2017 Offseason Thread 4.0 - Free Agent Frenzy Time

[Reclamation Project]

Call Jeff Gillooly, you still have his number in your rolodex right?

My PalmPilot battery just died, give me an hour.

 

[kingsfan28]

Why not just throw him off a crane?

This is America, stuff like that only happen in Russian Slovakia.

 

[Reclamation Project]

This is America, stuff like that only happen in Russian Slovakia.

 

[Reaper45]

 

[The Tikkanen]

Is there another projected top line in NHL that scored less than the 36 goals Cammy-Kopitar-Brown scored last season?

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Is there another projected top line in NHL that scored less than the 36 goals Cammy-Kopitar-Brown scored last season?

Vegas?

 

[KingsFan7824]

If it improves the team idc how many 1 Way contracts you gotta send down to the NHL you do it . Brodzinski, Kempe are more talented than Clifford , Nolan , Andreoff you play the kids . The way the game is going I think we are going to start seeing more 5'7 - 5'10 players in the league . It's started this year already. No more tough guys . All speed and skill. The game is getting faster and we are staying slower and bender-like lol.

There's only so many veteran players that can play on an AHL roster. It's not supposed to be a contract dumping ground. You could dump the vets there and not play them, like Scuderi, but then real money is being wasted. Doesn't matter to you or me, but it is real money to someone. Nolan and Andreoff can be sent down with $0 counting against the cap, so that could happen. They have spots to lose though.

With Gaborik not healthy to start the year, both Brodzinski and Kempe can make the team, should they play well enough. After that, we'll have to wait and see.

 

[The Tikkanen]

Vegas?

Marchessault scored 30 by himself, 6 more and he could have tied the Kings "top line".

 

[deeshamrock]

Is there another projected top line in NHL that scored less than the 36 goals Cammy-Kopitar-Brown scored last season?

Perhaps a fan's projected but I don't think the Kings coaching staff will do that, it makes them a 1 line team. If you're the coach of the opposing team, it makes your job a lot easier. Toffoli is skilled RW that Kopitar needs on that first line. It makes him better, the line better and the team better. THen you have 2 lines that can challenge for zone time and score and makes the Kings more of a threat. Because they played together in the distant past, doesn't mean a reunion now.

 

[Mattias]

Perhaps a fan's projected but I don't think the Kings coaching staff will do that, it makes them a 1 line team. If you're the coach of the opposing team, it makes your job a lot easier. Toffoli is skilled RW that Kopitar needs on that first line. It makes him better, the line better and the team better. THen you have 2 lines that can challenge for zone time and score and makes the Kings more of a threat. Because they played together in the distant past, doesn't mean a reunion now.

As someone who didn't have sleep deprivation and as such didn't need to watch many Kings games last year, was Sutter just about plunking Toffoli onto the second line for his games when he played healthy? Seems like a very senile coaching decision if that's the case...

 

[Statto]

Gotta disagree here about Kempe.

Kings have 3 players they have spent a lot of time on that need to clear waivers...Mersch, Auger, and MacDermid.

Kempe, Brodzinski, and Gravel do not have to clear.

If they can't win a spot outright then they deserve to get sent down and if they can't make our roster with so many holes to fill they'd be odds on to clear waivers anyway. Just like the draft it's a case of BPA. We need to start the year with the best 23 players available.

 

[AlphaBravo]

Perhaps a fan's projected but I don't think the Kings coaching staff will do that, it makes them a 1 line team. If you're the coach of the opposing team, it makes your job a lot easier. Toffoli is skilled RW that Kopitar needs on that first line. It makes him better, the line better and the team better. THen you have 2 lines that can challenge for zone time and score and makes the Kings more of a threat. Because they played together in the distant past, doesn't mean a reunion now.

I recall Sutter trying Toffoli on Kopitars line last season. I recall that there was no chemistry there. Pearson and Kopitar play better together. Unlike Carter--who you can pluck any winger and they will click together--Kopitar does not instantly have chemistry with everyone. Kopitar and Lucic also didn't work together beginning of 2015-2016 season. It took a while for them to mesh.

 

[Herby]

You go to the 30 other team boards and it's the same thing, what about (insert fringe AHL/NHL player) being claimed off waivers.

If the coaches think Brodzinski, Loktionov, Gravel or someone like that is going to be able to contribute to the NHL club they aren't going to send one down to protect someone like Auger.

The odds on any of those guys being claimed on waivers is slim.

