2017 Offseason Thread: Changes Incoming 2.0

[Bandit]

Thornton is not a 3rd line center. Why would you voluntarily cut your ice time, take less years and less money? If the Kings sign Thornton it would be to play #2C and move Carter to the top line. Thornton averaged 18:04 of ES ice time and a whopping 3:31 of PP ice time where he put up 19 points. To compare ice time for the uninformed saying Joe would be a 3C Kopitar played 20:46 at ES and 3:00 on the PP and also put up 19 PP points.

Thornton just trashed his knee, is a year older, and he doesn't exactly strike me as the "win first" kind if guy. I'm not saying it's likely he comes here, but it's not completely impossible.

 

[LAKings88]

Can't see Weal wanting to come back to LA.

Free agent list is rather poor.

 

[LAKings88]

I know most are hoping LA moves Muzz/Amart but it seems like the market is saturated with good young dman right now.

Top available players seem to be Drouin, Kane, JVR, Eberle, and Duchene.

Also the #3OA.

Seems like Vatanen, Dumba, Tanev, maybe even Faulk are available. Probably a few I've missed too.

I know LA is talking but can they compete with these other teams for an attractive package?

 

[kingsfan28]

I had thought about Weal as well. He's gonna need a new contract IIRC and I think he's the type of player that Blake et. al. are after, plus he's familiar with everything here.

He'll probably play better knowing he doesn't have to be a grinder on the 4th line eliminating his skill, and won't be a healthy scratch for 10 games if he misses a check.

 

[kingsfan28]

Oshie is the biggest name available. I know 90% of the people on this board want nothing to do with him, but I would like to target him. Doubt we get Oshie, however, so the realistic targets should be Radulov and Eaves. I think both of these players can be signed to 3-4 year contracts, with a cap hit lower than $5 million. I think Radulov will likely demand between 4-5 million, while Eaves will demand in the $3 million range, if he gets a 3-4 year term.

Otherwise, I would want to sign two forwards that could have a resurrection to cheap contracts. Players like Vrbata, Sharp, or Hudler are good options on cheap deals and short terms.

Oshie will be looking at a 6-7 mil contract times 6. If Backes and Lucic got what they did, Oshie will get equal if not more. Radulov wants to be paid as well.

 

[The Tikkanen]

I know most are hoping LA moves Muzz/Amart but it seems like the market is saturated with good young dman right now.

Top available players seem to be Drouin, Kane, JVR, Eberle, and Duchene.

Also the #3OA.

Seems like Vatanen, Dumba, Tanev, maybe even Faulk are available. Probably a few I've missed too.

I know LA is talking but can they compete with these other teams for an attractive package?

And you'd have to assume Vegas is gonna sign somebody. They need to generate excitement right away, from the projected expansion draft teams they will need a lot of help.

 

[kings11]

Our realistic target are
Evander Kane
Jordan Eberle
Jordan Weal
Joe Thornton
Nick Bjudstad...maybe lol

 

[Kingspiracy]

Our realistic target are
Evander Kane
Jordan Eberle
Jordan Weal
Joe Thornton
Nick Bjudstad...maybe lol

Wasn't bjugstad supposed to be the next big thing? He'd be a great cheap pickup if he could find his game with us.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Seeing people say the Kings should trade Brown and 11OA ALONG with retaining. Get the **** outta here. Why not throw in some more stuff? I wouldn't trade Brown and 11OA, let alone retain. I wouldn't trade Gaborik and 11OA.

11OA is only traded if you're receiving an immediate impact player on a great contract, which probably won't happen. I'm also tired of this bad draft nonsense like these picks have no value.

Trade it for an impact player or take the BPA.

 

[deaderhead28]

If you want to improve the team & compete for the cup and not waste the core years,then you've to be willing to trade Gabs or Brown with the 11th OA.You need the cap space.This team isn't winning with this lineup and no cap.

 

[Reclamation Project]

And then trade more picks to fill said cap space?

The FA list is ugly.

 

[KingTrouty]

Seeing people say the Kings should trade Brown and 11OA ALONG with retaining. Get the **** outta here. Why not throw in some more stuff? I wouldn't trade Brown and 11OA, let alone retain. I wouldn't trade Gaborik and 11OA.

11OA is only traded if you're receiving an immediate impact player on a great contract, which probably won't happen. I'm also tired of this bad draft nonsense like these picks have no value.

Trade it for an impact player or take the BPA.

