2024-25 Season Thread

[PuckinUgly57]

Clarke sucks on D, so I dont think side is gonna matter lol. Dd probably wont be at speed and will end up behind the play anyway and that allows Clark more leway jumping in....but like you just throwing shit out there. Spence kinda took a step back this season both on D and O, more mistakes than last year IMO, but I dont think that is worrisome and I think he will be just fine. I do like Mover and dont want to see him go, one of burroughs/englund sure....but thats getting you nothing. Unpopular would be send Clarke while still hyped as I hate Forwards on D and he just screams that to me, Im skeptical he will ever play D well but will be a fan favorite because points!

Clarke's defensive game is very suspect and most of his points were racked up in the early part of the season. Slowed down quite a bit but like Buster and a few goals, a cute spinorama assist to Kopitar for a tap in goal keep this guy hyped up. I watched him closely on Saturday against the Oilers up close and personal and he has to significantly improve his defensive awareness. And I don't care what people say, he ain't no 6'2"/200 - more like a buck 75 soaking wet, he loses a lot of battles in front of the net.

Doughty's return leaves Jones too - forgot about him. So that leaves Jones, Burroughs, Englund, Spence and Moverare as the five defenders to make decisions on. Burroughs and Jones won't net anything, Englund is a guaranteed $1 million cap hit which makes him unattractive as an everyday defender so he's out which leaves Spence and Moverare who are two different types, one LHD and one RHD with Spence likely to bring back more value in a trade. Moverare has passed through waivers like 100x it seems with no takers but he is young, cheap and a solid depth option so I'd be reluctant to lose him. I'm actually surprised someone never picked him up, I mean even Bjornfot was waived and picked up by Vegas and Florida and somehow got a Cup.

So all that math adds up to most likely Spence being moved but with little body of history I don't see more than a third, maybe a second if some other parts are worked into a deal.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Shesterkin to IR, Louie Domingue recalled and Quick taking over as starter for NY. Looks like he should hit that 400 wins mark soon but the way NY has played you never know.

 

[Kings4OT]

Shesterkin to IR, Louie Domingue recalled and Quick taking over as starter for NY. Looks like he should hit that 400 wins mark soon but the way NY has played you never know.

I would be "hurt" too

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

I'd rather pick up Zabinejad than Panarin, but this article names Kings as a top spot for "The Bread Man". Kinda funny, but article isn't totally wrong. Says the quiet part out loud

"The salary cap would be the biggest obstacle here, but there are always ways around that.

My suggestion: Pull a Tampa Bay or Vegas, park Drew Doughty on LTIR for the regular season, land the superstar forward, and then bring Doughty out for the playoffs."

Haha. Just go full scumbag and circumvent the cap. Blackhawks Patrick Kane, Lightning Nikita Kucherov, and Vegas Mark Stone style.

5 Way-Too-Early Trade Landing Spots for Rangers Winger Artemi Panarin

Artemi Panarin has been one of the rare free-agent success stories in the salary-cap era in which a big-money, long-term deal actually panned out with a…

syndication.bleacherreport.com

 

[CaptHowdy00]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/60...t-office-rankings/?source=user_shared_articleWhich team has the best front office in ‘big four’ leagues? Execs vote on their peers

I checked the entire list, twice! (I’m currently high so wanted to doublecheck.) Blowby and competent even on the list. Though the list goes to 70. I think they figured that if a team didn’t get any first place votes, they don’t get on.
Still, it’s just sad.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I'd rather pick up Zabinejad than Panarin, but this article names Kings as a top spot for "The Bread Man". Kinda funny, but article isn't totally wrong. Says the quiet part out loud

"The salary cap would be the biggest obstacle here, but there are always ways around that.

My suggestion: Pull a Tampa Bay or Vegas, park Drew Doughty on LTIR for the regular season, land the superstar forward, and then bring Doughty out for the playoffs."

Haha. Just go full scumbag and circumvent the cap. Blackhawks Patrick Kane, Lightning Nikita Kucherov, and Vegas Mark Stone style.

5 Way-Too-Early Trade Landing Spots for Rangers Winger Artemi Panarin

Artemi Panarin has been one of the rare free-agent success stories in the salary-cap era in which a big-money, long-term deal actually panned out with a…

syndication.bleacherreport.com

My biggest takeaway from the article is stated right in there, that the Kings do not have a difference maker.

Until they get that - either Buster or someone else develops, via trade although I cringe thinking what Bowlby would give up, or by FA - no parade is happening on Figueroa.

Dumbo did this with Gaborik, Carter, even to a lesser degree with guys like Regehr but was smart about identifying them and not overpaying for them (Gaborik post 2014 contract was stupid but we all saw that coming) adding the game breaker when needed.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/60...t-office-rankings/?source=user_shared_articleWhich team has the best front office in ‘big four’ leagues? Execs vote on their peers

I checked the entire list, twice! (I’m currently high so wanted to doublecheck.) Blowby and competent even on the list. Though the list goes to 70. I think they figured that if a team didn’t get any first place votes, they don’t get on.
Still, it’s just sad.

Color me shocked.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Teh Blog wasn't loading for me several times on the first try the last 2 weeks ago or so, I was thinking it was my phone or wifi or whatever but today the site is down altogether.

https://lakingsinsider.com/

Anyone know anything?

