Speculation: LA Kings with heavy interest in Landeskog

[tsanuri]

If something happens it needs to happen soon. This roster is slipping and if they wait for the deadline there's a good chance they're out of it. If they're not serious about going for the playoffs they need to be playing for a better draft pick and give Zatkoff more starts.

My suspicions would be for a wing to be added, and a goalie.

This team is exactly where they have been for the most part since 2012. Struggling to score goals. But without Quick they are losing more close games because with as well as Budaj has played he's not Quick.

Since Toffoil went out we have lost 4 1 goal games and 1 2 goal that had an empty netter. So 5/13 games he's been out have really been 1 goal games. He was out leading goal scorer last year and was streaky. So I think he could have made a big difference in these games.

I don't see this team slipping I see a team that has had the wrong players injured. And then players not living up to their potential. But that last part isn't anything new really. Which is just sad.

 

[Trolfoli]

This team is exactly where they have been for the most part since 2012. Struggling to score goals. But without Quick they are losing more close games because with as well as Budaj has played he's not Quick.

Since Toffoil went out we have lost 4 1 goal games and 1 2 goal that had an empty netter. So 5/13 games he's been out have really been 1 goal games. He was out leading goal scorer last year and was streaky. So I think he could have made a big difference in these games.

I don't see this team slipping I see a team that has had the wrong players injured. And then players not living up to their potential. But that last part isn't anything new really. Which is just sad.

Right there. Kings offense jumped from mid 20's to 15-10th last year. This year they have Lewis full time in the top 6. You slap a Landeskog (or other top 6 winger) in there and that goal scoring problem goes away.

Slipping, in that they've been hanging around in the standings, but with Toffoli out they're losing ground. Hard to make up ground with loser points and teams giving up on the season later on.

Don't see the team that far off. Lombardi could easily justify it by going after a long term fix and not a rental. Unfortunately he doesn't have time to make that decision.

 

[Basilisk]

Guys, please remember that this is our Cup window. IMHO, when Carter stops being an offensive threat, the window is CLOSED.


Thus, any 18-year-old who hasn't even set foot in the AHL should be dealt for assets that can help us win NOW.


Realistically, how long has Carter got? Three years? Four years?


Carter turns 33 this year. Is he gunna be on pace for over 40 goals when he's 37? We need to get our immediate term assets in place NOW and have done with it.....

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Hoven spoke about re-tooling on the latest NHL Radio - Two Man Advantage show. He mentions dumping some of the bottom 6 and giving kids like Mersch a shot.

I agree with everything he says. Everyone should take a listen.

Can Mersch and Kempe not match the 4 goals of Setoguchi? I mean, he's dead on.

Also, who would have given Lewis 4 years? Or Clifford that long term deal? Only Lombardi.

Mersch couldn't win a job out of camp because he was awful, and when he finally started looking himself, he got hurt.

Kempe looked better at camp but was inconsistent as hell all year though he's come on strong lately and I wouldn't be against a callup.

The reality is some folks wanted these guys to make it out of camp but they couldn't even outperform the guy you're ragging on--it would have just been a shiny new toy to beat up instead of Seto.

 

[damacles1156]

Mersch couldn't win a job out of camp because he was awful, and when he finally started looking himself, he got hurt.

Kempe looked better at camp but was inconsistent as hell all year though he's come on strong lately and I wouldn't be against a callup.

The reality is some folks wanted these guys to make it out of camp but they couldn't even outperform the guy you're ragging on--it would have just been a shiny new toy to beat up instead of Seto.

100% correct.

There is a reason Mersch/Kempe are still in the AHL, and will probably remain there, all year.

 

[KingCanadain1976]

Mersch couldn't win a job out of camp because he was awful, and when he finally started looking himself, he got hurt.

Kempe looked better at camp but was inconsistent as hell all year though he's come on strong lately and I wouldn't be against a callup.

The reality is some folks wanted these guys to make it out of camp but they couldn't even outperform the guy you're ragging on--it would have just been a shiny new toy to beat up instead of Seto.

Did Mersch really get a fair shot in camp. How many games did he get in and did he get enough minutes to show what he could do in a offensive role or did players like seto latta etc take time that should have been given to him. To be fair i don't think either kempe or mersch were given enough time to show what they could do Did they get the top 6 time in the exhibition

I really would question what there production would be if used in the right situations. Don't know until there put in them if your being honest

 

[johnjm22]

You slap a Landeskog (or other top 6 winger) in there and that goal scoring problem goes away.

No it wouldn't. A single player isn't enough to turn an offense around.

The only singular move that could have large impact on the team would be a coaching change.

Other than, it will take a combination of things coming together at the right time to get the ship righted. (Which I think is possible).

 

[damacles1156]

Firing Sutter wouldn't even have that much of an effect. This roster struggles to even play Kings hockey.

