Nope

i honestly don’t think you guys pass on byfield. he’s 17 and he’s 6’5. he uses his speed and size to make plays in the ozone and he’s great in d zone. if you guys want a replacement for anze in 4 years. he’s your guy.

If Sturm wasn't on the staff, I might tend to agree. However, he is well respected in the organization and the German connection can't be overlooked. Along with the organizational gap at LW, I just don't see them going for another center after all the other factors are considered.

To be fair, I don't think the Kings want to make the playoffs next season. Even if they do make the playoffs, they're not going to have the roster to go deep, so they're better off just missing out completely and getting another lottery pick.

A couple lineup notes:

Prokhorkin is signing with Metallurg of the KHL and won't be returning next season.

Even if the Kings do draft Stutzle, he's going to get another year in either the DEL or the AHL. He won't be playing in the NHL next season.

Why would the Kings sign a 4th line center when they already have a logjam at bottom six forward. JAD or Amadio is going to get that slot.

Lizotte is not a top six forward. Vilardi will be centering the 2nd line, with Kempe and Frk on his wings.

If Hoffman is signed, he'll probably play on this first line with Kopitar and Brown. Iafallo will play on the 3rd line with Amadio and Carter. The 4th line would be Moore-Lizotte-Wagner.

I don't see the Kings pursuing Edmundson. There's better options out there, both via trade and UFA. Whoever they sign is getting 2 years max.

Petersen will not be the starting goaltender next season. He'll get 25-30 games. Quick was very good in the 2nd half of this season, posting a 2.27 GAA and .923 SV% since January 1.

That Doughty contract is gonna be a problem soon

No it's not. The Kings aren't going to have any contract problems for 5+ years.

They're currently sitting nearly $20M under the salary cap, and aren't going to be adding any big money contracts this season (they might spend a couple million on a UFA LHD). Next season, they have a couple RFA contracts that they'll have to extend, but no one who will require huge raises. The only player that might get a decent payday is Alex Iafallo, but we're talking $4-5M. They'll still be $10M+ under the cap.

Then July 2022, both Carter and Brown's contracts will be falling off the books, freeing up an additional $11M. Kempe and Vilardi will need extensions, but it's unlikely they'll combine for more than $11M. Petersen will also get a new contract, but again he won't get more than a few million, as the plan is to transition the starting role from Quick to Petersen slowly over the next few seasons. 2022-23 is the first year that the Kings might actually look for some UFAs to help. They'll have tons of salary cap space available to enlist that help.

July 2023, Quick's contract is up, and he'll be replaced on the roster by Ingham or Parik, either of which will have a six-figure contract, so that's another $5M you can add to the bank. Madden's ELC will be expiring this season.

Finally guys like Turcotte, Kaliyev, Byfield/Stutzle, Thomas, and Dudas will be ending their ELCs in 2024, but Kopitar's $10M falls off the books that summer. They'll probaby re-sign him, but he's not going to get anywhere near the $10M he's making now.

TL: DR; The Kings current salary cap situation is ideal, and unless they go out and shoot themselves in the foot with an untimely and ill-advised UFA signing, they're likely not going to have cap issues until the last season or two of Doughty's contract.

you'd need a ton of luck and basically no injuries for a wild card spot to be even a thought imo

Yes, to one who doesn't know anything about Doughty.

I envy your ability to have the patience to break it down for everyone on here. I have to pick and choose who I feel is worthy of that much time spent providing that information. Hence why you are probably the more respectable Kings fan ACGM-wide.

@OldNYIfan is nice as well

Thank you for the kind words. @tkecanuck341 and I try to represent Los Angeles in the best possible ways. He's not as grumpy as I am, however.

Nope. Too young of a team.

Are you still a NYI fan by the way or you only care about LA and ANa at this point?

I've pretty much switched allegiances . . . don't follow the Islanders message boards, etc. any more. And that Pageau acquisition goes against the "the draft is all important" ethos I grew up with.

Damn that’s rough for your former team lol

Also on the JGP trade I think Lou was desperate for goal scoring hahaha


But that means you don’t have any feelings for NYI as of right now?

He knows I love him

I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for them. They're my favorite Eastern Conference team!

In what universe are the Kings spending $6.5Million on a player not named Krug?

In what universe are the Kings spending $6.5M on a player named Krug?

Do you actually think Krug would only get $6.5M AAV??? Come back to this thread when he actually signs to see how far off you are.