Jason Lewis: Player Evaluation: Tyler Toffoli and Justin Williams

Toffoli B+


Williams A+

Jon Rosen, the reliable LA Kings Insider, posted this fine feature on LAKI discussing Gravel and the Kings. It appears that while Gravel isn't signed by the Kings, only the Monarchs, he is still in a position where teams have to ask the Kings to negotiate with him. Seems like a loophole to me, but the CBA is filled with these sorts of fun little things. Confusing yes, but the silver lining here is that the Kings seem intent on holding on to the rugged defenseman.



And A's for these two.

A to tha A.

Jon Rosen, the reliable LA Kings Insider, posted this fine feature on LAKI discussing Gravel and the Kings. It appears that while Gravel isn't signed by the Kings, only the Monarchs, he is still in a position where teams have to ask the Kings to negotiate with him. Seems like a loophole to me, but the CBA is filled with these sorts of fun little things. Confusing yes, but the silver lining here is that the Kings seem intent on holding on to the rugged defenseman.



And A's for these two.
- Only_A_Ladd

WRT Kevin Gravel, I guess it could be a loophole but only if the player is actually willing to sign an AHL only contract. If that turns him off or if he can sign a 2 way deal with another team, you'd have to think he would unless he has a specific reason for staying with the Kings.

WRT Kevin Gravel, I guess it could be a loophole but only if the player is actually willing to sign an AHL only contract. If that turns him off or if he can sign a 2 way deal with another team, you'd have to think he would unless he has a specific reason for staying with the Kings.
- hiway39

Check out the Rosen article. He sounds committed to sticking with the club. My guess that means he's sticking with the club for the near term. He'll watch the progress of McNabb very closely. If McNabb sticks with the Kings, then he's pretty far down the pecking order and might want to start looking elsewhere for a less cluttered path to the NHL.

Check out the Rosen article. He sounds committed to sticking with the club. My guess that means he's sticking with the club for the near term. He'll watch the progress of McNabb very closely. If McNabb sticks with the Kings, then he's pretty far down the pecking order and might want to start looking elsewhere for a less cluttered path to the NHL.
- Only_A_Ladd

totally agree. my point was that inferring that there's a loophole to circumvent the number of NHL contracts a team is allowed by using this as an example doesn't fly. a more heralded prospect would likely not just accept an AHL only deal if that were so.

totally agree. my point was that inferring that there's a loophole to circumvent the number of NHL contracts a team is allowed by using this as an example doesn't fly. a more heralded prospect would likely not just accept an AHL only deal if that were so.
- hiway39

It might just be a verbal agreement between teams to not poach players on AHL contracts with their affiliates. Nothing in the CBA suggested otherwise even though most of it is in legalese.