Speculation: LA Kings News, Rumors, Roster Thread 2022-23 Season Part 2

[Schrute farms]

I have much more of an issue with HOW (checking, no PP, limited minutes, etc.) the prospects have been utilized by the FO versus WHERE they have played (league).

 

[LAKings88]

I think Jesse had Cameron Gaunce on his last podcast and he broke down QB really well. @All The Kings Men

 

[KINGS17]

I'm not really sure I agree with the first part. If you go back and reference the QB and Turcotte threads when both were sent to Ontario the response was overwhelmingly positive. The same was true with Bjornfot and Kupari. Even as recently as the end of last season with Helenius. And that was after it brazen apparent the hyper-aggressive AHL usage wasn’t working.

As you know, I am not one to subscribe to the "MMQB" or "Hindsight is 20/20" stuff that Axl and others always say when people are critical of Blake, because for a lot of his decisions as GM there was significant criticism at the time the moves were made. But when it came to the insane AHL usage and poor development choices on those guys it really is MMQB'ing to be critical of it, because at the time almost no one was.

Everyone was hoping to something similar to the Voynov-plan. Play a teenager in the AHL until he is dominant, then trade an exising player off the NHL roster to make room for a 21-year old that is NHL ready.

 

[NikF]

You can spin this any way you want and look at it from a million angles, as some have been saying for a while, competing ans rebuilding at the same time just isn't an ideal plan since they will neither manage to properly rebuild nor win anything. Every other decision stems from this failure of a plan. The reason why players aren't getting proper development, why their roles are blocked by veterans with multi year deals, why their value is plummeting while they're sitting in limbo. All of that is just a consequence of their plan at the top.

If they get bounced in the first round, best case scenario for Kings fans would be a new management group overseeing the next cycle based around Byfield-Clarke. It would be a tough pill to swallow since you'd have to say goodbye to a number of players, even the Fiala addition would feel almost pointless in that case. But I doubt anyone at the top of the organizational structure has the balls to do that. Luc certainly won't do it and so you will see Blake for years longer churning out a 1-2nd round playoff pretender.

Presumably rebuilding was part of the plan as well. I don't know how they can do an internal review at the end of the year and give themselves a positive rating in that regard. None of their top picks are performing or are performing out of the position they were drafted at. The number of established core players who are young is low given the size and and quality of their prospect pool and the value as assets is going to start to plummet on a number of them. How do you walk away from that and give yourself a positive rating?

 

[Bandit]

Funny enough the guy he resembles most is Kaliyev.

Damn man, Kaliyev’s skating isn’t THAT bad.

 

[lumbergh]

I Think Kupari can be the guy you are looking for. He's blazing fast and big, he just needs to play with more grit which I've seen signs of. The European players who grow up on the bigger rink take some time to learn how to deliver a big check without taking themselves out of the play. Rasmus is almost there. I hate that TM has so little trust in him- he clearly has more talent than Lizotte yet is never given the ice time he needs to gain confidence.

We are speaking as if the season is over. There still is another game and another one after that if we win. The Oilers are not invincible and are pretty meh after McDavid, Draisaitl and Bouchard. They are not going to win the Cup as currently constructed. Having said that, there needs to be some serious organizational soul searching if we don't advance. I'm with Bland here, if we stay the course this team is headed for the Black hole.

I like Kupari as a 4th line checking forward, but just hasn't been able to show any ability to control the game from the center position. Two almost full seasons now in the NHL and he's shown no signs of breaking out. It's not just a confidence thing, in my opinion. It's a hockey sense problem.

He'll be fine as a forechecker and a defensive center, but I don't see him making any difference at the NHL level. Just there, pretty invisible. Maybe if he learned to pester and fight he'd add a new dimension to his game. No sign of that happening either.

 

[Piston]

I like Kupari as a 4th line checking forward, but just hasn't been able to show any ability to control the game from the center position. Two almost full seasons now in the NHL and he's shown no signs of breaking out. It's not just a confidence thing, in my opinion. It's a hockey sense problem.

He'll be fine as a forechecker and a defensive center, but I don't see him making any difference at the NHL level. Just there, pretty invisible. Maybe if he learned to pester and fight he'd add a new dimension to his game. No sign of that happening either.

I don't agree- I think like too many of our prospects, he has not been put in a position to succeed. He is already and excellent PK player and his positioning on defense is quite good. Let's give him better wingers before writing him off as offensively limited.

 

[NikF]

The read on Kupari in his draft year was good skills, questionable game sense.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

The read on Kupari in his draft year was good skills, questionable game sense.

Would add he wasn't great at using his teammates and stickhandled himself into trouble, and those have both manifested a bit at the NHL level too

But I'm glad he's picked up his checking because that will be his calling card to establishing enough NHL time to maybe do more

Nothing wrong with being a Finnish Trevor Lewis

 

[ZJames]

You can spin this any way you want and look at it from a million angles, as some have been saying for a while, competing ans rebuilding at the same time just isn't an ideal plan since they will neither manage to properly rebuild nor win anything. Every other decision stems from this failure of a plan. The reason why players aren't getting proper development, why their roles are blocked by veterans with multi year deals, why their value is plummeting while they're sitting in limbo. All of that is just a consequence of their plan at the top.

