2020-21 NHL Season Thread

[PuckinUgly57]

Just curious, how much do you think the ED coming up played a part in the decisions being made? For example, limiting the number of games the younger guys play to keep them on the entry level contract as well as keeping them protected in Ontario so they dont get taken by the Crack. Although I am not as down on Blake as you are I do like that he has built up the farm and freed up cap space. With that being said, I am a bit disappointed that he isnt making a splash at all come trade deadline or significant UFA singings.

The Kings are the fifth youngest team in the league (I think around 26.5 average age, Caps oldest at 29 and change) so the ED shouldn't have played a huge role in the construction of this roster and I don't think it did, personally. The veterans aren't really worth much and the younger players haven't really shown enough.

Most of their younger players are exempt but I expect Clague to be available on defense. The Kings have Doughty, Roy, Walker, Anderson and Bigfoot for the foreseeable future and if Bowlby adds that LHD they are needing, I just don't see a spot for Clague. He hasn't really impressed in his showings anyway and Strand is looking like he could be a solid 5-7 defender, better than Clague has shown so far. I also think they will take a D this year with their first round pick so that back end should be the focus.

The no brainers for exposure are Quick, Brown, Maata, Lizzotte, Wagner, Luff, Frk, etc. who aren't really worth much anyway so the ED really is only going to affect teams with talent throughout their lineup, which the Kings do not have. Guys like Elbows, Vilardi, Bigfoot, etc are exempt due to contract status as first and second year pros and guys like Andersson will be exempt because they won't have reached enough NHL games in time to be eligible for exposure.

That said, all teams are having to juggle this and ice a competitive team so it's not like LA is any different from anyone else. If anything, because they are younger and aren't wowing at the NHL level to get on anyone's radar seriously, they hold an advantage IMO. Whoever the Krackheads pick, they're getting either an older veteran riding out his contract, a very average player or someone pretty useless like Wagner or Luff. No loss either way and in a way Blake's ineptitude was a blessing.

Just for the record, I would go with the 7F/3D/1G format and my picks would be Kopitar/Euthanasia/Iaffalo/Kempe/Lemieux/Grundstrom/Moore/Doughty/Roy/Walker/Petersen. Euthanasia has earned a spot on the protected list and is a good fit in LA, I hope they resign him (RFA). I'll give Blake credit for that signing for sure, it paid off and the Kings don't have anyone with his speed and finishing ability combined. I think he likes it in LA too.

New York Rangers and L.A. Kings ready to pounce if Sabres decide to trade Jack Eichel - Forever Blueshirts

Forever Blueshirts is the leading source of local/independent news, opinion, analysis and content! New content daily!

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Sort of hate these articles. Rangers and Kings supposedly in on getting Jack Eichel, but it says Kings need to give up the whole cupboard for him (Equivalent of 4 firsts, including Byfield) but when talking Rangers they don't have to give up all that much.

Just curious what you'd give up for Eichel. He also makes $10mil/year, which would be LA's 3rd guy making at least that.

Of course the Kings do.

=)~~

Honestly I am not sure I would make a pitch for Eichel. He just had/is having neck surgery, which is a major concern, and maybe this is just me, but I put him in the Stamkos category; great players but not great leaders. They don't exude winning, hell Tampa won the Cup wihout him and he is out yet again, and they have made some deep runs without him as well without winning it all.

Eichel just looks like a dog that got its ass kicked and finally broke down from all the nonsense going on in Buffalo; generally guys tend to rebound nicely when out of toxic environments like that but at $10 million for another 5 years, that is a huge gamble to take considering Kopitar and Doughty will also be making $10 million+ during most of that time.

The biggest thing is his health, and let's just say The Legend does turn out to be a solid 2C (I don't see it, his speed is really bad) and the back flares up again, and then by luck of the draw you have Eichel and his neck issues, those would be two major blows to LA with both your top two centers out. We saw what happeened when Allison and Deadmarsh both went down at the same time for extended periods of time, Taylor was left scrambling and it affected LA for years.

 

[Kings4OT]

I would go after eichel, but would demand buffalo retain much of the salary with the injury concern. To pucks point, i try to make legend a center piece haha...i also dont havd high hopes for byfield yet (i really wanted kings to take stutzle) but the kings have enough picks and "who knows" prospects to lose on a guy like jack as long as you make a smart deal.....otherwise no.

Not worried at all losing whoever to ED.....is there really anyone on the roster passed 4 or 5 guys that would hurt the kings loosing them with whats been shown so far?

