The other teams thread

[Surf Nutz]

I’m hardly defending Blake and the short-term view of the trade shows us that it was not a great deal by any stretch.
But I still don’t necessarily object to the strategy or mindset behind it. It actually did make sense to acquire a player will the size and skill of PLD.

In the end it basically ended up being a Gabe for Darcy swap. Yes, the Kings gave up Iafallo and Kupari as well but have found better players to replace them. And the second-round pick was also included.

Given the near term situation with goalies in the organization at the time the swap was not really a bad outcome. And good to recall that Vilardi had been in the organization for a while and had one productive season due to his inability to play.

It would be nice to have Vilardi here still. But he isn’t. And Keumper wouldn’t be here and we would have who in goal?

I guess this is a trade that we will all remember. But good to remember also that we just never know how things will play out.

For now, this is the team we have. I suspect they will add something at the deadline. But this team is in a good spot with Darcy in goal. And we can’t ignore that part.

Kuemps is MVP, so far so good.

Darc Kuemper to avoid confusion with yo Adrian 2nd place MVP

 

[Bollocks]

I still look back at Blake declining to use a 7th rounder to draft Wolf. IMO that’s his actual biggest blunder, which is really saying something. It’s a bit subjective, but imagine the PLD trade not being the worst thing you did?

In that draft the Kings picked Parik in the 3rd round, Andre Lee wasn't a bad pick in the 7th round at all and Wolf was inches away from going undrafted, which means every other team apart from Flames passed on him until the very end of the draft.

This is pure hindsight...if Rob drafted Wolf in the 7th round the fanbase would complain that he wasted the 3rd rounder on a goalie that ended up being a bust.

Rob's drafting is the absolute least of his problems.

I’m hardly defending Blake and the short-term view of the trade shows us that it was not a great deal by any stretch.
But I still don’t necessarily object to the strategy or mindset behind it. It actually did make sense to acquire a player will the size and skill of PLD.

In the end it basically ended up being a Gabe for Darcy swap. Yes, the Kings gave up Iafallo and Kupari as well but have found better players to replace them. And the second-round pick was also included.

Given the near term situation with goalies in the organization at the time the swap was not really a bad outcome. And good to recall that Vilardi had been in the organization for a while and had one productive season due to his inability to play.

It would be nice to have Vilardi here still. But he isn’t. And Keumper wouldn’t be here and we would have who in goal?

I guess this is a trade that we will all remember. But good to remember also that we just never know how things will play out.

For now, this is the team we have. I suspect they will add something at the deadline. But this team is in a good spot with Darcy in goal. And we can’t ignore that part.

An entirely likely scenario had they not traded for PLD is that Blake would spend the money on resigning Gabe, keeping Iafallo at 4m and signing a couple of cheap rando UFAs and the goalie situation this season would be Rittich+Copley, and with that the team could actually be worse off (almost certainly there would be no Foegele and Edmundson, who were both very important in this team's success this season).

Did he luck out in a way with Kumeper and Edmundson? Yes, for sure, but you could argue that balanced things out with bad luck of ill-fitting PLD, who is currently playing quite well in Washington.

I think the outlook of this season will wholly depend on how DD's form and how the team responds to him coming back into the lineup.

I wouldn't be opposed to a trade deadline deal, either, one that would send something along the lines of Akil Thomas+Fagemo for an upgrade on the 3rd/4th line - even more toughness and grit.


EDIT:

On the topic of "Other teams" - I just noticed that East coast parity is staggering this year. Teams ranked from 6th to 14th are all between 51 and 60 win %, and all of them are on mostly very solid winning runs recently...the worst last 10 record is one of Tampa, of all teams, and even they are positive at 5-4-1. Even the dreaded Isles are 7-3-0 and have won 4 in a row.

 

[Clif]

In that draft the Kings picked Parik in the 3rd round, Andre Lee wasn't a bad pick in the 7th round at all and Wolf was inches away from going undrafted, which means every other team apart from Flames passed on him until the very end of the draft.

This is pure hindsight...if Rob drafted Wolf in the 7th round the fanbase would complain that he wasted the 3rd rounder on a goalie that ended up being a bust.

Rob's drafting is the absolute least of his problems.

