I agree, the loss of those two was devastating to the Kings, especially Roy.
I am more concerned with the fact that the Kings still don't have anything close to resembling the next Doughty and there are still question marks about someone being the next Kopitar, despite the Kings using the #5 and #2 picks back to back years on centers. I'm still waiting to see anything that screams star from any of the three of them, you knew right away that Doughty and Kopitar were going to be stars. The Kings have a very deep farm system but I worry about the very top. I still think that should the right player become available this offseason that the Kings are going to be all over it, even if the cost is higher than many here might like. They won't win the next time around without another Kopitar/Doughty type.
Imo, this is premature worrying, though.
Re: the next Kopitar--he played in the Swedish league after his draft. No one knew he was going to be a star until the following year. And there were
plenty of questions until then, hence being drafted at 11 instead of right after Crosby where he belongs. Might be a little early to be shutting the door on byfield or our next 2021 pick, and Turcotte isn't Kopitar but he looks excellent.
But even more so, re: the next Doughty--
No one since has looked like the next Doughty right away. Byram and Makar didn't. Not Ekblad, not even Dahlin. We were spoiled by a dude walking in at 18 and doing what he did. Look how long it took Keith and Karlsson to be the guys they were. Look how long it took Hedman!
I get what you're saying and I think we all share the worry because for once we have every
other base covered in our system, but I think you have to let these guys play out a few years to see what they become before trading them, otherwise you're filling holes you
think you have by possibly opening
other holes in trading them.