Speculation: 2020-21 LA Kings News/Roster/Rumors Discussion Part VI

[KINGS17]

Not every deal made is going to be for someone that is 25 or younger. If they could get Palat for cheap, he'd be a guy that helps for next season when his cap hit won't matter. Buys time as a bridge to when someone like Kaliyev is ready but also adds more skill to a team that is trying to make the playoffs.

We also have to think about who Byfield is going to play with. The wings on this team suck. If you can add Palat for one year and it doesn't cost much since he's a cap dump, you have to look into it.

He has a 20 team trade list. Maybe LA would be out because of state taxes but maybe he is told that he gets to be Kopitar's LW in a contract year so he's cool.

Yeah, I would be fine with Palat as a bridge player. I don't think it's the kind of move Doughty is looking for from Blake.

 

[No Name The Nameless]

I don't get the idea that trading for a 24 year old superstar who is locked up for 5 years is setting the King's backwards.

The Kings are redundant. Their roster and the prospects are redundant. The Kings need dynamic players. Not just because it will help in the future but because it will help the young players to develop properly.

Nobody strikes fear in the opposition on this roster. Nobody. The league respects Kopitar and DD but they are not putting the opposition on their heels. The Kings are way too easy to defend and that harms the kids.

Vilardi is a very nice piece but he is not dynamic. Turcotte sounds good but he's not dynamic. Both of those guys have legitimate injury concerns. The NHL has changed and the King's stable isn't the kind of team that can compete with big boys.

 

[Reclamation Project]

what would this cost us?

Talk about the perfect winger for Byfield! Just the type we need for him - skilled, aggressive, and mean.

 

[KINGS17]

The ability to take on a bad contract in exchange for value is Blake's best card. He must be talking to several teams who are in cap hell right now. The best comp is Anaheim receiving a #1 pick for 1.25 years of Backes (they threw in Kase as well). Offering to take Johnson and Palat/Killorn from TB will net serious value.

I would say value in the form of a draft pick, but not a young player on an ELC, or under 25 on the TB roster.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

The ability to take on a bad contract in exchange for value is Blake's best card. He must be talking to several teams who are in cap hell right now. The best comp is Anaheim receiving a #1 pick for 1.25 years of Backes (they threw in Kase as well). Offering to take Johnson and Palat/Killorn from TB will net serious value.

I don't see how that makes this team better. Aren't we past the stage of accumulating draft picks?

 

[BigKing]

Yea I think a guy like Palat for cheap is a good idea. I dont think its smart to start emptying the cupboard for players over 25 though especially ones that have been grinding for their whole careers.

Yeah. The only veterans on this team at present, at least any that have won anything, are the four dudes that everyone chastises for lack of leadership, excluding Quick but he'll play half the games wearing a cap on the bench.

It would not hurt this team one bit to add a vet or two on short term deals. Brown is gone after next season, at least the $5.875MM cap hit Brown. I don't think it is reasonable to expect a team that has 11/8/32 and then the rest of the team being under 25 except for maybe three guys.

The first DL team to make the playoffs had 18 guys play at various points that year that were 25 or older. Using a cut-off of playing at least half of the games that year means I get rid of Peter Harrold and his 39 games but I'll take the liberty of adding Modin's 20 games since he played over 17 minutes a game in the playoffs and produced. So when I do that, that number becomes 14.

Last season, I actually have 17 guys at 25 or older. When I do the same net out of those guys that played less than half of the games--while removing Carter since he was traded--I get 11.

That 2010 team was still very young and the Kings will continue to be very young next season; however, there is definitely space for a vet in his early 30s. It would actually be good for 11/8/23/32 to add someone that has recently won and isn't using to losing all of the time. Think something like the Sean O'Donnell signing.

 

[raswilliam]

There’s a bigger need on D and that should be top priority. A lot of potential wingers but not a lot of quality D available.

Kings were 11th in Goals against and 27th in Goals for and near the bottom in 5 on 5 scoring. I'd say a scoring forward is more of a need than D at this point. A good Dman is 2nd though on the wish list.

