Adam Kirshenblatt: Kovalchuk chooses the Kings; 2018 Draft Blog

Stunned Blake gave him a third year. Wonder if this affects Doughty?

Stunned Blake gave him a third year. Wonder if this affects Doughty?
- duxcup07

It doesn’t. Move along

Not to bad considering the Kings were going to have to give up too prospects and draft picks for possibly rentals in Skinner or Max and their extensions would have been longer and more money. And no way they had a chance at JT. Kopi finally gets his top line LW and Kovi and Doughty working the point on the PP is going to be money.

Someone else said this and I agree, Stevens and the Kings coaching staff need to let Kovi be Kovi. Don’t try and change his game to a defensive style, everyone knows he’s not that player so they can’t try to force him to be. Just line him with Kopi, if that doesn’t seem to work then put him with Carter and then just put him on the PP and I think this will work out.

I think he lines up on the first line moving iafallo down to the 3rd.

This doesn’t affect doughty one bit. The kings will make trades next offseason or at the deadline.

It’s been reported that muzzin/martinez/forbort could be traded. With D men like clague and brickley coming in a D man could be expendable.

DD's ask just went to 13 a yr. If Blake is giving a 35 yr old F 6 + . Kings looking to see if Kovy can do for them what Patty M did for Leafs.
I'm sure he can still rip it ... Let's see how healthy he can stay.

This was a good move. They needed scoring and they didn’t give up anything to get it.

Contract is a bit higher than I’d like but I’ll take it.

DD's ask just went to 13 a yr. If Blake is giving a 35 yr old F 6 + . Kings looking to see if Kovy can do for them what Patty M did for Leafs.
I'm sure he can still rip it ... Let's see how healthy he can stay.
- dozerD10

I don’t think Doughty is getting 13. We’ll see.

I think 8/11.5.

I don’t think Doughty is getting 13. We’ll see.

I think 8/11.5.
- KINGS67

I just based that on what DD has said in the past and seeing what RB gave Kovy ...
I still think DD is the gold standard for D men and got robbed this yr. for sure. Hedman for the Norris ....yeah right.

It doesn’t. Move along
- KINGS67

$63.5 million without Doughty signed, Assume your cap hit of $11.5 mil, that's $75 million and Blake has to fill in 9 empty roster spots. That's a lot of cheap players. Better hope that salary cap takes a massive upswing.

The number for Doughty will be around 11 million most likely

$63.5 million without Doughty signed, Assume your cap hit of $11.5 mil, that's $75 million and Blake has to fill in 9 empty roster spots. That's a lot of cheap players. Better hope that salary cap takes a massive upswing.
- duxcup07

Trades will happen. I’m not worried

Plus all you have to is add 4 million or so to his cap hit now. So all it takes is 1-2 trades.

$63.5 million without Doughty signed, Assume your cap hit of $11.5 mil, that's $75 million and Blake has to fill in 9 empty roster spots. That's a lot of cheap players. Better hope that salary cap takes a massive upswing.
- duxcup07

But those remaining 8 spots to sign are 3rd and 4th line guys. Martinez or Muzzin will be moved. Toffoli could also be shipped out, Vilardi moves up and Carter moves to wing.

the every other improvement in offense was trade for guys with only 1 year til U FA who command a lot more $$ than Kovy.

Kings are done with trading assets for 1 year rentals thank god

But those remaining 8 spots to sign are 3rd and 4th line guys. Martinez or Muzzin will be moved. Toffoli could also be shipped out, Vilardi moves up and Carter moves to wing.

the every other improvement in offense was trade for guys with only 1 year til U FA who command a lot more $$ than Kovy.

Kings are done with trading assets for 1 year rentals thank god
- fsanford

Yeah I was on cap friendly making a lineup. No doubt Kovalchuk hurts but yeah so far I’ve cut out muzzin brodzinski Pearson. bought out phanuef added players like Anderson Dolan rempal brickley clague.

I’m around 21 players about 5 million over.

Rieder for sure is let go. And I think Blake and Co arent done. I think they add another LW and we see Pearson gone along with a dman. I realize mayor said probably next year a dman is traded for cap. But I have the feeling they package up for another scorer. The time is up on hoping Pearson can be a consistent guy. But he isnt.

Rieder for sure is let go. And I think Blake and Co arent done. I think they add another LW and we see Pearson gone along with a dman. I realize mayor said probably next year a dman is traded for cap. But I have the feeling they package up for another scorer. The time is up on hoping Pearson can be a consistent guy. But he isnt.
- poisondhearts37

Pretty sure Kovalchuk is their LW. I don’t think a trade will happen now this offseason. Well see

Pretty sure Kovalchuk is their LW. I don’t think a trade will happen now this offseason. Well see
- KINGS67

Obviously they signed Kovi to be a LW. I just dont think they are done. They need to get another more talented and younger player for the top 6. Perhaps they ride it out and see if Vilardi fits the bill. I just think something more needs to be done. Esp with Pearson. Hes floating on 2nd/3rd line player for to long.

