Kempe Contract Watch Thread {Signed 8-year, $85 million - $10.63 AAV}

[symbology]

To add to this with a recent example - 20/21 the Canadians made it to the SC Finals with their top center (Suzuki) average 0.71 PPG and 0.73 PPG in the playoffs. Their second line center, Danault, averaged 0.45 PPG during the regular season and 0.18 PPG during the playoffs that year.

But clearly, according to others, they were not a contender based on their stats and Byfield at a 0.77 PPG pace could not be a L1 center on a contending team...

While it is true that the Canadians and other teams have done well in the playoffs without high end centers. That Montreal team had not been making, or doing anything in the playoffs. They were over achievers for sure. Not considered contenders at all. Not even close.

Byfiled is at .77 pts per game for the last 13 games. That is a significant jump from his past seasons. Hope he keeps it up.

It is more than just points. Yes, points are mentioned and focused on at times. IMO, QB is not ready to be a #1C on a contending team, even if he finishes the season at .77 pts per game. He is not ready for that role yet IMO. His game needs work in certain areas. He needs to read plays better at times, and he needs to slow down at times. He tries to push the pace to much IMO, and loses control of the puck to often. Finally, 44% at the dot is not going to cut it.

Hope he gets there and gets there soon.

 

[Illegal_Stick]

Stutzle has 14 points in 13 games. Byfield has 10 points in 13 games. Let’s maybe tap the brakes on calling Stutzle an elite scorer. Especially when you consider that Byfield plays in one of the most conservative offensive systems in the NHL while Stutzle plays in one of the highest scoring.

 

[Illegal_Stick]

Love Byfield, but no one outside of us Kings fans, would say that they would rather have him than Stutzle. It’s not even a knock on Byfield. Stutzle has become an impressive player at both ends of the ice. He has become one of the best players for expected goals against. Their offensive stats aren’t even close. You guys may think I’m being hard on Byfield, but I think you are in absolute denial about what Stutzle is.

 

[symbology]

Love Byfield, but no one outside of us Kings fans, would say that they would rather have him than Stutzle. It’s not even a knock on Byfield. Stutzle has become an impressive player at both ends of the ice. He has become one of the best players for expected goals against. Their offensive stats aren’t even close. You guys may think I’m being hard on Byfield, but I think you are in absolute denial about what Stutzle is.

Hard to argue this. Many folks do not realize that Stutzle's defensive game has improved over the last few seasons. I think even his faceoffs have improved. As of now, comparing FO %, Stutzle is at 61%, while QB is at 44%. Stutzle is tied for the team lead in +/- with +4, while QB is sitting at 17th, with a -2.

I am not trying to bash QB either. The way I see it, is you question some things on his game or make comments and folks try to sell you that all is well all is good QB is great. So, some of us end up bringing up some negative stuff on QB just to defend our opinions. Then get slammed as haters.

 

[VCRW]

Back on topic, Kempe is on pace for a 35 goal, 90 point season. He is responding in the best possible way to the uncertainty surrounding his contract status. Any team would be happy to have what he brings. Holland is not looking too savvy in this current situation.

 

[Illegal_Stick]

Back on topic, Kempe is on pace for a 35 goal, 90 point season. He is responding in the best possible way to the uncertainty surrounding his contract status. Any team would be happy to have what he brings. Holland is not looking too savvy in this current situation.

It’s getting to that point where it seems so absurd that I am trying to convince myself there must be a plan here. Holland has to come out of this with a good deal… or else why did it take so long? (Of course deep down I am just in denial that he has likely messed up a lay-up here and it may cost us our best player)

 

[Clif]

It’s getting to that point where it seems so absurd that I am trying to convince myself there must be a plan here. Holland has to come out of this with a good deal… or else why did it take so long? (Of course deep down I am just in denial that he has likely messed up a lay-up here and it may cost us our best player)

Freidman said every year there’s a team that goes kicking and screaming into a contract and this year it’s the Kings. He still believes it will get done.

Kempe listed a contract done by Christmas as an acceptable window. This is what keeps me from joining the dark side that says he’s leaving and doesn’t want to be here and on and on.

