hokiecat
Super Star
The glass is half full!
Don Waddell leaving Carolina. He would be on my shortlist of GMs to grab; but it looks right now like he's the favorite for Columbus. So much for CBJ having a bad FO.
Hiller gets multiyear Extension
- Thread starter Birdman
- Start date
Don Waddell leaving Carolina. He would be on my shortlist of GMs to grab; but it looks right now like he's the favorite for Columbus. So much for CBJ having a bad FO.
I agree with this. The players on the team now were brought in, I think, to play a certain style consistent with the identity of the team. It sounds like they are seeking to tweak that identity a little, something I have no issue with at all. The question is can the players meet that challenge. One would think yes, because they are professional hockey players and can adapt to whatever systems the coaching staff presents them with. I guess we’ll see…..
ICE24
Super Star
Good for Hiller, 3 year deal. Unfortunately with these players he won’t be able to achieve much success. Next season it will be even tougher to make it in the top 8, I see them as a 10-12 team. I only saw one Reign playoff game and it was game two of the Firebirds series, I hate to say, however, none of the prospects showed any promise, including the goalie of the future. This may have been due to playing a good team.
symbology
TEAM LGK
Yep, there is a lot riding on the fact that 2-3, maybe 4 of the AHL'rs are going to step up and perform next year in the NHL. That is a bit of a tall order.
Goalie has been good for his first year in the AHL. Was great in the first rounds of the PO's.
Bollocks
Top Forward
Why is that a tall order, though?
- Turcotte is 23 and was severely slowed down by injuries
- Akil is 24 and was also severely slowed down by injuries
- Brandt is a high end prospect that shouldn't need more than 1 full year in the AHL and brings the skill that the big team lacks
I have faith all of them will be able to hold their own, barring any injuries, as they have already proved they are not out of their depth at NHL level. Are they all going to be stars? Unlikely. But...they're not expected to replace stars, either, so...
But I can see LGK imploding as soon as Alex doesn't have a point in his first 5 games, yes.
symbology
TEAM LGK
I said "a bit of" a tall order. Turcotte has played 30+ games over 3 seasons and has a total of 4 NHL points. He has not shown a lot at the NHL level IMO. He is still looking to find his way. Thomas has looked good, but has played 4-5 games? Clarke has offensive instincts, but am not sure he has improved his defensive game enough and question if he has the strength to make an impact defensively this year. Score some points, sure. Help on the PP, sure. We also need him to be more than solid in his own zone. There may be other holes to fill with AHL'rs due to cap issues. To have 3 or 4 young kids (who have not shown enough at the NHL level yet) is "a bit" of a tall order IMO.
Can one of these players take a substantial jump next year and help eat up heavy minutes? Play on the PK, play in any situation? Sure, one of them can. Will 2 of them do that? All 3 of them? I am not talking about playing 5-7 minutes on the 4th line.
Can they play in the NHL, sure. But can they play impactful minutes on a playoff, or contender team?
Bollocks
Top Forward
That post had a lot more pessimistic note than you'd think. Maybe that's just the LGK way (which is irking me for more than a decade now that I think about it, since the "Kopitar is a passenger and he won't bring the Cup here" days, with last year's QB pessimism to add to it as the latest example).
If you can't bank at all on talented prospects developing from within and evolving with time, then why even bother, really? Why even bother with caring about this sport where you can't buy success (anymore) and you NEED to rely on young, unproven players, to step up? Then it's a nearly "unwinnable scenario" unless you're very very lucky.
No one can be proven at the NHL level until they have a proper chance to prove themselves. Is it a surefire scenario? No. But if a GM can't "rely" on at least 2 out of 3 of very talented players making an impact big enough to replace role players that go out then the whole theory about drafting well and replacing aging/expensive players with young prospects is moot anyway.
Doubting this process means you subconsciously just wait for proper suckage to come and hope a generational talent and a few "surefire" top 3 picks land at your feet. Or that your team wins a luck lottery and "accidentally" lands a superstar in 3rd round every year. And hope you still don't end up like the Oilers...
My point is - there's way too little excitement about the unknown on this board and way too many people that want this sport to be mathematically calculable and that LA Kings, of all teams, should somehow be blessed with ownership that then finds this genius to make an unbeatable team for a decade. Or something...
(I'm not addressing only you here, obviously...you just triggered me a bit.