 

[davnlaguna]

Another issue is the return
If they want 4 first round picks/players does that deplete all the rest of the team? If the kings offered Turcotte, Bjronfot, and two firsts would that get it done? Could the Kings afford that? With the injury risk. I don’t think the Kings would include Byfield.

 

[LAKINGSFAN]

Another issue is the return
If they want 4 first round picks/players does that deplete all the rest of the team? If the kings offered Turcotte, Bjronfot, and two firsts would that get it done? Could the Kings afford that? With the injury risk. I don’t think the Kings would include Byfield.

I am far from a scout but I just think thats way to much to pay for him. I dont know what the ceiling is on Turcotte and Bjornfot, but I just cant see giving them up along with picks. It would have to be for someone like McDavid. Buffalo doesnt seem to have much pull with everyone seem to want out. I dont think they got everything they wanted for Hall either.

 

[Kings4OT]

Deal has to make sense.....i would think you always ask for more than you would actually take and see who bites. Personally i prefer known commodities vs potential ones depending on where a franchise is in development. Its great to have lots of prospects and picks but without a plan or ability to develop players you end up just having a bunch of "didnt live up to the hype" guys.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I would go after eichel, but would demand buffalo retain much of the salary with the injury concern. To pucks point, i try to make legend a center piece haha...i also dont havd high hopes for byfield yet (i really wanted kings to take stutzle) but the kings have enough picks and "who knows" prospects to lose on a guy like jack as long as you make a smart deal.....otherwise no.

Not worried at all losing whoever to ED.....is there really anyone on the roster passed 4 or 5 guys that would hurt the kings loosing them with whats been shown so far?

The Legend has really struggled in his second season. His cameo last season was way above expectations but he's finding out how hard it is to be a consistent night in, night out NHL player. He's had about 2-3 solid games in a row now but overall I'd say this season was a disappointment. He hasn't scored a goal since March 3, 24 games ago and has only 7 points (1G/6A) in that time. I expect a 20+ game goalless streak from freaking Wagner, not the 11th overall pick in a draft.

The short season obviously affected him too, not seeing what the full rigors of an 82 game season is like but honestly I don't think he is going to pan out to that projected C2 everyone was hoping for. If he can moved in a deal - Dumbo was the master at selling high on players with overinflated value, Blake's moves have been very conservative and nothing special so far - I'm 100% for it at this juncture.

Right now he is looking like an 11th overall bust, there has not been any significant improvement in his game overall and he is way too young to be stalled out. But everyone steered clear of him in the first 10 picks, seems like it was for a reason. In fact this is from The Athletic, players who could use a change of scenery. Guys like Nolan Patrick are on this list too, that 2017 draft just doesn't seem like it was a good one overall:

Duhatschek notebook: Who could benefit from a change of scenery trade? Stanley Cup favorites, Olympic issues

Who could improve the most with different teams? Which teams are the Stanley Cup favorites and what about the NHL and the Olympics?

theathletic.com

Gabe Vilardi, Los Angeles Kings

Vilardi went 11th in 2017 and like Patrick, the early part of his career was stalled by a back condition that kept flaring up constantly. Vilardi didn’t get going professionally until halfway through last year and got a promising NHL cameo at the end of last season, where his size (6-foot-3, 203 pounds) jumps out at you. But this year, he’s also struggled to find the net consistently and last scored a goal on March 3. Los Angeles has chosen natural centres with four consecutive first-round picks: Vilardi, Rasmus Kupari, Alex Turcotte and this past year, Quinton Byfield. Byfield isn’t going anywhere. The Kings should be looking at moving at least one of the other three (and maybe two) in order to get more established NHLers to flesh out their complement of top-six forwards. That’s an organization which has seen the exodus of a lot of good players from their last championship team that have gone on and helped their new clubs (Jake Muzzin, Alec Martinez, Tyler Toffoli, Tanner Pearson). If they want to salvage anything from the last handful of chapters in Anze Kopitar’s and Drew Doughty’s careers, they need to see an influx of talent. Hopefully soon. Hopefully, this summer.

Article also hits on what I have been harping on Blake for, he has done nothing to improve the actual NHL roster, just stockpiled a ton of picks and prospects. The age gap between the older guys like Kopitar and Brown and then guys like Vilardi is just too huge - they need several 23-27 aged players to bridge that gap, they have like one. When the first line isn't doing all the work, L2-4 are not skilled enough to pick up the slack.