Pagnotta said the sides aren’t close at all but that’s obviously agent speak so it’s not necessarily as ominous as it sounds, but it also corroborates Freidman’s “kicking and screaming” take.

This whole thing is stupid, which makes me think it’s too stupid to have a plan behind it. But the reality is there’s still time.

 

[What party?]

Freidman said every year there’s a team that goes kicking and screaming into a contract and this year it’s the Kings. He still believes it will get done.

Kempe listed a contract done by Christmas as an acceptable window. This is what keeps me from joining the dark side that says he’s leaving and doesn’t want to be here and on and on.

Pagnotta said the sides aren’t close at all but that’s obviously agent speak so it’s not necessarily as ominous as it sounds, but it also corroborates Freidman’s “kicking and screaming” take.

This whole thing is stupid, which makes me think it’s too stupid to have a plan behind it. But the reality is there’s still time.

Here for the "too stupid to be a plan" but staying to make it worse. Trigger warning.

You know those people at work who appear to make their job harder than it is to rationalize their, let's just say paycheck (but feel free to add anything applicable)? I think Holland is doing just that thing. He's giving himself a project that requires "tweaking" for no real reason other than to make himself look busy.

Yeah, top that doom scrollers.

 

[Clif]

Here for the "too stupid to be a plan" but staying to make it worse. Trigger warning.

You know those people at work who appear to make their job harder than it is to rationalize their, let's just say paycheck (but feel free to add anything applicable)? I think Holland is doing just that thing. He's giving himself a project that requires "tweaking" for no real reason other than to make himself look busy.

Yeah, top that doom scrollers.

Best theory in 20 pages of this thread.

Holland must have earned his Project Management certification.

 

[Statue4Deano]

You moving the goal post? You said "The Kings didn’t need a top 10 scoring Center to win 2 Cups".

Regardless, between 2012-2016 Kopi was ranked 16th in overall scoring in the NHL. Between 2021-2024 Kopi was ranked 49th overall. Either way you want to look at it, the older and slower Kopitar is not as effective as the younger Kopitar. The Kings have not had a top end 1C for a while. Regardless of how good Kopi has played and continues to play.

Also, the Team has not been able to replace him to this point even though they have been trying. It is not an easy thing to do.

My apologies. I wasn’t clear in my original statement. The Kings didn’t need a Top 10 scorer who plays Center is what I intended to say. Meaning they didn’t need a first line Center who is nearly leading the league, not just other Centers, in scoring to create a semi-dynasty. Very similar to Chicago who was led by the mediocre scoring Toews on the 1st line.

Players like Kopitar (or Toews at his peak) are nearly impossible to replace. Neither Byfield or Stutzle are those guys to this point. Could they eventually get to the level of those guys? Maybe but I highly doubt it.

Whatever the finished player Byfield becomes I believe will be a key piece in getting the Kings back into real contender status. That’s where I’m sticking my flag. He’ll be a piece but not the whole pie. Just like Kopi was a piece albeit a much larger piece.

 

[Statue4Deano]

Oh yeah can they just pay Kempe already? God damn.

 

[What party?]

Best theory in 20 pages of this thread.

Holland must have earned his Project Management certification.

Ha! Cliff with two assists on this thread, too stupid for it to be a plan, was absolutely the inspiration.

Plus this deep in the thread, "Big Shot Rob" does not miss from this distance. =)

 

[Bollocks]

I agree with your assessment of Byfield, the player. That’s exactly who he is. And we love the kid. Just saying it doesn’t look to me as though he is going to become the dominating 2-way weapon we dreamed he might become when he was first drafted.

We all felt Blake made the right choice at the time. But I also enjoy speculating about how different the roster might have been had Stutzle been the pick. My belief is that Blake wouldn’t have made some of his most grievous errors.

And which one would that be? The PLD trade? PLD was brought in to be a center...after that plan failed, QB was forced to return to his main position, which he did well.

Which other moves are major blunders by Blake that wouldn't happen if Stutzle was drafted? The Cal Peterson signing?

Oh, and this dude named Juice, he either has not been given a decent contract to sign, or he does not want to sign it. So, there is that as well.

