The more I see how much people undervalue Iafallo, the more I'm positive the Kings will sign him to a friendly contract.

Not trading Niemela.

Thats just you overvaluing a rental player.

Niemelä will be a stud dont trade him.

He's been a good fit with Kopitar and Brown, I see him sticking with them as Kopitar moves down the lineup. I'm saying, I don't think he will be a rental player, he and Kempe have looked good this season. If at $1.25M he's not worth more than a 2nd rounder, I like the King's odds of signing him cheap.

The problem is you don't see him as a rental player in LA but he would be a rental player elsewhere, a player without term acquired at or close to the deadline. None of that changes whether the Kings might sign him again this offseason.

For other teams, we have to look at what deadline players like Iafallo have fetched. Looking at 40-50 point players without term being moved, last season didn't have a lot of them but Ennis and Athanasiou were both moved for less and I will immediately grant you that Iafallo has more utility than either of those but that value would be reflected in a 2nd + B prospect. 2 seasons ago has much better comparables including Nyquist, Johansson and Zucarello in that point ranger and type of usage Iafallo sees. They all get the 2nd + a piece range or less too.

I mean isn’t that the point, Kopitar is looking great with Iafallo, until a player shows he should take his place he stays. Not to mention Blake has not even looked into players he traded away.

The Kings have traded everything away in the past three years except the core, untradeable players, Kempe, and Iafallo. Im not sure who in LA you see taking Iafallo’s spot (or if you think it’s wise to mess with Kopitar’s resurgence), but while they are still in striking distance of a playoff spot, Blake isn’t trading away top-6 players unless something good is coming back and a second rounder isn’t it. Kings could get a second just being part of three-way trades while retaining cap.

Iafallo being traded away doesn't stop the Kings from re-signing him during the offseason. Its something they have to do anyway. As far as what Blake would do for 2nd round picks, well he did move Martinez for 2nd rounders and he even had term remaining. If he'll move a top 4 dman for 2nds, why not a top 6 forward who doesnt have term?

Martinez was on a tanking old team trying to get younger, he was their third pairing d-man for most his career, and was no longer a part of the future. The team is much closer to a playoff push now than a few years ago, they really just need to bolster defense and a 2nd rounder might do that in three years, but they have enough of those irons in the fire as-is (five picks in the first three rounds this season as well)

The Kings have a series lead over the Blues (who they are beating 3-0 after the first) who they are fighting for the wildcard spot, not to mention the Kings have a great stretch of easier games to close out the season. There is no player who has really gel’d with Kopitars line. So if you are Blake how do you explain trading away your top line winger unless you are trying to tank the team another season, especially with Kopitar, Doughty, Brown, and Kempe all vastly improving on previous seasons?

Because the Kings arnt a playoff team yet. The Blues will finish with that playoff spot in the end. Its nice to have dreams as a fan but Blake as GM has to be realistic.

Probably right, but Blake shouldn’t try to handicap his team after indicating this would be the first year the Kings would start to compete. That statement got a rise out of the vets. He’d upset coaching staff, players, and fan base for what, another late second?

I'd rather have a GM that looks to the future and does whats best for the team rather than one who's more concerned with what the fans think.

Who cares about the fans, his line mates are Brown,and Kopitar who are playing lights out and are the leadership of the team. The team has rebuilt for three straight years, they have one of the best prospect pools in the league, it’s time to move to the next phase., I’m not against a trade but not for a 2nd make it Liljegren, (Or a similar nearly ready defenseman), or find a $1.25M top-6 winger elsewhere.

I don't think Liljegren moves the needle for the Leafs. Abruzzese and Liljegren are pretty close at 4-5 in the Leafs prospect pool. If you'd rather have him, *shrug*.

Honestly with the cap not moving you need to keep Liljegren and Sandin in the coming years. I really think the best offer the Kings will get for Iafallo will be a second and a prospect, and Blake won't do it. But wil make sure Iafallo is motivated to stay a King (which he has said he is). But if Iafallo moves, the Kings will not to try to get him back, this I assure you.

I completely agree. The Kings have too many assets at this point to make deals like this. We’re looking to consolidate assets. Outside of their core, Toronto has nothing to get them Iafallo, even if the Kings were sellers. We’re looking to improve upon Iafallo if we move him.