)
symbology
TEAM LGK
My tone was much different last off season. Was also different early in the season. I was one of the few defending QB last year and at the beginning of this year. The Kings GM Rob Blake has made many Kings fans pessimistic due to he recent moves and his justification for those moves by saying that the team was going to be a contender. This team looked nothing like a contender from the first of the year through the last loss.That post had a lot more pessimistic note than you'd think. Maybe that's just the LGK way (which is irking me for more than a decade now that I think about it, since the "Kopitar is a passenger and he won't bring the Cup here" days, with last year's QB pessimism to add to it as the latest example).
If you can't bank at all on talented prospects developing from within and evolving with time, then why even bother, really? Why even bother with caring about this sport where you can't buy success (anymore) and you NEED to rely on young, unproven players, to step up? Then it's a nearly "unwinnable scenario" unless you're very very lucky.
No one can be proven at the NHL level until they have a proper chance to prove themselves. Is it a surefire scenario? No. But if a GM can't "rely" on at least 2 out of 3 of very talented players making an impact big enough to replace role players that go out then the whole theory about drafting well and replacing aging/expensive players with young prospects is moot anyway.
Doubting this process means you subconsciously just wait for proper suckage to come and hope a generational talent and a few "surefire" top 3 picks land at your feet. Or that your team wins a luck lottery and "accidentally" lands a superstar in 3rd round every year. And hope you still don't end up like the Oilers...
My point is - there's way too little excitement about the unknown on this board and way too many people that want this sport to be mathematically calculable and that LA Kings, of all teams, should somehow be blessed with ownership that then finds this genius to make an unbeatable team for a decade. Or something...
(I'm not addressing only you here, obviously...you just triggered me a bit.
Folks hoping that 3-4 young players step in and make a difference is a bit of a stretch. I said it was a bit of a stretch, and then tried to explained why. If there are 3-4 young players on this team next year is it more likely that 1, maybe 2 make any kind of real impact on this team. If when explaining my position it seemed to be coming across with a certain tone to you, well sorry. That was not my goal. My goal was to attempt to define this team the way that I see it. Try to bring a dose of reality (again the way I see it) to the conversation. I hope that the or 3-4 young players coming in next year make some sort of an impact on this team. Expecting that to happen is a bit of a stretch. Hoping it happens is just fine and dandy.
Last year and early this year I was one of the few said that QB was going to be fine. As a matter of fact, I said that this year QB would have a break out season of sorts. Was that being pessimistic? Nope, that is just the way I saw it, so I voiced my opinion. Sorry........
Around the same time I was one of the few that were hard on Kaliyev's play and I did not see him helping this team. I got a lot of flack for that, but I stood my ground and continued to defend my positoin. That is just the way I saw things at the time, and at the time I wanted him in the pressbox (or sent to the Reign to get his game back). If this possition made me a pessimist, well sorry.
At the deadline I said it would be best for Blake to sell off Roy and Arvidsson to get future assets to help this team this coming season. I explained my position and also offered my opinion that the Kings were going to get swept by the Oilers, or at best win a single game. Again, just me being a pessimist I guess.
You may not have liked everything that I have had to say, or what my opinions were and are. That is fine. That just happens to be the way that I see things at the momment. Are LGK'rs not allowed to speak their minds and offer their opinions on the team? If during the end of this season and heading into the offseason a lot of LGK'rs have a low opinion of this team and its direction, there might just be a reason for it.
My final comment, it is not like I said it was a stupid idea that would never happen. I just saw it as a little bit of wishful thinking.
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Kurisu
O Captain, My Captain!
I've had a love / hate relationship with this place forever. Remember the "Kopitar has no heart" era. Or the years and years of Dustin Brown hate? Both so ridiculously dumb.
I learn a lot from the collective wisdom of this place, but there's some super dumb threaded throughout.
Bollocks
Top Forward
This has nothing to do with you, as I said. I have no recollection of your opinions specifically, i.e. you're not on my "ok, he's a Rob hater no matter what" list (that I don't actually have written down of course). It wasn't directed at you specifically but the pessimistic crowd in general. Whoever fits that mold will know. Your post somehow irked me enough to reply to it, I had spare time and so my "rant" began lol.
------------------------------------------
So, to everyone on this board:
Why care about or follow or - even worse - spend money on this sport if you're a pessimist is beyond me. The whole idea about sports is about optimism and hope. Unless there's a super-rich owner coming in and it's a "buy your way to success" kind of league...and even that often doesn't work. So many teams "geared for success" are one injury away from failure. It's like buying a lottery ticket.
