Deano on Free Agents

[CaptHowdy00]

Challenges (and philosophies) of retaining key UFAs LA Kings Insider

 

[PuckinUgly57]

My money:

Gone:
- Stoll
- Regehr (confirmed, but I'll take credit for this one - I didn't think the Kings would resign him)
- McBain (no McBrainer....hey O!)
- Williams
- Richards (buy out, June 15-30th)

In
- Sekera
- Voynov (something tells me things will work out)

I'll have to go down the RFA list and see who else is up (Toffoli will be resigned for sure) and get back to this thread.

 

[CaptHowdy00]

I honestly think that they will keep Williams. I think he would take less money to stay. I'm not trying to be an ass about this, but honestly is he really worth the 5 per (I think) that he is asking for? I don't thinks so. Yes he has some serious clutch experience, but so did Robert Horry. Anyone remember Big Shot Bob? The guy was quiet most of the season, but he nailed some big baskets for the Rockets, Spurs and some other teams. But he is really know for the Big Shots that he took. JWil is in the same boat. Yes he has had some clutch shots in big games. But honestly at this point and time I think he is a bottom 6 forward.

 

[davnlaguna]

Richards may be back.
Even his buyout is crazy.
I think they give him one more year and hope Vegas takes him in the expantion draft

 

[davnlaguna]

Ok I take back the Richards thing. Just read a story from OC register that makes it sound like Dean is going to give Richards the news soon

 

[Kings4OT]

Gone:
Stoll
Richards
Regs (obviously)
Mcbain
Voynov
Williams

resigned
Sekera
TT

 

[smackdown380]

My money:

Gone:
- Stoll
- Regehr (confirmed, but I'll take credit for this one - I didn't think the Kings would resign him)
- McBain (no McBrainer....hey O!)
- Williams
- Richards (buy out, June 15-30th)

In
- Sekera
- Voynov (something tells me things will work out)

I'll have to go down the RFA list and see who else is up (Toffoli will be resigned for sure) and get back to this thread.

I echo most of this, Deano pretty much hinted at the buyout of Richards. I am not sure McBain goes just because of the cap situation and I don;t think Voynov comes back. Sekera is going to ask for I think $5M a year, only way that happens is if Stoll and Williams leave.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I echo most of this, Deano pretty much hinted at the buyout of Richards. I am not sure McBain goes just because of the cap situation and I don;t think Voynov comes back. Sekera is going to ask for I think $5M a year, only way that happens is if Stoll and Williams leave.

Pucky diatribe coming:

I think both Stoll and Williams are gone. Stoll simply is not effective anymore, and either Shore or some free agent can anchor that third/fourth line for $1 million. Stoll was a pro, he was critical in the development of this team and filled a need, total team player and gave it his all but his time has come. Hard to believe dude has been here 7 years or whatever.

Shore makes $925,000, about 75% less than Stoll and he is about just as effective offensively. Defensively he is in the same system as he was in Manchester, all he needs is big league experience. He is also in a safe learning environment. His FO% is very good, and while I think he could gain to put on some weight, he looks to be a good B6 center in the next 2-3 years. Either him or send him back down and sign a veteran checking center (hell, Frat Boy is a UFA again!) or trade for a cheap B6 center. Still cheaper than Stoll, reminds me a lot of Lewis a few years ago minus the speed. Options are out there.

Williams, maybe it's just me but I saw a dramatic decline in his play from about mid January on. He is a possession machine, and while that is very predictive of what can happen it's not a guarantee of what will happen. I saw an old slow player, a guy who couldn't keep up in the play, a guy who whiffed on his opportunities, a guy who simply looks like he peaked and is on the wrong side of the hill. His PO performances are legendary, but that isn't enough to pay a guy $4+ million to be here (or whatever he is seeking). To me it was stunning to see how ineffective he was after what he pulled off in the playoffs last season. Again maybe it's just me, but just y observation which is why I think he will not be resigned. Just in January however I was very confident in his abilities to play at least 2 more hard years in LA, I don't see that now.

McBain, he will simply be a cap casualty as you stated. But even at only $550,000 it's money the Kings need. I personally think he played well in the limited minutes and action he saw. Best of luck elsewhere.

Voynov, the reason I think he will be back is because he is going to trial. It's counter intuitive, but follow me here: I've been through the justice system enough to know when to cop a plea and when to roll the dice and take my chances. The only times I ever did that was when a) I was completely innocent or b) the evidence against was not compelling enough. The goal in a trial is not to be found innocent, it is to create reasonable doubt.

I'm just a Joe who hired what I could afford, which were still expensive, but a guy like Voynov has a very competent attorney and has the money to bring in all kinds of experts, forensic specialists, psychs, etc. My point is he is taking a huge gamble, but that also means he has a great chance of winning his case. I think we will see this transpire in that way and he will be back as a King in the fall.