 

[apadilla]

what would this cost us?

I would say flipping 1st rounders, Kupari, Kempe and Bjornfot.

 

[SFKingshomer]

Kings were 11th in Goals against and 27th in Goals for and near the bottom in 5 on 5 scoring. I'd say a scoring forward is more of a need than D at this point. A good Dman is 2nd though on the wish list.

A good offensive defenseman would help with the goals for. We have no one other than Doughty for that role.

 

[RocketKing]

You talking about the WSHL, or the Jr C teams that they rostered? What year were you playing JR at South Coast?

Jr C. 80-81.

 

[raswilliam]

I would say flipping 1st rounders, Kupari, Kempe and Bjornfot.

My first thought was our 1st this year, Kupari and Kempe plus maybe a 2nd next year?

 

[BigKing]

Kings were 11th in Goals against and 27th in Goals for and near the bottom in 5 on 5 scoring. I'd say a scoring forward is more of a need than D at this point. A good Dman is 2nd though on the wish list.

I'd agree that the immediate need is help on the wings and 2C but we already know that--barring trades--Vilardi and Byfield are looking at that 2C spot. Don't think there is anything on wing that we can pencil in at this point, however. I think a wing needs to be added.

A good offensive defenseman would help with the goals for. We have no one other than Doughty for that role.

But this would be nice as well. Kings can't have such an anemic goal scoring blue line again. Walker started to come on late but, again, there doesn't seem to be anything in the pipeline to make this better.

I think they need a winger with some finishing skill but the defenseman just needs to be able to make good passes.

 

[HookKing]

Not every deal made is going to be for someone that is 25 or younger. If they could get Palat for cheap, he'd be a guy that helps for next season when his cap hit won't matter. Buys time as a bridge to when someone like Kaliyev is ready but also adds more skill to a team that is trying to make the playoffs.

We also have to think about who Byfield is going to play with. The wings on this team suck. If you can add Palat for one year and it doesn't cost much since he's a cap dump, you have to look into it.

He has a 20 team trade list. Maybe LA would be out because of state taxes but maybe he is told that he gets to be Kopitar's LW in a contract year so he's cool.

Or more likely his list includes the 20 teams with $0 cap space.

 

[SFKingshomer]

My first thought was our 1st this year, Kupari and Kempe plus maybe a 2nd next year?

Turcotte, Bjornfot, and a 21 1st

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I would go harder after Matt Tkachuk than I would for Eichel.

 

[Fishhead]

So you'd rather use the Blues model that produced one SC win mixed in with a bunch of 1st and 2nd round losses instead of the model the other teams used to have much more success?

Tarasenko was almost a point per game player in the KHL in his D+2. The KHL is the 2nd best league in the world, and better than the watered down AHL this year. Turcotte and Thomas were not close to ppg players this year in that league, so not sure how that is comparable.

Which prospects on the Reign (other than QB) do you see as being comparable at their peaks to Tarasenko, Pietrangelo and O'Reilly?

As for Zegras, well he scored at a 44 point pace this season with zero PP points, and considering the jump many players make at the same age it is probably fair to say that he makes a significant jump in the NHL next year. It would be a huge disappointment if someone with his skill level and opportunity stagnated between his year 19 and year 20 seasons. I don't think he will do this, but I'd put better odds on him scoring 85 points than 45 points next season.

Yeah we will see on Zegras. Kid is good no doubt, but sophomore slumps are very real.

I don't think the KHL is much better than the AHL, if at all. It's like a European soccer league, top heavy with some terrible teams at the bottom. Point was that Tarasenko didn't put up world beating numbers while developing and he turned into a fantastic player. He always had it in him, but he wasn't dominant at a young age.

I have no idea which prospects on the Reign have peaks similar to those players, it's way too early to tell and this is the entire point. Go back and read some scouting reports on those guys. Tarasenko was a wild card, great player but most thought it was 50/50 if he even came over. It's why he fell so far. O'Reilly was a character guy, many noted his weak skating and terrible stride. No one saw his offensive potential, it's why he was a 2nd rounder. Teams were worried about Pietrangelo's work ethic, the fact that he didn't use his size, and looked lazy at times.

