Kings Article: How DIfferent Will the 2023-24 Los Angeles Kings Roster Look?

[KINGS17]

Durzi is the kind of defenseman Brown used to blow up on a regular basis and we would all laugh.

 

[Nasti]

Durzi is the kind of defenseman Brown used to blow up on a regular basis and we would all laugh.

Oshie did it this year and I laughed.

 

[DoktorJeep]

Define next year. Blake will define it by opening night. So expect the path of least resistance to be traveled the whole way.

The big wild cards are Vilardi winning an arbitration case and Gavrikov’s best offer.

Basically the two most important items on Blake’s to do list. His MO is to kick the can down the road and look for quick fixes on low hanging fruit. My guess is he overpays for Gavrikov after doing nothing at the draft to clear space. Then he lets the assets under his control pound sand if they make a fuss when camp is set to open.

 

[KINGS17]

Define next year. Blake will define it by opening night. So expect the path of least resistance to be traveled the whole way.

The big wild cards are Vilardi winning an arbitration case and Gavrikov’s best offer.

Basically the two most important items on Blake’s to do list. His MO is to kick the can down the road and look for quick fixes on low hanging fruit. My guess is he overpays for Gavrikov after doing nothing at the draft to clear space. Then he lets the assets under his control pound sand if they make a fuss when camp is set to open.

Do you know what Gavrikov did before he joined the NHL? KGB counter-intelligence. There is no Gavrikov.

Re: Gavrikov

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

How different will the roster look next year?

View attachment 703402

I can hear this freeze frame

 

[jgs]

I'm also willing to bet AEG is done eating money for Blake's mistakes, so don't expect guys to be bought out or buried, if they can't be traded, they'll just be played, furthering the issues.

Blake has probably been put on notice about this issue and if it continues he will be gone. AEG is nowhere like the Leafs. Have a tight reign on their their money.

 

[Choralone]

I can hear this freeze frame

Record scratch.... Well, you're probably wondering how we got here....

 

[No Name The Nameless]

You guys are tough on Durzi. Without him the Kings are really soft on D. If they trade him they need to add someone who will actually push back on D. Everyone else is a softy or small except Roy.

So he bitches and pushes? Explain how that’s helpful?

 

[King'sPawn]

You guys are tough on Durzi. Without him the Kings are really soft on D. If they trade him they need to add someone who will actually push back on D. Everyone else is a softy or small except Roy.

Weren't you laughing at how small the defense was 48 hours ago?

 

[AbsentMojo]

I'm also willing to bet AEG is done eating money for Blake's mistakes, so don't expect guys to be bought out or buried, if they can't be traded, they'll just be played, furthering the issues.

thats why I expect another full dose of Walkzi next year.. maybe a slight upgrade from Durzler.. the guy just blew 15 million for a #4 goalie.. he has to pretend these 2 guys are assets for 1 more year.

You guys are tough on Durzi. Without him the Kings are really soft on D. If they trade him they need to add someone who will actually push back on D. Everyone else is a softy or small except Roy.

I could put my skates in cement blocks and skate faster than Durzi... dont you ever tire of watching him get beat to every loose puck or never catch up to a defender try to break free. The dude is an AHL level skater that will never change unless there's some new PED out there. I like his moxie and thats about it.

 

[Mattias]

I'm also willing to bet AEG is done eating money for Blake's mistakes, so don't expect guys to be bought out or buried, if they can't be traded, they'll just be played, furthering the issues.

Then I doubt they would agree to continue paying 5 million (the highest in the league) for a coach who cannot deliver a second round.

If there is no extension announced for Todd Mac, we have our answer.

 

[mysterman2]

Then I doubt they would agree to continue paying 5 million (the highest in the league) for a coach who cannot deliver a second round.

If there is no extension announced for Todd Mac, we have our answer.

Totally agreed...with Tmac at the helm and knowing there is a huge chance the bottom pair is once again going to be Durzi/Walker- ive never been more pessimistic to start a season. No Confidence in coaching and no confidence Blake will make the obvious necessary moves. Lets be honest- assuming they make the playoff is there anyone who thinks Tmac will be the coaching edge?

 

[Schmooley]

Totally agreed...with Tmac at the helm and knowing there is a huge change the bottom pair is Durzi/Walker- ive never been more pessimistic to start a season. No Confidence in coaching and no confidence Blake will make the obvious necessary move.

Yea its hard to be excited about what comes next. Blake backed himself into a corner cap wise. Spent his last dollars and still has holes on the roster.
Really the only way to get better later is to get worse now. Moving guys like Roy Iafallo and Arvidsson will hurt the team but that is how they can do both patch their holes and replenish assets.
Walker Peterson and Durzi may be too hard to move and if Blake can move these players instead it would be a great job.