Not hindsight. Every other team passing on Wolf is excusable. He was a junior King who mgmt knew very well. So much so the plan was to invite him to camp and sign after.

Lee is already an excellent 7th round pick given he will likely be a full time NHL player who contributes. That’s rare. But Wolf is looking to be a runner up for the Calder. He may be one of the best 7th rounders of all time. But regardless of draft position, he may be a big reason the Flames make the playoffs. He is really good.

One note, George and Slukynsky both look like the real deal. Could be alls-well-that-ends-well as early as 2029 when one of them steals a starting role and Helenius and Lee have well established themselves as one of the most imposing 4th line duos in the league. But that’s a lot of pieces to break in the best case scenario when we could have had Dustin Wolf for a 7th.

 

[Bollocks]

Not hindsight. Every other team passing on Wolf is excusable. He was a junior King who mgmt knew very well. So much so the plan was to invite him to camp and sign after.

Lee is already an excellent 7th round pick given he will likely be a full time NHL player who contributes. That’s rare. But Wolf is looking to be a runner up for the Calder. He may be one of the best 7th rounders of all time. But regardless of draft position, he may be a big reason the Flames make the playoffs. He is really good.

One note, George and Slukynsky both look like the real deal. Could be alls-well-that-ends-well as early as 2029 when one of them steals a starting role and Helenius and Lee have well established themselves as one of the most imposing 4th line duos in the league. But that’s a lot of pieces to break in the best case scenario when we could have had Dustin Wolf for a 7th.

But the fact they could sign him after the draft because he would be willing to do so means it was even more excusable to risk it...nobody in their right mind was sure he'd make it to the NHL, let alone be a Calder contender in his first full season. If they sensed he had that in him, they'd pick him instead of Parik in the 3rd round...or any of the later rounds.

Clearly he didn't show enough promise at that point to warrant using a pick on him until late into the 7th round...

If he indeed went undrafted and Rob would manage to sign him as a free agnet we'd all be applauding him.

Anyways...the Kings have plenty of solid goalies in the pipeline and even Wolf wouldn't help them with their recent struggles with scoring, so...whatevs.

 

[Statue4Deano]

I’m seeing Brock Boesser is potentially available. He’s a free agent this summer. I think he fits perfectly as a rental. Maybe a long term fit even. I wonder what Blake is willing to give up.

 

[Helvetica]

we have little cap and not much in the way of assets. Blake would do well to keep what he has and let this team figure out how to work through whatever offensive issues they are having. They continue to get chances, but cannot score. They certainly arent going to solve the offense with a bottom 6 guy, and they dont have cap or assets for a top player.

 

[DoubleMinor]

we have little cap and not much in the way of assets. Blake would do well to keep what he has and let this team figure out how to work through whatever offensive issues they are having. They continue to get chances, but cannot score. They certainly arent going to solve the offense with a bottom 6 guy, and they dont have cap or assets for a top player.

I believe it is possible to add a mid-six piece at the deadline by trading a younger player like Thomas, a pick or combo, and using a team with cap space to get some room by retaining salary in a three-way.

Unless the Kings org wants to trade players who have a higher cap hit…
I have to think there has been some thought about Danault. I really like him, but not sure he is the same player this year as he has been in the first couple years here.

I also have some concern about Moore. He had a great first-half last year but for a year now he hasn’t been producing. I know the local boy is part of it, but this guy is really struggling.
I’m not sure the Kings would trade either but you think the Kings must have entertained the notion.

I think JT Miller would be a great fit here. But to make it happen the Kings would have to give up some current players with contract.

Of course, it depends on whether the org thinks this is a slump or something bigger and more problematic.

Right now the Kings are just not getting any breaks or bounces, every mistake is in the net, and they are clearly having a crisis of confidence. It’s hard to watch.

 

[DryKing]

I’m seeing Brock Boesser is potentially available. He’s a free agent this summer. I think he fits perfectly as a rental. Maybe a long term fit even. I wonder what Blake is willing to give up.

This is a guy I have been hoping the Kings would pick up for several seasons now, as Van makes him available pretty much every other season. I wouldn't bring him over as a rental though.

Wonder what Vancouver would want for him. Maybe we flip him for Gav provided we can sign him to an extension (and afford him)?

The guy is effective in the playoffs and has averaged over a 19.5% SPCT over the last two seasons. Sign him up!

