Thread: Loktionov traded for Devils 5th round pick

Originally Posted by Stormy2213

Please explain why you see this as a fail and what you think he's worth. And what would you have done had you, thankfully not, been in DL's shoes? I think it's good as they'd be able to get at any point this season. He's undersized, he's not improving his stock in Manchester with his lackluster performance this season, his position is "blocked" in the organization, he's unhappy and has asked for a trade, and it's highly likely he'll never make any sort of impact in the NHL whatsoever. So DL got what the market was able to bear.

Watch him play the rest of the season with New Jersey and get plenty of points with them. Why? Because they'll actually play him more than 3 games a month.

Pretty soon Devils sign him to a 10 year 100 Million dollar contract and then announce that they are about to go banckcupt and have to reorganize again!!!!!!

Great. Now we need a new enigmatic Russian.

Originally Posted by Kubrick

Great. Now we need a new enigmatic Russian.

We have one, he just hasn't come over yet:

Hockey's Future - Maxim Kitsyn

They could have thrown in Moller and gotten a 4th?

Originally Posted by LOSTcauseZERO

Watch him play the rest of the season with New Jersey and get plenty of points with them. Why? Because they'll actually play him more than 3 games a month.

That's your answer, for us to "watch him play...yadda yadda...."? That's your very shaky opinion of what MIGHT happen. So I'll ask again, how is this trade a fail? Did DL not get fair market value? Was he worth a 1st or 2nd round pick? Was he worth Malkin?

Originally Posted by gokingsgo25

So is Brad Richardson's value > or < 5th?

Richardson is absolutely worth more, in terms of both trade value and value to the Kings specifically.

Richardson, though stone-handed, brings speed, physicality and energy to whatever line he is on, 1-4. He can play either wing and center as well.

Loktionov failed on the wing, so appears to be locked in as a center. He's far to small and lacking the physicality to be a third or fourth line center, meaning he likely needs to be centering your 1st or 2nd line. And even if his offensive touch develops, do you really want him going up against the big physical dominant centermen in the league every night, especially in the playoffs? The Kings are set for the foreseeable future with at 1-2 with 1. Kopitar 2. Richards 2b. Carter, so he was NEVER going to crack our lineup as a center.

Ideally, he would have been willing to stay in the AHL to work on his game on the wing for the next few years, because that is likely his best shot to crack the NHL someday. He isn't an NHL top-line center yet, and he isn't an NHL winger either; and if he already feels entitled to an NHL roster spot, he may never put in the work to develop into one.

I wish him the best and have no ill will towards him. But as talented as he is, there is a reason that he fell to the fifth round, and a reason he was only worth a fifth round pick.

Personally, I think Richardson is a PERFECT healthy scratch/occasional fill-in guy. I'm sure he'll be replaced from within sooner rather than later, but I wouldn't mind if he were a King for a long time.

Originally Posted by #1Conacherfan

Never thought that Loktionov would be less valuable than Westgarth!

I had the same thought.

Originally Posted by #1Conacherfan

Never thought that Loktionov would be less valuable than Westgarth!

Originally Posted by adgy-san

I had the same thought.

At least Westy has a role. You know exactly what you are getting from him; a great locker room guy, and a guy that will give you 4-6 minutes on your fourth line with a staged fight when you need one.

Loktionov would be substantially more useful in a video game than Westy, but in real life, jury is indeed still out.