Blake's fate lies on this summer and what he does, the Kings have regressed this year on the rebuild and have been flat for about 4 now overall although the decline started in 2015-16. He also has hired 3 different coaches in his 4 years; not a good look for consistency although we all knew Desjardins wasn't sticking around. I have my reasons, justified to boot, why I have almost no faith in Bowlby. This is stating to reek like the end of the Taylor days, with all his buddies on board at the executive level in make believe positions, "the best prospect pool in the NHL" (2003, after three 1st round picks. Boyle turned into an OK M/B6 forward, Tambellini a complete bust and Brown. Again, "best prospects" don't mean shit to me and never has. Prove it at the NHL level, son). Then you have other guys like Elbows and Clague and it's a little bit of a concern that guys from drafts 4-5 years ago are not in the NHL on a rebuilding team, they should be.

I was fine with either Stutzle or Byfield, but obviously Blake's vision is a hulking two way center (Kopitar clone) to anchor a contending team so I don't think he would have picked Stutzle anyway. I think it's way too early to tell if Byfield will be solid or not but we should find out soon as he is set to appear in his first NHL game later this week I believe. I have higher hopes for him than I do for Vilardi to be honest, from what we have seen so far.

Again I agree too, whoever the Kings lose is not going to make or break the franchise. None of the guys who will be exposed are worth a ton or intriguing except maybe Clague but unless someone else is moved out I don't see him a King much longer.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Another issue is the return
If they want 4 first round picks/players does that deplete all the rest of the team? If the kings offered Turcotte, Bjronfot, and two firsts would that get it done? Could the Kings afford that? With the injury risk. I don’t think the Kings would include Byfield.

Four 1st round picks for Eichel is a joke.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Byfield in tonight against Ducks, NHL debut. The Legends diaper is probably getting full.

Curious who will be scratched.

 

[histkng23]

I know it has been a growing sentiment that Blake doesn't seem to be righting this ship correctly. But, I'm of the mindset that coupled with Blake's perceived ineptitude, I don't think McLellan is the right coach for this team. If you look at his track record, he did have some immediate success with the Sharks, but then seemed have teams regress, despite Wilson doing everything in his power to make them a Cup caliber team. Then he went to Edmonton, which is obviously a sh*t-show during that time, does get them in the playoffs his second season there, but at that stage with McDavid & the NHL brass, they were probably doing all they could to get the Oilers into the playoffs so that McDavid could get some extra attention. Reality sets in during his 3rd season in Edmonton, and after 20 games in the 4th season he is canned. Then, Blake needs a coach after Desjardins, and voila, he's behind the Kings bench.

What I wish I was able to do was analyze his structure, and how the team is positioned night after night. I hear Fox mention several times lately how the Kings are trying to hit the "stretch pass" to catch a guy breaking in all alone. Sounds more like a "Hail Mary" play if you ask me. I know the Kings are trying to get their tempo up to "today's NHL" but I never understood why you would feel the need to dismantle and completely change the team away from what had been the most successful era of the franchise? Yes, some speed & skill is needed, but sprinkled in with everything you had. I mean, how many times does Wagner get a breakaway, and fails to finish?

My ultimate point is that I don't feel McLellan's coaching is actually helping this team any more.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I know it has been a growing sentiment that Blake doesn't seem to be righting this ship correctly. But, I'm of the mindset that coupled with Blake's perceived ineptitude, I don't think McLellan is the right coach for this team. If you look at his track record, he did have some immediate success with the Sharks, but then seemed have teams regress, despite Wilson doing everything in his power to make them a Cup caliber team. Then he went to Edmonton, which is obviously a sh*t-show during that time, does get them in the playoffs his second season there, but at that stage with McDavid & the NHL brass, they were probably doing all they could to get the Oilers into the playoffs so that McDavid could get some extra attention. Reality sets in during his 3rd season in Edmonton, and after 20 games in the 4th season he is canned. Then, Blake needs a coach after Desjardins, and voila, he's behind the Kings bench.

What I wish I was able to do was analyze his structure, and how the team is positioned night after night. I hear Fox mention several times lately how the Kings are trying to hit the "stretch pass" to catch a guy breaking in all alone. Sounds more like a "Hail Mary" play if you ask me. I know the Kings are trying to get their tempo up to "today's NHL" but I never understood why you would feel the need to dismantle and completely change the team away from what had been the most successful era of the franchise? Yes, some speed & skill is needed, but sprinkled in with everything you had. I mean, how many times does Wagner get a breakaway, and fails to finish?

