2024-25 Off Season Thread

[PuckinUgly57]

TA, ranking each team's current and future goaltending situation. TLDR, Kings came in at 28. Pretty much what we all know, although I'll disagree that the Kings are a contender.

28. Los Angeles Kings

Current: 31

Granger: The Kings have some interesting prospects who could make a difference down the road, but in the immediate future the goaltending doesn’t look promising. This summer, they traded for Darcy Kuemper, who is 34 and coming off the worst season in his career. He had success in his first stint in L.A. (albeit seven years ago), so perhaps playing behind a strong defensive team will allow him to find some old form.

Future: 7

Wheeler: The Kings are one of the only teams in the league with three legitimate goalie prospects. They don’t have a goalie prospect of the caliber of an Askarov, a Jesper Wallstedt, a Jacob Fowler, a Devon Levi or a Dustin Wolf, but all three of Erik Portillo, Carter George and Hampton Slukynsky are B-plus prospects and I’m a fan of each. Portillo’s game comes with some mistakes but he’s got a unique size-puckhandling-ability profile, and while George and Slukynsky are both a little on the smaller side, each has poise, movement, technical ability, and the demeanor you look for. There will be an NHL goalie or two out of that group.

Cap: 31

McIndoe: At $5.25 million for the next three years for a 34-year-old, the Kuemper contract has disaster written all over it. You can absolutely understand why the Kings felt like this was a better risk than seven more years of Pierre-Luc Dubois, but they need a ton to go right with Kuemper for this to just get into the “not terrible” zone.

Bottom line: The Kings are the first team on our list that would probably consider themselves contenders. At forward and defense, maybe they are, but they’re left rolling the dice in goal and paying a high price to do it.

The Bowlby Plan is just the gift that keeps on giving.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

I have sorta calmed down and I think the Foegole and Tanner Jeannot moves might actually workout. Adding size and speed with grit it basically what we wanted. Someone posted a Foegole hype video and he does have some nice goals, even before he ended up in Edmonton. The problem with this team will for sure be the backend and goaltending. Gavrikov bounce-back will help a ton. Doughty another year older isn't great, but he's still solid. After that...yikes. Spence is okay. He feels undersized, but if he can bring some PP quarterbacking, and puck moving, then it's okay. Clarke has been such a gamebreaker where he's played, maybe we are just soured on Kings prospects in general. Assuming he can't come in and do something. He had that nice OT winner in Boston, and he shows sense of urgency, which lacks on this team. I don't know. Pretty much him and Turcotte surprising could paint a whole new picture of this team. Just feels like Kuemper will be okay, just like Talbot was. Not going to be a gamebreaker really, so he won't be covering for any glaring holes in the defense. Mikey Andersen I forgot. I guess it could be worse for this team.

What also seems to suck is that a few of these guys are in the final year of their deals, so if they do breakout, there's that premium looming. But I guess you'll get the best seasons you can have because guys do want that next contract.

 

[Kings4OT]

I have sorta calmed down and I think the Foegole and Tanner Jeannot moves might actually workout. Adding size and speed with grit it basically what we wanted. Someone posted a Foegole hype video and he does have some nice goals, even before he ended up in Edmonton. The problem with this team will for sure be the backend and goaltending. Gavrikov bounce-back will help a ton. Doughty another year older isn't great, but he's still solid. After that...yikes. Spence is okay. He feels undersized, but if he can bring some PP quarterbacking, and puck moving, then it's okay. Clarke has been such a gamebreaker where he's played, maybe we are just soured on Kings prospects in general. Assuming he can't come in and do something. He had that nice OT winner in Boston, and he shows sense of urgency, which lacks on this team. I don't know. Pretty much him and Turcotte surprising could paint a whole new picture of this team. Just feels like Kuemper will be okay, just like Talbot was. Not going to be a gamebreaker really, so he won't be covering for any glaring holes in the defense. Mikey Andersen I forgot. I guess it could be worse for this team.

What also seems to suck is that a few of these guys are in the final year of their deals, so if they do breakout, there's that premium looming. But I guess you'll get the best seasons you can have because guys do want that next contract.

I still believe they need a real #2 C. That would put the T6 where it needs to be (with this personell anyway). Foegle seems to take pims at the worst times, hopefully that is just something i imagine. I dont mind the size and grit added at all but have concerns about guys like edmunson, older slower and costing more than he should.....didnt impress helping the Leaves. Kuemper a huge concern, if that doesnt work the only option is Portilo.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I definitely think the additions will add much missing snarl, this team was way to easy to play against when everything tightened up in the POs. The lack of response to Anders Lee kneeing Gavrikov, then slew footing Arty Retardy and on top of that scoring 2 goals all in the same damn game was absolutely alarming. Someone should have decleated that clown stat. I think with Edmunson and Jeannot here now that will not happen again.

But I don't think it matters though - the toughness aspect is 5 years too late - and I don't see them as a PO team. Teams behind them improved and teams ahead of them will be the same or better.

Like I said, at least it'll be entertaining. The Kings should be on DOPS speed dial pretty much all swason long.