****ing A! Preach! If Brown at least stays around the numbers and level of play he put up last season, and the CAP starts (continues) to rise (with or without the escalator), Brown's contract will look less and less horrible as other players of his caliber will eventually be in his ballpark (maybe $1-1.5 mil less AAV).

That difference in CAP space is not worth all that loot going the other way.

 

[deaderhead28]

****ing A! Preach! If Brown at least stays around the numbers and level of play he put up last season, and the CAP starts (continues) to rise (with or without the escalator), Brown's contract will look less and less horrible as other players of his caliber will eventually be in his ballpark (maybe $1-1.5 mil less AAV).

That difference in CAP space is not worth all that loot going the other way.

It is when your core is hitting their thirtys and no way to improve the most important positions with no cap space.You got to move Brown or Gabs, or start trading the core for pieces for the future, this team isn't winning a cup or getting deep in the playoffs as is.Kings need a RW to play with Kopi and third line C and a quality D-man.Keeping Brown or Gabs isn't going to allow that to happen.

 

[Stimpythecat]

I agree with Reclamation Project and King Trouty.

The cost is too great to get rid of Brown. Brown's production would have to be replaced at around $3 to $3.5 million or so.

And freeing up cap space only matters if we have someone to sign with it. The UFA market isn't the greatest.

We can go 10% over the cap in the offseason. There is no need to dump anyone yet. We can fit everyone in. If we sign someone as a UFA that would be worth that pick or more than that pick in a trade, then I wouldn't hesitate.

But right now, there is no need to dump anyone.

 

[KingTrouty]

It is when your core is hitting their thirtys and no way to improve the most important positions with no cap space.You got to move Brown or Gabs, or start trading the core for pieces for the future, this team isn't winning a cup or getting deep in the playoffs as is.Kings need a RW to play with Kopi and third line C and a quality D-man.Keeping Brown or Gabs isn't going to allow that to happen.

So a first round pick to you is worth an extra ~$1.5-2 mil AAV? You think that little bit of CAP space will make us contenders (and, whether we are or not, at this point, is debatable)?

We have a solid, young D core, made even better by one of the two best D's in the league. A couple talented, young, top-6 wingers, and two elite C's (and nothing suggests they're going to, or are, trending down [I need more than one season to proclaim Kopi is omigodgoingdownhillhesucksnowderp]).

Some decent prospects in the minors, and some guys that just arrived that we have no real idea about, yet (Kempe, Dowd).

Everyone ****ing *****ed and cried when Dean was trading picks, we get Blake, and now everyone wants to trade picks. That 11OA can still help keep us relevant with this same core.

Quick is the one I'm most worried about, due to his past injures and how aggressive/athletic he is. But it's injury concerns, not a fear of regression, yet.

 

[johnjm22]

If you want to improve the team & compete for the cup and not waste the core years,then you've to be willing to trade Gabs or Brown with the 11th OA.You need the cap space.This team isn't winning with this lineup and no cap.

Trading Brown makes the team worse.

Even if you have more cap space, there's no guarantee that you'll be able to use it in a way that makes the team significantly better, especially considering a 1st round pick would be one of our main bargaining chips in any trade, which we'd losing.

 

[LAKings88]

I was opposed to moving the pick but not so much now.

The cap space would be huge even if you don't spend it on a free agent.

LA still has RFAs to sign and yes those contracts don't tend to be crazy but in a couple years LaDue and others will need to be paid while Muzzin, Brown, Gabby , etc get older.

I equate it to Richards. Move the player while the opportunity is there.

I love the draft and am always amped for it. The more I hear about and research it, the more I think these guys are not gonna be huge impact players. Maybe a few will surprise like every year.

So many in that 5-30 range are about equal in terms of upside. I even wonder if LA should move back in the 12-20 range and nab and extra 2cd. The difference isn't that huge with these guys.

Seems like it could be a very interesting draft.

 

[johnjm22]

I was opposed to moving the pick but not so much now.

The cap space would be huge even if you don't spend it on a free agent.

LA still has RFAs to sign and yes those contracts don't tend to be crazy but in a couple years LaDue and others will need to be paid while Muzzin, Brown, Gabby , etc get older.

If we need to give away an asset in order to move Brown/Gaborik so that we can retain other players down the road, there's no need to do it right now.

People act like we're in a really bad situation cap wise, but we're not.

Also, if you wait, and one of Gaborik/Brown has a bounce back year, then maybe it becomes much easier to move them.

 

[LAKings88]

If we need to give away an asset in order to move Brown/Gaborik so that we can retain other players down the road, there's no need to do it right now.

People act like we're in a really bad situation cap wise, but we're not.

