No thanks

Ullmark rejected a trade to LA previously because he didn't want to deal with the travel schedule out west.

Math on that hasn't changed.

This trade gets Blake fired, I'd help him pack his bags.

Kings might do that trade without the "without the sign and trade" aspect. Just getting rid of PLD would be enough, and one year of Ullmark. even if Ullmark accepted the trade.

so he choose to get traded to avoid being traded?I dont get it.

Keeping PLD and doing nothing stands a better chance of getting him fired than acquiring a goalie who likely would provide a significant improvement in that system to what you have. It’s a stronger argument than 8.5m to a 3rd line center with a polarizing personality.

It also frees up cap space to keep Roy or Arvidssen. Both if you sign Byfield to a bridge deal.



Getting traded in season while being an expiring is different than choosing your location, moving your family, and getting security, Not sure how that isn’t obvious.

He’d likely be living away from his family if traded during the season and have to do the move next year. It’s less change for his kids and less separation. Its why his current no trade clause isn’t as relevant because if a team is willing to extend him, its a significant parameter that could change his mind,

He doesn’t even consider it without an extension with no trade protections (which the Kings seem willing to give).

PLD believe it or not is putting up more points per game than he did in with the Jets his first year. He has definitely improved and if he can return to a 60 point player (likely) there is no reason for LA to do this.

LA has had excellent results with budget goaltending this season and was able to make it through the trade deadline without a goalie update because of this. Talbot is an all star this season and both goaltenders have put up top-10 numbers while costing less than $2M against the cap.

If Blake sells PLD at any loss, he deserves to be fired.

1. He signed Petersen a mistake that he needed to take on money to lose,
2. As part of that trade he has traded away Walker who has turned into a first,
3. Blake fired one of the most expensive coaches in the league after extending him a season

He is on super thin ice, and to even ask ownership to make this trade could be enough to get him fired. If Blake can't get LA out of the first round and takes a loss on PLD he is almost positively fired. PLD trending to continuing to impove as a 25 year old who has shown he can bounce back from bad seasons is exactly why you want to buy him at a discount. If LA makes it out of the second round and PLD is part of that, Blake looks like a genius and gets to remain a GM and that awful contract becomes much more easy to deal with.

Honestly most fans don't watch PLD and haven't seen that he is much closer to a top-6 center than the worst contract in the league.

If you believe that PLD can emerge into the player you think he can in Los Angeles with the line he’s likely to play on, great.

If you believe his value has the potential to crater as a 3rd liner in LA, getting a player like Ullmark now probably makes some sense. Another mediocre year and he’s basically Huberdeau from a trade value perspective. At least this year, people can point to his Winnipeg days.

I don’t believe he’s terrible. I do believe he’s overpaid by about $2M and his presence is going to cost you to go cheap at multiple positions. I also believe Ullmark in LA is nails especially if you resign Roy.

Boston’s system under Montgomery automatically guarantees more hard saves for their goalies (the 2 easily have the most high danger chances faced of any team in the playoffs). You put Ullmark in LA’s defensive system. My bet is he is the Vezina winner next year. The defensively sound play of the Kings has made Cam Talbott look like a top 12ish caliber goalie even though we all know he’s not one.

Ultimately, I think Boston is going to sign Lindholm and trade Ullmark for a first and a third (they may even keep him as a rental). it’s not like Ullmark is spare change for PLD. The guy has statistically been the best goalie in the league over the past two years for a team that puts a lot of pressure on their goaltenders.

Huberdeau isn't 25, and let's just wait and see how PLD looks in the playoffs before rushing to judgements, this is why he was brought here. LA needs a top-6 center to come in for Kopitar and Danault to move down the lineup, PLD is the closest to take that role. Byfield has played one game at center, Turcotte a handful in the 4C role, Lizotte isn't good enough to jump into the top-6. Kings signed themselves long term to PLD, and they aren't throwing in the towel when hes starting to improve.

I just find it a bit comical when acquiring the best goaltender statistically over the past two years by a wide margin is giving up on PLD. It would be a choice to move on from his salary, but it’s not like you are being asked to treat him like a salary dump in this deal

I am more of the belief Ullmark blocked the TDL move to LA because he didn't want to be away from his family for months at a time with no certainty of the future. I think he'd be more open to moving to the west coast to a good team if he had the chance to put an extension in place. A deal like this may not come to fruition until after the draft and free agency starts.

