GDT: 2020-21 season game 37 LA Kings vs Arizona Coyotes @7:00pm 4/5/21

[Mats26]

Ottawa made the conference finals in 2017 and then immediately went into the tank the following season. Pretty much all of the top dudes on the 2017 team were flipped for picks and prospects, some of which are part of this group of prospects that are "leading the way". Plus they drafted a stud leader in Tkachuk, a guy that brings the attitude that we are craving this team and its group of prospects to have. That being said, nothing so far for them says that they are on the path to greatness.

Blake came in and just ran it back in 2018 but eventually moved out all of the top guys that had value, outside of 11 nd 8 who are still key contributors and weren't up for new contracts etc...like several of the big-time Sens guys were when they were dealt. The Kings are thought to have a better prospect pool than Ottawa--or pretty similar--but don't believe in just sticking guys in the NHL right away unless they are undeniable. Most of the big-name prospects will have a year of AHL experience under their belts going into next season so how are the Kings so far off from Ottawa? Here are the draft picks from the past six drafts that received NHL ice time for LA this year:

2015 Draft: Roy/Wagner/Strand (undrafted)/Lizotte (undrafted)
2016 Draft: Clague/Grundstrom
2017 Draft: Andersson/Vilardi/JAD/Anderson
2018 Draft: Kupari
2019 Draft: Bjornfot/Kaliyev

Sure, none of these guys are "leading the way" as points leaders on this team but Vilardi is in 7th on a team that's top scorers are basically the guys on the #1 PP unit. Roy and Anderson are eating minutes on the blue line and JAD is at .50 PPG so far.

You get a gap with the 2018/19 as it looks like Blake and Co. like to see that one year of pro that you are talking about. Kupari's AHL time was cut short so he's getting more time to be a top dude in Ontario. Bjornfot got pro time overseas like Kupari but got a full AHL season last year and here he is. Turcotte is getting his time and Byfield/Kaliyev shouldn't even be getting AHL minutes this season but fortunately are while I expect to see both Byfield and Turcotte to dip their toes in some NHL action at this point. I'm not even discussing Fagemo, Thomas, Madden...

I just don't get the Ottawa envy. Kings have had 15 different guys from age 19-24 play a game this year while Ottawa has had 12. It just seem like misplaced "I just want to see all of the prospects play right now" v. the Kings actually being possibly a "few years" behind the current Ottawa Senators.

What part of my comment:
"Kings are not there yet, might not be for a few more years." did you not understand.

 

[Schmooley]

Completly missed the point ..lol

Whats your point? That ottawa has to play all their high end prospect because their owner doesnt want to spend money on free agents and no high end veterans/middle agers want to sign there? I want to watch byfield instead of carter also but its not time. Byfield would be getting eaten alive by the media and it wouldnt be good for him. Look at the grief hughes, lafreniere and kakko get. Stutzle and zegras are lucky the play on teams with no expectations and can play a bit looser.

 

[BigKing]

What part of my comment:
"Kings are not there yet, might not be for a few more years." did you not understand.

This part in reference to the current Ottawa Senators:

"Kings are not there yet, might be a few more years."

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Whats your point? That ottawa has to play all their high end prospect because their owner doesnt want to spend money on free agents and no high end veterans/middle agers want to sign there? I want to watch byfield instead of carter also but its not time. Byfield would be getting eaten alive by the media and it wouldnt be good for him. Look at the grief hughes, lafreniere and kakko get. Stutzle and zegras are lucky the play on teams with no expectations and can play a bit looser.

Look at how much shit Byfield has gotten since the draft anyway. Imagine him putting up 20-30 points in the NHL this year. People would be shitting absolute bricks.

As painful as this year is, I much prefer Byfield, Turcotte learning in due time from Kopitar and taking over for him rather than getting fast tracked to 1C simply because there's no one blocking them.

 

[kingsholygrail]

Whats your point? That ottawa has to play all their high end prospect because their owner doesnt want to spend money on free agents and no high end veterans/middle agers want to sign there? I want to watch byfield instead of carter also but its not time. Byfield would be getting eaten alive by the media and it wouldnt be good for him. Look at the grief hughes, lafreniere and kakko get. Stutzle and zegras are lucky the play on teams with no expectations and can play a bit looser.

What media? When you say Kings in LA they think you're talking basketball.

 

[Mats26]

Ottawa was just an example. In no way are we better or worse right now, too early to tell. But until we get the prospects on ELC contracts producing and establishing a core we are ways away from this mystery 5 year plan that was fed to us.

 

[Schmooley]

Look at how much shit Byfield has gotten since the draft anyway. Imagine him putting up 20-30 points in the NHL this year. People would be shitting absolute bricks.

As painful as this year is, I much prefer Byfield, Turcotte learning in due time from Kopitar and taking over for him rather than getting fast tracked to 1C simply because there's no one blocking them.

Yea he gets a lot of heat and I dont understand a lot of it. I think he and turcotte will have the last laugh though.

 

[Schmooley]

What media? When you say Kings in LA they think you're talking basketball.

Well the complete internet is ready to pounce on byfield as a bust I know that much. Plus for canadian players they have high expectations on their top picks to be elite. Vilardi wasnt even a top pick and he is getting roasted in the post game scrums and his teammate doughty even threw some comments his way.

 

[Mats26]

Yea he gets a lot of heat and I dont understand a lot of it. I think he and turcotte will have the last laugh though.

Heat comes from other fan bases. I don't care to be honest, happy we got a pivot of that size\skill\speed. QB can become a star, but at his own pace, not on some timer because Kopi needs to go in 3 years.

 

[Bandit]

Heat comes from other fan bases. I don't care to be honest, happy we got a pivot of that size\skill\speed. QB can become a star, but at his own pace, not on some timer because Kopi needs to go in 3 years.

Not true. Go look a the Byfield draft thread.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Not true. Go look a the Byfield draft thread.

@Mats26 walks into the Byfield thread

 

[Kurrilino]

This season is going nowhere.
Let the youngsters develop some time. This is what the AHL is for.
Byfield makes huge progress