2019-20 Off Season Thread

[PuckinUgly57]

Going to gamble here and say LA won't be making the POs and some major changes will be coming up, figured I will start the off season thread now.

=)~~

Just like last season, any and everything you guys feel is relevant to the Kings or may affect them should go here.

 

[Kings4OT]

I really hope they keep leipsic, that guy is all out all the time and has great speed.

Also think now is a prime time to move muffin, he has been playing better then ever imo and should get a decent return. His play regressing is much more likely then not

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I really hope they keep leipsic, that guy is all out all the time and has great speed.

He's definitely impressed me more than I thought he would, he is small but has speed and adds an element of creativity the Kings lack. Initially I thought he would be another low risk/high reward type of moves Blake has been making, very conservative. He would be an addition to the B6 with Lewis out long term.

I think he has earned an MQO for the summer so far, and I actually think he is what the B6 should look like - fast buzz saws with a little bit of skill. But that also adds to the B6, the Kings have a ton of those guys and they simply are not that good.

Your B6 lines should be disturbers with the ability to chip in now and again. These guys are the difference makers in the POs because your T2 lines usually are tightly checked and shut down. Look back at the Kings' Cup years and both the third and fourth line were like that.

Not so much the case anymore, a bunch of slow, old guard checking guys. Blakes Waiver wire moves and small trades have not really worked out - Cammalleri, Reider, Haglin, etc. - so it's nice to see Leipsic being someone to potentially include in the future retool/rebuild and not giving up an asset to acquire.

Leipsic should be considered a piece of a reconstructed B6 moving forward.

Also think now is a prime time to move muffin, he has been playing better then ever imo and should get a decent return. His play regressing is much more likely then not

Completely agree. He is not going to get any better and will need a new deal when he is about 31½. That deal will also not be the 5 years/$20 million like this one, it will be a long term big dollar deal and the Kings should not be dishing any more of those out for a while.

There are two schools, that he is a veteran and a pro who should be kept to help the younger defenders and then the ones (like me) who believe he should be moved because he represents everything in the past of LA and will likely end up like Carter, Toffoli, etc. where they are no longer productive and the Kings are stuck with another big deal.

The Kings are nowhere near contention, and won't be for a few years. Maximize the asset and use him towards getting this team back to respectability.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

All 31 NHL team GMs, when they started and their results do date.

The NHL's 31 General Managers: Who they are, when they started & how they've done - TheHockeyNews

Blake is still above .500 but that has more to do with last season than this season.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

How bad does this team need goals? From none other than "Frat Boy" as I used to call him when he was in LA because of the haircut and how he looked like he hung out at sorority parties constantly.


I had to check his stats because I barely recalled him scoring 10 goals in LA in any season (he actually scored 11 in 2009-10, his career high in LA) and laughed at the statement. Well, I look and see he has 11 goals, matching his career high from LA and also Vancouver (2013-14) and his first season in Phoenix (2015-16) and there is still 30+ games to go. He will most likely hit a new career high for goals this season barring a Kempe or Lucic-esque skid.

I then looked at the Kings' roster and shocked to see he has more goals than every player on the Kings not named Kopitar (14) or Brown (12). I mean EVERYONE, including Carter, Kovalchuk, Toffoli, Iaffalo, Kempe, etc.

Brutal.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Kings trade Fantenberg to Calgary for a 4th round pick in 2020.

Contract played a role, but I think he could have been a cheap bottom pairing to keep around.

 

[Kings4OT]

Not really someone who needed to be traded....no big loss tho.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Kind of where I am at, he started to play better this season compared to last. I wasn't super sold on him but I think he became a serviceable 5-7 defender. The deal is also a conditional pick, it becomes a 3rd round pick if the Flames make the WCF and Fantenberg plays in 50% of the playoff games.

I don't think he was ever going to be much more but affordability is the main point for me, he wasn't going to cost a lot to keep around. And even though he doesn't have a lot of NHL experience he has over a decade plus of international experience including the SEL and KHL which isn't to be discounted so I think he could have provided some value to the kids.

His departure obviously opens up a spot for a younger player full time now, which also factored into the trade but the blue line is going to have a much younger look to it to start 2019-20. I was actually hoping they would have moved LaDue but that dude has so minimal value there was probably no market.

Barring another move that hasn't hit the wire yet, going into next season the locks for the roster will be Doughty, Forbort, Phaneuf, Martinez and LaDue. Yikes.

Phaneuf is considered to be a buyout candidate, but that will be costly in year two (2020) with a $5.417 million cap hit so unless a taker is found and salary retained, I don't think he is going anywhere for a while.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Kind of where I am at, he started to play better this season compared to last. I wasn't super sold on him but I think he became a serviceable 5-7 defender. The deal is also a conditional pick, it becomes a 3rd round pick if the Flames make the WCF and Fantenberg plays in 50% of the playoff games.

I don't think he was ever going to be much more but affordability is the main point for me, he wasn't going to cost a lot to keep around. And even though he doesn't have a lot of NHL experience he has over a decade plus of international experience including the SEL and KHL which isn't to be discounted so I think he could have provided some value to the kids.

His departure obviously opens up a spot for a younger player full time now, which also factored into the trade but the blue line is going to have a much younger look to it to start 2019-20. I was actually hoping they would have moved LaDue but that dude has so minimal value there was probably no market.

Barring another move that hasn't hit the wire yet, going into next season the locks for the roster will be Doughty, Forbort, Phaneuf, Martinez and LaDue. Yikes.