If it were to happen, it would be before free agency with an agreement in place on a contract for Ullmark. The timing would be dictated by PLD’s no trade clause.

This wouldnt be a popular deal among either fan bases. I won’t cherry coat it, but I do believe the teams discussed a deal centering around Ullmark and Dubois.

Still believe Boston is signing Lindholm instead

The #1 need for the Kings if they moved PLD is a young top-6 center to take over for the old guys. If the Kings moved PLD for Ullmark they still would have a bandage for the goalie issue and worse off from where they were with an answer for top-6 center long term, and still have to give Byfield a contract and reup or replace Roy. Basically these are a bunch of long term moves that ended with a short term one, no logic there.

buddy, you're smarter than this. this is such a bad concept.

They are currently not in a position to do three things (they a likely do 1) if they keep PLD.

1. Sign Byfield to a long term contract
2. Sign Roy
3. Sign Arvidssen

I guess you could sign Byfield to a bridge, bring in both Arvidsesen and Talbot, and just go with Clarke at RHD. If I’m a betting person, I think that’s the likely scenario.

That 3.5m difference in salary between PLD and Ullmark plus foregoing a goalie likely frees up enough funds to secure Roy.

Ultimately, it’s going to be a decision with risks on both sides.

- Byfields bridge thankfully will be less as he significantly cooled to end the season
- LA has shown Laffy playing in place of Arvidsson still makes LA a playoff team.
- If Roy wants more than $5M he is priced out in LA, and LA will look for someone budget who can play both sides like TJ Brodie

I see no result where Blake remains GM if he has ultimately moved so many pieces for what results as a rental. PLD remaining a King is statistically the most likely end result.

All I’m saying is trade that involves Ullmark and PLD likely doesn’t change Blake’s job projection. IMO, it probably improves it. I’m thinking Turcotte as a third line center isn’t as bad as some are suggesting. I doubt it’s worse than Cam Talbott.

If Blake sold: Vilardi, Iafallo, Kupari, 2nd rounder, 2nd rounder, Dvorak (second rounder) for one season of Ullmark. He should be fired.

PLD has shown that he has poor first seasons and can bounce back, he did just this with Winnipeg his first season.

Turcotte has only been the 4th line center when there was an injury to one of the 4 centers, he/nor byfield will be prepared to take over for Kopitar or Danault if they move down the lineup. PLD has actually played his best games when filling in for Kopitar or Danault. If the Kings are set to compete with Kopitar as they have planned they are doing so with PLD.

For LA if Ullmark is who they want, they just need to wait. Ullmark and Swayman can be signed together next season it will cost them +$11M for that tandem, if that's what the Bruins really want then so be it. But I think they want the cap space to go after a center or backfilll defensive losses, the best way to do this without hurting the team is moving Ullmark. So LA would likely be open to obtaining Ullmark but it won't include PLD as long as the need for a future top-6 center is there, which it absolutely is.

Boston can sign a top center without trading Ullmark

The Winnipeg trade is done. LA lost it badly and it’s not recoverable especially from a third line center. Ullmark with that defensive structure in front of him likely looks better optically. Plus, people actually like him

Also, you aren’t getting Ullmark without an extension, so it’s not 1 year.

Ullmark is 30 years old, they don't want to extend him, they want a bandaid until Portillo is ready. Portillo chose LA because he has a path to be the #1 here.

The PLD trade needs another season before I'll say it's unsalvagable. PLD has improved, to give up on him now means blow up the whole team and hire a new GM.

Generally starting a rookie goaltender is a bad idea. Intrigued to see what LA does. I just find it a tad comical when either side says there isn’t logic to consider this type of deal. There are arguments for and against for both sides.

I think it's more that if PLD is moved this offseason at a loss it's time for LA to move on from trying to compete this season or next, move on from Doughty and Kopitar and truly rebuild. That would make sense, but Blakes entire blueprint was to push to competition while Kopitar and Doughty were still with the team. To move PLD is not only addressing he failed on the trade, that he also failed at making a competitive team. Gotta fire a guy after that.