I'm hoping for that much needed youth movement with Dowd, Mersch, and Gravel making the team. Maybe LaDue and Kempe as long shots this year but hoping to see them in 17-18 for sure
- KINGS67

Thats a long shot. Unless we finally see Clifford traded. As well as King. Noway Gravel makes the team with the recent signings. Esp if Gravel is waiver exempt. Which im not sure of. I do know Forbort isnt.

Nice read as usual, Jason. Much appreciated!

Thats a long shot. Unless we finally see Clifford traded. As well as King. Noway Gravel makes the team with the recent signings. Esp if Gravel is waiver exempt. Which im not sure of. I do know Forbort isnt.
- poisondhearts37

I hope King is gone regardless of anyone coming up.

Thats a long shot. Unless we finally see Clifford traded. As well as King. Noway Gravel makes the team with the recent signings. Esp if Gravel is waiver exempt. Which im not sure of. I do know Forbort isnt.
- poisondhearts37

gravel is waiver exempt. but per jon rosen's comments from inside the organization, gravel is ahead of forbort in development. greene and scuderi likely could be sent down without being claimed (and if they are, hello cap relief), leaving gravel, forbort, gilbert and trotman fighting for 3 roster spots...that's not awful.

as for the earlier comment about being older and slower, disagree. really only lost lucic who wasn't the fleetest of foot, and dowd, mersch (ok kinda slow) could push for playing time. maybe not significantly faster (until kempe gets a look) but not older.

if the back end gets sorted out, its still a team no one would want to face in the playoffs, despite the lack of success the past two years.

gravel is waiver exempt. but per jon rosen's comments from inside the organization, gravel is ahead of forbort in development. greene and scuderi likely could be sent down without being claimed (and if they are, hello cap relief), leaving gravel, forbort, gilbert and trotman fighting for 3 roster spots...that's not awful.

as for the earlier comment about being older and slower, disagree. really only lost lucic who wasn't the fleetest of foot, and dowd, mersch (ok kinda slow) could push for playing time. maybe not significantly faster (until kempe gets a look) but not older.

if the back end gets sorted out, its still a team no one would want to face in the playoffs, despite the lack of success the past two years.
- hiway39

Gravel being ahead of Forbort almost means nothing at this point. Neither are going to take a top 6 spot. So one could be the 7th. Or if one is a 6th to 7th it'll go to Forbort because Gravel can continue to develop in the AHL without waivers. While keeping Forbort with the big club they can expose him to expansion draft. I just dont see Gravel making the team no matter how good he is or how well he shows. I see LA letting him play another year in Ontario.

Yea fair point. I guess it really just depends on people's personal outlook of younger players stepping in or elevating.

Trotman
Gilbert
Dowd
Mersch
Forbort
Gravel
Latta
Greene

vs.

Lecavalier
Schenn
Scuderi
Versteeg
Lucic

Lucic is obviously a big loss, but one could easily argue that the rest are better than what existed by the end of the season in their given roles.
- Jason_Lewis

Bingo. I wasn't all that impressed with Lucic. He was a fair player for us for what the return should have been. I like the list of new people. At first, I was a bit cynical about it, but I've warmed to the idea of some of them being regulars this season. I had to remember they weren't brought in to fill big shoes; they're here to compliment an already existing code. The new kids making the squad are an added bonus. I think they'll actual surprise some people this year.

Dont forget that they have won the cup.
- poisondhearts37

He didn't watch hockey then

He didn't watch hockey then
- gtrman09

Fair enough.

He didn't watch hockey then
- gtrman09

No, truth be told I watched all but 3 or 4 of the ducks playoff games that year (incredibly enough). It purposely wasn't referenced because of the amount of time having elapsed from their first (and only) cup. They've had one of the better regular season teams for how many consecutive years now? That would be what most would consider 'a window'. It's been bleeding out opportunity ever since and now finds 2 of their stars beginning the long, painful decline into their 30's. Hence me citing myself as sitting back and enjoying their failures on a yearly basis. Getting the popcorn ready for this year as well.

Fair enough.
- poisondhearts37

Is this the part where we all judge a persons potential lifelong interest in a sport based on their hockeybuzz join date? Lol, sounds good.

