2023 Off Season Thread

[CaptHowdy00]

NHL Pipeline Rankings: Corey Pronman's top prospects and under-23 players for every team

An in-depth look at the NHL's future with a ranking of every team's under-23 core.

theathletic.com

Interesting read. I can’t wait too see what they say about the Kings in general and Blake in specific.

 

[CaptHowdy00]

Corey Pronman's NHL Pipeline Rankings: No. 20 Kings' system is trending downwards

Ranking the top prospects and under-23 players in the organization. Plus, what to expect of every player.

theathletic.com

Here’s the LA Kings Pipeline Ranking overview. They’re ranked 20th overall. Surprising, considering that at one point a few years ago, they had a really high (5th I think) pipeline.

 

[Kings4OT]

Corey Pronman's NHL Pipeline Rankings: No. 20 Kings' system is trending downwards

Ranking the top prospects and under-23 players in the organization. Plus, what to expect of every player.

theathletic.com

Here’s the LA Kings Pipeline Ranking overview. They’re ranked 20th overall. Surprising, considering that at one point a few years ago, they had a really high (5th I think) pipeline

When the "best" of the pipeline gets traded, cant crack the line up or gets named buster, your bound to slip a tad

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Corey Pronman's NHL Pipeline Rankings: No. 20 Kings' system is trending downwards

Ranking the top prospects and under-23 players in the organization. Plus, what to expect of every player.

theathletic.com

Here’s the LA Kings Pipeline Ranking overview. They’re ranked 20th overall. Surprising, considering that at one point a few years ago, they had a really high (5th I think) pipeline.

Good lord that smelled like Yanetti wrote it. Every prospect is propped up it seemed. One thing I noticed that was a common theme was a lot of "poor skaters".

So basically the only two blue chippers left are Clarke and Buster. I didn't get a good enough look/feel in Clarke's short stint here last season so I'm curious to see him more and Buster, and it's no secret here my faith in him is well into almost bust category so I'm hoping he proves me wrong. Double digit goals is an absolute must this season for him especially if he's going to be LW1 again.

Bold prediction: Spence makes the club, Clarke is in Ontario with Bjornfot. Englund and Spence are the 3D pair.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Found this section in Cap Friendly, never knew it existed. Interesting breakdown about Bowlby and his breakdown of how he built the team, signings, trades, etc.

Rob Blake Staff History, Signings, and Coach Contracts - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Rob Blake staff history, coach contracts, player signings, drafted players, trade history, and stats

www.capfriendly.com

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Corey Pronman's NHL Pipeline Rankings: No. 20 Kings' system is trending downwards

Ranking the top prospects and under-23 players in the organization. Plus, what to expect of every player.

theathletic.com

Here’s the LA Kings Pipeline Ranking overview. They’re ranked 20th overall. Surprising, considering that at one point a few years ago, they had a really high (5th I think) pipeline.

They were ranked as high as #1 in 2021. Huge drop off to 20th, which I could accept if they were graduating players left and right. But that's not happening.

There are no legitimate star potential players in any position, lot of M6 and 2D and 3D projected players and a lot of projects (Helenius, Mania, Chromiak, etc).

The Kings had bonafide stars in key positions when they were winning Cups, as has every team since. At least one if not two. The Kings have none, and considering they picked relatively high the last few years that's alarming.

 

[davnlaguna]

Any news on if the Kings will be televised this year? Diamond Sports (Balleys) is in bankruptcy and asking to not pay the NHL. The NHL is threatening to cancel the deal and let the teams look for a new TV partner or stream the games themselves.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

No idea, am wondering the same thing myself. I have DirecTV and was able to watch them on BSW mostly and then also have the Disney + package including ESPN + and some Kings games were televised on there.