My ultimate point is that I don't feel McLellan's coaching is actually helping this team any more.

There has been a quiet grumbling about this that I have read in several places, including Teh Blog. I'm not sure how I feel about the guy to be honest, not yet anyway. I am definitely disappointed the Kings have taken a step back under his second year as coach but much of that can be laid at the feet of Bowlby and the roster he has built.

You make some great observations though, especially about his stops in SJ and Edmonton. SJ especially since he spent most of his coaching career there (7 years, 2008-2015) but never made it past the WCFs, missed once in his last year altogether there (2014-15) and is firmly attached in history as the coach who let LA come back from 0-3 and win that series and go on to win the Cup, I believe the only team in NHL history who did that. His coaching results have been a mixed bag quite honestly.

He has 3 years left on his deal as coach though (5 years/$25 million signed in 2019, second highest published salary I could find. First is Quennville at $5.25 million. Go look how they're doing, a hell of a lot better than LA) and with the carousel LA has seen under Blake I can't see them letting him go and riding this deal out barring an epic collapse the next year or so. There's a lot of dead money on the Kings' payroll (coaches do not count toward the cap number) which indicates some financial mismanagement - Richards, Gaborik, Phaneuf, Greene, Kovalchuk, etc. in recent years. I don't really add Carter because Philadelphia wrote that contract and retention had to be part of the deal to get the extra draft pick). They also terminated Sutter and Stevens with term left on their contracts and paid those out too after they were gone.

This is such a crucial juncture in the development of the team and coming out the other side to be competitive, I really believe Blake's job depends on what he does this summer and then how that translates on the ice in 2021-22. Another year like this and I think a housecleaning is coming,

 

[PuckinUgly57]

firmly attached in history as the coach who let LA come back from 0-3 and win that series and go on to win the Cup, I believe the only team in NHL history who did that.

Correction - the 1942 Leafs were the first team to be down 0-3 and win a Cup, theirs happened in the SCF against Detroit. LA was the second and there have only been 4 total 0-3 comebacks in NHL history.

The Kings do however hold the record for facing the most elimination games and winning them all (7) and winning the Cup in a single playoff season for 2014. The two other 0-3 teams did not win the Cup but won that series (2010 Flyers vs Bruins, 1975 NYI vs Penguins).

That team was something special to watch, they just had no quit in them. Wish that team could channel that to this team currently.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Thoughts on Byfield?

I think he looked great in his first game, not so noticeable in the next 2 against Anaheim. He showed me more in those games however than Vilardi has for sure.

I think my theory was right, having Byfield up on the roster lit a little of a fire under The Legend's ass; he was he highest drafted/rated prospect on the roster all season and didn't really have anyone else pushing for his spot, and he was given a lot of opportunity in a variety of situations (minus PK for obvious reasons, only 11:02 total SHTOI all season. Primarily used for FOs, where he is a hair over 52% and then he comes off).

Having Byfield up now, he is not the top dog prospect and his play seems to have been a little better the last 3-5 games. Healthy competition is good, I hope this lets him know what he needs to do to stay in the lineup and be part of the solution but eventually he may be moved to wing or moved out altogether because Byfield is clearly more skilled and a better skater than he is.

Back to the games, what a complete shit show that last one was. Unbelievable what lack of effort I am seeing, for a rebuilding team especially at this time off the year with the POs not a reality, these guys should be fighting for jobs for next season. I have never heard Fox be so direct as he was in the 6-2 loss, he finally said players are the ones who should be evaluated and perhaps shipped out.

Good job Bowlby. You were an overrated defenseman and an under qualified GM.

 

[davnlaguna]

So as of Thursday 5/6
The Kings not mathematically out. Blues have the Knights and Wild each twice and the Kings once.
Kings have the Blues game and 4 against the Avs.
5 kings wins and 5 Blues losses and the Kings are in
Easy right?

 

[davnlaguna]

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Anyone notice The Legend looks like Harry Potter?

=)~~

 

[xis]

Anyone notice The Legend looks like Harry Potter?

=)~~

I just don't see it

 

[Kings4OT]

Looks more like tebow to me

 

[histkng23]

Nice showing tonight.......good Lord! McLellan should be relieved during the 2nd Intermission. I get that the Av's are on of the top teams in the league, but at least try....

 

[Deader2818]

Anyone notice The Legend looks like Harry Potter?

=)~~

Because hes the chosen one?

 

[xis]

Because hes the chosen one?

Oh look how came out of the wood work