The overall philosphy would still be in place, cause Lombardi would still be the GM.

Only a complete tear down, top to bottom,(of your entire Hockey ops) is going to radically change your roster/system.

 

[mattgkg]

stevens with someone like gallant doesn't sound too bad if someone comes in for payne to boost offense.

 

[Reaper45]

Firing Sutter wouldn't even have that much of an effect. This roster struggles to even play Kings hockey.

The overall philosphy would still be in place, cause Lombardi would still be the GM.

Only a complete tear down, top to bottom,(of your entire Hockey ops) is going to radically change your roster.

Or a realization by the hockey ops staff that a change in philosophy is needed.

 

[johnjm22]

For the record, I'm not advocating firing Sutter (yet). I think he's a damn fine coach, but he may have an expiration date.

A coaching change certainly doesn't guarantee a positive outcome, but it can reinvigorate a team. Not necessarily because the new coach is "better", but because a change in voice/routine can refresh a team. It's Psychological.

 

[damacles1156]

Or a realization by the hockey ops staff that a change in philosophy is needed.

You still have the same players.

The big guys are not going anywhere. Does anyone really think Kopitar is going to play any different ? Kopitar is the same guy he was under Terry Murray.

Seriously

 

[damacles1156]

You guys want to get faster and younger, with a system like say the Hawks ?

The only way to do that, is a COMPLETE tear down of the Kings. With multiple picks(for years) (Top END 1/2nd round) to shape the roster in that image.

With a Hockey OPS staff, that believes Hockey games are won that way. Also a scouting staff, that scouts players, that fit the philosophy.

There are no shortcuts.

It took Lombardi a lot of work and YEARS, luck, to make the Kings into what they are today.

 

[damacles1156]

Ultimately.

Coaches get too much credit for success of the team, and too much blame for failure. It's most likely in the middle somewhere (their impact)

It's up to the players as a whole.

The players you draft and develop make the system. The system doesn't make them, the system can help certain players for sure. In the end though, the players have to perform.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Did Mersch really get a fair shot in camp. How many games did he get in and did he get enough minutes to show what he could do in a offensive role or did players like seto latta etc take time that should have been given to him. To be fair i don't think either kempe or mersch were given enough time to show what they could do Did they get the top 6 time in the exhibition

I really would question what there production would be if used in the right situations. Don't know until there put in them if your being honest

First, there's the reality of the payroll. If you have a one way deal, and you make any sort of decent money, you're going to be on the team, unless you get beat out by someone going above and beyond. How many guys around the league making over $1m are down in the AHL? Less than 1 per team for sure. The Kings already have 2, plus they have a handful of veterans on AHL deals, and you can only play so many of them in any game. The AHL isn't supposed to be a contract dump site. It's not easy to make trades anymore either, especially at the start of a season.

Second, Mersch is a LW, Lucic was gone, Gaborik was out, Brown is what he is, and he still started the year in the AHL. Does that mean he can't play at all? No, but we can go back to the realities of the payroll, and he's still on his ELC. Plus, yeah, maybe he wasn't good enough in pre-season.

Should Lombardi allow King to go to free agency(my guess is yes), and the cap situation with the big contracts not get better(I can't imagine it does), I'm guessing Mersch will be on the team next year, unless he really isn't good enough.

 

[damacles1156]

First, there's the reality of the payroll. If you have a one way deal, and you make any sort of decent money, you're going to be on the team, unless you get beat out by someone going above and beyond. How many guys around the league making over $1m are down in the AHL? Less than 1 per team for sure. The Kings already have 2, plus they have a handful of veterans on AHL deals, and you can only play so many of them in any game. The AHL isn't supposed to be a contract dump site. It's not easy to make trades anymore either, especially at the start of a season.

Second, Mersch is a LW, Lucic was gone, Gaborik was out, Brown is what he is, and he still started the year in the AHL. Does that mean he can't play at all? No, but we can go back to the realities of the payroll, and he's still on his ELC. Plus, yeah, maybe he wasn't good enough in pre-season.

Should Lombardi allow King to go to free agency(my guess is yes), and the cap situation with the big contracts not get better(I can't imagine it does), I'm guessing Mersch will be on the team next year, unless he really isn't good enough.

Right again sir.

The stagnant cap, and Lombardi's bad decision on Richards(no buyout), is causing a lot of unforeseen roster problems with salary.

 

[johnjm22]

Ultimately.

Coaches get too much credit for success of the team, and too much blame for failure.

It's up to the players as a whole.

The players you draft and develop make the system. The system doesn't make them, the system can help for sure.

By this logic, when should you make a coaching change? Never?

When a team starts to look flat, and the players are under performing, that usually means it's time to start thinking about a coaching change. It doesn't mean the coach is bad. It's just easier to change a coach than change out the team.

 

[damacles1156]

By this logic, when should you make a coaching change? Never?

