TSN MacKenzie Says Kings Interested in Sam Gagner

[davnlaguna]

The problem with the cap going up is that it goes up for everyone. Meaning that everyone will have money to spend. Also some teams will need to spend just to get to the new floor. I expect 3rd liners to be overpaid and 1st liners to get stupid money

 

[Fox4Kings]

Why does everyone want another defenseman? I don't get it. We lead the league in goals allowed, what is going to be the big upgrade? We need scoring and bad.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

No thanks to Perron. Dude is a clown and is too undisciplined. He reminds me of Vancouver in that he would rather mix it up and take dumb penalties than make the right play to win. Also, with the little chicken shit plays like falling on goaltenders etc.

Puck is right, it is no coincidence that this dude is having a career year on a team with no Defense. We would pay high and he would fall flat if he came to LA.

He definitely does pull bitch moves like the falling on goalies and stuff, I am not a fan of that sort of stuff. He was doing all of that stuff to Quick the last two playoffs, specifically the last playoff series.

Totally funny we were both thinking Vanloser, he would be a great fit on that team. It's where douchebags go to congregate and underachieve.

Interesting mention about the Oilers and defense, I know many of us have hit it here that they need to start playing some (meaning get a franchise defender and goaltender) to be successful, well former NHL goalie Marty Turco who is now an analyst flat out said "he doesn't see a light at the end of the tunnel" in regards to the Oilers and any type of success until they adopt this mentality and start developing two-way players. Ouch.

Confirms my theory (earlier in this thread maybe?) that the Oilers are stuck in the 1980s and the high flying offense mentality is a culture that has been developed and sees no end in sight.

I said it before, but I see the Kings needing a top 4 defenseman more than a forward (Even though they do need a forward). If the Kings could break out of their zone more cleanly and get the puck up to their forwards more efficiently, I think that would go a long way to getting more goals. The Kings already need to activate their D more, and a solid defenseman would help drastically with that. You watch Chicago and Anaheim lately and they play as a 5 man unit, unlike the Kings who attack with 3 and defend with 5.

*Kings got hustled by the salary cap reduction last year and if it goes back up next year, I think the missing pieces are added in the offseason.

I can see the Kings bolstering their defense, but only if the price is right. Their defense as is is pretty solid overall, but you can never have too many good defenders, especially in the playoffs.

I think they will address the scoring issue first, see what they have left to deal with and if there is a move to be made that will improve the back end they will do it.

But I don't see it as a priority at this moment.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Looking like it'll be a package deal and as suspected the Oilers have asked for Toffoli:

Kings looking to acquire Gagner from Oilers - Sportsnet.ca

Really hope Toffoli is not part of that deal. If it's for Vanek and the Kings are 200% certain they will re-sign Vanek, go for it.

 

[Kings4OT]

Definitely no reason to trade TT for Gagner, that just seems stupid, Vanek......eh maybe but I would probably rather TT just stay here

 

[oxnardkingsfan]

If Toffoli is part of any deal (especially for a rental) I'll be jumping on the "Dump Lombardi" wagon in a heartbeat.

Ox

 

[PuckinUgly57]

If Toffoli is part of any deal (especially for a rental) I'll be jumping on the "Dump Lombardi" wagon in a heartbeat.

Ox

Makes two of us - I think he will be a good player in a few years and the Kings should do all they can to hang onto him.

Now if he were traded for a young player in his prime already and an established scorer who is under contract, I wouldn't have a problem with that depending on who the player is.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Why does everyone want another defenseman? I don't get it. We lead the league in goals allowed, what is going to be the big upgrade? We need scoring and bad.

I put it in my description of Perron, but basically, look at a team like St.Louis. They really don't have any forwards, but get enough goals because their d-core is really strong. They exit their zones cleanly, and a lot of their offense is generated from good D and counterattacks. The Kings have a good D, but I really believe they are one guy away from being a great D, and I feel like it has been the difference in these close 1 goal games.

Breaking out cleaner from our zone and joining the attack are two areas I think an additional defenseman would help a lot with.

And that is just my opinion. I realize the scoring has been the issue lately, but I think it has more to do with the system. These are basically the same forwards that we won the cup with (Minus Penner?).

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

The problem with the cap going up is that it goes up for everyone. Meaning that everyone will have money to spend. Also some teams will need to spend just to get to the new floor. I expect 3rd liners to be overpaid and 1st liners to get stupid money

Though I agree that everyone's cap goes up, I think the Kings are uniquely setup in a way that two additional key pieces are all they need to be a favorite again. I am not saying they couldn't make a run or even win it with the team now, but I would not consider them a favorite at this point in time.

A team like Edmonton could have an extra $30million and probably couldn't buy themselves a Playoff game, but a team like LA is a few million from plugging a few key holes.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Makes two of us - I think he will be a good player in a few years and the Kings should do all they can to hang onto him.

Now if he were traded for a young player in his prime already and an established scorer who is under contract, I wouldn't have a problem with that depending on who the player is.

Thirds! No way Toffoli gets moved without angering a lot of fans.

Brayden Schenn was THE most coveted prospect and even he got moved, so it isn't impossible by any means, but Dean Lombardi pulled the trigger on that one to bring in Mike Richards. Def different story.

