OT: Draft ability article.

[CaptHowdy00]

Ranking the NHL’s best and worst drafting teams since 2007: 31-17Which NHL teams have drafted the best and worst since 2007? Ranking 31-17

Interesting read, especially for Buffalo and Edmonton.
Surprisingly, the Kings aren’t in the bottom 16, which I thought they should be in.
What I didn’t like is, the inclusion of players no longer on the team that drafted them.
What they should have done, is included the trade value of what was received back, if the player was traded. While, if the player signed with another team, then there might’ve been a compensatory pick, barring that then there should be no value included for the player.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

The 16th ranking is way too high to be honest.

Since they went back to 2007, a lot of those guys hit leading to both Cups. Now Dumbo was still at the wheel at this point, but the official final 3 years of his command (2014-2016, 2017 was Blake's "first" draft but Yanetti and staff did the work under Dumbo since he was fired in April 2017 so this may as well be a Dumbo pick) they got Kempe in 2014 (1st round), Roy from 2015 (7th round), nothing from 2016 and The Legend and Anderson from 2017 (hence my comment above). The Kings did not have a lot of picks since Dumbo was mortgaging the future to keep the Cup window alive but had a crap ton under Blake.

So 2018 on is Blake's command and there really hasn't been much:
- 2018: Kupari sucks (0 goals on Winnipeg and out 4-6 weeks with a shoulder injury from about 2 weeks ago)
- 2019: Turcotte, Bjornfot
- 2020: Buster
- 2021: Clarke
- 2022: NA, Fiala trade
- 2023: NA, Gavrikov/Korpisalo trade

You guys know me, I don't start really evaluating picks until about 3 years after. See where they're at, where they're playing (AHL? Europe? Kings? Where?) and see where the progression is. Buster has entered that discussion and 2018 and 2019 are looking bad for sure and nothing else has panned out. I just highlighted 1st round picks, not even later drafts where the percentages plummet even more.

My point: the only reason they hit 16th, which is middle of the road, is because of crap that happened 15 years ago, not anything remotely recent.

 

[davnlaguna]

Found this fluff piece

You're reading this correctly: The Kings might actually be the best team in hockey

After a decade in exile, Los Angeles has returned to make an unexpected run at the crown

deadspin.com

 

[Kings4OT]

Found this fluff piece

You're reading this correctly: The Kings might actually be the best team in hockey

After a decade in exile, Los Angeles has returned to make an unexpected run at the crown

deadspin.com

To be fair we all thought the kings would be pretty good short one goalie..... Talbot has been playing like the goalie we were hoping to get next year. Unfortunately I don't think he can keep that up through the playoffs.... So realistically the kings are still that one goalie short From serious contention