I think Jeannot is the wild card, if he can even break 15 goals this season that would be awesome. I don't expect him to hit 24 like his rookie season but he wasn't a good fit in Tampa and the 13 total over the last 2 seasons there isn't quite him either. I think 15 is a decent goal for where he will be going to play and will be an improvement over guys like Lizotte and Grundstrom in the B6 not to mention he is a wrecking ball.

The problem with this team will for sure be the backend and goaltending. Gavrikov bounce-back will help a ton. Doughty another year older isn't great, but he's still solid. After that...yikes. Spence is okay. He feels undersized, but if he can bring some PP quarterbacking, and puck moving, then it's okay.

I think the roster is just flawed all over. Defense took a hit with Roy gone, and we will find out if Spence can manage tougher minutes, competition and the physicality as RD2 instead of sheltered minutes as RD3. I also hope he gets PP2 time but that will probably go to Clarke.

But overall yes, I think the defense took a hit and Kuemper was a lateral move at 3x the cost of Talbot. But then PLD would still be here so there's that too.

Clarke has been such a gamebreaker where he's played, maybe we are just soured on Kings prospects in general. Assuming he can't come in and do something. He had that nice OT winner in Boston, and he shows sense of urgency, which lacks on this team. I don't know. Pretty much him and Turcotte surprising could paint a whole new picture of this team.

Lot of ifs my man. A lot has to go right this season, specifically guys like Clarke, Turcotte, Thomas, even Buster and Spence elevating their games from last season.

I'm really going to be keeping an eye on Clarke because he looked very timid last season. His goal was pretty so we see the skill, but he also was in the penalty box on a 4 on 3 in OT, got sprung at the end of the PK and a lot of open ice. He won't be getting those opportunities frequently.

My interest is his defensive game and how that has improved and if it will translate to NHL caliber play.

What also seems to suck is that a few of these guys are in the final year of their deals, so if they do breakout, there's that premium looming. But I guess you'll get the best seasons you can have because guys do want that next contract.

The results of the Bowlby Plan unfortunately...

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I still believe they need a real #2 C. That would put the T6 where it needs to be (with this personell anyway). Foegle seems to take pims at the worst times, hopefully that is just something i imagine. I dont mind the size and grit added at all but have concerns about guys like edmunson, older slower and costing more than he should.....didnt impress helping the Leaves. Kuemper a huge concern, if that doesnt work the only option is Portilo.

They resigned Rittich, he's been able to play 1A at times in his career. He looked solid last season and IMO actually out played Talbot in the Edmonton series but it was way too late at that point. He should have started the series but you have to defer to your defacto starter. Hindsight.

Portillo isn't supposed to be in LA until 2025 full time from what I've read which lines up with Rittich getting a one year deal. I don't expect him to be resigned next summer. But I do think Portillo gets a look in LA at some point this season.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

I still believe they need a real #2 C. That would put the T6 where it needs to be (with this personell anyway). Foegle seems to take pims at the worst times, hopefully that is just something i imagine. I dont mind the size and grit added at all but have concerns about guys like edmunson, older slower and costing more than he should.....didnt impress helping the Leaves. Kuemper a huge concern, if that doesnt work the only option is Portilo.

Just going off what I read from that Blake press conference, they believe in moving PLD, the door is wide open to put Byfield at Center. Probably super painful, but maybe sticking him there will see him grow in ways he hasn't been forced to until now. Let Kopitar and Kempe do the lifting.

I just saw they want Byfield-Fiala to be a thing.

They want Danault-Moore to play together. They were honestly the best combo that first year against Edmonton, and then I don't know what happened. They had Danault on McDavid, and after he got smooshed by Hyman, allegedly he had two broken hands. So I don't know if last year was fair for Danault. And Moore was eaten alive. Edmonton was just faster or as fast, which negated his speed, and then they just pushed him around all over the ice. We all have to speculate if another matchup would be better, but after seeing Edmonton 3 years in a row, a lot of these guys obviously can't hang.

They plan to insert Foegole/Turcotte/Laferriere as wingers on any of those other pairings.

Kempe-Kopitar-?
Moore-Danault-?
Fiala-Byfield-?

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Since the plan is to move Buster to C, my suggestion is put him at 2C and drop Dunno and Moore to 3C and 3LW. Put Fiala with Buster and see who shakes out as 2RW.

No point moving him to C if it'll be on the third line, he is an offensive player so put him in a position to succeed unlike what they did with PLD. Dunno is more suited for that third line role anyway and Moore is a M6 tweener. Why get guys like Fiala, PLD, etc if they will be forced to play in defensive positions? Not their strengths.

The plan to start what I've read is Laferriere will be with Kopitar and Kempe and Foegele on L2. That leaves Jeannot probably with Moore and Dunno which I think could be a solid third line.

Thomas, Lewis and Turcotte bring up the rear.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

NHL posted this this morning. Their view of the lines

 

[PuckinUgly57]

NHL posted this this morning. Their view of the lines

I'd swap Jeannot and Thomas but that's just me. Jeannot has shown he can score, maybe that was an inflated clip, but he won't come close to the even 15 I mentioned being on the fourth line.

Thomas it's hard to tell, was that rookie adrenaline or actual talent?