Some of you I remember hated the PLD trade from the get go. They turned out to be right. But in the end, was "being right" worth it? They brewed negative emotions about it for far too long than everyone else who hoped he'd show up big in the playoffs. In the end he didn't. So what? I didn't miss any sleep over it, but it is true I don't spend any money on the team, and very little time.
And neither should anyone that so strongly disagrees with the ownership/upper management. I know "vote with your dollar" won't work here due to casual fan base being too big. I get that it's frustrating. But at least there would be less negative emotions about it all...
I get a feeling that some of you just take all this *entertainment* far too seriously. I guess it's just a too well designed "Panem et circenses" system. Without wanting to get too political, there are is far too worrying stuff going on around the world and also in USA (as far as I can tell from the news, without first hand knowledge) to be actually worried/stressed about a sport.
Unless it's all just banter, and in some cases I'm sure it is, but some people post too often and heated to give an impression of being casual about all these goings on. I get it - to each his own. I was similar before the Cup wins, I was young and had too much time on my hands. Then I learned to just wait and sit back and enjoy the ride, whatever it is.
And most of all - it's not about being right, or correct. Sure, discussion is one thing, but some people seem to take too much pride in being right with *negative* predictions.
Anyways, this is basically just a disclaimer about getting some distance and perspective about the Kings and this sport. No one from the ownership or front office reads this board. Don't stress about it, life's too short for that.
Besides, it could be much worse. Imagine being an Edmonton fan if they lose the series to the Stars...
/"rant" over, buckle up for a bumpy LA Kings decade
Clif
Super Star
Turcotte and Thomas are replacing the likes of Lizotte and Lewis/Grundstrom. Nevermind impact in their first full rookie seasons. Will they be a significant drop-off from those players? No. Biggest issue perhaps is missing Lizzo on the PK, but hopefully Thomas does decently there.
Was Laf an impact player this season? No, but he notched double-digit goals and assists and was among the team’s leaders in hits. Negatively his analytics were also atrocious away from DuBois. But a good year for experience.
If we’re looking for young players to finally get a rookie season under their belts and Laf and Spence to up their production and defensive responsibilities, then we’ve got some highlights this next season to enjoy. The bar isn’t exactly that high.
Was Laf an impact player this season? No, but he notched double-digit goals and assists and was among the team’s leaders in hits. Negatively his analytics were also atrocious away from DuBois. But a good year for experience.
If we’re looking for young players to finally get a rookie season under their belts and Laf and Spence to up their production and defensive responsibilities, then we’ve got some highlights this next season to enjoy. The bar isn’t exactly that high.
Statue4Deano
Super Star
Laf looks like a cost effective, homegrown, Kings tattoo on his ass staple for the bottom six for the next decade. He’ll have years where he’s more productive and used as fill in on the top 2 lines but you can pencil in 15 goals starting as early as next season. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with having guys like that. Ideally he’s what Michael Amadio turned into once he joined Vegas.
Laf looks a lot like Tanner Pearson and you need guys like that. Hoping that he continues that north south game and relies on his centers to do their thing. I see Hiller being able to bring him along into bona fide NHL roles and even trust him to use those instincts to save other legs on the PK at some point.
One thing I am hopeful for with Hiller, he's going to expand the PK down the lineup. It won't make sense to completely take Kopi/Kempe and/or Danault/Moore off the pk, but guys like Turcotte, Thomas, Laf, and for the love of god Q with his reach and first step breaking up point passes for short handed chances, need to be on the PK. It needs to have aggression instead of the sag mentality that was so pervasive. Its one thing to situationally take away a shooter, but its another to not put a dent in the confidence of a PP.
ICE24
Super Star
I believe Laf will become a star player. He jumped in from college without knowing the system and to me played well this season. This kid was not even penciled in the Kings lineup before the season. He will only get stronger and his willingness to bang along the boards will make it hard to play against his line. Eventually Laf will join the PK, I believe he has the attitude and willingness to sacrifice.
If Clarke trains like Alex Morgan this spring/summer he will build the muscle that he needs to be able to withstand the punishment he will endure in the NHL. He is young so he has quite a few years to develop. I say another season with the Reign will help his development. I'm a fan of Turcotte, however as a very high draft pick, he may never be more than a bottom six player, easily replaced. We all have seen great junior players that peak. His injuries have slowed him, however, he has been around a few years. Thomas, small sample size and he played well, we will see if he can do that for a season in the NHL. Next season keep the expectations low and all will be good. Doughty and Kopitar will be older and PLD is what we saw and two GM's dealt with for a period of time.
