The Mess in the West

Seattle starting to fade a little. Martin Jones regressing to his mean over the past several seasons (which isn't very good). I'll settle for anyone melting down so that the Kings make the playoffs.

The west really is inferior to the east this season. The Lightning and Rangers would be tops in the west. And the west gets extra games against Anaheim, Arizona, Chicago, and San Jose.
 
Seattle starting to fade a little. Martin Jones regressing to his mean over the past several seasons (which isn't very good). I'll settle for anyone melting down so that the Kings make the playoffs.

The west really is inferior to the east this season. The Lightning and Rangers would be tops in the west. And the west gets extra games against Anaheim, Arizona, Chicago, and San Jose.

Who knows what the Lightning and Rangers records would be out west. They could be behind the Ducks.
 
The Kings have certainly got all the help they'll ever need the past few weeks, as teams (especially Seattle) have caught up with games played.
 
Hate to see a 3 point game but works when CAL chokes out a point and loses to VGK in OT. 6 pts back from Kings and 23 games left for both. Just gotta hold on.
 
Hoping Dallas beats Vegas tonight. And Shesterkin got shelled by the Caps today. Was pulled for the third period. Don't know which goalie the Kings will see after Halak played a period today.

Rags have now lost 4 in a row and gave up 4+ goals in each of those games. Shesterkin is looking shaky lately.

Hope the Kings can keep the Rangers' losing streak going tomorrow night with NY on a back-to-back. GKG!!!
 
At least Dallas denied Vegas 2 points with the SO win. And damn, that was a fun game to watch. Thank you, Stars!

And Colorado took care of Calgary. Not a bad night for the Kings.
 
Great day for the Kings for sure.

EDM with a rough stretch starting tomorrow: they play BOS, TOR, and WPG 2x each over their next 7 games. Could be an opportunity for the Kings if they can string some wins together. EDM goaltending is just atrocious right now.

NSH traded Neiderreiter - are they waving the white flag? Really coming down to CAL and MIN rounding out a 9 team race.
 
The playoffs in the Pacific are like playing musical chairs. One good thing is that the eight teams in the west are tight, then you have Calgary trying to catch up. Who knows where any Pacific or Central team will wind up. Avs are hot and only 3 points from Dallas. The only team that "scares" me in the West is the Avs. Just avoid them and Kings could win a couple of rounds.

Kings have the 3rd easiest schedule, so it's possible to win the division. Every point counts!
 
Capri Sun had a hat trick. Wild went from down 2-0 in the 3rd to winning 3-2 in OT. Boo.

Go Kings and Go Toronto today. It would be nice if Calgary stumbled this week so that Tre became a seller at the deadline.
 
Tampa Bay just got Tanner Jeannot from Nashville for Cal Foote, a 2025 1st round pick, a 2024 2nd round pick, and 2023 3rd, 4th, and 5th round picks. I realize Tampa Bay's picks are late rounders, but that seems like an overpayment.
 
On the latest KOTP, Hoven and Bernstein discuss the Kings' trade deadline. Hoven says the Kings are looking at Jake McCabe and says Chicago is trying to package him with center Sam Lafferty. Says if the trade were to happen Lafferty would likely be the 3C and Lizotte would go back to 4C. Lafferty is signed for $1.15 million through next season. Hoven says Kings don't want to trade a 1st rounder. Looking to trade a second and a third or a second and a prospect.

This move would make some sense to me, as I think we need to add a bottom 6 forward and Lafferty adds some size. But we wouldn't need Lafferty next season. Perhaps could unload him in the offseason for a late round pick.

Kings deadline cap space is $3,517,009. McCabe and Lafferty combined would be $5.15 million, so unless Chicago retains close to 50% on McCabe, we'd need them to take something back, such as Walker's contract. Lemieux's contract going back wouldn't be enough without retention. Although perhaps there is a market for Walker if we try to trade him separately for a pick.

If we add a forward, then we'd run into some problems as we'd need to send someone down (Kupari) and then we'd need to move another player if we want to activate Grundstrom from IR. I suppose that would either be Lemieux or sending QB back to Ontario.
 
On the latest KOTP, Hoven and Bernstein discuss the Kings' trade deadline. Hoven says the Kings are looking at Jake McCabe and says Chicago is trying to package him with center Sam Lafferty. Says if the trade were to happen Lafferty would likely be the 3C and Lizotte would go back to 4C. Lafferty is signed for $1.15 million through next season. Hoven says Kings don't want to trade a 1st rounder. Looking to trade a second and a third or a second and a prospect.

This move would make some sense to me, as I think we need to add a bottom 6 forward and Lafferty adds some size. But we wouldn't need Lafferty next season. Perhaps could unload him in the offseason for a late round pick.

Kings deadline cap space is $3,517,009. McCabe and Lafferty combined would be $5.15 million, so unless Chicago retains close to 50% on McCabe, we'd need them to take something back, such as Walker's contract. Lemieux's contract going back wouldn't be enough without retention. Although perhaps there is a market for Walker if we try to trade him separately for a pick.

If we add a forward, then we'd run into some problems as we'd need to send someone down (Kupari) and then we'd need to move another player if we want to activate Grundstrom from IR. I suppose that would either be Lemieux or sending QB back to Ontario.

Wow - Toronto just made this trade. Their first in 2025 and 2nd in 2026. A couple players/prospects I’m not familiar with: Joey Anderson and Pavel Gogolev.
 
Wow - Toronto just made this trade. Their first in 2025 and 2nd in 2026. A couple players/prospects I’m not familiar with: Joey Anderson and Pavel Gogolev.

Well, I guess Hoven actually had a source for the McCabe/Lafferty linkage.
 
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