2023 Off Season Thread

[PuckinUgly57]

What worries me is, that he has given up on two teams now. So how long before he gives up on the Kings? And if he does give up on this team too, who’s going to take him and his contract? Unless and until he proves otherwise, I see him as a liability.

Like K4OT said, look who he played for. A historically shitty BJ franchise with Tortorella as a coach to boot and then Winnipeg which is a tundra with big name players also wanting out.

It's definitely a concern, but until he pulls another whiny act to leave I'm willing to give the dude a chance here in LA.

The Kings took a shot on another "malcontent" in Carter (ironically also from the BJs) and that turned out pretty good.

Also some irony, that 2024 2nd round pick sent in the package was the one acquired just Saturday from the Dogs for Durzi. However it belonged to Montreal originally...the other team the Kings had competition with to land PLD.

Can't make this stuff up even if we tried sometimes.

 

[Kings4OT]

I think PLD has spent a lot of time on the wing. It gives the kings some options if Buster does Buster stuff. Also theres that possibility Kopitar moves down the line up, his speed was already suspect but his tenacity up and down the ice is unquestioned.....but guys can age quickly and you could tell it was tough on him keeping up.

 

[CaptHowdy00]

Pierre-Luc Dubois joins the Kings — and puts Rob Blake's legacy as GM at stake

Blake has tied himself to a talented center with the reputation (fairly or unfairly deserved) of not always playing to his potential.

theathletic.com

From the article:
With his eight-year extension, Dubois is now part of the Kings’ big picture. Blake has tied himself to a talented center with the reputation (fairly or unfairly deserved) of not always playing to his potential as a player. Dubois is a power forward who can look like a massive top-line force when he’s on his game. He’s also a 25-year-old who has requested trades from two NHL teams.

 

[CaptHowdy00]

More from the article

But this trade is also a reflection of Quinton Byfield’s inability, thus far, to make the leap and give the Kings an impact trio at center with Kopitar and Danault. The trade has a win-now nature, protects against Kopitar’s eventual slowdown and also points to Byfield, Kupari and oft-injured prospect Alex Turcotte not taking the lineup by storm.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I think PLD has spent a lot of time on the wing. It gives the kings some options if Buster does Buster stuff. Also theres that possibility Kopitar moves down the line up, his speed was already suspect but his tenacity up and down the ice is unquestioned.....but guys can age quickly and you could tell it was tough on him keeping up.

That was early in his career, he was drafted as a LW and converted to C much like the Kempe experience. The last 2 years minimum he has had Kyle Connor on his wing and has centered L1 in Winnipeg.

I can also see him being moved to LW1 here in LA but Kopitar is unique and not many players have gelled with him on his wings over the last 15-17 years, so it should be interesting to see if that happens. I'm sure it'll be tested in camp. But imagine L1 of Kopitar, Kempe and PLD? That's scary.

Fully agree while his ethic is unrivaled, you could see Kopitar really struggling this season keeping up compared to before. Age will do that, but that's also on McLellan and hos over usage; Dunno was brought in to alleviate Kopitar's minutes yet he still was up there with ATOI as if Dunno wasn't here.

Two sides to that coin, coach and being stuck in his ways or guys like Kupari, Buster, et al not able to handle those minutes so he's forced to use Danaultand Kopitar more.

 

[Kings4OT]

I guess i just saw PLDs FO totals as quite a bit lower than a #1C...also what sucks is PLD is way low in FO w% which i think is very important

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I guess i just saw PLDs FO totals as quite a bit lower than a #1C...also what sucks is PLD is way low in FO w% which i think is very important

He isn't much lower than either of Vilardi or Byfield of guys who played in 50+ games:

NHL Stats

The official source for NHL Stats including skaters, goalies, teams stats and more.

www.nhl.com

Kupari was good at that, and that hurts but hopefully PLD can improve on that if they keep him at center.

Been interesting reading the comments on Teh Blog, you'd think the Kings gave up 75 1st round picks for the guy. Vilardi is decent but the only consistent is he gets hurt every year, Iafallo was a great depth/utility guy and Kupari was a good FO and PK guy. I'm also seeing that 2nd round pick is being substituted for Durzi rather than for what it was - a 2nd round pick that did not belong to LA. This is why I have never been attached to specific players, just the uniform.

My point: while it does deplete the depth, each one of those guys is replaceable with someone already in the system at a cheaper cost. This is a great opportunity - and probably one of the last - for someone like Kaliyev to show he is more than a PP specialist with a rocket, for JAD to take over the Iafallo role and for others like Fagemo to show they belong. The path has been cleared for many current prospects.

It isn't the end of the world. Now if PLD bombs, we have a serious problem on our hands. Well, Rob Blake does - his job.

=)~~

 

[Kings4OT]

He isn't much lower than either of Vilardi or Byfield of guys who played in 50+

Thats not inspiring confidence. Kopi as a 1c has a career of 53% and has been above 55 for awhile. PLD IS A 45% which is a big difference IMO especially when Kopitar is usually taking 1500+ FO and PLD only around 1000....that doesnt say 1C yo me. Dont get me wrong i wanted PLD back when he was leaving CBJ and im sure we can find that in a thread here but i want to curb expectations on him. I think he will be great and have much of what we want LA players to bring.

