TSN MacKenzie Says Kings Interested in Sam Gagner

[PuckinUgly57]

About 1:40-1:50 into the video.

VIDEOHUB

Personally, I don't believe it. Gagner has a $4.8 million cap hit for the next two years so at least that much salary would need to be dumped in order to make that fit. He would not be a rental.

The Kings some extra defenders so I'd start with Muzzin ($1 million, RFA 2016) or Martinez ($1.1 million, UFA 2016) but even then we're still looking at some significant salary going the other way. The Kings really only have a T4 forward set (Williams, Carter, Richards and Kopitar) so moving from those ranks would thin it out even more which makes me think it'll be defenders, role players (King, Nolan, etc) and some decent picks.

He is fast and has some hands, but it smaller and I don't think could play the Kings' style. Just not a lot out there right now without paying a significant price. My suggestion would be to get a rental who is a low risk/high reward guy and then address the missing forwards in the summer through FA or a better trade.

 

[smackdown380]

Any chance on Vanek? I could look this up but you know so much more. Let's move Brown and Muzzin lol. I know that part won't happen, wishful thinking.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Any chance on Vanek? I could look this up but you know so much more. Let's move Brown and Muzzin lol. I know that part won't happen, wishful thinking.

I doubt it, he will be pretty expensive in terms of cost of acquisition and then there is the whole signing issue since he will be a UFA.

All signs point to him going to Minnesota from my estimation to be honest - wife is from/lives there, Heatley will be coming off the books and they will have that $6+ million to spend.

I can see the Kings taking a flyer on a guy like Moulson if he doesn't cost a major amount including no more than a 2nd round pick.

 

[oxnardkingsfan]

I've heard Moulson or Cammalleri. Kind of odd since both are ex-Kings. I also heard that Vanek has had troubles due to his lack of a good work ethic. Doesn't sound much like a Lombardi type player if that's true.

Ox

 

[histkng23]

I see them focusing more on Moulson, because of his relative familiarity with players in the Kings organization, and their system. Also, I recall an interview that Deano gave a few years ago, listing Moulson, among a few others (Purcell), that he wished he had given more time to develope, and not been so quick to "give up" on.
I don't see Cammy being a player that the Kings would consider, because of his reputation in locker rooms. Plus, Deano & Sutter have a penchent for bigger fowards, or at least ones that are smaller yet tend to play bigger than their size (Richards). Cammy hasn't been this type of player his whole career.
Right now, they desperately need a player with some balls to go to net without fear. Not sure if Moulson is exactly that type of player, but he is a LW who can score, and has decent size. The Kings could also use some help with their D. Players like Regher, Greene, Mitchell & Muzzin are not getting it done, for various reasons (concussions, lost a few steps, should still be in the ECHL).
I personally feel that its time to make a few players sit for a few. Brown has sucked ass all year long, Williams has just flat out disappeared, and Muzzin goes without saying. There needs to be a message sent from the coaches, let alone management, that their play hasn't acceptable, and there will be consequences if they don't pick it up.

 

[xis]

I've heard Moulson or Cammalleri. Kind of odd since both are ex-Kings. I also heard that Vanek has had troubles due to his lack of a good work ethic. Doesn't sound much like a Lombardi type player if that's true.

Ox

Moulson is hurt but does makes sense. The team needs a LW and he should be ready to return after the break or just before the deadline. I can see the Kings moving Clifford. He's been a huge disappointment this year. Really hasn't done much at all actually. Muzzin is expendable and Fraser, Frattin and Nolan are the forwards I can see moved as well. I agree with puck that any of the other forwards are pretty much set. Lewis may be shipped as a salary dump to a team that needs a defensive specialist but wouldn't get much of a return.

But of course at the end of the day it'll most likely be deal no one expected

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Moulson is hurt but does makes sense. The team needs a LW and he should be ready to return after the break or just before the deadline. I can see the Kings moving Clifford. He's been a huge disappointment this year. Really hasn't done much at all actually. Muzzin is expendable and Fraser, Frattin and Nolan are the forwards I can see moved as well. I agree with puck that any of the other forwards are pretty much set. Lewis may be shipped as a salary dump to a team that needs a defensive specialist but wouldn't get much of a return.