I guess there's still TNT but I don't know how they'd schedule their programming if they picked up Kings games. I also don't want to get yet another streaming service, I just had to get Sunday Ticket through Verizon (me and the kids' carrier for cell phones) since DTV lost the rights starting this season and it moved to YouTube TV and I'm annoyed because it was $449 up front and Verizon will credit me $100 on a bill where as DTV made it more affordable and billed you $350 in 6 installments. There's so many of them and they all add up.

I'm assuming there's something in the works, we are getting awful close to the season.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Any news on if the Kings will be televised this year? Diamond Sports (Balleys) is in bankruptcy and asking to not pay the NHL. The NHL is threatening to cancel the deal and let the teams look for a new TV partner or stream the games themselves.

Looks like per Jim Fox's Twitter account they do have something in the works but isn't finalized yet. Looks like we will be OK for games being televised.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

The Athletic released their top 23 and under players and prospects in the NHL. No surprise LA doesn't have many on there, there were 168 total: https://theathletic.com/4805966/2023/08/28/nhl-players-prospects-under-23-connor-bedard/

These were the Kings rankings if you don't have a subscription:

#33 - Buster



#48 Brandt Clarke



#71 Arty Retardy - how is this guy even on this list? This guy would have been solid on the Kings 12-14 years ago when they were playing big, slow heavy hockey. I don't have a lot of faith left in this guy either; I see Martin Frk II.



#144 Jordan Spence - I fully believe he will beat out Clarke for RD3 this season in camp. Book it. He is ready for full time NHL duty.

 

[davnlaguna]

Looks like per Jim Fox's Twitter account they do have something in the works but isn't finalized yet. Looks like we will be OK for games being televised.

View attachment 338798

NHL is trying to take control if not paid in full
Diamond is trying to have judge restructure contract and let them cut loose unprofitable teams.
They have until Sept 30 per court extension.
Which is after preseason starts.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Won't affect LA, they are the second biggest US TV market next to NY. Curious how it will affect teams like Florida and Dallas (Phoenix is considered the LA market) though.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

The Athletic front office rankings by fanbase, Kings are 13th, down from 5th last year.

NHL front-office confidence rankings, 2023: How fans feel about every team

Based on the collective opinion of our well-informed subscribers, here’s how much confidence each team’s front office currently inspires.

theathletic.com

 

[CaptHowdy00]

Any news on if the Kings will be televised this year? Diamond Sports (Balleys) is in bankruptcy and asking to not pay the NHL. The NHL is threatening to cancel the deal and let the teams look for a new TV partner or stream the games themselves.

ESPN+ has the entire season, with only local blackouts. So if the Kings are playing the Yotes I don’t get to see the game. Otherwise, every team, every game.

 

[davnlaguna]

ESPN+ has the entire season, with only local blackouts. So if the Kings are playing the Yotes I don’t get to see the game. Otherwise, every team, every game.

Local games blacked out in ESPN+ unless it is only on ESPN
You may be outside the local area.
I have a stream from that shows all the Canadian feeds so I can almost always find it there or on the visitors feed.
I just prefer the home team feed so I don’t have to watch Tim Horton ads.

The real issue with Diamond/Balley’s is money. If 14 teams lose that deal, the salary cap is going to stay flat even longer.

 

[histkng23]

No idea, am wondering the same thing myself. I have DirecTV and was able to watch them on BSW mostly and then also have the Disney + package including ESPN + and some Kings games were televised on there.

I guess there's still TNT but I don't know how they'd schedule their programming if they picked up Kings games. I also don't want to get yet another streaming service, I just had to get Sunday Ticket through Verizon (me and the kids' carrier for cell phones) since DTV lost the rights starting this season and it moved to YouTube TV and I'm annoyed because it was $449 up front and Verizon will credit me $100 on a bill where as DTV made it more affordable and billed you $350 in 6 installments. There's so many of them and they all add up.

I'm assuming there's something in the works, we are getting awful close to the season.

I know this sounds archaic, but if you have a Fire Stick, you can still get a Kodi build that can work on Sundays (I've just configured another Build, and it was working during some of the preseason games...).

