Sheng Peng: Who Should Vegas Pick?; Breaking Down Casey Mittelstadt & Eeli Tolvanen Who should Vegas take from LA? + The highs & lows of Casey Mittelstadt & Eeli Tolvanen's game + Saying good-bye to Matt Greene...again

It'll for sure be one of Lewis or McNabb. But we could only hope they take a Brown or a Gabby.

It'll for sure be one of Lewis or McNabb. But we could only hope they take a Brown or a Gabby.
- poisondhearts37

I think Dowd is a legit sleeper. If I were them, that's who I'd take. I think he can be an okay second-line center in right situation. But yea, Lewis is a safer bet and will bring something back at Deadline. McNabb is decent, with some upside but probably not a lot of trade value unless he gets better fast.

Our competition won't help us with our dead weight, so I fully expect LA to lose a player of quality and value. One of the aforementioned will likely be playing against us next season. It looks like Brown will be with us next season, which won't help any of our intrinsic or point total values. If Gaborik can't be dealt, they have to buy him out.

I'm curious where fans feels will finish next season. Thoughts?

Our competition won't help us with our dead weight, so I fully expect LA to lose a player of quality and value. One of the aforementioned will likely be playing against us next season. It looks like Brown will be with us next season, which won't help any of our intrinsic or point total values. If Gaborik can't be dealt, they have to buy him out.

I'm curious where fans feels will finish next season. Thoughts?
- Ersberg

With the season Brown had this year with the struggles of this team and where he played on the roster. I think he could have a season where he produces more with the more offensive approach. Gabby wont be able to be bought out this next season because he's injured. So I'd expect him to be bought out after next season if he doesn't produce on the ice.

With the season Brown had this year with the struggles of this team and where he played on the roster. I think he could have a season where he produces more with the more offensive approach. Gabby wont be able to be bought out this next season because he's injured. So I'd expect him to be bought out after next season if he doesn't produce on the ice.
- poisondhearts37

I was under the impression Gabby was going to be activated this season.

I was under the impression Gabby was going to be activated this season.
- Ersberg

Hes injured right now up into the start of the new season. So he wont be able to be bought out.

I'm curious where fans feels will finish next season. Thoughts?
- Ersberg

This is assuming a similar roster answers the bell this fall, which seems fairly likely, given LA's cap situation.

I fully expect bouncebacks from Kopitar, Toffoli, and Muzzin. Also, I don't think Blake and company will allow a Zatkoff-like backup to tank the season. So I think they make the playoffs, are dangerous for a round or two. I wouldn't tab them as a real Cup contender though.

smart buy out. D should be good enough if Forbort can step it up a little bit more. Doughty, Forbort
Muzzin, Martinez
McNabb (if not taken), Gravel, LaDue, Trotman.

Can use the 7M in cap space to sign a decent forward or second goalie (Elliot? Mason?)

smart buy out. D should be good enough if Forbort can step it up a little bit more. Doughty, Forbort
Muzzin, Martinez
McNabb (if not taken), Gravel, LaDue, Trotman.

Can use the 7M in cap space to sign a decent forward or second goalie (Elliot? Mason?)
- DutchSenators

According to capfriendly the Kings have almost 9mil in cap space. A if Lewis is taken thats 2 more million.

According to capfriendly the Kings have almost 9mil in cap space. A if Lewis is taken thats 2 more million.
- poisondhearts37

yes, but only 10 forwards and 5 defensemen. I assumed slighty higher than league minimum numbers for Gravel, Andreoff and Shore (or Mersch if moved up).

McNabb would be a noticeable loss. He's the 2nd-best defender on the D corps and its only defensive defenseman. He simply doesn't put up points like Muzzin or Martinez and wasn't homegrown like Forbort, so few people appreciate him. You can't blame the asset management, since Muzzin and Martinez hold more trade value, Forbort is cheap and only an RFA a year from now and McNabb can leave as a UFA in a year (and probably will, since he's not appreciated in LA), but it's a crummy situation. Hopefully, Vegas is scared off by him being a UFA in a year and picks someone that LA can better afford to lose, like Dowd.

As for how next season plays out, with the roster currently being hardly any different and the coaching hires not being very inspiring, I see the team being about the same, fighting for one of those wildcard spots, maybe missing again or maybe slipping in. Chances may change as Summer goes on, but I kind of doubt that anyone who could move the needle will be signing in LA, since they don't have the cap space for long-term contracts and there are far more promising teams (ex. EDM and NSH) to want to be a part of.

