Spence Traded for Picks to Ottawa

[DarkLeftHand]

Can #62 actually skate? Someone get Holland on the phone.

 

[DryKing]

this deal just reeks of the Kings desperation to sign Gavrikov and obtain more cap space to do so. I really hope we don't end up in a Nurse-like situation in LA, under Holland.

 

[kIngsX]

This is the thing. There wasn’t a fourth liner they could get for him and picks?

I actually don’t hate that.

Excellent on the PK

 

[Dr. Tran]

I’m missing something. Spence was supposed to go for a 2025 #67 pick & next years. But it has Carolina picking that. So did that pick get traded?

Anyway, not crazy about this. I think Hiller should’ve had more trust in him. But even if he had to be traded, I would’ve rather use him as a trade chip for a roster player.

 

[DarkLeftHand]

I’m missing something. Spence was supposed to go for a 2025 #67 pick & next years. But it has Carolina picking that. So did that pick get traded?

Anyway, not crazy about this. I think Hiller should’ve had more trust in him. But even if he had to be traded, I would’ve rather use him as a trade chip for a roster player.

Correct, we got 67th overall from Ottawa in the Spence trade, and then traded that pick to Carolina for a 2025 4th round and a 3rd rounder in 2026

 

[gonzoa99]

My perspective on Spence has been a willingness to forgive the lack of size and ability to deliver hits consistently if he could skate the puck thru the neutral zone 5 on 5, maybe push the D into their own zone and put the puck in the net a little more. Imho the pluses on the offensive side do not offset the negatives on the defensive side.

 

[Dr. Tran]

Correct, we got 67th overall from Ottawa in the Spence trade, and then traded that pick to Carolina for a 2025 4th round and a 3rd rounder in 2026

That’s even worse. Spence for a 2025 4th, a 2026 3rd, & a 2026 6th. Unless they’re trying to collect picks for 2026. Which I hope translates into RFA offer sheets.

 

[Statue4Deano]

That’s even worse. Spence for a 2025 4th, a 2026 3rd, & a 2026 6th. Unless they’re trying to collect picks for 2026. Which I hope translates into RFA offer sheets.

2026 draft is said to be quite a bit deeper than 2025.

 

[King of Pentacle5]

This should tell you all you need to hear:

I remember around 10 years ago everyone (GMs, talking heads) talking about how the game is changing: faster, smaller, more skilled players were going to be the future, and GMs like DL were dinosaurs by building a team with big strapping bodies. Teams built on large size, grit and power would get crushed by a new generation of smaller, more skilled players. And fighting was going to end.

Yet here we are. lol

 

[Birdman]

I remember around 10 years ago everyone (GMs, talking heads) talking about how the game is changing: faster, smaller, more skilled players were going to be the future, and GMs like DL were dinosaurs by building a team with big strapping bodies. Teams built on large size, grit and power would get crushed by a new generation of smaller, more skilled players. And fighting was going to end.

Yet here we are. lol

Take a look at the teams that won over the last 10 years. Look at their size on the back end, and the types of players on their 3rd and 4th lines, and you’ll realize that the reality is that although everybody said it needed to change, the cup winners actually didn’t.

 

[drums4dmf]

Take a look at the teams that won over the last 10 years. Look at their size on the back end, and the types of players on their 3rd and 4th lines, and you’ll realize that the reality is that although everybody said it needed to change, the cup winners actually didn’t.

Exactly. And those are the teams that are difficult to beat over a 7 game series. I’ll also add the obvious, goaltending. The last irrelevant goalie to win the cup IMO was Niemi in 2010. However that Hawks team would have won with Skinner in net…

 

[King of Pentacle5]

Take a look at the teams that won over the last 10 years. Look at their size on the back end, and the types of players on their 3rd and 4th lines, and you’ll realize that the reality is that although everybody said it needed to change, the cup winners actually didn’t.

I know. That’s my point.

 

[Statue4Deano]

I remember around 10 years ago everyone (GMs, talking heads) talking about how the game is changing: faster, smaller, more skilled players were going to be the future, and GMs like DL were dinosaurs by building a team with big strapping bodies. Teams built on large size, grit and power would get crushed by a new generation of smaller, more skilled players. And fighting was going to end.

Yet here we are. lol

The game did change. It is faster, less physical and more skilled. People who are obsessed with the past literally won’t stop talking about how less physical the game is today.

Nobody was purposely drafting smaller players. It turns out smaller players tend to be faster and more skilled because they don’t have size to rely on.

