.

Winning is habitual and a skill in itself, and now that they know to do it, man, we could be in for a ride here.

 

[kingsfan28]

 

[johnjm22]

Well now we're getting into... "are they playing well" vs "are they coming out of the lineup"

I'm confident Byfield is about to start showing why he's an NHL but even if he doesn't... I'm not sure he's coming out of the lineup unless his play takes a precipitous dive.

My logic is:
Byfield good = 3rd line good

That line has been an issue all season. If QB and Grundstrom get it working, then I agree this team has few weaknesses.

 

[Gjwrams]

I'm in the camp of doing nothing and waiting until the offseason to do things. I don't see any set of moves that moves them to the "We can beat Colorado, TB, Etc". I do believe we have a team, right now, that is a playoff team. That was our goal coming into the season, and we should not deviate from it. No making rash trades to try and win it all.

Aside from moving AA or Lias out for futures, I can't see anything that really helps us, without hurting the youth influx.

 

[BigKing]

The last 15-20 games are above and beyond expectations. They won plenty of games earlier this year, but about 10 games ago they changed from the kinds of wins that make you think "ya know what, this team just might be on to something" to looking for them to come back down to Earth and they just haven't done it.

Winning is habitual and a skill in itself, and now that they know to do it, man, we could be in for a ride here.

Yeah...instead of simply saying "we think we can play with anyone", the play on the ice is saying it for them. Tons of confidence throughout the lineup right now. I think what we are seeing is currently more than the sum of its parts but that's what I've been saying during the tank: hockey is a sport where collective effort can beat a more "talented" team. They weren't as talented during the tank but what was so frustrating is that it seemed like a lack of real buy-in, effort and simply caring about one another.

I'd be weary of tinkering with the chemistry right now. Any move would need to have an impact beyond this season and probably not include any current roster players. I know Doughty and Kopitar always seem to want more help but I kind of get the vibe that these guys just want to go get it as is. Lombardi tinkered for that 2010 team to bring in some playoff experience since there wasn't a ton on the roster: Blake doesn't have to do that since the Cup holdovers already have it, as does Maata and the three off-season acquisitions.

They could improve upon the Grundstrom spot possibly but he has enough time before the TDL to claim that spot for himself.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

It would have to be an overwhelmingly obvious "hockey trade"

This team doesn't currently have any glaring weaknesses that can be easily "fixed".

I don't want to hear about the left side of the defence or depth forwards either.

I'm guessing you mean from a personnel standpoint.

Everyone looks good when you're winning, but I generally agree.

But I'd throw a big caveat on that and say the special teams are a glaring weakness that can be 'fixed'.

 

[DoktorJeep]

They had a good year on the backs of vets in 2017/18 and shat the bed in the playoffs. Why wouldn’t you want to upgrade if it doesn’t result in an overpay? Everyone is ok with overpaying Danault in the offseason now that he has proven he is worth the money and the Kings are doing well.

 

[All The Kings Men]

I'm guessing you mean from a personnel standpoint.

Everyone looks good when you're winning, but I generally agree.

But I'd throw a big caveat on that and say the special teams are a glaring weakness that can be 'fixed'.

The penalty kill is nowhere near as bad as it was earlier and if "fixing" the Power Play means screwing up what they have going at ES just to satisfy some fantasy solution like "PUT THAT GUY FROM THE AHL IN THE POWERPLAY AND BOOM POINTS" then no thank you.

 

[lumbergh]

The penalty kill is nowhere near as bad as it was earlier and if "fixing" the Power Play means screwing up what they have going at ES just to satisfy some fantasy solution like "PUT THAT GUY FROM THE AHL IN THE POWERPLAY AND BOOM POINTS" then no thank you.

Special teams continue to suck for the Kings. Over the past 25 games, 27th in goals for per 60 minutes of power play time, and 24th in goals against per 60 minutes of penalty killing.

The good thing you can point to in terms of PK is that they've scored 4 shorties in the last 25 games, and that ain't bad. On the whole the Kings are -5 in special teams over the past 25 games. It's not terrible, but thank goodness for their even strength pla.

 

[Schmooley]

The penalty kill is nowhere near as bad as it was earlier and if "fixing" the Power Play means screwing up what they have going at ES just to satisfy some fantasy solution like "PUT THAT GUY FROM THE AHL IN THE POWERPLAY AND BOOM POINTS" then no thank you.

They could use the powerplay help and there are players in the ahl and on the trade block from other teams that would be fine even strength and probably even better than a player or two on the roster.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

The penalty kill is nowhere near as bad as it was earlier and if "fixing" the Power Play means screwing up what they have going at ES just to satisfy some fantasy solution like "PUT THAT GUY FROM THE AHL IN THE POWERPLAY AND BOOM POINTS" then no thank you.

I mean they don't have to even change a thing 5v5. Yeah my solution is a youth pipe dream but even something as simple as "put Byfield on the PP" doesn't seem so profound but should have an affect no?