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

You guys are tough on Durzi. Without him the Kings are really soft on D. If they trade him they need to add someone who will actually push back on D. Everyone else is a softy or small except Roy.

2022-2023 Durzi completely lost his balls and was soft as shit himself. Just a completely different player than when he came up the previous season

 

[ZJames]

I think we need to accept the fact that the next 2-3 years are likely to be more of the same as the last two years. They should be a playoff team, and might make it past the first round if they get a favorable series where the bounces go their way. At this point, I wonder if they should just trade away next years 1st if it helps them move Peterson, that way they can use that money to ice the best possible team they can.

A rebuild is eventually going to come, and hopefully it will be a different regime than BLuc Mclellan orchestrating it.

 

[chris kontos]

A competent GM would have done that a year ago.

An incompetent GM will say "run it back" after getting blown up despite playing not-to-lose, please-god-keep-it-close hockey instead of to their strengths.

A desperate GM will make the above moves nearly 2 years too late after next season starts and get fleeced just to save his job to look like he's doing something while we still have a parade of RHDs and nearly no LHDs or goaltending despite stupid message board fans begging for it since late 2020 While our average age increases but our overall ability decreases. and let's not even talk about development and depreciating assets. The toilet has just started to flush.

This is what appears to be the reality. Imo just the fact of and the timing of blakes panic moves indicates his interest level in his job is low or he is just incompetent.
The fo's goal is to keep our asses in season seats not to win championships.

 

[bland]

I think we need to accept the fact that the next 2-3 years are likely to be more of the same as the last two years. They should be a playoff team, and might make it past the first round if they get a favorable series where the bounces go their way. At this point, I wonder if they should just trade away next years 1st if it helps them move Peterson, that way they can use that money to ice the best possible team they can.

A rebuild is eventually going to come, and hopefully it will be a different regime than BLuc Mclellan orchestrating it.

Trading away three first round picks in a row is inadvisable for Cup contenders, it should be criminal for a wild card contender.

 

[johnjm22]

Player Discussion - Niko Mikkola

I really like the guy and would love to keep him. He'll probably cost too much. If we make any kind of legitimate run and he plays well then he's definitely gone. He's one of those guys where a good playoff showing will vault him into big overpay territory. Like someone will give him 4x$4M or...

forums.hfboards.com

Scouting Report:

The late-blooming Finnish defenseman has enough mobility to play either side. Skates and moves the puck well for a tall defenseman but needs to continue improving his zone exits and puck management. Breaks up plays well with his active stick. Is showing flashes of the physicality his height would indicate he should have on a consistent basis, but he needs to add more bulk and strength.

Long Range Potential: Improving, rangy defenseman.

Kings should take a look at Mikkola to replace Edler on the bottom LHD spot.

Big. Above average PKer. Low mileage. He's right at that age where a lot of late blooming dmen tend to start "figuring it out". He's under the radar. Should be relatively cheap.

 

[LAKings88]

Player Discussion - Niko Mikkola

I really like the guy and would love to keep him. He'll probably cost too much. If we make any kind of legitimate run and he plays well then he's definitely gone. He's one of those guys where a good playoff showing will vault him into big overpay territory. Like someone will give him 4x$4M or...

forums.hfboards.com

Scouting Report:


Kings should take a look at Mikkola to replace Edler on the bottom LHD spot.

Big. Above average PKer. Low mileage. He's right at that age where a lot of late blooming dmen tend to start "figuring it out". He's under the radar. Should be relatively cheap.

Someone said LA asked about him at the deadline. Can’t remember who. Mayor maybe.

 

[ZJames]

Trading away three first round picks in a row is inadvisable for Cup contenders, it should be criminal for a wild card contender.

I agree wholeheartedly. Blake has just put himself between a rock and a hard place with the Peterson contract. Bad idea constantly trading away 1st round picks, but also contenders can't have that much wasted cap space. Damned if you do, damned if you dont. Unless they can find a way to LTIR Peterson.

 

[JBear]

A lot of people hard on Durzi here. In the 2022 playoffs I thought he was one of your best dman. This year is his sophomore year where players can regress and then shoot back up in year 3. At the moment I see him as a poor man's Bouchard with the same trajectory.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Kings need a big nasty LHD on the bottom pair replacing Edler.

 

[kingsfan28]

Kings need a big nasty LHD on the bottom pair replacing Edler.

Do they even exist anymore?

 

[Kingspiracy]

Do they even exist anymore?

Relative to our team , yes.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Relative to our team , yes.

Relative to our team Olli Maatta is Scott Stevens