Rumor: KINGS 2018-19 Season - The Luc and Rob ****show Part 2

Status
Not open for further replies.

Fat Elvis

El Guapo
Dec 25, 2003
7,029
1,825
On Lebowski's rug
Visit site
I have zero confidence that BLuc will do much of anything before the TDL or the off season to point LA in the right direction.

To get LA where it needs to be, there have got to be some seriously difficult decisions to be made. The core is rotten and needs to be broken apart, but contracts have made that almost impossible. This season has made me feel indifferent about the roster, the coaching staff and the front office. They aren't 1 draft away from contending if they stand pat. There's something not right on the bench and you can see it in the players faces. You can see joy in Kovy when he scores, but there was none the other night when Kopitar got his empty net. You can tell a lot about a team by watching them interact on the bench and there's definitely something off. I just don't have confidence that BLuc can fix it.
 

Piston

Fire Luc and Blake
Jun 14, 2006
874
1,039
Santa Monica/Salt Lake
I have zero confidence that BLuc will do much of anything before the TDL or the off season to point LA in the right direction.

To get LA where it needs to be, there have got to be some seriously difficult decisions to be made. The core is rotten and needs to be broken apart, but contracts have made that almost impossible. This season has made me feel indifferent about the roster, the coaching staff and the front office. They aren't 1 draft away from contending if they stand pat. There's something not right on the bench and you can see it in the players faces. You can see joy in Kovy when he scores, but there was none the other night when Kopitar got his empty net. You can tell a lot about a team by watching them interact on the bench and there's definitely something off. I just don't have confidence that BLuc can fix it.

I'm not sure I agree with this. Look at last night's game. I would much rather be in the Kings' position than the Wild. The latter may make the playoffs but won't advance just as in past years while everyone gets a year older. Their new GM made no major moves to improve what has been a bubble team and risks missing the playoffs and the associated revenues if he does something significant. They are stuck in the middle with two ugly contracts for aging veterans. AK and DD are considerably younger than Suter and Parise. They almost have to win now but lack young players with the exception of Greenway who can get them over the hump. At least the Kings know they have to blow it up and have a top 5 pick to look forward to. Quick (look how well he is playing) and Muzzin will get very nice returns, and I suspect we'll be pleasantly surprised what Carter fetches. I agree with you that the current brain trust needs to be improved, but at least there are relatively easy decisions to make unlike in Minnesota.
 

Fat Elvis

El Guapo
Dec 25, 2003
7,029
1,825
On Lebowski's rug
Visit site
I'm not sure I agree with this. Look at last night's game. I would much rather be in the Kings' position than the Wild. The latter may make the playoffs but won't advance just as in past years while everyone gets a year older. Their new GM made no major moves to improve what has been a bubble team and risks missing the playoffs and the associated revenues if he does something significant. They are stuck in the middle with two ugly contracts for aging veterans. AK and DD are considerably younger than Suter and Parise. They almost have to win now but lack young players with the exception of Greenway who can get them over the hump. At least the Kings know they have to blow it up and have a top 5 pick to look forward to. Quick (look how well he is playing) and Muzzin will get very nice returns, and I suspect we'll be pleasantly surprised what Carter fetches. I agree with you that the current brain trust needs to be improved, but at least there are relatively easy decisions to make unlike in Minnesota.

Completely understand your point. I lack faith in the front office to see it the same way you do. I'm doubting that the moves that need to be made will be made.
 

tomd

Registered User
Apr 23, 2003
9,063
4,659
Visit site
I'm not sure I agree with this. Look at last night's game. I would much rather be in the Kings' position than the Wild. The latter may make the playoffs but won't advance just as in past years while everyone gets a year older. Their new GM made no major moves to improve what has been a bubble team and risks missing the playoffs and the associated revenues if he does something significant. They are stuck in the middle with two ugly contracts for aging veterans. AK and DD are considerably younger than Suter and Parise. They almost have to win now but lack young players with the exception of Greenway who can get them over the hump. At least the Kings know they have to blow it up and have a top 5 pick to look forward to. Quick (look how well he is playing) and Muzzin will get very nice returns, and I suspect we'll be pleasantly surprised what Carter fetches. I agree with you that the current brain trust needs to be improved, but at least there are relatively easy decisions to make unlike in Minnesota.

This is definitely the glass is completely full scenario...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Piston

KingsFan7824

Registered User
Dec 4, 2003
19,356
7,445
Visit site
I have zero confidence that BLuc will do much of anything before the TDL or the off season to point LA in the right direction.

To get LA where it needs to be, there have got to be some seriously difficult decisions to be made. The core is rotten and needs to be broken apart, but contracts have made that almost impossible.

If you know it's almost impossible for them to do anything, why have expectations that can raise or lower your confidence? It's easier to just accept the realities of a hard cap. Can't change the past. Enjoy that all they did was add Kovalchuk, and not trade for and sign Pacioretty to a even longer deal.