Phaneuf is considered to be a buyout candidate, but that will be costly in year two (2020) with a $5.417 million cap hit so unless a taker is found and salary retained, I don't think he is going anywhere for a while.

That cap hit is dumb big for a Phaneuf buyout. He's terrible but I'd keep him as a bottom pairing dude for now over dead money. Plus the entire point of getting Phaneuf was to remove Gaborik's hit, so it is what it is.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Pretty surprised Kings did so little at the deadline. Everyone was on Contract for another year so I guess there was no urgency. Seems strange though.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

So now what? What's everyone's ideal moves for the rest of the year and summer?

My thoughts are Kings have dropped 8 in a row, and, though I believe losing is contagious, they would do well to lose the majority of their remaining games. I know there is no guarantee for picking high, but it does increase your chances, and LA doesn't have a lot to gain by winning (Barring some insane streak that gets them into the Playoffs. Losing 8 in a row means that ship has sailed). Play the younger guys, see who maybe emerges.

It's slow day, so I am looking at Capfriendly for kicks.

Looks like Matt Greene buyout is done after this year, and we'll have one more year of the Mike Richards recapture penalty, so in 2 summers that's another $2mil/year back towards the cap.



As for trades, you look at the term left and you can see why teams would be wary of taking on a guy for 3-4 years (Ala Carter or Brown).

I know we've said this before, but on paper, I don't really get why this team is so low in the standings.

 

[Kings4OT]

Only players I care to see on the roster next season:

Iafallo
Wagner
Liepsic
Soupy

Maybe a few others, i know most of the roster will be back...these are just a few i care to see again

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Pretty surprised Kings did so little at the deadline. Everyone was on Contract for another year so I guess there was no urgency. Seems strange though.

They unloaded all the UFAs and got some picks for them, which was what they wanted to do so I would think they were mildly successful. Of course we want to see some other guys gone, but if the right offer is not there with the season in the shitter it just makes sense to keep them and ride it out.

I think the draft and this summer is where we will see most of the moves, plus I think keeping some slackers like Toffoli and Carter puts pressure on them knowing they have to elevate their play down the stretch here or risk not being here in October. Little too late however, the veterans have been checked out from day one it seems.

Reports were Carter generated no interest (shocker) and Toffoli and Lewis generated some. Makes sense consideging players on this team once successful/decent aren't that anymore and their value us very low. I will give Blake kudos for flipping Pearson into 2 picks and clearing salary and also for getting a 1st round pick, no matter how low, for Muzzin.

Looking at other players who went for 1sts, Muzzin is not in their category so for Blake to get one for him is a coup. Good job Bowlby, you owe Dumbo a beer for artificially inflating his value over the years.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Only players I care to see on the roster next season:

Iafallo
Wagner
Liepsic
Soupy

Maybe a few others, i know most of the roster will be back...these are just a few i care to see again

I'd add a few others to this list (Clifford for example - he still has that fire, is known to be the consumate teammate and pro. He was stirring the pot with the Lightning all game long, especially after that shithead Paquette got him with a questionable hit) but overall not many.

Iafallo is an interesting one to me, he is decent but not T3 material yet because of the lack of supporting cast he is forced to play LW1. I would like to see him dropped to the middle six but that means the Kings would actually *have* a legitimate LW1 already which they don't.

Taking Stunner's graphic, I'll get back to this one after I think about it. All I do know is that there should and will be major turnover this summer.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

With the elimination last night from the 3-2 loss to the Jets, this thread is official.

Let us rejoice!

=)~~

 

[LoCal Kings]

As Quick looks like the next available player that can garner the biggest value wondering what the targeted return will be. As a 33 year old goalie, there are only a handful of teams that will really bite. So that limiting factor might diminish the targeted return.

Of course, if there are multiple guys involved, then the trade will change. For now, my money is on a young defenseman or at least legit defensive prospect.

2nd choice would be highest available draft pick Blake can get for him.

3rd choice would be forward or legit forward prospect.

I realize most folks will probably say forward 1st as that is a glaring need. But I still agree with the Lombardi mantra of build from the back end first.

 

[Psych3man]

That kid defenseman on Vancouver making his debut was unbelievable--fast and skilled--the new NHL

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Kings only a point behind NJ now. They could actually fall out of the bottom 3 (Which guarantees a top 3 pick) and then who knows.

To have a season like this, and not get a top pick would be awful.

 

[davnlaguna]

With the new lottery rules worst could end up 4th and 4th could end up 7th
2019 NHL Draft Lottery Odds | Tankathon

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

With the new lottery rules worst could end up 4th and 4th could end up 7th
2019 NHL Draft Lottery Odds | Tankathon

I'd be lying if I told you I fully understand this system. From what I remember, you can't move up more than 4 spots or something like that? So even if a team "wins the lottery", if they sit like 7th from the bottom, they can only move up to 3rd or so. So they got as lucky as they could, and still wouldn't get the 1st overall pick. Maybe someone else can clarify that?

I feel like this goes in the face of the idea of not rewarding tanking though. So if you have the worst record, you're not guaranteed the top pick, but you have a 100% chance of a top 4 pick, and a 50% chance of a top 3 pick. It's still very favorable to be last for the draft.

I think I misunderstood before. So Kings finishing with 2nd worst record only guarantees a top 5 pick. Finish 3rd to last and they only get a top 6 pick.