When a team starts to look flat, and the players are under performing, that usually means it's time to start thinking about a coaching change. It doesn't mean the coach is bad. It's just easier to change a coach than change out the team.

You fire the coach because you can't fire an entire roster(correct you are). Sometimes it does work, but any GM will tell you straight up, "Don't count on it".

Lombardi basically admitted he was forced to fire Terry Murray by AEG.

Why does Ken Hitchcock or Barry trotz still have jobs ? Why is Bruce Boudreau never out of a job for long ?

Why does Torts keep getting coaching jobs ?

Why was Sutter even hired again, when the rumor on him before the Kings coaching gig, was: "He was out-dated, and stale".

Plenty of people on this forum wanted no part of Sutter AT ALL(including ME), before he became coach.

A coaching change is not going to make this current roster better, or change how the Kings play. This core is, what it is.

 

[damacles1156]

We also have to accept maybe this core is actually done producing top end results.

That happens, you just don't know when it's going to happen.


It happens to every single successful team, the players get older.

Two cups is not bad. That's more than a lot of other teams can claim.

 

[johnjm22]

Lombardi basically admitted he was forced to fire Terry Murray by AEG.

And AEG was right. Making the changed worked. No way the Kings win the cup without Sutter.

Why does Ken Hitchcock or Barry trotz still have jobs ? Why is Bruce Boudreau never out of a job for long ? Why does Torts keep getting coaching jobs ?

Probably because many GM's around the league consider these guys to be good coaches.

Plenty of people on this forum wanted no part of Sutter AT ALL, before he became coach.

Yep. I was one of them, and I was dead wrong.

A coaching change is not going to make this roster better, or change how the Kings play.

You don't always need to change the roster to make the team play better. Like you just said regarding coaching changes "sometimes it works."

 

[theMajor]

No it wouldn't. A single player isn't enough to turn an offense around.

The only singular move that could have large impact on the team would be a coaching change.

Other than, it will take a combination of things coming together at the right time to get the ship righted. (Which I think is possible).

a single player (Landeskog) doesnt fix Kopitar, or Quick, or Toffoli either. the Kings have been up against it from the get-go with Quick being out and big name players being hurt/under performing just makes the situation all the more dire. bad luck happens. the Kings have had more than their fair share of bad luck since the cup in 2014. sometimes thats just the way it goes and theres nothing you can do about it. heck, a lot of luck went in to winning the two cups. its the way she goes boys

 

[damacles1156]

And AEG was right. Making the changed worked. No way the Kings win the cup without Sutter.

Probably because many GM's around the league consider these guys to be good coaches.

Yep. I was one of them, and I was dead wrong.

You don't always need to change the roster to make the team play better. Like you just said regarding coaching changes "sometimes it works."

I would be more on board with that (Taking a Chance) if the Core was younger.

Kopitar/Doughty/Quick/Carter/, these guys are not going to drastically alter their play this late in their career.

 

[damacles1156]

a single player (Landeskog) doesnt fix Kopitar, or Quick, or Toffoli either. the Kings have been up against it from the get-go with Quick being out and big name players being hurt/under performing just makes the situation all the more dire. bad luck happens. the Kings have had more than their fair share of bad luck since the cup in 2014. sometimes thats just the way it goes and theres nothing you can do about it. heck, a lot of luck went in to winning the two cups. its the way she goes boys

Correct on the luck part.

2012 was incredible healthy roster, come playoff time. 2014, that roster just gutted it out, remarkable.

 

[johnjm22]

I would be more on board with that (Taking a Chance) if the Core was younger.

Kopitar/Doughty/Quick/Carter/, these guys are not going to drastically alter their play this late in their career.

It's a not about trying to alter anyone's play. Do you think the Kings players you just mentioned couldn't play on the Hawks because "they can't alter their play"?

It's just about human nature. Sometimes things get stale and you need to make a change. It can be refreshing.

This is nothing new. I'm sure you've been watching hockey as long as I have (20+ years). We all know what a team looks like that needs a coaching change. The Kings are starting to resemble that. I'm not saying for sure just yet, but it starting to look that way.

 

[damacles1156]

It's a not about trying to alter anyone's play. Do you think the Kings players you just mentioned couldn't play on the Hawks because "they can't alter their play"?

It's just about human nature. Sometimes things get stale and you need to make a change. It can be refreshing.

This is nothing new. I'm sure you've been watching hockey as long as I have (20+ years). We all know what a team looks like that needs a coaching change. The Kings are starting to resemble that. I'm not saying for sure just yet, but it starting to look that way.

I don't think it would help.

This roster is in need of health first of all, that isn't Sutters fault.

Unless we are going to blame Sutter for all the injured players.

Also the Kings/AEG probably have way too much respect for Sutter, they would allow him to retire, on his own terms. Probably at the end of the season, if it came to that at all.