Will Gaborik stay after this playoffs?

[CaptHowdy00]

I just read this article.
Marian Gaborik returns to NYC a different person
And they make a great argument for why Marian should stay. But will he pick the fits over money? He is peaking at just the right time. But if he ends up on another team, he may not have a Kopitar-like center setting him up. And IMHO, that is one of the major reasons that Gaborik is doing so well right now.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

I just read this article.
Marian Gaborik returns to NYC a different person
And they make a great argument for why Marian should stay. But will he pick the fits over money? He is peaking at just the right time. But if he ends up on another team, he may not have a Kopitar-like center setting him up. And IMHO, that is one of the major reasons that Gaborik is doing so well right now.

That wasn't a very long article but summed up the situation. Personally, he has been pretty likeable, even beyond the 13 goals he's put in so far. Overall he has that calm demeanor that the rest of the team has, and unlike other scorers, he isn't a defensive liability (like Ovechkin). He wasn't a monster in the Sharks series, but he was huge against Anaheim and got the giant tying goal in Game 7 against Chicago. No way LA is where they are this year without this guy.

He's been great for this team, but, like you said, Kopitar is big part of that and Kopi has never had the true wing like he has right now. After how good Gaborik is doing, there are a lot of teams that are going to throw a lot of money at him, so we'll see how much of a factor that is. Brown's contract kicks in next year, so Kings are pretty set as far as big pieces that they can add under the cap.

It would be nice to retain him, but the price would need to be right. He's 32, so you also wonder how many years he wants.

 

[Psych3man]

If Mr Playoffs 2014 wants a chance to keep winning Cups, he stays.

 

[Kings4OT]

I think the Kings buy out Richards and keep Gabs

 

[pete6835]

I know I posted the same thing a couple days ago from an article, but you have to look at who doesn't re-sign or retires. Tough spot

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I think the Kings buy out Richards and keep Gabs

Richards brings a lot to the table but for what he is being paid, that is a tough call. His offensive numbers have not been good in general since he came to LA, but he has made some huge plays, scored some big goals and has led by example his entire time here.

I actually think if Richards is bought out, the Kings make a play for Kesler. Just a hunch.

 

[oxnardkingsfan]

I think the Kings buy out Richards and keep Gabs

I doubt they would do that. No real reason to buy out Richards. He's done a lot more for this team than just put up points. I really don't see them buying out any contracts. Yeah it would be nice to keep Gaborik. He's been a great addition but it is really going to be up to him. If he's willing to take a discount to stay with a perennial Cup contender Lombardi can resign him but if he wants to go where the big money is then he's gone. The Kings aren't going to overpay for him to stay. If they can't keep him for what's left after they lose a couple of other high-paid free agents they won't. That's the way I see it anyways.

Ox

 

[Silas]

I hope Gaborik stays, but like most everything else, it's all about money.

 

[ouendan1]

Funny. This is the one thing I was worried about if the Kings win the Stanley Cup. I sure as hell hope LA does everything in their power to keep Gaborik. But he would have his cup, he had a monster playoff, whats to stop him from going to someone that will offer him 6yr, $40 million?

Personally I would offer him 3-4 years, no more

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Not sure how to approach the Richards situation. I think his locker room presence and winning nature are intangibles that you can't just immediately dismiss. The guy is a winner and has won at all levels, so you don't just throw that away based solely on numbers. You read stuff like how after Marian Gaborik was traded to LA, Carter let Gaborik live in his house instead of having to live in a hotel, and then Richards went first thing in the morning and picked Gaborik up to take him to breakfast (Apparently a few times). That seems like a perfect move to have the two guys who were traded from the Midwest/East go and help Gaborik get acclimated. Plus you are not factoring in how much Carter may or may not be affected by the potential exodus of Richards. The Kings stress how they are a family and even Dean Lombardi emphasized that Gaborik was not just a rental. Lombardi gave up a lot to get Richards and I don't really see any buyouts happening.

That being said, he is being paid like a legitimate #2 center, and there are times where you wonder if he really matches up with other true #2s in the league. You could argue that Stoll is a high end #3 center, and Richards could be a lower end #2 at this point.

 

[Psych3man]

Kings will not buyout Richards. The genius of Lombardi is to acquire or trade players not just for their ability and value, but also how they affect the roster and depth chart. Trading Jack Johnson was important not just to acquire Carter, but to allow Voynov to play. Acquiring Richards (before we had Carter) allowed Stoll to move to 3rd center where he belongs. Acquiring Gaborik allowed Toffoli and Pearson to play 2nd line and not first.


No way he lets Richards go, because of how important the four centers are, as well as intangibles. Richards has not been the same since the concussion but his intangibles (captain-like by silent proxy) and potential of recovery make him too valuable to let go.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Kings will not buyout Richards. The genius of Lombardi is to acquire or trade players not just for their ability and value, but also how they affect the roster and depth chart. Trading Jack Johnson was important not just to acquire Carter, but to allow Voynov to play. Acquiring Richards (before we had Carter) allowed Stoll to move to 3rd center where he belongs. Acquiring Gaborik allowed Toffoli and Pearson to play 2nd line and not first.


No way he lets Richards go, because of how important the four centers are, as well as intangibles. Richards has not been the same since the concussion but his intangibles (captain-like by silent proxy) and potential of recovery make him too valuable to let go.

Ya, that's sort of how I feel.

I feel like that Jack Mother Fuckin' Johnson trade was big for many reasons. Carter being the biggest, because the Kings couldn't score, but moving JMFJ also gave the team a true defensive lineup. JMFJ was a huge defensive liability and never seemed to mature out of it. As you stated, Voynov was able to step up and be very effective during that cup run. Kings may have a lost a little offensively, but they gained a defense-first defenseman who could also chip in offensively, unlike JMFJ, who was basically a fourth forward.