If they get bounced in the first round, best case scenario for Kings fans would be a new management group overseeing the next cycle based around Byfield-Clarke. It would be a tough pill to swallow since you'd have to say goodbye to a number of players, even the Fiala addition would feel almost pointless in that case. But I doubt anyone at the top of the organizational structure has the balls to do that. Luc certainly won't do it and so you will see Blake for years longer churning out a 1-2nd round playoff pretender.

Presumably rebuilding was part of the plan as well. I don't know how they can do an internal review at the end of the year and give themselves a positive rating in that regard. None of their top picks are performing or are performing out of the position they were drafted at. The number of established core players who are young is low given the size and and quality of their prospect pool and the value as assets is going to start to plummet on a number of them. How do you walk away from that and give yourself a positive rating?

I wouldn't expect a full rebuild until Kopitar either leaves or retires. I think we should prepare for another 2-3 years of being a black hole team, unless QB, Kaliyev, and Clarke really explode into high end players in the next year. And if we get a new coach. Big IF. I can't see Blake firing his old buddy Todd unless he (Blake) was facing imminent termination.

 

[bland]

Would add he wasn't great at using his teammates and stickhandled himself into trouble, and those have both manifested a bit at the NHL level too

But I'm glad he's picked up his checking because that will be his calling card to establishing enough NHL time to maybe do more

Nothing wrong with being a Finnish Trevor Lewis

Sure, but he has a LONG way to go to reach Lewis' level.

Trevor Lewis was dependable right out of the gate. Kupari still looks like an unremarkable offensive player cast into the role of checking center. His speed obscures a lot of inadequacies. I have never been a fan and still think his best usage is as a third tier scoring winger, like a Mike Donnelly type. Dime a dozen.

 

[RocketKing]

The read on Kupari in his draft year was good skills, questionable game sense.

Kupari isn’t good enough with what he brings offensively to make the top 6 or even top 9, and he’s not smart enough to use what he does have to be a defensive asset in the bottom lines. IMO it’s all about the lack of smarts. If we could get a 2nd or a 3rd we should take it. He’s not going to help us win anything.

 

[GameNight]

one of the paths to success for signing the various UFAs and RFAs will be getting Vilardi to agree to do what Mikey did. Here's a 7 yr deal Gabe, but do this 1 yr deal for us first

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Sure, but he has a LONG way to go to reach Lewis' level.

Trevor Lewis was dependable right out of the gate. Kupari still looks like an unremarkable offensive player cast into the role of checking center. His speed obscures a lot of inadequacies. I have never been a fan and still think his best usage is as a third tier scoring winger, like a Mike Donnelly type. Dime a dozen.

"out the gate" at age 24, though, and Kupari has been more productive thus far in spite of role.

I'm not going to bat for Kupari by any means, I just think he's accepted his role a bit and is genuinely trying to be that guy.

 

[redcard]

one of the paths to success for signing the various UFAs and RFAs will be getting Vilardi to agree to do what Mikey did. Here's a 7 yr deal Gabe, but do this 1 yr deal for us first

I don't think Gabe, with his injury history, will agree to that.

 

[bouncesonly]

I don't think Gabe, with his injury history, will agree to that.

If he doesn't, hopefully someone offer sheets him $8,402,976.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Oilers media is micro-analyzing McDavid’s knee while we can’t even get our media clowns to tell us what these supposed changes are so we can have something to talk about until tomorrow.

 

[Shellz]

Are they throwing in a kid or two or just the current roster? Byfield playing defense? Doughty in goal?

 

[Telos]

Not really excited about drastic line changes as I would be with drastic system changes. Understandably, that is hard to pull off in a few days during the playoffs; however, every player is a professional that has likely played or knows most systems under the sun and can adapt to them. I would rather they make changes, be less exploitable by Edmonton, and really put an emphasis on special teams. If everything is played the exact same way with just a mix-up of lines, they are just letting Edmonton continue to do what they do best and are hoping for the luck of the bounces.

 

[ibleedkings]

Todd waits till the last minute to change shit up. What a f***ing clown.

 

[RocketKing]

55 centering 22 and 13. Lizo takes line 4 with Kupari on wing. I’m good with this, just bench Durzi for God sakes.

 

[Fat Elvis]

One thing is certain, the playoffs have not changed my mind on Durzi. I want to like him, I really do. But then I watch him play defense....

 

[Schrute farms]

55 centering 22 and 13. Lizo takes line 4 with Kupari on wing.

That's actually what i would guess offensively.

 

[bmr]

That's actually what i would guess offensively.

I think you gotta keep Iafallo on the top line. He looked good there. Keep Moore/Danault/Arvidsson together and i'm good with 22/55/13. Lizzo with Kupari and Kaliyev/Grundstrom. More balanced. Durzi is still gonna play (sigh).

 

[LAKings88]

Whatever changes they make, just light a fire. Go down singing if you must lose.