Are we going to blame Rob drafting QB for Juice walking as a UFA as well?

 

[What party?]

And which one would that be? The PLD trade? PLD was brought in to be a center...after that plan failed, QB was forced to return to his main position, which he did well.

Which other moves are major blunders by Blake that wouldn't happen if Stutzle was drafted? The Cal Peterson signing?



Are we going to blame Rob drafting QB for Juice walking as a UFA as well?

Motherf****, yes. Damn.

 

[VCRW]

And which one would that be? The PLD trade? PLD was brought in to be a center...after that plan failed, QB was forced to return to his main position, which he did well.

Which other moves are major blunders by Blake that wouldn't happen if Stutzle was drafted? The Cal Peterson signing?



Are we going to blame Rob drafting QB for Juice walking as a UFA as well?

Now that we heard snarky, maybe you might try something a bit less condescending. I said in my post it was just a mental exercise. You seemed to take it as gospel.

The first trade that came to mind for me was not needing to make the Fiala move. If they had kept Faber they probably wouldn’t have picked Clarke. Or they could have used him in a trade if he was selected.

And I don’t think all the d’men would have been allowed to walk en masse.

I question if the PLD trade ever happened. I like daydreaming about Vilardi on the PP.

A 2C could have come from a later draft or deal while Stutzle-Kopitar-Kempe carried the team. Kopi’s retirement only became reality this year. There was time for a different plan.

 

[What party?]

Now that we heard snarky, maybe you might try something a bit less condescending. Overlaid in my post it was just a mental exercise. You seemed to take it as gospel.

The first trade that came to mind for me was not needing to make the Fiala move. If they had kept Faber they probably wouldn’t have picked Clarke. Or they could have used him in a trade if he was selected.

And I don’t think all the d’men would have been allowed to walk en masse.

I question if the PLD trade ever happened. I like daydreaming about Vilardi on the PP.

A 2C could have come from a later draft or deal while Stutzle-Kopitar-Kempe carried the team. Kopi’s retirement only became reality this year. There was time for a different plan.

VCRW: Are you shutting down smarmy to a g.d Brit? That's crazy, he's just left with Mr. Bean Gifs and elitism? Come on man, let him type what he wants, how he wants. Or .. the (American) classic:

 

[jammer06]

I don't really have any good gasoline to throw on this tire fire, but a good ol' reliable argument starter:

Is Kempe the best to wear #9 for the LA Kings?

List of all the Los Angeles Kings Sweater Numbers | Hockey-Reference.com

Get the list of all the Los Angeles Kings Sweater Numbers on Hockey-Reference.com

www.hockey-reference.com

There's some stiff competition in there, and he might not even be the cutest considering good ol' Oscar Moller

 

[Birdman]

I don't really have any good gasoline to throw on this tire fire, but a good ol' reliable argument starter:

Is Kempe the best to wear #9 for the LA Kings?

List of all the Los Angeles Kings Sweater Numbers | Hockey-Reference.com

Get the list of all the Los Angeles Kings Sweater Numbers on Hockey-Reference.com

www.hockey-reference.com

There's some stiff competition in there, and he might not even be the cutest considering good ol' Oscar Moller

Dude, Bernie Nicholls was a god….

 

[symbology]

Are we going to blame Rob drafting QB for Juice walking as a UFA as well?

I do not believe I was blaming Blake for anything of the sort. I was Just bringing up the point if the Kings drafted Stutzle, the Fiala trade probably does not happen. Kings would have those assets. Of course, there would be no QB. I was just bringing this up to show what could have been different downstream, if the Kings went a different direction.

The only thing I was blaming Blake/management for was the mini rebuild to get to contender status. He failed at that and well, here we are. A team with no prospect depth to speak of that is in need of replacing Kopi at years end. Whether this has anything to do with Kempe staying or going, nobody knows. Nobody knows if he stays or goes......... I would bet on him staying and getting a contract that would be higher than Drew's @ 12m+.

Are we going to say that Rob Blake was the best GM to ever manage a team in the NHL?

 

[symbology]

Dude, Bernie Nicholls was a god….

I have yet to see Kempe score off of his back/side.