But of course at the end of the day it'll most likely be deal no one expected

I remember the interview that Dumbo did where he mentioned he wished he could have kept Moulson. Moulson didn't show much here but he also didn't play on the top two lines either, the Kings didn't have the talent they have now so I don't think he would have been a 30 goal scorer here.

I can't see Cammalleri being even considered, not only because of his locker room issues but becaise of the arbitration situation 6 years ago. Cammalleri was hell bent on leaving when he was going to be a UFA because the Kings weren't going to pay him what he felt he was worth, and in hid sight they were absolutely spot on. He won't perform well here because of his attitude and the history so I can't see Dumbo even considering him.

The guys the Kings need to lose are the glut of energy guys like Clifford, Nolan, Fraser, Frattin, Lewis, etc. Unfortunately none of those guys will be a centerpiece to land a big name, they will be throw ins. Someone who an opposing team will ask for will be Toffoli, who I hope the Kings don't move, he looks like he can be a T6 forward in a few years.

The farm is doing great, so I would want Dumbo to start there and not lose a decent roster player and throw in a 2nd or 1st round pick depending on who the player coming back is. Martinez and Muzzin should be considered as well (not both and preferably Muzzin but I know it's going to be Matinez based on this franchise's love affair with the retard Muzzin).

Vanek's asking price from the Islanders is rumored to be a 1st round pick and a high end prospect, which isn't that bad but again, the whole signing him thing is the issue. Too high a price for a rental.

As someone mentioned, I'm on the move Clifford train. I really thought he was going to turn a corner last season but hasn't done anything. He's relatively cheap and physical, someone will take a chance on him.

Time for Dumbo to upsell.

 

[oxnardkingsfan]

Whatever he does I don't see it happening until after the Olympic break and quite not until the trade deadline. Who knows maybe the Olympics will be a springboard for Brown to get his game back to what it was. He won't be counted on to score but most likely he'll be in a 3rd or 4th line "energy" position. Throw some hits and maybe chip in a goal or two type spot. We can only hope.

Ox

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Whatever he does I don't see it happening until after the Olympic break and quite not until the trade deadline. Who knows maybe the Olympics will be a springboard for Brown to get his game back to what it was. He won't be counted on to score but most likely he'll be in a 3rd or 4th line "energy" position. Throw some hits and maybe chip in a goal or two type spot. We can only hope.

Ox

I agree, I think Dumbo will get a pulse on the team once they reconvene. I don't consider the "stretch run" until after the Olympics anyway, so I think we will see what this team is made of mentally within the first 2-3 games after the break.

If they are still drowning like they are now...expect a major shake up. I wouldn't discount moving Brown either, the Kings have traded two long-term captains before (Blake, Norstrom) and have dumped a guy within 48 hours of a new huge dollar deal about to kick in (Visnovsky) so I would say anything is possible at this point.

I truly do hope Brown wakes up, he showed he can be a major force. I could not believe what I was seeing from the trade deadline in 2012 to the end of the Cup run, THAT was the player I envisioned him being when they took him 13th overall. Guys like Perry and Getzlaf went after him and were way more impact players to that point, and all I could do was wish the Kings would have drafted them or someone else like Parise, who was taken 17th overall. That Cup run and his play prior to that made swallowing his step-below play from those guys more acceptable.

He has been completely ineffective and MIA this season but he really started to be a non-impact player last season, in fact a majority of it. That's why I was surprised the Kings dished out the contract with a year left on his old one, power forwards have short shelf lives. Take a look around and the style they play beats the hell out of them way more than say guys like Kopitar or someone else.

Of course he is a fixture in LA, face of the franchise and very involved with the community - all great things - but I don't think that warrants being given a blank check. You still have to perform on the ice and flat out he has not for the past 12 months. He looks like a $550,000 fourth liner.

I think getting that guy from Feb to June 2012 may be a reach, but I'd settle for the guy who makes big hits that lead to something for others and is a front net presence.