Also, if you wait, and one of Gaborik/Brown has a bounce back year, then maybe it becomes much easier to move them.

It's a gamble either way. I'm ok if they don't move them and good if they do.

I don't think too many teams are in need of raising their floor so these opportunities may not come around often.

I honestly hope Brown can have a bounce back year but I don't see him getting more than third line minutes with little to no PP time. A lot of money for a third liner. I say that as a fan of what he has done in LA and someone who doesn't like that he was stripped of the captaincy.

It may be time to move on. If not, you hope he produces at optimum capacity.

 

[KINGS17]

I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on Nick Bjugstad as a reclamation project if the price is right.

He has four years remaining on a contract with a $4.1M cap hit.

Kid has had quite a few injuries, but might be worth the risk as the Kings have no high end players under 30 down the middle in the system.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on Nick Bjugstad as a reclamation project if the price is right.

He has four years remaining on a contract with a $4.1M cap hit.

Kid has had quite a few injuries, but might be worth the risk as the Kings have no high end players under 30 down the middle in the system.

If we were a different team, I'd be all over it. I like him as a player, he's just a redundant "Kings" type player--big, middle of the road offense. But he's never played a full season, and his best performance was 43 points on Florida...with the "Kings tax," that's just slightly better than DWight King at a huge salary. I see what you're going for with his untapped upside, but that's a big CAP gamble for less than a certainty.

 

[johnjm22]

We do need a young center in the organization. If Friedman is right and Galchenyuk is going to be moved, Blake should be giving Montreal a call. Although considering what the Canadians traded Subban for, I think I know exactly what they'd want from the Kings.

Another young center is RNH. A lot of people are down on him, but I think he's going to be a late bloomer, and is already showing he can play a 2-way role.

 

[KINGS17]

If we were a different team, I'd be all over it. I like him as a player, he's just a redundant "Kings" type player--big, middle of the road offense. But he's never played a full season, and his best performance was 43 points on Florida...with the "Kings tax," that's just slightly better than DWight King at a huge salary. I see what you're going for with his untapped upside, but that's a big CAP gamble for less than a certainty.

True, but if he was a certainty Florida wouldn't even think about moving him at his current cap hit. It's only four more seasons, and he could probably be traded if he didn't work out.

His best performance in Florida was 43 points at age in 72 games in 2014-15. The last couple of seasons he has had nagging injuries. I would take a shot here. We don't have the assets to get much better than Bjugstad in a trade. I certainly like him better than the Evander Kane stuff that has been mentioned.

If Bjugstad turns into a good 2C, the Kings could move Carter to his wing.

 

[OldGreatWestern]

the perfect trifecta would be ...

1 - get Voynov back
2 - move Muzzin + for Drouin
3 - move out Brown + w/ 11OA

 

[kings11]

True, but if he was a certainty Florida wouldn't even think about moving him at his current cap hit. It's only four more seasons, and he could probably be traded if he didn't work out.

His best performance in Florida was 43 points at age in 72 games in 2014-15. The last couple of seasons he has had nagging injuries. I would take a shot here. We don't have the assets to get much better than Bjugstad in a trade. I certainly like him better than the Evander Kane stuff that has been mentioned.

If Bjugstad turns into a good 2C, the Kings could move Carter to his wing.

Nick Bjugstad was actually the guy i wanted over Forbort... well second to Tarasenko anyways lol..

But yes, I threw that name out because the Panthers seem to want to get rid of his contract and I honestly believe if he comes here he turns into an elite 3C with 35-40 point potential.. Plus you could pair him with Brown (looked a lot better last season) and Brodzinski (didn't score in his few games but was dangerous on the ice)...

What would it take to get Bjugstad ??? Amart in a straight up trade?? Its a swap of salary and allows us to go to a 7-3-1 format for the expansion draft

Kopitar - Carter - Toffoli - Pearson - Bjugstad - Lewis - Dowd

Doughty - Muzzin - Forbort

Quick

We could still go after a Jumbo Joe if we choose too

Pearson - Kopitar - Toffoli
Brown - Thornton - Carter
Kempe - Bjugstad - Brodzinki
Lewis - Dowd - Nolan
Send KC to the AHL, place Gabby on LTIR until he's healthy

Forbort - Doughty
Muzzin - LaDue
Fantenberg - Gravel
MacDermid who can protect our guys and is pretty decent, place Greene on LTIR

Quick
Campbell

We'd still have the #11 OA and Michael Amadio and Austin Wagner who figure to see some time on the big club