2024-25 Season Thread

[PuckinUgly57]

Spot on.

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/los-angeles-kings/latest-news/kings-january-struggles-reflect-season-long-challenges

If Buster becomes Dunno 2.0, which is what he's looking like, that is one hell of a blown opportunity to fix the franchise.

The scoring issue needs to be addressed, who goes?

 

[Kings4OT]

Unless the Kings get another Fiala type, they will pretty much need to score off the rush. Not really sure who could go without the Kings needing to add to take em.

TOTM, Lewis, Clarke, Burroughs could all disappear.

 

[Kings4OT]

Pick up Saad off waivers, because why not

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Unless the Kings get another Fiala type, they will pretty much need to score off the rush. Not really sure who could go without the Kings needing to add to take em.

TOTM, Lewis, Clarke, Burroughs could all disappear.

TOTM is my pick but honestly, how much value does he have? That price point, no production, hello 4th round pick tops. Doesn't help LA at all.

Lewis is worthless, Burroughs maybe a 3rd, Clarke isn't going anywhere although I'd trade him in a heartbeat. JMFJ Light but even then he isn't anything special. With Johnson you could see the talent but eventually he had no brains, with Clarke he's neither. Another blown top pick.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Pick up Saad off waivers, because why not

Would be a Blake move. He is awesome...if it were 2012.

 

[Kings4OT]

TOTM is my pick but honestly, how much value does he have? That price point, no production, hello 4th round pick tops. Doesn't help LA at all.

Lewis is worthless, Burroughs maybe a 3rd, Clarke isn't going anywhere although I'd trade him in a heartbeat. JMFJ Light but even then he isn't anything special. With Johnson you could see the talent but eventually he had no brains, with Clarke he's neither. Another blown top pick.

Kinda the point, where do the Kings have any real value in the lineup? Those I listed aee addition by subtraction lol.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

This one is a gem...

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[Kings4OT]

This one is a gem...

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Fuck that, if I can only keep 1 King right now its Cantplay. I actually like Marner a lot, he is skilled and very high hockey iq. But he needs to be with some big dudes like Jeanott come playoff hockey or he is a mouse. Leafs fans will say im lying, but I dont do that deal straight across.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Fuck that, if I can only keep 1 King right now its Cantplay. I actually like Marner a lot, he is skilled and very high hockey iq. But he needs to be with some big dudes like Jeanott come playoff hockey or he is a mouse. Leafs fans will say im lying, but I dont do that deal straight across.

Marner is a great player from October to April. But that could be said pretty much for the Core Four of TO, they wilt when the playoffs roll around. I think this will be Tavares' last season in TO too with the hand off of the C and all.

And I agree, I don't do that trade straight up. Sure Marner may be a points beast but Kempe is built for PO hockey. Exactly the types of players LA needs not to mention develop, Kempe is easily the Kings' best all around player and it's been nice to see him turn into an All Star. Few and far between for Kings prospects.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

PLD on pace for 18G/48A/66 points. Amazing what putting an $8.5 million player in positions to succeed and not bunk wingers can produce.

 

[Kings4OT]

PLD on pace for 18G/48A/66 points. Amazing what putting an $8.5 million player in positions to succeed and not bunk wingers can produce.

Already matched his point total of last season. Another important stat I mentioned nobody cares about is he is 19th in the league at drawing penalties.....Kings are around last, which is fine since they cant extra man for shit. Still 66ish points isnt worth 8.5 but LA should have given him 1/2 the Buster chance at min. To many fans dumped on PLG right away and relentless no matter what was going on expecting him to be Mcjesus lite or something.

 

[Fox4Kings]

Even still, he isn't worth the salary and was a good move to move him. The trade worked out really well for both teams.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Even still, he isn't worth the salary and was a good move to move him. The trade worked out really well for both teams.

Agreed 100% he wasn't worth that contract, I also think that elevated expectations as well. But also 100% is the Kings completely misused him which brought on the heat from fans. He was used an as overpaid 3C which isn't his skillset, Dunno could have slid into that role and moved PLD up to 2C.

And I think the trade worked out for a while for both teams but Kuemper has shown cracks here recently during this slide. If he falls off a cliff, which is very possible considering his age and how much Jill is playing him combined with the offense drying up the wheels could completely fall off the season here.

Sure it was only 40 points but how important would PLDs 16 goals be right about now? Probably the difference between going on a slide vs getting a few extra wins.

 

[Kings4OT]

Even still, he isn't worth the salary and was a good move to move him. The trade worked out really well for both teams.

I disagree some (suprising I know haha). From a franchise stand point they screwed the pooch yet again. Trading an asset that could be turned into a better trade chip (a 25 y/o 2C) for something you could have had for free (and is still worthless no matter how good his stats look) is dumb. As a fan I am glad he is gone, but his mismanagement from day 1 until the trade is unreasonably bad and will hold back the Kings for seasons. Even with PLG not living up to Kings fans expectations having him on the team he was literally the only chance for this roster to improve. I mentioned when he was traded Nobody else in the lineup could do better than last season except PLG and here we are. I think LA needed to build him up even half what they do for Buster, even if he sucked for the whole contract there is nothing in the pipeline to see. So basically an 11th, 20th and 90th pick became cap space and a Capitals improvement.

I guess after all that, all I really disagree with is that it was good for LA Kings

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Pretty good in depth article about the Kings and their struggles. I'm also pretty sure Anderson has a broken hand, which isn't good unless he is put on LTIR and the available space is used for some offensive help. With the TDL only 5-6 weeks away it's the perfect time to pull a Tampa or Vegas cap shenanigan.

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Also some pretty damning words essentially about Blake and how he's constructed this team:

At first glance, everything appears to be in a spiral, which following the injury, looks to be a cherry right on top. Except this isn't a malt shake. The current situation follows a plan for a franchise that is realistically not quite there or close to achieving its goals. The ongoing phase seems to lack intermediate focus on long-term development and rather, fails to address any immediate concerns about a potential talent shortage for production. This is the foundation the Kings have created.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Cap estimations per NHL/NHLPA for the next three seasons:

2025-26: $95.5 million
2026-27: $104 million
2027-28: $113.5 million

Please get Bowlby and Co out stat.

 

[Kings4OT]

Cap estimations per NHL/NHLPA for the next three seasons:

2025-26: $95.5 million
2026-27: $104 million
2027-28: $113.5 million

Please get Bowlby and Co out stat.

Overpay for mediocre UFA incoming, got nothing else to use the cap for.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Miller traded to Rags, waiting for details.

 

[Kings4OT]

Ya, for not much imo

 

[Kings4OT]

If canucks dont flip what they got, its great for LA.