 

[Statue4Deano]

This is a guy I have been hoping the Kings would pick up for several seasons now, as Van makes him available pretty much every other season. I wouldn't bring him over as a rental though.

Wonder what Vancouver would want for him. Maybe we flip him for Gav provided we can sign him to an extension (and afford him)?

The guy is effective in the playoffs and has averaged over a 19.5% SPCT over the last two seasons. Sign him up!

Trevor Moore would look great in a Canucks jersey.

 

[hokiecat]

But the fact they could sign him after the draft because he would be willing to do so means it was even more excusable to risk it...nobody in their right mind was sure he'd make it to the NHL, let alone be a Calder contender in his first full season. If they sensed he had that in him, they'd pick him instead of Parik in the 3rd round...or any of the later rounds.

Clearly he didn't show enough promise at that point to warrant using a pick on him until late into the 7th round...

If he indeed went undrafted and Rob would manage to sign him as a free agnet we'd all be applauding him.

Anyways...the Kings have plenty of solid goalies in the pipeline and even Wolf wouldn't help them with their recent struggles with scoring, so...whatevs.

Wolf was supposed to go in the middle rounds. Everyone recognized at the time that he had first round talent in a too-small frame. He was predicted to go in the middle to late round because of his size.

The Kings knew him from the Jr Kings program. I was hoping we'd gamble on him at the time but it didn't happen. Almost all of the late round picks are flawed players-- big huge D who can't skate, big huge D who can't read plays, tiny forward who scores a ton but is not fast, or small goalie. Wolf just felt like the perfect local kid of the Kings to roll the dice on.

IMO, he 100% warranted a pick and probably (at the time, and definitely now with hindsight) in a higher round. But NHL GMs seem to be pretty foolish when it comes to drafting size. They expect a top small guy to be the next Enroth and not the next Jusse Saros.

 

[DoubleMinor]

Wolf was supposed to go in the middle rounds. Everyone recognized at the time that he had first round talent in a too-small frame. He was predicted to go in the middle to late round because of his size.

The Kings knew him from the Jr Kings program. I was hoping we'd gamble on him at the time but it didn't happen. Almost all of the late round picks are flawed players-- big huge D who can't skate, big huge D who can't read plays, tiny forward who scores a ton but is not fast, or small goalie. Wolf just felt like the perfect local kid of the Kings to roll the dice on.

IMO, he 100% warranted a pick and probably (at the time, and definitely now with hindsight) in a higher round. But NHL GMs seem to be pretty foolish when it comes to drafting size. They expect a top small guy to be the next Enroth and not the next Jusse Saros.

It’s scouting and GM’s that have their formula and none really deviate from it because it breeds criticism. They stay with the accepted philosophy like it’s a safety net.
Some take a gamble in the hopes that certain deficiencies can be corrected with development. Size ain’t one of them though.
But, for the most part they actually get it right. Nothing is 100% all of the time in any facet of life.

 

[Helvetica]

I believe it is possible to add a mid-six piece at the deadline by trading a younger player like Thomas, a pick or combo, and using a team with cap space to get some room by retaining salary in a three-way.

Unless the Kings org wants to trade players who have a higher cap hit…
I have to think there has been some thought about Danault. I really like him, but not sure he is the same player this year as he has been in the first couple years here.

I also have some concern about Moore. He had a great first-half last year but for a year now he hasn’t been producing. I know the local boy is part of it, but this guy is really struggling.
I’m not sure the Kings would trade either but you think the Kings must have entertained the notion.

I think JT Miller would be a great fit here. But to make it happen the Kings would have to give up some current players with contract.

Of course, it depends on whether the org thinks this is a slump or something bigger and more problematic.

Right now the Kings are just not getting any breaks or bounces, every mistake is in the net, and they are clearly having a crisis of confidence. It’s hard to watch.

anything is "possible". But they will be giving up a fair bit looking for a top 6 winger at 50% retention + additional 3rd team retention. Also, nobody cares about Thomas. And while i'd like to see Danault producing more, he's falling right in line with being the 3rd line C we all expected him to be as QB takes over that center position. Trading Danault just opens another hole for the team. The one guy you'd actually want to move would be Moore, but he isnt going to garner much of anything given his current production, and if you're moving him out to open cap space, you may end up attaching an asset to do so. He's akin to Iaffalo at this point as an overpaid 3rd line guy.