They're not getting out of this easily or quickly. Like the team, just get comfortable. No stress during the seasons, and everything will ride on the lottery for a few years. The fewer remaining contract years, the easier it will be to deal that guy sooner rather than later. They'll be selling low on everyone, so decrease any expectations for the next franchise player in trades. Those guys will most likely only come with the lottery picks. That's not specific to this management team. That's the likelihood with any management team. Although this one may or may not be up to the long term job.
 

Piston

Fire Luc and Blake
Jun 14, 2006
874
1,039
Santa Monica/Salt Lake
This is definitely the glass is completely full scenario...

I see your pessimism but am unsure where it stems from. There are no other Stanley Cup winning goalies out there with a Conn Smythe and a very palatable salary after 2020. Muzzin may be the best D-man available at the deadline, and he is signed for another season also at a very reasonable rate. There will be at least a #1 for each of them coming back if not more.
 

KingsFan7824

Registered User
Dec 4, 2003
19,356
7,445
Visit site
Three years ago, this happened.


The contract won't expire until 2024, so five more years to go.


The sad part is they had 57 points in 42 games on 1/16/16. That's a pace of 111 points. Good for 4th overall in the league at the time. 8th ranked PP. Toffoli on pace for 39 goals. Carter, 64 points. Lucic, 21g, 51pts.
 

Ziggy Stardust

Master Debater
Jul 25, 2002
63,032
33,985
Parts Unknown
The sad part is they had 57 points in 42 games on 1/16/16. That's a pace of 111 points. Good for 4th overall in the league at the time. 8th ranked PP. Toffoli on pace for 39 goals. Carter, 64 points. Lucic, 21g, 51pts.

From the midway point on the Kings were just so inconsistent. They'd win two, then lose the next two. They'd go between wins and losses, then win four, then lose three, and they weren't heading into the playoffs riding a hot streak.

That was also the season where they won 14 games in OT/SO. It was no surprise to many here when they sputtered out in five games against the Sharks that year.
 

KINGS17

Smartest in the Room
Apr 6, 2006
32,320
11,113
Three years ago, this happened.


The contract won't expire until 2024, so five more years to go.


Bad idea.

Lombardi: Kings, Kopitar not close in talks - LA Kings Insider

The Kings and Kopitar are are “not even in the ballpark” in their discussions, Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi told LA Kings Insider over email when asked whether the two sides were “close” to reaching an agreement.

Roughly four months later and Kopitar gets everything he was asking for in his new deal.

Real-Time Update on the Kopitar Contract Negotiations

At some point, Luc Robitaille, who has consistently stayed away from the player personal side of the Kings’ house – remember, he is the President of Business Operations, he has no input or involvement on the Hockey Operations side of things – may have helped out, as well. Robitaille and Brisson go back several decades. Once Lombardi made up his mind to agree to the $10M, it was at the very least hinted to us that he may have used Robitaille to help get Brisson to lock thing down. After Lombardi and Solomon did all the heavy lifting, all parties met last night and apparently came away from the talks mutually satisfied. If so, this whole thing was well played by Lombardi and Kopitar. In the end, each got nearly everything they wanted.

I don't know what happened to change Dean's mind, but this was a mistake. Write that book Dean!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: DoktorJeep

Ziggy Stardust

Master Debater
Jul 25, 2002
63,032
33,985
Parts Unknown
So what do you think would've happened if they lost Kopitar as a UFA? He wasn't going to trade him in the middle of them chasing the division title, and after he had acquired Lucic in a deal that sent away a 1st round draft pick that could have been used to select a premier top line center in Mathew Barzal.
 
  • Like
Reactions: deaderhead28

KingsFan7824

Registered User
Dec 4, 2003
19,356
7,445
Visit site
I see your pessimism but am unsure where it stems from. There are no other Stanley Cup winning goalies out there with a Conn Smythe and a very palatable salary after 2020. Muzzin may be the best D-man available at the deadline, and he is signed for another season also at a very reasonable rate. There will be at least a #1 for each of them coming back if not more.

If they get that, it'll be wonderful. If they don't, we shouldn't necessarily get mad at Blake for not making a deal that we think was out there for him to make.

From the midway point on the Kings were just so inconsistent. They'd win two, then lose the next two. They'd go between wins and losses, then win four, then lose three, and they weren't heading into the playoffs riding a hot streak.

That was also the season where they won 14 games in OT/SO. It was no surprise to many here when they sputtered out in five games against the Sharks that year.

That's true. I just mean on the day that deal was signed. It was all smoke and mirrors, but there was no actual alternative. If he wanted to stay, he was getting the money. Just like Quick and Brown did, and eventually Doughty too.
 

KingsFan7824

Registered User
Dec 4, 2003
19,356
7,445
Visit site
So what do you think would've happened if they lost Kopitar as a UFA? He wasn't going to trade him in the middle of them chasing the division title, and after he had acquired Lucic in a dealt that sent away a 1st round draft pick that could have been used to select a premier top line center in Mathew Barzal.

