Confirmed Signing with Link: [LAK] Andreas Athanasiou signs with the Kings (1 year, $1.2M)

[McVespa99]

no, pandemic was not foreseeable. But your GM knew AA well, given he drafted him and had him for like 6 years, so he should have known how he was going to fit into the team. That’s the crux of the argument.

they didn’t have to qualify him, but why not sign him back for 1.2m instead of 3m?[/QUOTE]

They offered him 2.2 from accounts in the local media and he turned it down. Thought he could get more. He was obviously wrong....

 

[MBH]

Lets see what happens over the next few years. My prediction is AA is washed out of the league and you will still be talking about ice time and G/60.

If Blashill still has a job, it's only because he's found an in with the old boys network.
AA has had more success as a player in the NHL than Blashill has as a coach.
AA scoring 30 goals alongside Glendening/Hirose/Nielsen etc is like Blashill making the playoffs with last year's team.

 

[SimonEdvinssonAtSix]

If Blashill still has a job, it's only because he's found an in with the old boys network.
AA has had more success as a player in the NHL than Blashill has as a coach.
AA scoring 30 goals alongside Glendening/Hirose/Nielsen etc is like Blashill making the playoffs with last year's team.

You'll get no argument from me about Blashill, I think he's a bad coach. I've watched Larkin, Bertuzzi, Mantha, Hronek all rise up and play well under him though. So at what point are AAs struggles AAs fault? He failed in Detroit despite having no competition for ice time. He failed in EDM despite having much better linemates.

L.A is a bad team so he will have a real chance to find ice time and put up minutes, right? So if he fails in L.A too is it AAs fault? or will another scapegoat be blamed?

 

[Basilisk]

The problem with Athanasiou is he costs you 30 goals defensively, so if he isn't scoring at that pace he's a negative to winning.

If true, then we'll win at the draft.......

 

[biturbo19]

Seems like exactly the sort of situation for Athanasiou to goof around and score himself some goals to try to rehab his reputation and land a bigger contract next time. The Kings aren't going to be serious contenders or anything this year...and could obviously use an injection of speed and some goals that need to be scored by someone. Should have stronger opportunity there than he would most other places.

Probably a good fit for one of those guys who is maybe better suited to being a "top player on a bad team" rather than a "middling player on a good team". Which presumably works for LA as well, in just filling in some offense while they lose a bunch of games in their "rebuilding" phase.

 

[Kurrilino]

The problem with Athanasiou is he costs you 30 goals defensively, so if he isn't scoring at that pace he's a negative to winning. At least the Oilers still have Neal...

This is what i really hope for.
Leave the youngsters in the AHL to ripe and give each of them a 6 game cup of coffee at the end of the season.
A last top 3 pick before the rebuild turns around, kicking one of the contenders out of playoff and trade AA for something.
Win-Win-Win situation

 

[MBH]

If true, then we'll win at the draft.......

Ah, we just finished like 50 miles behind the rest of the league and didn't win shit at the draft.

 

[KingsOfCali25]

Ah, we just finished like 50 miles behind the rest of the league and didn't win shit at the draft.

Don't worry. It happened to LA two years ago and last draft we got our pick back. So this year is your year

 

[ManwithNoIdentity]

Don't worry. It happened to LA two years ago and last draft we got our pick back. So this year is your year

That’s what we’ve been saying the last 3 years though

 

[KingTech]

That’s what we’ve been saying the last 3 years though

It makes it all the more sweet when u do

 

[KingsFan7824]

That’s what we’ve been saying the last 3 years though

Well, the Wings missed the tank boat. That was ok in 2014 or 2015. Then Sabres fans had to go as screw it up by openly booing a win against Arizona(I think that was the scenario anyway), and the result is a lottery to determine the top picks. Of course the Oilers franchise got the ball rolling by being terrible no matter what they tried to do. Always think it would be interesting what the reaction would've been had the internet of today been around in the late 80's/early 90's, when Quebec was atrocious, and got those 3 consecutive #1 picks. None of which were on the team when they finally won the Cup, which itself is intriguing.

If the lottery rules don't appeal to you, then you might as well hope the Wings are better than last. That's why the lottery exists. It's so that there's less of a reason to just be flat out awful. Sorry Detroit.

 

[Sparky93]

He'll supply half the offense of Myers and be better defensively. He will, however, still give of those "what the f**k Hamonic" moments, that Myers does as well. He does also hit and has no problem standing up for teammates. At a fraction of the cost of Myers, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say he becomes a fan favorite for the Canucks

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

At least 1 of the California teams tried to get a bit better in fa.