The Kings are in a bind. They hitched their wagon to depth scoring, and that has dried up as of late. They could make a move, but doing anything of substance is going to continue to deplete a pretty bare cupboard.

I'd be happy to revisit this closer to the deadline after we see how doughty is playing, and how the kings as a team are playing. but as it sits right now, the team has little room to do anything of substance.

 

[Halfwall]

Folks, Gavrikov isn't going anywhere, unless they're out of the playoffs by the TDL. If the Kings want to make the playoffs this year and advance they need to pull off another miracle trade for a goal scorer--as in 2012. Good luck with that.

 

[Bollocks]

I’m seeing Brock Boesser is potentially available. He’s a free agent this summer. I think he fits perfectly as a rental. Maybe a long term fit even. I wonder what Blake is willing to give up.

What about a (potentially three-team) trade where Fiala gets shipped out and Boeser comes in? Works dollar-wise and in a way talent-wise, maybe works great for both guys with the change of scenery. How messy the Kings forward composition gets considering Fiala is a LW and Boeser is a RW?

I'd be very wary of trading Moore as he brings mo(o)re to the table than Fiala if he's not scoring. If nothing else he brings less stupid penalties.

(Does Fiala have NMC? I've yet to see it confirmet for sure...damn you Capitals for stealing CapGeek from us!)

 

[Clif]

anything is "possible". But they will be giving up a fair bit looking for a top 6 winger at 50% retention + additional 3rd team retention. Also, nobody cares about Thomas. And while i'd like to see Danault producing more, he's falling right in line with being the 3rd line C we all expected him to be as QB takes over that center position. Trading Danault just opens another hole for the team. The one guy you'd actually want to move would be Moore, but he isnt going to garner much of anything given his current production, and if you're moving him out to open cap space, you may end up attaching an asset to do so. He's akin to Iaffalo at this point as an overpaid 3rd line guy.

The Kings are in a bind. They hitched their wagon to depth scoring, and that has dried up as of late. They could make a move, but doing anything of substance is going to continue to deplete a pretty bare cupboard.

I'd be happy to revisit this closer to the deadline after we see how doughty is playing, and how the kings as a team are playing. but as it sits right now, the team has little room to do anything of substance.

Players having off years are hard to trade in-season. Summer breeds more willingness to consider changes-of-scenery moves, for a number of reasons.

But the fact they could sign him after the draft because he would be willing to do so means it was even more excusable to risk it...nobody in their right mind was sure he'd make it to the NHL, let alone be a Calder contender in his first full season. If they sensed he had that in him, they'd pick him instead of Parik in the 3rd round...or any of the later rounds.

Clearly he didn't show enough promise at that point to warrant using a pick on him until late into the 7th round...

If he indeed went undrafted and Rob would manage to sign him as a free agnet we'd all be applauding him.

Anyways...the Kings have plenty of solid goalies in the pipeline and even Wolf wouldn't help them with their recent struggles with scoring, so...whatevs.

They had a player they wanted and got cute by squeezing in a different 7th round pick over him. The fact that 7th rounder is Lee distorts this somewhat, but given the rarity of players drafted that late ever playing an NHL game who do you gamble on, an undersized goalie with number one potential you know very well, or a potential 4th liner? Wouldn’t you rather have Wolf over Lee?

We both acknowledge Blake made up for it with their pipeline now, though of course Wolf is now proven to be a very good number 1 and nothing is certain with the others until it’s certain. But it should be okay. Point isn’t about that vs the nature of the move itself, which was not good at all.

 

[Statue4Deano]

What about a (potentially three-team) trade where Fiala gets shipped out and Boeser comes in? Works dollar-wise and in a way talent-wise, maybe works great for both guys with the change of scenery. How messy the Kings forward composition gets considering Fiala is a LW and Boeser is a RW?

I'd be very wary of trading Moore as he brings mo(o)re to the table than Fiala if he's not scoring. If nothing else he brings less stupid penalties.

(Does Fiala have NMC? I've yet to see it confirmet for sure...damn you Capitals for stealing CapGeek from us!)

Fiala has a NMC until summer 2026. Then it changes to a 10 team NTC.

