Thread: What this team could look like from 2014/15 on...

Getting caught up in the idea of which players may become available by the deadline this season, I thought instead what would this team look like in 2 years if we stuck with our own instead of making any/many moves. It made me realize making too big of a splash now could be a bad thing, especially concerning predictably fitting under the ever wavering cap. I'll include their ages by the 2014/15 season:

Brown (30) -- Kopitar (27) -- Toffolli (22)
Pearson (22) -- Richards (30) -- Carter (30)
Clifford (24) -- Stoll (32) -- Lewis (28)
King (25) -- Vey (23) -- Nolan (25)

Bench/usable or tradable/walk F assets:
Richardson (30)/Fraser (30)/Williams (33)/Andreoff (23)/Kozun (24)/Cliche (27)

Doughty (25) -- Voynov (25)
Green (31) -- Martinez (27)
Muzzin (26) -- Ellerby (26)

Bench/usable/tradable/walk D assets:
Scuderi (36)/Mitchell (37)/Deslauriers (24)/Campbell (27)/Forbort (22)

Quick (29) -- ???/Bernier (26)/Jones (25)/Gibson (22)


To me (and on paper), this looks like a great balanced lineup if healthy and living up to potential/development. BIG IFS as always. What do you guys think when you look at that line up? Worth keeping intact? Worth tweaking? Would anyone care to offer ballpark contract dollar amounts to guess what each players cap hit will be? Lets hear it!

Hard to say now. If Toffolli/Pearson end up as 2 top 6 forwards in the next 2 years I think we should consider ourselves extremely lucky. You have to consider this team 2 years from now should still be battling for a playoff spot/in serious contention year-in-year-out for a cup so we'd need Toffoli and Pearson to actually produce in those roles. I think in two years time Pearson may be ready to play in the NHL, but not for a cup contending team.

And that defense is lacking some serious stay at home D. Looking at those pairings really highlights why we need to offer Scuderi an extension and why I think we're seriously gonna regret it if we don't resign him.

Oh, and I'm holding out hope for the slim possibility of seeing Bud Holloway in a King's jersey at some point in the future.

Weird to think of Brown as a 30 yo

I would put into the D Derick Forbort

Originally Posted by ILikeTheKings

And that defense is lacking some serious stay at home D. Looking at those pairings really highlights why we need to offer Scuderi an extension and why I think we're seriously gonna regret it if we don't resign him.

Agreed the D would need more sandpaper, or would require Martinez/Muzzin/Ellerby to add to their physical/mental game (big ifs once again), and I agree that we should extent Scuderi for 2 more years, but will a 36 year old Scuderi really be the Scuderi we know now?

The one move I'd try to make is to package 2 D (Mitchell/Scuderi + Martinez/Ellerby) + quality prospect not named Toffoli/Pearson + Bernier + 2nd round pick 2014 for someone like Dion Phaneuf. I'm not saying the leafs do this deal, but I would send that package for a top 2 Dman who can play top line PK with Green for years, can back up and keep up with Doughty at ES, and play 2nd PP minutes. Has to be 28 or younger now to be a perfect fit.

Originally Posted by JWR

I would put into the D Derick Forbert

Good point, but I've heard some say he's still about 3 years away. Finishing college and playing 2 years in the AHL would prolly be best for him. But he could definitely bring a big shut down presence we'd need. Lets not rush him like Florida did with Ellerby though.

I think we need to continue to develop the goaltending in Manchester. It's only a matter of time before we have to let Bernier go via trade or free agency, which means we need more support behind Quick at the NHL level and Manchester. Heck, I wouldn't be shocked if somebody offered Bernier some money as a RFA this summer.

Originally Posted by omzzzzz

I think we need to continue to develop the goaltending in Manchester. It's only a matter of time before we have to let Bernier go via trade or free agency, which means we need more support behind Quick at the NHL level and Manchester. Heck, I wouldn't be shocked if somebody offered Bernier some money as a RFA this summer.

Definitely--Jones is a HUGE question mark right now. He's having a pretty terrible year in Manch, but could easily redeem himself with an improved year next year. Too early to tell. If Bernier is dealt and we can find a steady, veteran backup that plays the role well, we can stop worrying if Jones will continue to develop. If Jonsey fogures it out, great! If not, he can go the ways of the Zatkoff's and Brust's. Then we can wait and see if Gibson can learn to be a true pro over the next 4 years and start backing up the kings by age 24 or so.

Originally Posted by BDTR

Good point, but I've heard some say he's still about 3 years away. Finishing college and playing 2 years in the AHL would prolly be best for him. But he could definitely bring a big shut down presence we'd need. Lets not rush him like Florida did with Ellerby though.

Forbort is a Junior this year(12/13) so (13/14) he will be a Senior. He was born in 92 so (15/16) season he would be 23. I do believe DL has him penciled in to take over from either Mitchell or Scuderi by the 15/16 season