Obviously they signed Kovi to be a LW. I just dont think they are done. They need to get another more talented and younger player for the top 6. Perhaps they ride it out and see if Vilardi fits the bill. I just think something more needs to be done. Esp with Pearson. Hes floating on 2nd/3rd line player for to long.
- poisondhearts37

Let me rephrase. I think Kovalchuk is their guy that they wanted and I doubt they make another move. They wanted a top 6 guy and they got him. Why make another trade?
Trading a top 6 guy for a skinner or Pacioretty doesn’t make sense anymore and trading a D man doesn’t make sense either for this year.

Kovi Kopitar Brown
Pearson Carter Toffoli
Iafallo Kempe Vilardi
Clifford Thompson Lewis
Brodzinski

Forbort Doughty
muzzin Martinez
phanuef brickley


I think it looks similar to this come October. If they make a trade, cool. I’ll be for it

Let me rephrase. I think Kovalchuk is their guy that they wanted and I doubt they make another move. They wanted a top 6 guy and they got him. Why make another trade?
Trading a top 6 guy for a skinner or Pacioretty doesn’t make sense anymore and trading a D man doesn’t make sense either for this year.

Kovi Kopitar Brown
Pearson Carter Toffoli
Iafallo Kempe Vilardi
Clifford Thompson Lewis
Brodzinski

Forbort Doughty
muzzin Martinez
phanuef brickley


I think it looks similar to this come October. If they make a trade, cool. I’ll be for it
- KINGS67

I could also copy paste the mayors line combos to. I could also quote him. But we will see. I just think they gotta do more. I also want Doughty to resign and believe he wants to. But just adding Kovi isnt enough for this team. And yet SJ is going to potentially land another top 6 winger. Just like years past. Other teams are doing more. I might bite my tongue later on. We will see.

Yeah I was on cap friendly making a lineup. No doubt Kovalchuk hurts but yeah so far I’ve cut out muzzin brodzinski Pearson. bought out phanuef added players like Anderson Dolan rempal brickley clague.

I’m around 21 players about 5 million over.
- KINGS67

I was able to move Toffoli, Muzzin, Ciifford, free up 10 million, cap goes up another
1 million

That's 18 million of so, believe I need to fill 11 spots. Vilardi Clague for under a million fill 2. So over 16 million for 9 spots, should not be too difficult. Year later they add another 1.3 million more space getting out from under the Richards penalty.

I could also copy paste the mayors line combos to. I could also quote him. But we will see. I just think they gotta do more. I also want Doughty to resign and believe he wants to. But just adding Kovi isnt enough for this team. And yet SJ is going to potentially land another top 6 winger. Just like years past. Other teams are doing more. I might bite my tongue later on. We will see.
- poisondhearts37

I didn’t copy paste. That’s just common sense with the lines.

Not denying they should get one more player. But how you going to get that one player? Diminish your team for 1 player?

Is trading muzzin and Pearson/Toffoli now worth it?

I could also copy paste the mayors line combos to. I could also quote him. But we will see. I just think they gotta do more. I also want Doughty to resign and believe he wants to. But just adding Kovi isnt enough for this team. And yet SJ is going to potentially land another top 6 winger. Just like years past. Other teams are doing more. I might bite my tongue later on. We will see.
- poisondhearts37

What would you do? Give up Vilardi or Dolan for a 1 year rental? Team is much better than it was 24 hours ago

Idk why everyone knocks on him defensively. He can play D and can still contribute offensively. He played two way hockey in jersey. I believe he was also one of our leaders in short handed goals.

Ok, so the Kings actually want to keep getting older and older and slow and slower! Might as well have just kept Gaborik!

3 year deal for a 35 year old, not sure if he can even keep up and play in the NHL. Big deal he helped Russia win the gold medal at the Olympics...they played against a bunch of teams without current NHL players all scrubs, AHL guys and kids (mostly guys who are past their prime and cannot get a job in the NHL even as 4th liners!!) This deal officialy means that Rob Blake has lost his mind and thinks he can win with old and slower past their prime players. No youth and speed on this team whatsoever up front. Kovi better score some goals or Blake should be canned so fast his head will spin. Now they have to resign Doughty at age 29 to another monster long term contract, meaning a cap crunched club will be in the same boat as the Hawks. Get ready for a long long time of mediocrity and then total helpless poopty seasons in LA. Horrible day for the Kings...no hope for a bright future now!

What would you do? Give up Vilardi or Dolan for a 1 year rental? Team is much better than it was 24 hours ago
- fsanford

Might as well trade them both! Once they get to LA, IF they have success they will never be able to resign them now. Kings = Hawks...no hope now and no hope for the future!!!! God damn! Stupid BS decisions!