 

[davnlaguna]

Rumors are flying today so I expect nothing

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Vanek rejects Isles offer and is officially on the block:

Thomas Vanek rejects New York Islanders' offer, trade could be next: report - NHL.com - News

Apparently got a contract similar to his 7 year/$50 million. Sounds like it's more about winning to me than anything - he's player for two non-successful franchises his entire career and will hit UFA for the first time.

I would be very surprised if the Kings made a run for him, they would need to move some pretty significant cash which means either a) moving one of the key parts of the team in one shot (big dollars) or b) a lot of little movements involving guys like Martinez, Muzzin, etc.

Seems like a lot of work either way.

 

[oxnardkingsfan]

I doubt either Vanek or Moulson sign anything before July 1. I think they (or their agents) will want to at least test the free agent market. If they're moved at the trade deadline it'll be for draft picks and/or prospects as rental players.

Ox

 

[smackdown380]

Yeah, Vanek is a pipe dream, oh well lol.

Here is a link to the Gagner story

Report: Kings interested in acquiring Gagner | ProHockeyTalk

 

[Fox4Kings]

Certainly Matt Greene would be involved in that trade for Gagner.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Certainly Matt Greene would be involved in that trade for Gagner.

I don't know if I would be willing to move Greene to be honest, he looked like his beastly self last night against one of the upper echelon, if not the best, team in the league. Guys like that are playoff staples and Mitchell is a SAH defender but not a punisher like Greene is.

He would be invaluable come playoff time and adding Gagner at the expense of that element seems counter productive. Of course that is all contingent on the Kings actually MAKING the playoffs, but I digress.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Just reading around and it looks like the Oilers would have some interest in the Kings' bigger forwards like King, Nolan and Clifford. Of those three, Clifford would be my choice to move. King just teases, which sucks, but he would clearly be the best player of the three.

The Oilers have been worked over a little bit by the Kings in recent years in terms of trades - Stoll, Greene, Penner and Fraser were all on the Cup winning team with the first three playing significant roles in securing the Cup. The Kings also dumped O'Sullivan and Teubert on them as well for Penner, so Dumbo has a track record of outwitting the Oilers.

I forgot the cap may be going up significantly for next season so I can (now) actually see this as being a legitimate rumor.The Kings will be able to absorb Gagner's $4.8 million for the next two years most likely, but he has struggled real bad since he came back from the broken jaw he got earlier in the year.

I'm just praying this isn't another Anson Carter/Mark Parrish deal where the hype and expectations did not meet the actual production because this time the player would not be a rental and would take up a good chunk of salary the next few years, restricting other options if necessary.

 

[Kings4OT]

I would hate to lose Greene, that guy is one of the strongest guys out there on any team. When he wants to move someone they get moved. Gagner is prone to slumps as much as anyone on the Kings, in this system I don't think he is an answer. I am not sure who you replace with him to make an impact. 3rd line C with Brown and who ever the fuck I suppose might work but then you end up with ~10+ mil tied up on that line and it still might not score

 

[pete6835]

To break an omelet, ya gotta break some eggs. To get anything, you have to deal with our strength.

 

[Kings4OT]

To break an omelet, ya gotta break some eggs. To get anything, you have to deal with our strength.

I am not sure what you mean here, other then Muffin the D has been good. Ruining the D to add to the log jam of forwards that cant produce doesn't seem to be a good answer. If you really want to break some eggs trade away some of those guys that aren't doing their job but are still in demand.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

If you really want to break some eggs trade away some of those guys that aren't doing their job but are still in demand.

Which would be defenders, which the Kings have - the NHL roster type too who can step in and play decent minutes too, not prospects.

I would open up the talks with Muzzin - after all, he is hyped up but unless you're not a Kings fan you know he is a bag of suck - so why not play that card and prop him up? Yes, he is T4 material. Yes, he is solid in his own end. No, he rarely makes mistakes.

The Kings cannot afford to move a T6 roster player, the hole would still exist. My only concern is Gagner's size and more so his inconsistency. His speed and skill are world class but I don't think he would be the best player for the Kings' system.