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Caps Rags on ABC, Quick in net. Currently 2-1 Caps, going to watch this one to see if Quick can get 399 but doesn't look like it so far.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Rangers' Jonathan Quick unexpectedly linked to Western Conference playoff contender

With the New York Rangers starting the massive shakeup of the roster, could the team send Jonathan Quick to the West? According to an NHL insider, he's been linked to the Edmonton Oilers.

www.yardbarker.com

What a nightmare. Quick linked to Edmonton.

Dude could go pickup a cup with Vegas and maybe now Edmonton.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I would barf.

It was bad enough seeing him in Vegas colors and getting a third Cup, seeing him wearing Oilers colors would be nauseating.

I don't think he would get a Cup there though, plus it doesn't look like the Oilers need any goaltending help at the moment. They'd probably pick him up as insurance because the Skinner Specials do tend to appear in the POs.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

TA, grading every team's season so far:

Los Angeles Kings: A-

Credit should be thrown coach Jim Hiller’s way, as he has the Kings in a firm playoff position despite not having Drew Doughty all season. Just once have they dropped consecutive games in regulation play, and they’re an impressive 12-2-2 after any defeat. Anze Kopitar is a 37-year-old wonder, and Adrian Kempe, Vladislav Gavrikov and Mikey Anderson are also leading the way. Offseason adds Warren Foegele, Darcy Kuemper, Joel Edmundson and Tanner Jeannot have contributed to varying degrees, and youngsters Alex Laferriere, Brandt Clarke and Alex Turcotte have stepped up. Quinton Byfield and Jordan Spence are trending up. If anything, the 27th-ranked power play (as of Thursday) doesn’t get a passing grade. — Eric Stephens

 

[Kings4OT]

TA, grading every team's season so far:

Los Angeles Kings: A-

Credit should be thrown coach Jim Hiller’s way, as he has the Kings in a firm playoff position despite not having Drew Doughty all season. Just once have they dropped consecutive games in regulation play, and they’re an impressive 12-2-2 after any defeat. Anze Kopitar is a 37-year-old wonder, and Adrian Kempe, Vladislav Gavrikov and Mikey Anderson are also leading the way. Offseason adds Warren Foegele, Darcy Kuemper, Joel Edmundson and Tanner Jeannot have contributed to varying degrees, and youngsters Alex Laferriere, Brandt Clarke and Alex Turcotte have stepped up. Quinton Byfield and Jordan Spence are trending up. If anything, the 27th-ranked power play (as of Thursday) doesn’t get a passing grade. — Eric Stephens

I want to argue this but really cant, the results are the points and standings...I still think this is more about the other teams than LA....but if grading from not a fan perspective....

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I want to argue this but really cant, the results are the points and standings...I still think this is more about the other teams than LA....but if grading from not a fan perspective....

The Kings have gotten a lot of points from lesser competition but that is expected.

They weren't beating quality teams until recently and another big test with the Lightning tonight so we shall see, lot of experience and winning attitude there and Jon Cooper is one of the best coaches and in game managers in the business. Dude looks like an unassuming English teacher but will smoke your team during a game.

As Bill Parcells once said "you are what your record says you are", and right now the Kings are playing well and winning. We've seen this dog and pony show before however and I've completely reached the point that none of this matters until they move past the WCQFs minimum.

 

[Kings4OT]

Retardy on waivers, cant find a deal??

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Guess not, looks like I even overvalued him to get a 3rd or lower pick. Wish him well wherever he ends up (he could remain on the LA roster, get assigned to the Reign or could get claimed by another team).

He was one pick away from being a 1st round pick and was clearly a reach. Crazy how Teh Blog tabbed this guy for 30 goals, he doesn't have 30 career goals yet. He just isn't a good player unfortunately and never put it together, overall that first round in 2019 not looking good, jury still out on Turcotte although he's had a good first full season so far.

This is one of those players where no one can say he didn't get a chance, he got plenty over 5 years, played himself off the team and was passed up by other prospects.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

No, the Kings have a Rob Blake problem.

The Sporting Tribune

www.thesportingtribune.com

Byfield isn't a play driver, Dunno is a shutdown center and The Lizard was a B6 center. That isn't on Fiala, that's on Blake for the way he constructed this roster.

Very good talented player but as I keep saying the time to trade for a guy like him was extremely off the mark. Now you're stuck with him at that price point and you know what his strengths and weaknesses are so work with it to make it happen.

 

[Kings4OT]

I am still trying to guess what people expect from Fiala (or any skilled player). There are very few in the league that can do it all by themselves Mcjesus style. Fiala does make skillful plays most every game, somethings he does dont work out sure but he is the most creative King on the ice everynight....unfortunately the guys he plays with arent on the same level, hell most of them cant score even with wide open nets this season. Dunno and TOTM have almost half as many G as Fiala has by himself, but hes the problem even tho most any can tell you Dunno/TOTM are not t6 players, above avg 3rd liners sure. If LA had a real 2c Fiala would be a fan favorite. As it is he is getting his usual G's, his linemates are not, even when he makes the good play they fail but nobody talks about that