News Article: Drew Doughty wants the season to be over...

[KINGS17]

08/09 and 16/17 are the only comparable seasons. But even in 08/09 we put together an admirable push toward the end of the season. You could tell the team was on its way up.

The next year we made the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. The next five years, 09/10 - 13/14, marked a five year playoff streak, culminating in our two championships.

So no, the team has never been quite this bad with Doughty. Even in 08/09 - his rookie season - we finished 26th out of 30 teams. But notably, the Kings had the youngest team in the league by average age in 08/09.

In the summer of 2009, we acquired Ryan Smyth, and Kopitar went on an absolute tear to start the 09/10 season. It was all up from there.

Because 2009 is when Ryan Smyth taught Kopitar how to be a pro's pro, right @Herby?

 

[King'sPawn]

I can't believe the responses in the main board about a non-issue.

Imagine one of your worst weeks you've ever experienced at work. Now multiply that by about 40 weeks. You just want to put it behind you so you can start fresh.

 

[Herby]

Because 2009 is when Ryan Smyth taught Kopitar how to be a pro's pro, right @Herby?

Well the Pro's Pro thing is whatever, it's an intangible that really can't be measured (although I would say history has proven Smyth to be a world-class jerk).

The thing that always cracked me up was when people tried to say he taught Kopitar how to be a two-way player. Smyth might have been the worst defensive forward I've ever seen in all my years of watching the Kings. Saying he taught anyone to play defense would be like crediting Denis Gauthier for Doughty being a Norris winner. Just never made any sense.

 

[KINGS17]

Well the Pro's Pro thing is whatever, it's an intangible that really can't be measured (although I would say history has proven Smyth to be a world-class jerk).

The thing that always cracked me up was when people tried to say he taught Kopitar how to be a two-way player. Smyth might have been the worst defensive forward I've ever seen in all my years of watching the Kings. Saying he taught anyone to play defense would be like crediting Denis Gauthier for Doughty being a Norris winner. Just never made any sense.

Here you go Herby. This will make your day: Ryan Smyth gets crushed in a beer league game.

Barstool Sports

 

[redcard]

The thing that always cracked me up was when people tried to say he taught Kopitar how to be a two-way player. Smyth might have been the worst defensive forward I've ever seen in all my years of watching the Kings.

But that's just it, Smyth was so terrible defensively that Kopitar had to learn to be a two-way player to cover his ass.

Its like how my father taught me the importance of responsibility by walking out on our family. Credit where credit's due.

 

[Herby]

Here you go Herby. This will make your day: Ryan Smyth gets crushed in a beer league game.

Barstool Sports

I saw that video when it happened. I will say Smyth is the definition of a rink-rat, playing semi-pro hockey when you have career earnings north of $50m is pretty damn amazing. He will probably be playing pickup or beer league until the day he dies.

 

[kingsholygrail]

Here you go Herby. This will make your day: Ryan Smyth gets crushed in a beer league game.

Barstool Sports

Caught admiring his goal.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Smyth turned into a total POS, but he did have a noticeable impact during that 09/10 campaign. The Kings had a legitimate first line that year in Smyth-Kopitar-Brown.

Smyth’s statline in 09/10:

22-31-53 in 67 games played. That’s pretty good.

09/10 was also Williams first real year with us, though he was still getting his feet under him after all those fluke injuries in Carolina. 10/11 was the year Williams really came online and cemented himself on the first line with Kopitar.

 

[Jericho111091]

The thread about this on the main board is honestly hilarious

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

The thread about this on the main board is honestly hilarious

Goes to show you how much thoughtless groupthink goes on here. Bunch of mindless drones chiming in there.

 

[kingsholygrail]

The thread about this on the main board is honestly hilarious

Karlsson fans are still mad.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

"He had just finished his interview with the Kings’ TV media partner when we stopped him for a quick interview in the dressing room, lasting all of 34 seconds."

34 seconds to make Ottawa fans, Swedes, Calgary fans, and a handful of Sharks/Ducks/TO fans mad for 3.4 hours+

 

[redcard]

A lot of it is just the same posters frequenting every thread about Doughty or his teammates. Throw the repeat offenders on your ignore list, there's no point in reading the same dumb comments from the same dumb posters.

 

[The Tikkanen]

Carter should be sent to Ontario, he's that bad.

The Kings have about 10 guys that need to be bought out or retire. Sadly for Blake this isn't gonna happen.

 

[WHOneedsSOX]

I agree with him and why he would feel that way, still a guy with a letter on his jersey should not be saying this. He should be setting the tone for the kids and playing his ass off.

