Jason Lewis: Clifford Deal “In Place”...so Now What?

Jason Lewis: Clifford Deal “In Place”...so Now What?
- Jason_Lewis

Wow, massive overpayment.

I like andreoffs potential, but I don't think hes ready just yet.

Just updated it with the new details. Looks like a two year 1.075 AAV.

Wow, massive overpayment.
- Scooby_Doo

really? if the kings chose to move him, i doubt the deal would stand in the way.

its not like a keith ballard level of horrible deal is it?

Now they trade him....

Wow, massive overpayment.
- Scooby_Doo

ya... no

really? if the kings chose to move him, i doubt the deal would stand in the way.

its not like a keith ballard level of horrible deal is it?
- hiway39

I posted that before the numbers were released.

Linden Vey had a great year in the AHL. Any thoughts on when he will be ready?

Linden Vey had a great year in the AHL. Any thoughts on when he will be ready?
- Greenbacks1975

I'd say give him one more full year in the AHL, and then a tweener year with call ups. He's got all the makings of a Jarret Stoll type but I think it's too soon to toss him right into the fire just yet.

Good problem to have the oil will take one of these guys off your hands preferably pearson haha

I bet Colin Fraser and Keaton Ellerby are the odd-men out.

King, when he plays well (which was all of 2011-12 playoffs, not so much last season), is the best pick for the second line. When he's playing well, King will take the 2nd line spot and Clifford will play on the 4th line, and Carcillo will sit in the press box. When he's not playing well, he'll sit out, and Clifford or Carcillo will take his spot on the 2nd line wing, with the other playing on the 4th line. Trade Fraser for a draft pick if you can, otherwise put him on waivers, then throw him in Manchester if no one claims him. His salary is below the 900k limit for the AHL, so it won't affect the cap.

Here's what the new forward lines look like:

Brown-Kopitar-Williams
Carcillo/Clifford/King-Richards-Carter
Toffoli-Stoll-Frattin
Carcillo/Clifford/King-Lewis-Nolan

Before you ask...no, I don't think Toffoli is ready to play on his off wing on the 2nd line yet. If the 2nd line hole was on the right side, I'd definitely have Toffoli there, but it's not. I have him slotted in on the third line LW so he can get some experience and success at LW when not facing the other team's best defenders, who are commonly matched up against Richards & Carter. Once he gets some experience playing on the left wing of the third line, he could get moved up (perhaps this season, possibly next season).

As for defense, I'd like to see Ellerby play in the AHL for a season to regain his confidence and fundamentals after being thrust into primetime too early by Florida. He can play down there for a season, and if he does well, we can sign him to an extension and have him take Mitchell's or Schultz's spot next season. After last season's defensive injury debacle and the uncertainty surrounding Willie Mitchell's health going into the season, I think the Kings will carry 8 defensemen on the roster.

Here's the defensive lines:

Regehr-Doughty
Mitchell-Voynov
Muzzin-Greene
Martinez-Schultz (scratches)

That lineup gives us a 23-man roster with $600k of cap space.

Im gonna say Keaton Ellerby and Jordan Nolan go down. Matt Frattin and Dan Carcillo replace Nolan and Brad Richardson. Jeff Schultz knocks out Ellerby as an experienced depth d-man. Ellerby clears and plays top 4 in the A

Brown Kopitar Williams

Toffoli Richards Carter

Frattin Stoll Lewis

Clifford Fraser King

Carcillo


Mitchell Doughty

Muzzin Voynov

Regehr Greene

Martinez Schultz

I posted that before the numbers were released.
- Scooby_Doo

so no matter what the numbers were, massive overpayment. got it.

Good problem to have the oil will take one of these guys off your hands preferably pearson haha
- BleedOil06

the oil don't need a single player...according to cloutier everyone in the lineup and even on the farm in okc is slated for the HOF.

so no matter what the numbers were, massive overpayment. got it.
- hiway39

He's like a dale Weise. Coach likes him, can't fight, probably wouldn't be in the NHL if there were 26 teams.

the oil don't need a single player...according to cloutier everyone in the lineup and even on the farm in okc is slated for the HOF.
- hiway39

they are all untouchable.

Can King play RW?

Between him and Nolan, I think he's a little better... But I don't think he's very good, and I'd rather not have him on the top 3 lines.

If Clifford has a strong camp he could be a candidate for the 2nd line LW, but he's not good enough for that position for very long in my opinion. I'm hoping Toffoli can play on his off wing. Maybe Frattin can play on the 2 line LW, he's got speed and isn't afraid to hit.



I think at this point I'd like a decent shakeup.

Brown-Kopitar-Williams
Frattin-Richards-Carter
Pearson-Stoll-Toffoli
Clifford-Lewis-King
Carcillo


Mitchell-Doughty
Regehr-Voynov
Muzzin-Greene
Martinez/Schultz

Quick
Scrivens

Only about 700K in capspace, but it's gonna have to be done this season.

Fraser can be traded, try to get Ellerby into the AHL for some seasoning (but if he's lost no big deal, Forbort will be replacing Mitchell next year anyway (thankfully he's a lefty too). Nolan can go to the AHL if possible as well.

I like that we'll have a more skillful third line, but not one that's totally defensively inept. Fourth line gives us plenty of energy, plus a little more skill than last year. In training camp they should just tell Frattin to watch how Dustin Brown plays and then try to copy that.

