GDT ***LA Kings @ Winnipeg Jets GDT 1/10/25 5:00pm on FanDuel***

[symbology]

In this day and age, offsides would be easily referee'd by cameras, thus ending the play immediately and leaving no sour taste if the goal is eventually scored.

Yeah, but it may just slow the game down a bunch. Still sometimes takes 15-30 seconds to confirm the play was offsides. Then, there is a whistle and a faceoff. This could be an extra 10+ faceoffs a game. Each time having to have the score keeper reset the clock. I would guess that less than 5% of plays that are offsides result in a goal.

 

[DryKing]

It’s possible we’ll always miss Gabe, but I come down to the fact that it’s less about not having him vs. the waste of an A-grade asset. But, what goalie who was available to the Kings was going to give us right now what Kuemper is while we wait for Portillo? Would Grier or Conroy have traded their goalies inter-division, and at what cost if so? So all told, have to be happy enough with this outcome given how this debacle started.

I also think about what Gabe would make on his next contract here. It’s over 6 easily, maybe over 7. Glad for him halfway through that he’s finally having a healthy season, but I for one would be gritting my teeth a bit about an expensive contract given his injury history. And yet given the points there’d be no choice.

End of day Blake’s not stupid. Gabe putting up big points as he is isn’t a surprise to anyone. He knew what he was giving up, which tells me had good reason for it and by the sounds of it Gabe was a goner regardless.

Problem is, Gabe was the best pure shooter we had on the team - a team which desperately needs shooters. On top of that, he has the ability to play physical and really make a difference come playoff time. Given what we gave up to obtain PLD, that trade was always going to be a loser - it was just a matter of by how much.

Keumper has been an excellent addition (and I've been one of his biggest fans from the start) but for PLD straight up we gave up too much to acquire him. I get people are just happy to have PLD gone, and the extra cap space gained helped, but in reality it was two losing trades in a row.

Blake has been historically weak when it comes to trades, but strong when it comes to drafting and free agent signings. I hope he sticks to his strengths, going forward, as much as possible.

 

[symbology]

Problem is, Gabe was the best pure shooter we had on the team - a team which desperately needs shooters. On top of that, he has the ability to play physical and really make a difference come playoff time. Given what we gave up to obtain PLD, that trade was always going to be a loser - it was just a matter of by how much.

Keumper has been an excellent addition (and I've been one of his biggest fans from the start) but for PLD straight up we gave up too much to acquire him. I get people are just happy to have PLD gone, and the extra cap space gained helped, but in reality it was two losing trades in a row.

Blake has been historically weak when it comes to trades, but strong when it comes to drafting and free agent signings. I hope he sticks to his strengths, going forward, as much as possible.

Yep, Gabe is pretty much the exact type of player the Kings need right now. A right hand shot winger that can shoot, as well as setup others.

 

[Halfwall]

Yep, Gabe is pretty much the exact type of player the Kings need right now. A right hand shot winger that can shoot, as well as setup others.

The problem with Gabe is that he's a one trick pony--PP specialist. Fully 1/2 his points are on the PP. He's a mere +1 on the "best" team in the league and a defensive liability.

 

[symbology]

The problem with Gabe is that he's a one trick pony--PP specialist. Fully 1/2 his points are on the PP. He's a mere +1 on the "best" team in the league and a defensive liability.

That is true his is a PP specialist, which is what this team needs. The Jets top 4 offensive forwards have crap +/- numbers as well. That does not all fall on him. Valid points though.

 

[Halfwall]

That is true his is a PP specialist, which is what this team needs. The Jets top 4 offensive forwards have crap +/- numbers as well. That does not all fall on him. Valid points though.

The Kings have plenty of firepower upfront, what they don't have is a Dman with a heavy shot. Clarke may get there but he's not there yet. No one talks about it but DD may very well get them back to above average (like last year) or at least somewhere near average. Not that he has a great shot but he's way better on the PP than he gets credit for.

 

[symbology]

The Kings have plenty of firepower upfront, what they don't have is a Dman with a heavy shot. Clarke may get there but he's not there yet. No one talks about it but DD may very well get them back to above average (like last year) or at least somewhere near average. Not that he has a great shot but he's way better on the PP than he gets credit for.

I agree there is no one timer threat from the point on PP1. Also, Drew did have a great "shooting" year last year on the PP and that is sorely missed this year. Getting DD back should help PP1, but Clarke minus the one timer threat has been doing a decent job filling in. IMO, they also need a RHS up front in order to be able to generate different looks and spice things up.

 

[DryKing]

The problem with Gabe is that he's a one trick pony--PP specialist. Fully 1/2 his points are on the PP. He's a mere +1 on the "best" team in the league and a defensive liability.

Connor and Scheifele are a +3 and +5 respectively. Gabe's +1 is not an indication of his being a defensive liability, but rather his line holding their own against the top lines in the league. Additionally, as you mention, 50% of his points have come on the PP which does not play into his +/-.

I remember the same thing being said about Ryan Smythe - one trick pony, only useful on the PP and yet he had a very solid NHL career.

 

[Halfwall]

Connor and Scheifele are a +3 and +5 respectively. Gabe's +1 is not an indication of his being a defensive liability, but rather his line holding their own against the top lines in the league. Additionally, as you mention, 50% of his points have come on the PP which does not play into his +/-.

I remember the same thing being said about Ryan Smythe - one trick pony, only useful on the PP and yet he had a very solid NHL career.

I expect the top line of the top team in the league to more than hold their own at even strength especially with the league's best goalie behind them. Moreover, I didn't say he was a bum--just problematic. In other words I would rather have Kuemper than Vilardi/Iafallo/Kupari. Iafallo is decent but not worth 4M, Kupari is next to useless.

 

[DryKing]

I expect the top line of the top team in the league to more than hold their own at even strength especially with the league's best goalie behind them. Moreover, I didn't say he was a bum--just problematic. In other words I would rather have Kuemper than Vilardi/Iafallo/Kupari. Iafallo is decent but not worth 4M, Kupari is next to useless.

True, but teams win in different ways. Some are top line heavy, some are defensive, etc. Look at the top line of Toronto, for example, who has a combined +/- -2 despite having one of the best records in the league and getting strong goaltending (#2 in the league in save percentage, behind the Jets). The Jets clearly live off the PP which is far above any other team currently.

Personally I would take Vilardi over Keumper, which isn't a slight on Keumper but rather praise for Vilardi. Alfons Freij would be nice to have on our roster, as well (who Winnipeg drafted with the 2nd round pick included in the trade).

 

[Clif]

Problem is, Gabe was the best pure shooter we had on the team - a team which desperately needs shooters. On top of that, he has the ability to play physical and really make a difference come playoff time. Given what we gave up to obtain PLD, that trade was always going to be a loser - it was just a matter of by how much.

Keumper has been an excellent addition (and I've been one of his biggest fans from the start) but for PLD straight up we gave up too much to acquire him. I get people are just happy to have PLD gone, and the extra cap space gained helped, but in reality it was two losing trades in a row.

Blake has been historically weak when it comes to trades, but strong when it comes to drafting and free agent signings. I hope he sticks to his strengths, going forward, as much as possible.

Don’t get me wrong, we could absolutely use Gabe. Any team could, frankly. And I like how you phrased it that the trade was always going to be a loss, just by how much?

Which is exactly why it sounds/looks/feels Blake was selling high no matter what and moving on from that player. To that end we made out okay in the end. I would also say Greentree is as untradeable as a prospect in Juniors should be to this team. He could give us the player in Gabe we’re missing, and hopefully in a much sturdier and less salty version.