Right. Same guy that went all in on Lucic, and wanted to re-sign him, wasn't going to eventually re-sign Kopitar? Same guy that gave Quick a 10 year deal. Gaborik a 7 year deal. Brown an 8 year deal. Looked into the soul of Mike Richards and couldn't turn away. I'm going to doubt Kopitar, the #1C on 2 Cup winners for Lombardi, was the hill he was going to die on.
 

KINGS17

Smartest in the Room
Apr 6, 2006
32,320
11,113
So what do you think would've happened if they lost Kopitar as a UFA? He wasn't going to trade him in the middle of them chasing the division title, and after he had acquired Lucic in a deal that sent away a 1st round draft pick that could have been used to select a premier top line center in Mathew Barzal.

Many mistakes:

1. Not using compliance buyout on Richards.
2. Giving into Kopitar's contract demands. No reasonable deal by Aug 1, time to make a trade.
3. Never should have signed Lucic.

Dean got too wrapped up in the idea of family. His reticence regarding the Kopitar contract shows his instincts were correct, but I think he got to overthinking it. I also think Robitaille got involved somehow in the negotiation, but I can't be sure.

Write the book Dean. :)
 
Jun 30, 2006
5,473
2,144
Bad idea.

Lombardi: Kings, Kopitar not close in talks - LA Kings Insider

The Kings and Kopitar are are “not even in the ballpark” in their discussions, Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi told LA Kings Insider over email when asked whether the two sides were “close” to reaching an agreement.

Roughly four months later and Kopitar gets everything he was asking for in his new deal.

Real-Time Update on the Kopitar Contract Negotiations

At some point, Luc Robitaille, who has consistently stayed away from the player personal side of the Kings’ house – remember, he is the President of Business Operations, he has no input or involvement on the Hockey Operations side of things – may have helped out, as well. Robitaille and Brisson go back several decades. Once Lombardi made up his mind to agree to the $10M, it was at the very least hinted to us that he may have used Robitaille to help get Brisson to lock thing down. After Lombardi and Solomon did all the heavy lifting, all parties met last night and apparently came away from the talks mutually satisfied. If so, this whole thing was well played by Lombardi and Kopitar. In the end, each got nearly everything they wanted.

I don't know what happened to change Dean's mind, but this was a mistake. Write that book Dean!!!

If DL wrote the book and told the truth about everything, he’d be blackballed from the Kings as long as Luc is running the franchise.
 

GoldenBearHockey

Registered User
Jan 6, 2014
9,637
3,987
Many mistakes:

1. Not using compliance buyout on Richards.
2. Giving into Kopitar's contract demands. No reasonable deal by Aug 1, time to make a trade.
3. Never should have signed Lucic.

Dean got too wrapped up in the idea of family. His reticence regarding the Kopitar contract shows his instincts were correct, but I think he got to overthinking it. I also think Robitaille got involved somehow in the negotiation, but I can't be sure.

Write the book Dean. :)

If you ever read Kelly Hrudey's book, he touches on this subject, very briefly, connects the 93 run and the 94 team, with the 2012 cup win and the 2013 team, that both teams were trying to recapture the feeling, instead of viewing each season individually and building it up, apparently that is what Lombardi told Hrudey what happened after the cup wins, that the mistake he made was trying to recapture etc.
 

Master Yoda

LA Legends
Aug 6, 2003
1,377
1,451
El Paso
Many mistakes:

1. Not using compliance buyout on Richards.
2. Giving into Kopitar's contract demands. No reasonable deal by Aug 1, time to make a trade.
3. Never should have signed Lucic.

Dean got too wrapped up in the idea of family. His reticence regarding the Kopitar contract shows his instincts were correct, but I think he got to overthinking it. I also think Robitaille got involved somehow in the negotiation, but I can't be sure.

Write the book Dean. :)
Agree about #1&3.
As for #2, regardless of whether you think he should've been moved or not, no GM in their right mind would have traded Kopitar, a top 5 C in the league for the majority of his career, after winning 2 cups with him as the #1C and leading playoff scoring both times. I don't think its fair to have reasonably expected a move like that.

Unless you get Kopi at something absurdly low like 6 years $8M AAV, it really doesn't make that big of a difference anyways.
What would saving $0.5 ~ 1 million on his AAV do? It doesn't make him any more or less tradeable.
After Towes and Kane got their deals, there was no way Kopi was taking less money and less years.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kenito7

KINGS17

Smartest in the Room
Apr 6, 2006
32,320
11,113
Agree about #1&3.
As for #2, regardless of whether you think he should've been moved or not, no GM in their right mind would have traded Kopitar, a top 5 C in the league for the majority of his career, after winning 2 cups with him as the #1C and leading playoff scoring both times. I don't think its fair to have reasonably expected a move like that.

Unless you get Kopi at something absurdly low like 6 years $8M AAV, it really doesn't make that big of a difference anyways.
What would saving $0.5 ~ 1 million on his AAV do? It doesn't make him any more or less tradeable.
After Towes and Kane got their deals, there was no way Kopi was taking less money and less years.

As always, it's the 8 years that are the real issue. Five years and $45M or even $50M, fine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Piston
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->