 

[kingsboy11]

You go to the 30 other team boards and it's the same thing, what about (insert fringe AHL/NHL player) being claimed off waivers.

If the coaches think Brodzinski, Loktionov, Gravel or someone like that is going to be able to contribute to the NHL club they aren't going to send one down to protect someone like Auger.

The odds on any of those guys being claimed on waivers is slim.

I'd be honestly shocked if anyone of MacDermid, Auger or Mersch gets claimed. There's not a whole lot to like about those guys and I think the only guy in recent years who made the team because the team was afraid of losing him on waivers was Weal. Those 3 aren't on the same level that Weal was on.

 

[Martyros]

Some teams may see something in Auger just for his size. But with that size comes the skating...

 

[KINGS17]

I'd be honestly shocked if anyone of MacDermid, Auger or Mersch gets claimed. There's not a whole lot to like about those guys and I think the only guy in recent years who made the team because the team was afraid of losing him on waivers was Weal. Those 3 aren't on the same level that Weal was on.

A year ago Mersch was the next coming. Now it's Brodzinski, we'll see.

 

[member 88115]

Hopefully Kopi learns to play with younger guys than him because he has struggled with them. He seem to prefer the older players like Carter, Gaborik, Brown, even Iginla. Times have changed and he is now one of the leaders on this team and needs to be better at how to make the young guys shine at what they do best and not put your head down whenever a mistake is made. I noticed this when Toffoli was coming up and Sutter put him on wing. And anytime Toffoli made a mistake Kopi had a disappointed look. Soon Sutter took Toffoli out and put him with Carter. And Carter body language (at least to me) instilled confidence in Toffoli transferred into the 2014 playoffs.

 

[Reaper45]

I'd be honestly shocked if anyone of MacDermid, Auger or Mersch gets claimed. There's not a whole lot to like about those guys and I think the only guy in recent years who made the team because the team was afraid of losing him on waivers was Weal. Those 3 aren't on the same level that Weal was on.

MacDernid would get claimed. Not a lot of guys like him left. Mersch is a tweener, Auger doesnt seem to be anything more than an AHL'er.

 

[Fishhead]

A year ago Mersch was the next coming. Now it's Brodzinski, we'll see.

I don't remember that kind of hype with Mersch. He's always been a DK replacement at best, his skill set is very narrow and specific.

I view Brodzinski as one of those boom-bust types. He could figure it out and become a 20+ goal, 40-50 pt guy, or he could completely flame out. I don't see much middle ground with him, which is common with the sniper types.

 

[johnjm22]

When Mersch scored 13 goals and 22 points in 18 playoff games during the Monarchs 14/15 post season many people were high on him.

 

[AlphaBravo]

I don't remember that kind of hype with Mersch. He's always been a DK replacement at best, his skill set is very narrow and specific.

I view Brodzinski as one of those boom-bust types. He could figure it out and become a 20+ goal, 40-50 pt guy, or he could completely flame out. I don't see much middle ground with him, which is common with the sniper types.

I liked Mersch's play during the few preseason games he played in 2016. He is the one player both in our AHL and NHL club that can literally plant himself in front of the net and live off of those garbage goals. He reminds me sort of like Adam Deadmarsh in that aspect, although I don't think he will be an Adam Deadmarsh.

I think if Mersch is able to demonstrate that skill set again during training camp and preseason games, he might be on our opening night roster, considering the new coaching staffs emphasis on going to the net.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Kempe, Brodz will have to really have a good camp for the Kings to risk losing Mersch, Auger, or MacDermid. Simply from an asset perspective, you can keep those guys in LA, play them and then trade them rather than risk losing them for nothing. At least another NHL team can scout them.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I always viewed Mersch as more of a Dwight King replacement if he stuck around.

 

[kings11]

A year ago Mersch was the next coming. Now it's Brodzinski, we'll see.

As yourself and others have pointed out, the teams problems stemmed from the top 6 and Muzzin/Martinez/McNabb's play... the bottom 6 has actually pretty damn good and if we can get more then the better.... Mersch, Brodzinski and Kempe all have a golden opportunity to show they belong on the big club, my money is on Mersch/Brodz making the roster with Kempe being sent to Ontario....

 

[BallPointHammer]

Anything in the grapevine regarding Mersch improving his skating this summer? If MM puts in the effort and with the Kings development staff's expertise, could he realistically become an adequate NHL skater.