That brings me to Sekera...I fully believe he will resign here. I think once the initial adjustment period passed, he fit right in. He reminded me of a LH Voynov. T4 defender, played bigger than he is, controlled a lot from the back end. The size factor kind of hurts but he added an element the Kings missed all season with Voynov out. His smarts are off the charts, I've known about this guy for years but actually seeing him in LA firsthand, the Kings need to pony up some money somehow and retain him. The defense cannot be just a bunch of lugheads like Greene and Regehr, green like McNabb or an idiot like Muzzin. There needs to be some stability from someone in terms of zone control apart from Doughty and he fell into LA's lap. These guys don't grow on trees.

 

[Kings4OT]

I think everyone agrees about Williams, but to me the it seemed like the decline came when they stopped talking about his contract shortly after giving Muffin a bunch of money.....maybe I am wrong but that's what I remember

 

[DOD0083]

So if Voynov is cleared and Sekera re-signs, who sits or is traded?

Doughty - Muzzin
Sekera - Voynov
Greene - McNabb
Martinez

Stoll - gone
Williams - gone
Richards - buy-out
Regher - retirement
Mcbain released
Toffoli - signed to 5+ year deal


Lines:

Gaborik - Kopitar - Brown
Pearson - Carter - Toffoli
King - Lewis - Clifford
Andreoff - Shore - Nolan


I'd like to see Forbort brought up but unless we trade a dman, I don't see any room for him. Who do you think from Manchester is ready to make the jump? I don't think we will make a big splash, if any, for UFA's. We will be up against the cap just re-signing our own RFA's.

Thoughts?

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I think everyone agrees about Williams, but to me the it seemed like the decline came when they stopped talking about his contract shortly after giving Muffin a bunch of money.....maybe I am wrong but that's what I remember

I don't think with Williams it was about Muzzin's money, he has been around long enough and knows the finances of the game. Whether Muzzin is worthy of that contract or not (no) remains to be seen and is another issue entirely but that to me wasn't the driving factor. Williams simply wasn't effective from what I saw. He tried his ass off but didn't produce.

I think physically he simply underperformed, which could be said for a lot of guys this past season, but he's not 28, he's going to be 34 when the season starts. That is a huge risk to take on an aging player who thankfully has stayed healthy the last 3-4 years but will only get weaker, less productive and harder to move once inked. He will also have a diminished role most nights (with Toffoli/Pearson getting more ice time and suited for the T6 more much) like Richards and Brown but is expecting T6 money.

Add in the Richards situation (how loyalty burned Dumbo) and I think Williams is walking.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

So if Voynov is cleared and Sekera re-signs, who sits or is traded?

Doughty - Muzzin
Sekera - Voynov
Greene - McNabb
Martinez

My money is on one of Martinez or Muzzin. Both will be making $4 million or so, long term contracts, young defenders - those are always in demand.

They are also similar in certain ways in terms of puck moving ability. Muzzin's checks have more impact (literally, not meaning game changing) but Martinez is the better overall defender in his own end and while he won't decleat anyone he plays the body well.

If I were the Kings I trade one of these two for a T6 winger to play with Carter or Kopitar (with Williams gone) who is in his mid/late 20s either straight up or as a combo deal with draft picks.

 

[DOD0083]

I would love trade type scenario that moves Martinez plus a draft pick or lower level prospect for a player like Jordan Eberle. Win-win for both organizations.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Gotta be careful what you get back in deals with Edmonton.

=)~~

Kidding aside (not really, remember the Smyth/Fraser/Brule fiasco?), while the young Oilers are high picks and ultra talented, they come from a losing culture.

I know the Kings would do their due diligence and check out their characters, work ethic, etc. but they would be coming to a team where work ethic, playing Kings hockey and team play is stressed over hot dog, freewheeling hockey like they play up there. My point: 75 point Eberle would be 55 point Eberle here; would he be OK with that? Or would be think he is better than that, a superstar, and therefore not on the same page?

In theory things would check out, in which case I would pull the trigger on that deal in a heartbeat. I completely agree, it would address needs for both teams 100%.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Speaking of Free Agents, not sure if anyone saw this:

L.A. Kings locked coach Darryl Sutter out of dressing room, GM Dean Lombardi says

Quick highlights, we pretty much hit everything Lombardi is hinting on doing: Richards will be bought out, Stoll and Williams will not be back.

At the bottom of the article however, and this is the first I've seen it, is Sekera suffered a torn knee ligament against Chicago and wouldn't have played in the POs anyway. It won't require surgery, but it will take some time to heal.

I don't want to kick a guy when he's down, but perhaps the Kings could leverage the injury to a favorable contract and sign him for a little less than if he hits the open market.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

And speaking of the Oilers, I stumbled on this article where Ryan Smyth says it was tough watching the Kings win the Cup in 2012, one year after he requested a trade and was sent back to Edmonton. Article happens to be from my 38th birthday too, woo hoo!

Ryan Smyth says watching Kings win Cup was 'tough to swallow' - latimes

You made your bed man, gotta lay in it.

This line actually puzzled me a bit:

He said he was happy with his decision to return to Edmonton. “No regrets,” he said. “Obviously, you can’t live in the past. You can’t sit there and dwell on things. My family’s safe, and that’s the most important thing.”

Would love to hear what his definition of "safe" is, I'm sure he lived in a posh place like Manhattan Beach. If he thinks that part of LA isn't "safe", dude probably thought downtown was a war zone.