Yeah, he could've followed it up with a "buuuut we're going to play our asses off for each other and finish the season off strong."

 

[kilowatt]

The Kings have about 10 guys that need to be bought out or retire. Sadly for Blake this isn't gonna happen.

Who? Phaneuf, Carter, Quick? Someone will take Kovalchuk, Toffoli, and Martinez. Maybe even Carter and Quick. Phaneuf will be bought out this summer for sure. We could waive Forbort at worst.

I don't think anyone is pining for Brown to be off the team. Hell, he should still be captain. His resurgence has warmed my cold, dead heart. Kopitar and Doughty, well, let's hope they figure out their shit.

 

[johnjm22]

Phaneuf will be bought out this summer for sure.

Why? Do we want him on the books for 4 more years instead of 2? No thanks to that.

 

[kilowatt]

Why? Do we want him on the books for 4 more years instead of 2? No thanks to that.

According to Bernstein, the Kings will be buying out one veteran contract this offseason. 72 and Cloudy in Los Angeles — The Fourth Period

Towards the goal of achieving a young roster, one buyout of a veteran (to be determined) is expected to be executed this off-season, if a trade is unavailable.

Who else would we be buying out? Kovalchuk? Carter? Quick?

Here are the details if we buyout Phaneuf: Dion Phaneuf Contract Buyout Details - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

SEASON	BASE SALARY	INITIAL CAP HIT	ACTUAL COST	SAVINGS	FINAL CAP HIT
2019-20	$5,500,000	$7,000,000	$1,416,667	$4,083,333	$2,916,667
2020-21	$3,000,000	$7,000,000	$1,416,667	$1,583,333	$5,416,667
2021-22	$0	$0	$1,416,667	-$1,416,667	$1,416,667
2022-23	$0	$0	$1,416,667	-$1,416,667	$1,416,667
TOTAL	$8,500,000	$14,000,000	$5,666,667	$2,833,333	$11,166,667

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[Legionnaire]

Right. Sadly, we ended up with sloppy fourths.

Yeah sure, Gabby is retired now, but you don't retire from LA as long as you getting paid, and only stay in Ottawa if you have to.

 

[KINGS17]

Right. Sadly, we ended up with sloppy fourths.

Yeah sure, Gabby is retired now, but you don't retire from LA as long as you getting paid, and only stay in Ottawa if you have to.

What, there's no beach in Ottawa!?!

 

[YP44]

Why? Do we want him on the books for 4 more years instead of 2? No thanks to that.

agreed, need to have one more year of Dion (hopefully mostly eating popcorn) and then buy him out after next. Way more manageable buy out.

 

[YP44]

According to Bernstein, the Kings will be buying out one veteran contract this offseason. 72 and Cloudy in Los Angeles — The Fourth Period


Who else would we be buying out? Kovalchuk? Carter? Quick?

Here are the details if we buyout Phaneuf: Dion Phaneuf Contract Buyout Details - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

SEASON	BASE SALARY	INITIAL CAP HIT	ACTUAL COST	SAVINGS	FINAL CAP HIT
2019-20	$5,500,000	$7,000,000	$1,416,667	$4,083,333	$2,916,667
2020-21	$3,000,000	$7,000,000	$1,416,667	$1,583,333	$5,416,667
2021-22	$0	$0	$1,416,667	-$1,416,667	$1,416,667
2022-23	$0	$0	$1,416,667	-$1,416,667	$1,416,667
TOTAL	$8,500,000	$14,000,000	$5,666,667	$2,833,333	$11,166,667

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

The fact LA would only save $100K in 20-21 makes me think what's the point

 

[Legionnaire]

What, there's no beach in Ottawa!?!

The living is easy on the beach by the Ottawa river. Surf's up brah!

 

[The Tikkanen]

Blake has the toughest offseason of any GM. Find a coach, get ready for the draft, try to talk teams into taking your garbage, fix the defense, fix the offense, figure out how to motivate guys who went the whole season without any motivation. Get them to work out by stealing their paddleboards and selling them on ebay. Find time to paddleboard with your good buddies, come up with the nicest way possible to tell Willie D to lose your number.

 

[Legionnaire]

Blake has the toughest offseason of any GM. Find a coach, get ready for the draft, try to talk teams into taking your garbage, fix the defense, fix the offense, figure out how to motivate guys who went the whole season without any motivation. Get them to work out by stealing their paddleboards and selling them on ebay. Find time to paddleboard with your good buddies, come up with the nicest way possible to tell Willie D to lose your number.

With all that going on I'm glad he hasn't started hitting the Brandy. Glug. Glug.