The idea that you don’t need a mix of size and skill, even on defense is a fantasy. Every team post deadpuck era has had a blueline with players who are about 6’ small playing significant roles. Start with Pittsburg (Letang) Chicago (Keith) LA (Doughty, Voynov, Martinez) Florida (Forsling, Kulikov, Schmidt).

 

[Birdman]

The game did change. It is faster, less physical and more skilled. People who are obsessed with the past literally won’t stop talking about how less physical the game is today.

This is where you and I completely disagree.

The physicality come playoff time is at or above where it was from 2012-2015. You can make the argument that even our last 3 series against the Oilers, we started out strong, but they took control mid series because the hitting wore us down. This year it was exemplified even more because we played a short bench the entire series (9 forwards and 4 defensemen).

You cannot play that style in an 82 game season. Teams start to ramp into that at the turn of the calendar, and come April they are ready.

The fast/skilled teams eventually get run over, usually early in the playoffs. The Oilers are a partial exception. They have 2.5 superstars, and a bunch of thugs. When the 2.5 superstars aren’t in the ice, they are an average NHL team that plays physical. Even those 3 players take the body when they can

I’m not saying you don’t need any skill, speed and goalscoring. You need some of that, but the Big 4 in Toronto hasn’t gotten to the finals for a reason.

 

[symbology]

The game did change. It is faster, less physical and more skilled. People who are obsessed with the past literally won’t stop talking about how less physical the game is today.

Nobody was purposely drafting smaller players. It turns out smaller players tend to be faster and more skilled because they don’t have size to rely on.

The idea that you don’t need a mix of size and skill, even on defense is a fantasy. Every team post deadpuck era has had a blueline with players who are about 6’ small playing significant roles. Start with Pittsburg (Letang) Chicago (Keith) LA (Doughty, Voynov, Martinez) Florida (Forsling, Kulikov, Schmidt).

Yep. the guy that was 6' 195lbs (Forsling) was the best at defending McDavid through these past playoffs. Not 6'5" 225lb Joel Edmundson.

Size is great, size is needed. However, so is a hockey brain and some skill. Size alone isn't going to win squat.

 

[LAKingSteve]

this deal just reeks of the Kings desperation to sign Gavrikov and obtain more cap space to do so. I really hope we don't end up in a Nurse-like situation in LA, under Holland.

This really had nothing to do with Gavi. They could have kept both as right now, we have plenty of space. This is just a matter of Spence not being a player the Kings need right now and wanting to be traded because of that.

 

[King of Pentacle5]

The game did change. It is faster, less physical and more skilled. People who are obsessed with the past literally won’t stop talking about how less physical the game is today.

Nobody was purposely drafting smaller players. It turns out smaller players tend to be faster and more skilled because they don’t have size to rely on.

The idea that you don’t need a mix of size and skill, even on defense is a fantasy. Every team post deadpuck era has had a blueline with players who are about 6’ small playing significant roles. Start with Pittsburg (Letang) Chicago (Keith) LA (Doughty, Voynov, Martinez) Florida (Forsling, Kulikov, Schmidt).

I guess I just hadn’t noticed. But yep, statistically you’re absolutely correct. Just looking at the difference in hits per season by team and there’s been a significant drop since 2015.

 

[Statue4Deano]

I guess I just hadn’t noticed. But yep, statistically you’re absolutely correct. Just looking at the difference in hits per season by team and there’s been a significant drop since 2015.View attachment 12370View attachment 12371

It is definitely true that the physicality picks up in the playoffs. 100% agree but even if we think back to the 2 Kings Cup runs remember how bruised and broken a lot of our guys were by the time they got to the Finals? Those series agains the Blues and Blackhawks were legendary for the amount of punishment dished out. The game is just different now.

Now we have one team that plays like Panthers and everyone else kinda more of less plays like a version of the Oilers. A couple physical guys but mostly they aren’t looking for contact for the sake of hitting.

 

[Dr. Tran]

Seems pretty clear the league is moving back into an obsession with size again. These GMs cannot help themselves. It’s a league of followers so just about any D man 6’ or below is on the block.

So can we get Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, or Lane Hutson?

 

[Bollocks]

So can we get Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, or Lane Hutson?

You make exception for such talented players. But Spence doesn't move the needle enough to keep him if the goal is to get past the 1st round.

For Ottawa though he'll be great. It was a decent trade. The Kings got three mid picks in return. I guess there wasn't enough interest from teams that have players the Kings would like to have...