 

[DryKing]

What about a (potentially three-team) trade where Fiala gets shipped out and Boeser comes in? Works dollar-wise and in a way talent-wise, maybe works great for both guys with the change of scenery. How messy the Kings forward composition gets considering Fiala is a LW and Boeser is a RW?

I'd be very wary of trading Moore as he brings mo(o)re to the table than Fiala if he's not scoring. If nothing else he brings less stupid penalties.

(Does Fiala have NMC? I've yet to see it confirmet for sure...damn you Capitals for stealing CapGeek from us!)

I get that pretty much everyone is frustrated with Fiala right now and many would like to see him moved, but swapping Fiala for Boesser brings us back to net zero - and does so for potentially what is a rental.

Flipping him for Gav makes a lot more sense if the Kings are unable to reach an extension deal within him within the next few weeks (from what I hear, his agent is looking for a decent payraise on the next contract). Additionally, the Kings had trouble coming to an agreement / price on the current contract with Gav with his Agent (or possibly Gav himself) not wanting to budge. After the season he has had so far, the price is going to go significantly up.

Additionally, both Boesser and Fiala have shown to be strong playoff performers, while Gav takes a big step back, come playoff time, due to his limited speed and inability to play physical. He's still solid, just not likely worth the price that will be asked on the next contract.

 

[hokiecat]

Kraken just waived Philipp Grubauer and will be sending him to Coachella Valley. Still has rest of this year and then 2 more to go at a 5.9M cap hit. Does he take the title from Cal Petersen of being the worst goalie contract?

 

[DoubleMinor]

anything is "possible". But they will be giving up a fair bit looking for a top 6 winger at 50% retention + additional 3rd team retention. Also, nobody cares about Thomas. And while i'd like to see Danault producing more, he's falling right in line with being the 3rd line C we all expected him to be as QB takes over that center position. Trading Danault just opens another hole for the team. The one guy you'd actually want to move would be Moore, but he isnt going to garner much of anything given his current production, and if you're moving him out to open cap space, you may end up attaching an asset to do so. He's akin to Iaffalo at this point as an overpaid 3rd line guy.

The Kings are in a bind. They hitched their wagon to depth scoring, and that has dried up as of late. They could make a move, but doing anything of substance is going to continue to deplete a pretty bare cupboard.

I'd be happy to revisit this closer to the deadline after we see how doughty is playing, and how the kings as a team are playing. but as it sits right now, the team has little room to do anything of substance.

I get that pretty much everyone is frustrated with Fiala right now and many would like to see him moved, but swapping Fiala for Boesser brings us back to net zero - and does so for potentially what is a rental.

Flipping him for Gav makes a lot more sense if the Kings are unable to reach an extension deal within him within the next few weeks (from what I hear, his agent is looking for a decent payraise on the next contract). Additionally, the Kings had trouble coming to an agreement / price on the current contract with Gav with his Agent (or possibly Gav himself) not wanting to budge. After the season he has had so far, the price is going to go significantly up.

Additionally, both Boesser and Fiala have shown to be strong playoff performers, while Gav takes a big step back, come playoff time, due to his limited speed and inability to play physical. He's still solid, just not likely worth the price that will be asked on the next contract.

Yeah, I don’t like the idea of trading Fiala for a rental and I’m not sure I would want to trade him anyway. He brings something the Kings need. Yep, he can be frustrating. But he is signed long term with a decent cap hit.

The Gavrikov situation is real and needs to be addressed quickly.
You are correct that his last contract was not easy.
Before this season I was not onboard with resigning him. I thought last season was a bit below par and that he would want an increase in salary.
But this season he has been good, real good. But I just don’t see how the Kings should or would pay him more than 6M. And he’s gonna get multiple offers for more than that.
I think Gavy is gonna leave which means the Kings need to decide to trade him or lose him for nothing.
If this team is a contender you have to keep him for the playoff run. If they are a pretender you deal him. Blake needs to tune it all out and make the right decision.
It’s a tough decision. And I’m curious what the acquisitions would be if Gavy was dealt.

 

[Statue4Deano]

Rumor making the rounds that Brandt Clarke could be in the trade block.

It makes 0 sense to trade the highest scoring defenseman on a team that cannot score to save their lives.