FA 2025 (lets get the discussions in one thread)

He was not good in Anaheim. Maybe that’s on the overall team defense but he did not help.
He projects to fit the Kings structure well. He was also a +2 while logging over 19 minutes per game on a Ducks team who completed the season at a -42.

Between the two of them, I'd be more worried about Ceci.

Additional plus is this gives Clarke a golden opportunity to shine.
 
He is Brayden McNabb. lol
Is that a good thing or a bad thing in your opinion? I feel like both of these guys are in the McNabb or Willie Mitchell type mold. Larger guys, long sticks. Not overly physical, but won’t get pushed around like Clarke and Spence. Probably get used a ton to kill penalties, to save a bit of juice for Mikey and Joel. Whatever the case, this potentially gives us a very solid 3rd pairing who won’t need to be totally sheltered from a minutes perspective.
 
When I still drank soda, I was a Dr Pepper guy anyways. Nowdays, I prefer to drink the tears of vanquished opponents and their respective whiny fan bases, which I am hoping Perry will bring us in spades.
I'm a Pepper myself, however, occasionally I dove into Double Cola as well.
 
I guess I'm looking at it this way. We were so close to beating Edmonton (cleared puck or tripping call to go up 3-1). 2 guys who helped beat us, Perry and Kane are gone. Have we upgraded a major issue in why we lost...(Our 4th line), I believe so.

Has Vegas gotten that much better with Marner? Not really sure considering their D is suspect.

I'm on the let's see how it all shakes out train before freaking out.
 
As a third pairing, these guys should be well above average, but $8.5M for a third pairing is pricey

The strategy looks definitely to be rolling 4 lines / 3 pairings in a more balanced minutes distribution than most teams.

It worked well last season at least for the top 3/4 lines, until it didn't (Hiller...)

Will be interesting to see how a veteran 3rd pairing helps.

It's a very balanced but unspectacular lineup, and really what other choice did Holland have?
 
Is that a good thing or a bad thing in your opinion? I feel like both of these guys are in the McNabb or Willie Mitchell type mold. Larger guys, long sticks. Not overly physical, but won’t get pushed around like Clarke and Spence. Probably get used a ton to kill penalties, to save a bit of juice for Mikey and Joel. Whatever the case, this potentially gives us a very solid 3rd pairing who won’t need to be totally sheltered from a minutes perspective.
Brian is more of the you will have no idea I am on the ice kind of guy. He is not too physical, he is not to offensive minded. But he is a good defender. He actually had a solid playoff for the devils last year. Even the guys on NHL Network just said he was the devils best defender in the post season.

Cody Ceci has size, but is slow. He is Sean Walker, with a long career.

I just cannot believe we have 9 mil tied up to those two.
 
Gavrikov is going to NYC to play on their top pairing on a contract with 7 years of term. We know neither Blake nor Holland offered him that term. We also know Gavrikov was seeking stability (term). Blake and Holland thought they could buy him off with bigger AAV and Gavrikov said no.

Another unforced error by this front office.

I think he just didn't want to resign with LA.

As a third pairing, these guys should be well above average, but $8.5M for a third pairing is pricey

True and true, but to me money doesn't stand out as much as the term, but oh well...the Kings need to overpay to get.

I suspect Moverare will be the 7th D-man? Man, I like him and I feel bad for him, he just can't get near a regular spot...

I presume if the Kings want to land Byram, it would be Mikey that would have to go. Would Byram be a good fit with DD?

And if the Kings don't get Byram - I guess both PP1 and PP2 will need a FW at the point...
 
Yep, it is too early to completely freak out. But it doesn't seem like the best use for 17+ million in cap space. This is starting to feel like 2 summers ago when Blake spent up to the salary cap while making the team worse with the PLD trade (and required salary dumps to fit him in).
I assumed Holland was going to make a ton of moves to craft the team in his image and I’d say he’s done it.

I bet he’s got his eye on one big trade before the summer is over.
 
Not sure I agree with all the doom and gloom around here. Yea we all wanted a splash with Marner or Boeser. But in the end we had 105 points last season and without a large amount of unfortunate events going against us(both mental decisions and bad luck) in the Edmonton series likely would have made a run. Gavrikov was good but not great. I'd argue at this point our third D pairing is better including guys that can play the PK and help keep our top guys get more rest. Clark is going to get more playing time which many here wanted. Our fourth line is bigger and tougher to play against, and our backup goalie is MUCH better than last year. It's not the splash I was hoping for but the writing the season off already rhetoric seems a bit much.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top