 

[davnlaguna]

Well nothing happened
Kings weren't willing to pay whatever the price was or this was all blogger hype.
Maybe just the threat of a trade will get these guys going. Worked for Brown a couple of seasons ago

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I actually think this is an Oilers tactic.

Obviously they are shopping Gagner but unless the return is what they want they don't really have to move him. I think they are playing it nonchalantly because the Kings need Gagner more than the Oilers need Gagner, which means the pressure falls on Dumbo to overpay.

MacTavish is hoping that is what would have happened (maybe Toffolli gets put into the deal, or a 1st or whatever) but it didn't and it doesn't hurt the Oilers one bit..

Glad Dumbo didn't bite, but I still think Gagner is a King (or someone else) when we return from the Olympics.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Thirds! No way Toffoli gets moved without angering a lot of fans.

Brayden Schenn was THE most coveted prospect and even he got moved, so it isn't impossible by any means, but Dean Lombardi pulled the trigger on that one to bring in Mike Richards. Def different story.

If Toffoli is traded for a rental, there will be some seriously pissed off fans and I wouldn't blame them one bit.

I would be one of them, he has talent and is the first Kings scorer in a long time who showed greatness in the AHL and actually showed glimpses of that talent at the NHL level (hello AHL Player of the Year Patrick O'Sullivan). Those guys don't come around often, and Toffoli is still navigating his way through the NHL and learning. He will only get legitimately better and moving him for a short term fix would be asinine.

Now if he is moved in a similar deal like you mentioned, I would be all for that. If say Vanek signed a long term deal behind the scenes as a trade was going down to LA, I would be OK with moving Toffoli.

Schenn has not panned out as was projected anyway (my projection was a solid 3C, which I think he is still going to be - sure looking like one in his short NHL career so far) so it's more proof that until you prove something in the NHL, all you are is potential. Based on the percentage of potential actually panning out in the NHL, unless my team is devoid of any talent in the pipeline I will trade potential for proven any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

That's all Schenn was, but Richards was the proven commodity and was a beast for LA in that Cup run. He has struggled a ton recently and needs to pick his game up (what's with the forced passes? Or the completely missed passes?) but at least he isn't killing them defensively as well.

Dude has scored 30+ goals, would be nice to see him come close to that in the 20-25 range.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Anyone see this? I was going through the Oilers roster and came across a letter to the fans from Oilers owner Katz:

Letter from Daryl Katz to Oilers Fans - Edmonton Oilers - News

Year 4 of the rebuild since Hall was drafted? What has every season since like 2006 been?

Even 4 years after the Kings started their rebuild (2011) they were already being considered close to being a contender. These guys are like 4 points out of the NHL's basement and in line yet again for a shot at the 1st overall, which would be their fourth one in five years.

This guy has a lot of nerve posting to the fans like that.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Anyone see this? I was going through the Oilers roster and came across a letter to the fans from Oilers owner Katz:

Letter from Daryl Katz to Oilers Fans - Edmonton Oilers - News

Year 4 of the rebuild since Hall was drafted? What has every season since like 2006 been?

Even 4 years after the Kings started their rebuild (2011) they were already being considered close to being a contender. These guys are like 4 points out of the NHL's basement and in line yet again for a shot at the 1st overall, which would be their fourth one in five years.

This guy has a lot of nerve posting to the fans like that.

Yea, that is a pretty insulting letter. Especially with the obvious statements of "Staying the course" and the implications that not one thing is going to change strategically.

If they get the 1st overall pick again, that will be crazy. 4 #1 overalls in 5 years.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Yea, that is a pretty insulting letter. Especially with the obvious statements of "Staying the course" and the implications that not one thing is going to change strategically.

It was the same line the Kings fed us in 2007 and of course we were skeptical, the Kings had preached "rebuild" before but it was more like a "rehab" because Taylor never actually gutted the team, he tried to build on the fly and do it on the cheap because Uncle Phil gave him an internal budget. There never was a true rebuild and it showed - the Kings were good enough to compete but not good enough to win the Cup.

The difference is every year we saw improvement in terms of pieces being put in place, even if the increase in points wasn't that much from the year before. The big sell came in 2009 when they had 101 points, but the three years prior it was 68, 71 and then 79 points. The Kings not only made moves drafting, but they improved the NHL roster too. The Oilers have NEVER done that, they either tread water or regress.

There is no way in hell I could take this guy seriously were I an Oiler fan because there is zero credibility there. The standings and the 1st overalls year after year prove that. Nothing will change for the Oilers until a new management group is put in, and I wouldn't be surprised if when Dumbo's time here is done, he isn't courted by the Oilers (if they are serious) about building a yearly contender.

He built the base in SJ and Wilson has done a good job but hasn't put them over the top and he did it from almost scratch here in LA and won them the Cup.

If they get the 1st overall pick again, that will be crazy. 4 #1 overalls in 5 years.

That's not crazy, that is flat out embarrassing when you have preached patience the last decade. I'm not going to say with the players they have picked they should be eons ahead of where they are because while they are good players they aren't the right players. They are exactly where they should be, in the toilet. Grabbing nothing but offensive dynamos with every pick was flat out stupid and poor draft management.

They should have flipped some of those 1st overalls into multiple 1st and 2nd round picks to not only speed up the building process but to draft players like franchise defenders and goalies in those respective years.