ICE24
Super Star
Can we say PLD has no heart?
Clif
Super Star
Two years from now we’re looking at what should be an outstanding bottom 6 in:
Danault, Moore, Turcotte, Laf, Thomas, Lee, and Helenius.
I could see Moore getting moved at some point before then. Gotta have money for Kempe’s next contract anyway.
Also at that time you have Byfield, PLD top centers and Kempe and Fiala top wingers. Will remain to be seen how the rest of the top 6 wings come together. Don’t see it from the group mentioned, but gotta have depth and I think this team is still poised to have it.
hokiecat
Super Star
You're just jealous because I was right about PLD. I can sympathize.This has nothing to do with you, as I said. I have no recollection of your opinions specifically, i.e. you're not on my "ok, he's a Rob hater no matter what" list (that I don't actually have written down of course). It wasn't directed at you specifically but the pessimistic crowd in general. Whoever fits that mold will know. Your post somehow irked me enough to reply to it, I had spare time and so my "rant" began lol.
------------------------------------------
So, to everyone on this board:
Why care about or follow or - even worse - spend money on this sport if you're a pessimist is beyond me. The whole idea about sports is about optimism and hope. Unless there's a super-rich owner coming in and it's a "buy your way to success" kind of league...and even that often doesn't work. So many teams "geared for success" are one injury away from failure. It's like buying a lottery ticket.
Some of you I remember hated the PLD trade from the get go. They turned out to be right. But in the end, was "being right" worth it? They brewed negative emotions about it for far too long than everyone else who hoped he'd show up big in the playoffs. In the end he didn't. So what? I didn't miss any sleep over it, but it is true I don't spend any money on the team, and very little time.
And neither should anyone that so strongly disagrees with the ownership/upper management. I know "vote with your dollar" won't work here due to casual fan base being too big. I get that it's frustrating. But at least there would be less negative emotions about it all...
I get a feeling that some of you just take all this *entertainment* far too seriously. I guess it's just a too well designed "Panem et circenses" system. Without wanting to get too political, there are is far too worrying stuff going on around the world and also in USA (as far as I can tell from the news, without first hand knowledge) to be actually worried/stressed about a sport.
Unless it's all just banter, and in some cases I'm sure it is, but some people post too often and heated to give an impression of being casual about all these goings on. I get it - to each his own. I was similar before the Cup wins, I was young and had too much time on my hands. Then I learned to just wait and sit back and enjoy the ride, whatever it is.
And most of all - it's not about being right, or correct. Sure, discussion is one thing, but some people seem to take too much pride in being right with *negative* predictions.
Anyways, this is basically just a disclaimer about getting some distance and perspective about the Kings and this sport. No one from the ownership or front office reads this board. Don't stress about it, life's too short for that.
Besides, it could be much worse. Imagine being an Edmonton fan if they lose the series to the Stars...
/"rant" over, buckle up for a bumpy LA Kings decade
Honestly, though, IDK what the rant is about. If I see Rob making a stupid trade, then hell yeah it annoys me that he is making a negative move which is going to make my Kings entertainment worse. As a fan of the team, I don't want to see those kinds of moves because it means I'm wasting my time following them closely. It isn't like the I'm excited that the teams trajectory going from really good in the spring of 2022 to mediocre today. I don't want to watch crap like we did (or didn't) in 2020.
On the flip side, I'm watching the playoff series now (I suppose stupidly investing time in the sport with my team eliminated, in your view) and loving the hell out of it. Teams like Florida and Dallas remind me of the 2012-14 Kings where their own play determines if they will be winners or losers. Nobody in those fan bases are worried about getting Vancouver vs Edmonton in the first round and avoiding Colorado/Dalass in the second. Those teams are bad asses and match up great against any opponent.
But if you think many (or any of us) really give a flying F about being right/wrong/whatever on a internet message board, then wow. That's just insane. To quote AMH in Sixteen Candles, that's kind of like being King of the dipshits. It's just banter about a team that we waste far too much time on. You should get some perspective.
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hokiecat
Super Star
I totally can see that. He's a perfect guy to fill the bottom 6 role and contribute with a timely goal or hit in the playoffs. If he ends up being a late bloomer, that would be awesome but there's no shame in being a bottom 6 staple for the rest of the decade. Homegrown and cost effective are great adjectives BTW.
