Fiala

[Kings4OT]

This is a great pickup

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

I don't know enough about Fiala to be honest. Kings were big on Brock Faber but I think all of the guys emerging this year plus Brandt Clark probably made them feel they could move him. I am way more focused on the money than what was given up though, so def hoping that $8mil a year was the right move. Kempe getting paid this summer too, so truly hoping these weren't career years for both of these guys.

But if the Kings can get some size on the backend and maybe up front, they're all of sudden a pretty good looking team, and that's exciting to see. Fiala only 25 years old so if he's what they think he is, that'll be great for awhile.

 

[LAKINGSFAN]

I like the deal. Looks like he will slot in nicely with Kempe on Kopis line. Does this mean that we are out of the Chychrun deal?

 

[xis]

I too like the deal. Didn't give up TOO much and Fiala is a legit top 6. I feel like more moves to come tho. Lots of assets still remain to make moves. Not saying they'll be big moves but moves none the less.

Can't wait to hear the complaints on this move. I know there will be at least one.

 

[CaptHowdy00]

Kings acquire left wing Kevin Fiala from Minnesota Wild

The Kings have acquired left wing Kevin Fiala from the Minnesota Wild for the rights to Brock Faber and their first-round pick in this year’s NHL draft.

www.latimes.com

 

[Kings4OT]

He will put up 20+g a season....what this tells me is how much faith they have in the prospects that are supposed to be already coming into their own. I would like to see some size somewhere and at least one or 2 guys that can stick up for the other 20 that are getting smashed

 

[xis]

So according to several sources online the Kings did extend him 7x7.9ish.

It'll be interesting what Kempe will get.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

I have been reading every comment on The Athletic from mostly salty Wild Fans. They're mostly mad at the cap hell they're in and wish they'd gotten more back in the trade. Some level-headed people think it was a fair trade, which is sort of how I see it. I am not over the moon in love with the trade so that's how I know it was probably fair.

So their main knock and why they are so mad at Fiala is he has disappeared two playoffs in a row in Round 1. He scored like 1 goal in their last 13 playoff games, but most would concede he did this with essentially a 4th line center on his line. So that's something in there that they are saying.

My question is with lines and the size of this team.

You assume they pay Kempe this summer, so line one becomes Kempe-Kopitar-Fiala. Good size and speed on this line for sure. Very solid top line if Kopitar can stave off aging and Kempe can get out of his own head.

Now big questions for the rest. Danault and Moore are very obviously your second line as they have great chemistry and can play a lot of situations. They were really good once Grundstrom was added against Edmonton, but where do you then slot Arvidsson? Iafallo also looked solid on their line. So now you have a few guys who are undersized, making okay money, and sort of all play the same role. You also have to theoretically make room for your "League best prospect pool" to have some emergence. This makes me think Iafallo is expendable and maybe someone else. Curious what you guys think about that though. This team has got to get bigger at some point or they're never have any success.

Side note, I can't find it now but it was on my feed that Alex Turcotte removed any reference to the Kings from his social media profiles. Made me wonder if he thought he was going to be part of the Fiala trade instead of Brock Faber. That's just speculation on my end though.

 

[xis]

Pretty much agree. I can see Turcotte moved to Chicago in a smaller deal or in a 3 way deal for a left shot D.

I have been reading every comment on The Athletic from mostly salty Wild Fans. They're mostly mad at the cap hell they're in and wish they'd gotten more back in the trade. Some level-headed people think it was a fair trade, which is sort of how I see it. I am not over the moon in love with the trade so that's how I know it was probably fair.

So their main knock and why they are so mad at Fiala is he has disappeared two playoffs in a row in Round 1. He scored like 1 goal in their last 13 playoff games, but most would concede he did this with essentially a 4th line center on his line. So that's something in there that they are saying.

My question is with lines and the size of this team.

You assume they pay Kempe this summer, so line one becomes Kempe-Kopitar-Fiala. Good size and speed on this line for sure. Very solid top line if Kopitar can stave off aging and Kempe can get out of his own head.

Now big questions for the rest. Danault and Moore are very obviously your second line as they have great chemistry and can play a lot of situations. They were really good once Grundstrom was added against Edmonton, but where do you then slot Arvidsson? Iafallo also looked solid on their line. So now you have a few guys who are undersized, making okay money, and sort of all play the same role. You also have to theoretically make room for your "League best prospect pool" to have some emergence. This makes me think Iafallo is expendable and maybe someone else. Curious what you guys think about that though. This team has got to get bigger at some point or they're never have any success.

Side note, I can't find it now but it was on my feed that Alex Turcotte removed any reference to the Kings from his social media profiles. Made me wonder if he thought he was going to be part of the Fiala trade instead of Brock Faber. That's just speculation on my end though.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

I was going to create it's own thread but will just drop it in here.

Tampa Bay Lightning working with Ryan McDonagh to find trade fit

Elliotte Friedman reports that the Tampa Bay Lightning are working with Ryan McDonagh to find a team he'd consider a trade to.

www.sportsnet.ca

TB is shopping Ryan McDonough. He is everything LA could use, but the fact that he's 33 and has 4 years left at $6.75mil/year I really think that's too old and too expensive for what they're looking for. But that type of grit and just enough offensive input is the type of guy LA could really use. Even one or two years younger I really like Ryan McDonough. But also a ton of hard miles these last 3 deep playoff runs.

 

[DevilishWon]

Trade was good for you. I think his contract is way too much but not my problem

 

[CaptHowdy00]

Elliott: Securing Adrian Kempe is the next big-ticket item for Kings' Rob Blake

General manager Rob Blake has a list of to-dos this offseason to make the Kings serious contenders this upcoming season.

www.latimes.com

About half way down…
“…Blake said Tuesday in his first comments since completing the trade and signing Fiala to a seven-year contract with an average annual value/cap hit of $7.875 million.”

 

[CaptHowdy00]

Elliott: Securing Adrian Kempe is the next big-ticket item for Kings' Rob Blake

General manager Rob Blake has a list of to-dos this offseason to make the Kings serious contenders this upcoming season.

www.latimes.com

About half way down…
“…Blake said Tuesday in his first comments since completing the trade and signing Fiala to a seven-year contract with an average annual value/cap hit of $7.875 million.”

Also from the article.
“That cap hit — third-highest on the Kings behind Drew Doughty’s $11-million hit and Anze Kopitar’s $10 million — might limit Blake’s flexibility in signing his seven restricted free agents.”

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Good move to solidify the T6, the 19th overall in a weak draft and Faber most likely wasn't going to sign here from rumblings I have seen (he has a special needs sister he wants to be close to, also is from MN and playing there vs playing in LA is probably something he wanted more). Guerin was in a tough spot regarding the cap, those Suter and Parise contracts and buyouts are coming home to bite him in the ass (gee, who didn't see that coming 10 years ago?) even though it's not his fault. Good job Bowlby, leveraged his assets and another GM.

Fiala took a lot of heat for his PO no shows in 2021 and 2022, but he wasn't paired with Kaprizov and essentially had no decent linemates. He's a good offensive driver, I just hope the Kings don't zap the offense out of him like they seem to do to every "scoring forward" that comes to LA.

Let the man do his thing and score some freaking goals.