 

[Seanaconda]

Well, the Wings missed the tank boat. That was ok in 2014 or 2015. Then Sabres fans had to go as screw it up by openly booing a win against Arizona(I think that was the scenario anyway), and the result is a lottery to determine the top picks. Of course the Oilers franchise got the ball rolling by being terrible no matter what they tried to do. Always think it would be interesting what the reaction would've been had the internet of today been around in the late 80's/early 90's, when Quebec was atrocious, and got those 3 consecutive #1 picks. None of which were on the team when they finally won the Cup, which itself is intriguing.

If the lottery rules don't appeal to you, then you might as well hope the Wings are better than last. That's why the lottery exists. It's so that there's less of a reason to just be flat out awful. Sorry Detroit.

The Oilers winning three times with them changing draft rules after each should be the confirmation the draft isnt rigged, they have a small population and people that like them already did .

 

[Nut Upstrom]

AA has the speed and the scoring touch but at times he doesnt like to use his linemates and tries to do a lot on his own.
Hopefully it works out for him in L.A.

He is at his best when he does not use his line mates. When he tries to be the playmaker he is a turnover machine. Put him with a couple of grinders and puck retrievers and let him blaze to the goal with those offensive skills - he's quite fun to watch when he puck hogs, and he is at his most useful.
Playing him with talented players who need the puck will never work, was amusing when he was put on McDavid's line. Didn't last long.

Nice signing by LA, they really have nothing to lose and AA is, if nothing else, entertaining. I still have some love for him just for the way he took up for Mantha after Muzzin'S bullshit. He is a good team mate despite some of his more selfish or lazy on ice qualities. I hope he puts it together and becomes the player he has the talent to be.

 

[Nut Upstrom]

Wondering why Wings fans have so much animous for a guy who scored 30 goals playing alongside Luke f***ing Glendening?[/B]
It's because they spent 3 years saying AA's goals/60 would never hold up with more icetime. It was their defense of their asshat/amateur-hour coach (Blashill) for burying AA while playing Abdelkader and Helm in the top 6.
So when AA dragged Glendening, AHLer Hirose and whoever else Blashill could anchor AA down with, and still scored 30, lots of people were pretty sour.

At this point, I would guess that it's more your endless AA nonsense than anything else for most wings fans. Plenty of wings fans like and liked him, but your droning made it pointless to say anything good about him.

 

[Blue Line Turnover]

At least 1 of the California teams tried to get a bit better in fa.

AA was one of the worst Oiler forwards last season; if he continues to play has he did during the play in series and last season, he will find it hard to be a regular NHLer

 

[GOilers88]

AA was one of the worst Oiler forwards last season; if he continues to play has he did during the play in series and last season, he will find it hard to be a regular NHLer

He played well during the play-ins but was snake bit. If he plays like that he'll do fine.

 

[funky]

He is a depth signing for no money on a team with lots of cap space and even more question marks.

If he hits it’s a win. They can always re-sign him or trade him at the deadline.

if he is a bust waive him, set him on the taxi squad in case of injuries/ health.

our you g prospects need work in the AHL. No use carrying them or playing them limited minutes.

great signing because it costs nothing but has some upside. Would like to see him and Wagner on a line. All go, no show.

 

[YP44]

no risk signing, but I would rather have JAD or Andersson playing in the NHL to see what LA has there. Especially before needing to make decisions on expansion protection.

 

[KingPuckChoo]

The problem with Athanasiou is he costs you 30 goals defensively, so if he isn't scoring at that pace he's a negative to winning. At least the Oilers still have Neal...

so then he's perfect

hopefully we finish bottom 5 this season again, it's a covid season anyway so nobody cares about actual results

thanks Double D this is fantastic news!

 

[Mats26]

Double A is a perfect example on how proper coaching can actualy make a player better. He is nowhere close to what some were saying he is defensivly and he is producing as well, 5pts in 7 games with Lizotte as a Center. We went through the Kovalchuk saga and he is not even remotely close as bad.

 

[ManwithNoIdentity]

Glad he’s working out for the kings, it was absolutely apparent he wasn’t going to be a mainstay here

 

[HookKing]

...Put him with a couple of grinders and puck retrievers and let him blaze to the goal with those offensive skills - he's quite fun to watch when he puck hogs, and he is at his most useful.
Playing him with talented players who need the puck will never work, was amusing when he was put on McDavid's line. Didn't last long...

Kings have a whole roster of 'em...no problem there.

 

[Nut Upstrom]

Kings have a whole roster of 'em...no problem there.

He's looked pretty good in the games I've been able to watch. I'm pulling for him.