I was at a gathering this past weekend, and the homeowner uses an IPTV ap, that he supposedly pays $5/mo, and it gives him access to what appeared to be EVERYTHING!! Local market feeds and all. I did research IPTV a bit, and it's feature is that it gives you ability to access anything/everything that is streamed on the internet. I have a Roku as well (prefer over Fire), and the homeowner mentioned something along the lines of having a gaming console that he runs his IPTV ap through. There were a few moments when there were buffering issues, but the homeowner just went and found a different "channel" and was able to pull up the same game we were watching, just from a different market's broadcast.

Something to consider...

 

[davnlaguna]

I know this sounds archaic, but if you have a Fire Stick, you can still get a Kodi build that can work on Sundays (I've just configured another Build, and it was working during some of the preseason games...).

I was at a gathering this past weekend, and the homeowner uses an IPTV ap, that he supposedly pays $5/mo, and it gives him access to what appeared to be EVERYTHING!! Local market feeds and all. I did research IPTV a bit, and it's feature is that it gives you ability to access anything/everything that is streamed on the internet. I have a Roku as well (prefer over Fire), and the homeowner mentioned something along the lines of having a gaming console that he runs his IPTV ap through. There were a few moments when there were buffering issues, but the homeowner just went and found a different "channel" and was able to pull up the same game we were watching, just from a different market's broadcast.

Something to consider...

That sounds like what I have. Friend has it and put in on my fire stick with his log in. I pay nothing he pays a little
It has most of the cable channels in the US, Canada, and UK. Includes MLB, NFL and Canada hockey channels. Usually there are 2or 3 channels for each sport and most tv stations in the US
Cannot record, pause or rewind and the delay is like 3 minutes of live. So sometimes my phone updates a score before it is on TV

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I wouldn't mind looking into this, I had Kodi back in the day and it was awesome. Sometimes it sucked getting a Chinese feed or whatever but you could look and see what other options were available.

All I know is I don't want to get hosed on hockey like I did football - unless it's on national TV I have no other way to watch the NY Giants, and after 5 straight days of sports in the the fall with the kids that Sunday is my little piece of peace so I bit the bullet - so I'm willing to try whatever at this point without having to pay for more shit.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Pretty nutty watching guys' career arcs, just means we are getting older. Just for kicks now I'm curious to see who is left playing from the 2003 draft class, 20 years later.

Carl Hagelin (2007) retired yesterday, I remember his hot minute in LA. He didn't have any impact at all here but he was huge on that HBK line in Pittsburgh when they won the B2B Cups in 2016 and 2017:

Two-time Stanley Cup winner Carl Hagelin announces his retirement

Hagelin played a pivotal role in the Penguins’ 2016 and 2017 Stanley Cup wins.

www.pensburgh.com

Then last weekend Donskoi (2010) retired citing concussions, he is only 31 so you know it has to be bad. I always liked him when LA played SJ, he made some big plays and was a big part of those teams when the rivalry was in full height. Gritty, played hard:

Former Sharks, Avalanche, Kraken F Joonas Donskoi retires at 31, cites multiple concussions | TSN

Veteran forward Joonas Donskoi announced his retirement from the NHL on Sunday at age 31, citing multiple concussions. Donskoi missed all of last season for the Seattle Kraken after suffering a concussion during a preseason game against the Vancouver Canucks.

www.tsn.ca

Godspeed gentlemen. Enjoy your families, kids, NHL accomplishments and mai tais on the beach.

 

[CaptHowdy00]

Local games blacked out in ESPN+ unless it is only on ESPN
You may be outside the local area.
I have a stream from that shows all the Canadian feeds so I can almost always find it there or on the visitors feed.
I just prefer the home team feed so I don’t have to watch Tim Horton ads.

The real issue with Diamond/Balley’s is money. If 14 teams lose that deal, the salary cap is going to stay flat even longer.

It’s funny the games on ESPN+ give me a choice of which team’s feed I want and I alway choose Kings.