That's why I don't get the drama over prospects that were only drafted in the last few years. It's impossible to crystal ball them and know how they will work out. Winning the cup comes down to drafting and developing systems full of good assets and luck. Some start out great and get worse, some stay the same, and some start terribly and end up awesome. It's difficult to project, which is why only 3 teams have won multiple cups recently.

 

[Statto]

I would go harder after Matt Tkachuk than I would for Eichel.

Agreed. He actually strengths a several areas of weakness wing, character, scoring and agitator/pest/grit. Doughty wouldn’t have a problem if we signed him, I’m sure of that. I’d imagine we’d have to massively overpay to make Calgary even think about it. Whilst I’d take him in a heartbeat I’d like to think we could fill those holes with better value, even though it’s probably a couple of players+ needed to do so.

 

[Statto]

Yeah we will see on Zegras. Kid is good no doubt, but sophomore slumps are very real.

I don't think the KHL is much better than the AHL, if at all. It's like a European soccer league, top heavy with some terrible teams at the bottom. Point was that Tarasenko didn't put up world beating numbers while developing and he turned into a fantastic player. He always had it in him, but he wasn't dominant at a young age.

I have no idea which prospects on the Reign have peaks similar to those players, it's way too early to tell and this is the entire point. Go back and read some scouting reports on those guys. Tarasenko was a wild card, great player but most thought it was 50/50 if he even came over. It's why he fell so far. O'Reilly was a character guy, many noted his weak skating and terrible stride. No one saw his offensive potential, it's why he was a 2nd rounder. Teams were worried about Pietrangelo's work ethic, the fact that he didn't use his size, and looked lazy at times.

That's why I don't get the drama over prospects that were only drafted in the last few years. It's impossible to crystal ball them and know how they will work out. Winning the cup comes down to drafting and developing systems full of good assets and luck. Some start out great and get worse, some stay the same, and some start terribly and end up awesome. It's difficult to project, which is why only 3 teams have won multiple cups recently.

Which is why even if you get every decision 100% correct you need a bit of luck also. That’s why I prefer a patient approach because if you try and force it I think you limit your chances to get lucky.

 

[kenito7]

I would go harder after Matt Tkachuk than I would for Eichel.

Tkachuk and Sergachev are not available Eichel might be. Every team would be interested if they became available.

 

[Fishhead]

I don't see how that makes this team better. Aren't we past the stage of accumulating draft picks?

It all depends if said pick was used in another deal. I think taking a bad contract along with a 3rd or 4th and sitting on it could be counterproductive.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Vilardi is a very nice piece but he is not dynamic. Turcotte sounds good but he's not dynamic. Both of those guys have legitimate injury concerns. The NHL has changed and the King's stable isn't the kind of team that can compete with big boys.

Vilardi has played in 64 out of 66 games since being called up to the big league last year. The two games he missed, he was a healthy scratch. What injury concerns are you speaking of?

 

[No Name The Nameless]

I'm not doing that for 1 year of a player. He doesn't seem like a California dude

I would say flipping 1st rounders, Kupari, Kempe and Bjornfot.

 

[No Name The Nameless]

Vilardi has played in 64 out of 66 games since being called up to the big league last year. The two games he missed, he was a healthy scratch. What injury concerns are you speaking of?

Do you want me to answer your rhetorical question?
The same injury concerns that made him fall in the draft and the same injury concerns that made him miss much of two seasons. Unless the dude is injecting gear directly in his nuts he has legitimate concerns.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Do you want me to answer your rhetorical question?

Sure! I get the concerns everyone had prior to him becoming a pro, but he's given nobody any reason since that point to think that is previous back issues are still an ongoing concern.

 

[lumbergh]

So do you offer the farm for Sergachev and Point? TB could retool on the fly

I'd take Point. I would even take on Killorn as a package if that were necessary.