As far as what was given up, Iafallo is the only one i will miss but he is like 2.5 more than i would pay for that. The legend sure he may be the greatest ever soon but i need to see more than 60g ever in a season from him

 

[davnlaguna]

So is there any truth to the King for a day royal experience, where you pay $200 to be the backup goalie and $500 to be the starter?

 

[PuckinUgly57]

So is there any truth to the King for a day royal experience, where you pay $200 to be the backup goalie and $500 to be the starter?

Been a loooooooooooong time since I played goal (last time as an adult was 2004 in my beer league when our goalie couldn't make the game, held my own in a 4-3 loss and before that when I was about 5-7 years old before they converted me to D full time) but I'd give it a go for the league minimum.

And a season's worth of free beer.

=)~~

 

[Kings4OT]

I would do it If they let me drive the zamboni And make sure it's a game against the leafs

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Anyone see the first Legend media session? Kind of took a parting shot at LA saying there aren't real hockey fans in LA. Maybe he means something different, but LA has never really struggled with fans in the last almost 30 years.

Makes me really think now what happened behind the scenes regarding contract. He stated they didn't have any conversations, but that could mean a lot of things.

He's an RFA so his contract with the Jets should give us an indication of what he really wanted.

 

[Kings4OT]

I didnt see it, but what a douche. Hope his career continues as its been. Jabbing at fans because a team didnt give you what you wanted....not gonna miss that one

 

[PuckinUgly57]

First media availability with Winnipeg Jets forward Gabe Vilardi – Illegal Curve Hockey

Back home in Kingston, Ontario we hear from one of the newest Jets players.

illegalcurve.com

It's at the very end, there's a time ticker if you want to jump right to it.

It's kind of funny when you think the Jets are actually the city that have had 2 teams but LA has been here for 56 years with "no fans".

Dude looks like Harry Potter*, probably couldn't get laid in a brothel but had money and whatnot in LA.

=)~~

*X had a great photoshop of this a few years back, hilarious.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I would do it If they let me drive the zamboni And make sure it's a game against the leafs

The sight of Matthews' nostrils staring me down would be terrifying enough let alone his shot coming at me.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Useless trivia:

Watching the draft, was curious who the Flyers would take with LA's 22nd overall. They took Oliver Bonk, Radek Bonk's kid.

Kings connections:
- obviously their pick, sent to the BJs in the Gavrikov deal then sent to the Flyers involving Petersen leaving LA
- Bonk was a King...for like 18 seconds. Ottawa traded him to LA in June 2004, the Kings immediately flipped him and Huet to Montreal for Garon and a pick (Paul Baier), who was serviceable but not much else. I recall Garon giving up softies quite often, but then he would make some insane highlight reel save.

Should have just kept Huet.

 

[Kings4OT]

First media availability with Winnipeg Jets forward Gabe Vilardi – Illegal Curve Hockey

Back home in Kingston, Ontario we hear from one of the newest Jets players.

illegalcurve.com

It's at the very end, there's a time ticker if you want to jump right to it.

It's kind of funny when you think the Jets are actually the city that have had 2 teams but LA has been here for 56 years with "no fans".

Dude looks like Harry Potter*, probably couldn't get laid in a brothel but had money and whatnot in LA.

=)~~

*X had a great photoshop of this a few years back, hilarious.

Ya seemed like he was saying LA/USA doesnt know or are fanatical about hockey like Canadians....which is sort of true as the 4th? Big sport. But even at 4th there are more fans than in Canada most likely in a sheer #s thing (just a guess). But there hockey is "everything". Truth is, he doesnt want to be there either and is pissy about it. I also notice he had nothing to say when asked if he learned from Kopistar lol

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Truth is, he doesnt want to be there either and is pissy about it.

That's exactly the vibe I got.

I do understand he bided his time in LA and seemed like a general good sport about it and probably envisioned himself being here long term being a 1st round pick.

However, LA also invested a ton of time, effort, resources and money in him too which includes basically 2 years of rehab and not seeing any ice let alone Staples ice. They did their part too but he can't expect to cash in after basically 65 games of real production 6 years after he was drafted and his consistent injury history.

It's business and that's how it goes. He has a chance now to improve his game, get T6 minutes and be a core of a team. I'd do my best to embrace that opportunity and establish myself as a legit T6/T3 player and try not to be a bitchboy about it.

But yeah, his responses sure screamed entitlement. He looked and sounded completely disinterested in that interview. That's why I'm curious what was presented, what was offered (at minimum his MQO would have been), the general feel.

I almost believe he was going to reject his MQO (his right) and go for arbitration regardless because he wants bucks based on a small sample of success and iffiness of his health.

 

[Kings4OT]

Exactly, but really the only thing thats held him back was his own health. Its not like there was much in front of him that wouldnt have been moved out of his way if he could actually suit up. If he even plays a game in the Pegged i bet he becomes a problem.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

No Filter Network on Instagram: "Jeremy Roenick breaks down the Dubois to LA Kings trade in perfect unfiltered JR fashion For his entire 2023 NHL Draft Preview show, check it out on NoFilter.net or head to our YouTube channel "

11K likes, 525 comments - nofilternet on June 28, 2023: "Jeremy Roenick breaks down the Dubois to LA Kings trade in perfect unfiltered JR fashion For his entire 2023 NHL Draft Preview show, check it out on NoFilter.net or head to our YouTube channel ".

www.instagram.com

Roenick going off on PLD. Saying he'd better live up to his contract because so far, he's done nothing but whine and complain his whole career, despite his immense talent.