Is this the part where we all judge a persons potential lifelong interest in a sport based on their hockeybuzz join date? Lol, sounds good.
- Woodysdemise

Agreed... I've actually seen people argue on this pathetic site about the stupid join date. I joined cause of the whole kovalchuk fiasco. Found this site to be I yersting at the time

To see a duck fan try to say Kings didn't have fans or you weren't a fan before 2012 is laughable. Both fan bases gained fans after the cup wins. ALL teams do. You're delusional if you can't see that. See Chicago for example. They sucked when I started watching hockey in the mid 90s. They had NO fans at the United center. Now they fill to Capacity and more.

Agreed... I've actually seen people argue on this pathetic site about the stupid join date. I joined cause of the whole kovalchuk fiasco. Found this site to be I yersting at the time

To see a duck fan try to say Kings didn't have fans or you weren't a fan before 2012 is laughable. Both fan bases gained fans after the cup wins. ALL teams do. You're delusional if you can't see that. See Chicago for example. They sucked when I started watching hockey in the mid 90s. They had NO fans at the United center. Now they fill to Capacity and more.
- KINGS67

Started following the Kings back when they lost to Blake and the Avs in 2001. Attended one of the playoff games. Enjoyed it enough to give it another try the following year and have been hooked ever since. Please tell me someone was at the game against the Avalanche that year in the playoffs where a fan threw a beer onto the ice behind Roy during stoppage time. Couldn't believe someone actually did that. Thats when I knew hockey fans were, uh, how shall I say....different. Haha.

Started following the Kings back when they lost to Blake and the Avs in 2001. Attended one of the playoff games. Enjoyed it enough to give it another try the following year and have been hooked ever since. Please tell me someone was at the game against the Avalanche that year in the playoffs where a fan threw a beer onto the ice behind Roy during stoppage time. Couldn't believe someone actually did that. Thats when I knew hockey fans were, uh, how shall I say....different. Haha.
- Woodysdemise

Idiot fans. People get stupid when they drink too much

One of my favorite series to the day. Series before that too to knock out DET was the best til LA won the cup

I wouldn't say worse, I'd say the same. They aren't better that's for sure. They lost lucic. That's it
- KINGS67

If they lost Lucic, but are the same, then you must expect the new guys to collectively make up for Lucic. Who, then, makes up for the players whose spots those new guys are filling? If it takes you three or four players to make up for one player, you're not the same; you're actually worse.

They also lost Lecavalier. He wasn't great, but he was a lot better than Shore. Now, they're back to Shore.

Gravel being ahead of Forbort almost means nothing at this point. Neither are going to take a top 6 spot. So one could be the 7th. Or if one is a 6th to 7th it'll go to Forbort because Gravel can continue to develop in the AHL without waivers. While keeping Forbort with the big club they can expose him to expansion draft. I just dont see Gravel making the team no matter how good he is or how well he shows. I see LA letting him play another year in Ontario.
- poisondhearts37

exposing forbort won't matter if they also have to expose one of martinez/mcnabb.

i think you "could" see gravel making the team, but sutter's history prevents you from believing so (same here). question is, was that a point of discussion before dean/sutter agreed to an extension? hoping it was...

If they lost Lucic, but are the same, then you must expect the new guys to collectively make up for Lucic. Who, then, makes up for the players whose spots those new guys are filling? If it takes you three or four players to make up for one player, you're not the same; you're actually worse.

They also lost Lecavalier. He wasn't great, but he was a lot better than Shore. Now, they're back to Shore.
- Osprey

I do expect Mersch and Dowd to make up for the lucic loss. The Oakland As were masters at replacing the top players with guys who collectively can put up the same if not better numbers

Lucic- 20g 35a 55pts

Dowd- "can" put up 10g 20a
Mersch- "can" put up 10g 15a

WHICH EQUALS- 20g 35a 55pts

They can easily put up these numbers if sutter puts them in the right spots, Which I believe he will ply these players in top 9 roles this year.

Sorry haven't read all comments.

The real question is how long is the organisation pardoned for after a cup win?

It's great getting the players & sacrificing the future to win - & the Kings certainly did win, so now how much patience does the fan base have after winning those 2 cups?