Defense is the standard Left Right pair, Schultz can slot in if any of the left D-men go down, Martinez if any of the right.

Could also switch up Mitchell and Regehr if needed.



Either way, I wouldn't mind putting that roster on the ice, and to me it's an upgrade from last year, and in terms of pure skill the cup winning team as well. As long as injuries don't hit like last year, they should contend for the cup and have a pretty deep playoff run.

Can King play RW?

Between him and Nolan, I think he's a little better... But I don't think he's very good, and I'd rather not have him on the top 3 lines.

If Clifford has a strong camp he could be a candidate for the 2nd line LW, but he's not good enough for that position for very long in my opinion. I'm hoping Toffoli can play on his off wing. Maybe Frattin can play on the 2 line LW, he's got speed and isn't afraid to hit.



I think at this point I'd like a decent shakeup.

Brown-Kopitar-Williams
Frattin-Richards-Carter
Pearson-Stoll-Toffoli
Clifford-Lewis-King
Carcillo


Mitchell-Doughty
Regehr-Voynov
Muzzin-Greene
Martinez/Schultz

Quick
Scrivens

Only about 700K in capspace, but it's gonna have to be done this season.

Fraser can be traded, try to get Ellerby into the AHL for some seasoning (but if he's lost no big deal, Forbort will be replacing Mitchell next year anyway (thankfully he's a lefty too). Nolan can go to the AHL if possible as well.

I like that we'll have a more skillful third line, but not one that's totally defensively inept. Fourth line gives us plenty of energy, plus a little more skill than last year. In training camp they should just tell Frattin to watch how Dustin Brown plays and then try to copy that.

Defense is the standard Left Right pair, Schultz can slot in if any of the left D-men go down, Martinez if any of the right.

Could also switch up Mitchell and Regehr if needed.



Either way, I wouldn't mind putting that roster on the ice, and to me it's an upgrade from last year, and in terms of pure skill the cup winning team as well. As long as injuries don't hit like last year, they should contend for the cup and have a pretty deep playoff run.
- bluecoconuts

King hasn't played RW before, and the Kings have better options on the right side (Frattin, Toffoli, Lewis, & Nolan all have experience at RW), so I don't think they will go for that. Also, I don't think Pearson makes this year's roster. Not because he's not good enough, but because he has a two-way contract. If he plays in the AHL, he only gets paid $70k. If he plays in the NHL, he makes 10 times that.

With this lineup, your two odd-men out are Fraser and Nolan. Both have one-way contracts, and will both have to be stashed somewhere. If they can't be traded, and if they clear waivers (unlikely but possible), then that somewhere will be Manchester, and they will both be owed their full NHL salaries. I don't foresee Lombardi spending the extra money to call up Pearson when there are other options available.

Fraser and Carcillo are both UFAs at the end of this season. If he is ready, Pearson can take one of their spots in 2014-15.

He's like a dale Weise. Coach likes him, can't fight, probably wouldn't be in the NHL if there were 26 teams.
- Scooby_Doo

you can say that about a few players on every team. we're not relying on him to fight anymore (carcillo and nolan can do that), and at 22, he still has time to round out his game.

among a plethora(<- lol) of options...heres a couple ill throw out for the purpose of $hits and giggles...

Option A

Brown-Kopi-Williams
Toffoli-Richards-Carter
Frattin-Stoll-Lewis
Clifford-Fraser-Nolan
Ex-King-Carcillo

Regehr-Doughty
Mitchell-Voynov
Muzzin-Greene
Ex-Martinez

Quick
Scrivens

Option B

Brown-Kopi-Toffoli
Pearson-Richards-Carter
Frattin-Stoll-Williams
Clifford-Lewis-Nolan
Ex-Fraser-Carcillo

Same D

Same Tenders

He's like a dale Weise. Coach likes him, can't fight, probably wouldn't be in the NHL if there were 26 teams.
- Scooby_Doo

not to take your snarky little clifford vs weise comment too seriously but the numbers just dont back you up at all on that one.

last year, in a 48 game schedule, clifford put up as many points as weise has in his entire career(118 games)...and hes 2 and a half years younger than weise. to be clear, im not claiming that clifford is some young offensive dynamo...no, what im saying is that weise is just that much worse.

in regards to clifford not being able to fight....roman polak says hi. google it. now, im not saying that cliffords a bob probert or anything closely resembling him but i think he can fight just a little...

not to take your snarky little clifford vs weise comment too seriously but the numbers just dont back you up at all on that one.

last year, in a 48 game schedule, clifford put up as many points as weise has in his entire career(118 games)...and hes 2 and a half years younger than weise. to be clear, im not claiming that clifford is some young offensive dynamo...no, what im saying is that weise is just that much worse.

in regards to clifford not being able to fight....roman polak says hi. google it. now, im not saying that cliffords a bob probert or anything closely resembling him but i think he can fight just a little...
- good2b_the_king

Weise won a fight too once, we were all shocked.

Weise won a fight too once, we were all shocked.
- Scooby_Doo

so what youre really trying to say is that clifford's a way better player AND fighter?

so what youre really trying to say is that clifford's a way better player AND fighter?
- good2b_the_king

I think they actually fought last year... Probably a draw with no punches thrown.