The same can be asked in Hawks land as this season their head honchos really sold the farm. But having won 3 cups how many years of forgiveness does that buy?

Sounds like Kings fans have given Lombardi 2 years pushing 3 (maybe ).

Don't worry, just think about those poor bastards you beat in your last cup win!

They won zero & probably are a lot worse off than you guys.

I do expect Mersch and Dowd to make up for the lucic loss. The Oakland As were masters at replacing the top players with guys who collectively can put up the same if not better numbers

Lucic- 20g 35a 55pts

Dowd- "can" put up 10g 20a
Mersch- "can" put up 10g 15a

WHICH EQUALS- 20g 35a 55pts

They can easily put up these numbers if sutter puts them in the right spots, Which I believe he will ply these players in top 9 roles this year.
- KINGS67

"Can" isn't the same as "did." If you're replacing a sure thing with an unsure thing, then your position is weakened. Maybe you'll be as good in results, but you're not as good on paper.

Also, you didn't address my point. If Dowd and Mersch, combined, make up for Lucic, then no one is making up for the player that the other replaces. If those two make the top 9, then King is likely out. He's good for about 25 points when healthy. So, that's 25 points that the team is now short. Looking at it another way, Lucic + King = 80pts, while Dowd + Mersch = 55pts.

You can't simply take only inferior players, add them up and say that they're equal to what was had before. That's not what the As did. If you replace a good player with a less-good player, then, somewhere in your lineup, you need to replace a player with a better player to make up for it. For example, you might replace a 60pt player and a 20pt player with two 40pt players. The loss of 20pts from the first substitution is made up for by the gain of 20pts from the other. Apply that methodology enough times and you turn a top-heavy team, a team with stars who carry a bunch of passengers, into a balanced team in which no one is a star, but everyone contributes. That's what the As did. I fail to see such a substitution on the Kings where they might expect better production than came from that same spot last year, which suggests to me that the roster, on paper, is weaker and that production may suffer.

That really was a full blown collapse last year. Weren't you up like 18 points in the division after Christmas or something like that? And now the team is much thinner than they were even last season with no real impact prospects to call on.

I'm really going to enjoy this inevitable rebuilding period. Unless of course DL has some more circumvention specialties up his sleeve.
- gtrman09

It wasn't a collapse. Your Quacks didn't lost a damn for like two months, resulting in their division win. We're thinner? That's an arguable comment. That's like me stating the Quacks are thinner.
Both teams lost some players, but will be right back in it next season.

Also, you didn't address my point. If Dowd and Mersch, combined, make up for Lucic, then no one is making up for the player that the other replaces. If those two make the top 9, then King is likely out. He's good for about 25 points when healthy. So, that's 25 points that the team is now short. Looking at it another way, Lucic + King = 80pts, while Dowd + Mersch = 55pts.
- Osprey

If Dowd makes the lineup, he'll be taking Nick Shore's spot. Shore's 3+7=10 will not be very hard to replace.

I personally don't think either Mersch or Dowd will reach 40 games or 15 points, but they can't do any worse in the scoring department than Shore did.

It wasn't a collapse. Your Quacks didn't lost a damn for like two months, resulting in their division win. We're thinner? That's an arguable comment. That's like me stating the Quacks are thinner.
Both teams lost some players, but will be right back in it next season.
- Ersberg

Don't let this kid get to you. He thinks he's smart. A collapse is what MTL did. Kings held steady and the dumbass ugly ducklings went on a run that no one saw coming.

If Dowd makes the lineup, he'll be taking Nick Shore's spot. Shore's 3+7=10 will not be very hard to replace.

I personally don't think either Mersch or Dowd will reach 40 games or 15 points, but they can't do any worse in the scoring department than Shore did.
- tkecanuck341

I'm fine with losing lucic. He got paid another brown contract that would have killed the Kings. I'm excited to see the kids. It might not amount to a cup run but make the playoffs and go from there.

Idiot fans. People get stupid when they drink too much

One of my favorite series to the day. Series before that too to knock out DET was the best til LA won the cup
- KINGS67

totally agree. iirc, the kings gave the avs everything they could handle, to the point of knocking forsberg out of the postseason with a ruptured spleen.