This is assuming a similar roster answers the bell this fall, which seems fairly likely, given LA's cap situation.

I fully expect bouncebacks from Kopitar, Toffoli, and Muzzin. Also, I don't think Blake and company will allow a Zatkoff-like backup to tank the season. So I think they make the playoffs, are dangerous for a round or two. I wouldn't tab them as a real Cup contender though.
- Sheng Peng

Another wild card is the coaching staff and system change(tweak). As mentioned before, Brown could theoretically gain a morale boost, as well as benefit from an offensively-based system. I believe he scored 30 goals under a system of that nature. Also, Gaborik may have simply crashed under that crushing system Suter employed. If healthy, he may have a surprisingly productive system as well.

Just looking at the list, Dowd or McNabb... everyone else is either old expensive vet or unproven rookies. No need for Lewis if they manage to get Kruger from CHI.

McNabb would be a noticeable loss. He's the 2nd-best defender on the D corps and its only defensive defenseman. He simply doesn't put up points like Muzzin or Martinez and wasn't homegrown like Forbort, so few people appreciate him.
- Osprey

Strictly talking about defense, I don't think McNabb is close to the second-best defender on the team. Certainly, LA doesn't think so, if we judge by how PK time was doled out (McNabb was 7th in SH TOI at 00:34, behind even Greene and Gilbert). Now that doesn't necessarily mean McNabb is LA's seventh-best at defense, but that is a far cry from runner-up. His skating doesn't seemed to have improved much over the years and his awareness hasn't compensated enough for this flaw.

I was a fan, but he hasn't turned the corner like I hoped. He does provide a mean physical presence and he's been fine on the bottom pairing. Still has some upside too. He looks good with Doughty, but as we've learned, a lot of people do.

Another wild card is the coaching staff and system change(tweak). As mentioned before, Brown could theoretically gain a morale boost, as well as benefit from an offensively-based system. I believe he scored 30 goals under a system of that nature. Also, Gaborik may have simply crashed under that crushing system Suter employed. If healthy, he may have a surprisingly productive system as well.
- Ersberg

Regarding Brown and Gaborik finding the fountain of youth with another system, I'm very, very skeptical. They will pop in a couple more with more freedom, sure, but that will be negated by giving up more goals, so it comes out to a net gain of zero.

No need for Lewis if they manage to get Kruger from CHI.
- Stu17

This is a good point. However, looking ahead to the next Trade Deadline, Lewis probably has the most trade value of the available Kings unless Dowd or McNabb find a previously undiscovered gear to their game (which is possible). Lewis can definitely garner a Dwight King-like trade value, probably a little bit more, from a playoff team in need.

Strictly talking about defense, I don't think McNabb is close to the second-best defender on the team. Certainly, LA doesn't think so, if we judge by how PK time was doled out (McNabb was 7th in SH TOI at 00:34, behind even Greene and Gilbert). Now that doesn't necessarily mean McNabb is LA's seventh-best at defense, but that is a far cry from runner-up. His skating doesn't seemed to have improved much over the years and his awareness hasn't compensated enough for this flaw.

I was a fan, but he hasn't turned the corner like I hoped. He does provide a mean physical presence and he's been fine on the bottom pairing. Still has some upside too. He looks good with Doughty, but as we've learned, a lot of people do.


- Sheng Peng

hard to say he hasn't turned the corner...i would imagine he'd have fared better witha second season with doughty. hell doughty won a norris paired with him. i still don't get the fanfare with forbort to the point where they're protecting him. if they went 7/3/1 and protected only 8/6/27, is it really a massive loss to lose forbort yet keep dowd, lewis and another safe? frankly i think thats the better tradeoff.

Strictly talking about defense, I don't think McNabb is close to the second-best defender on the team. Certainly, LA doesn't think so, if we judge by how PK time was doled out (McNabb was 7th in SH TOI at 00:34, behind even Greene and Gilbert). Now that doesn't necessarily mean McNabb is LA's seventh-best at defense, but that is a far cry from runner-up. His skating doesn't seemed to have improved much over the years and his awareness hasn't compensated enough for this flaw.

I was a fan, but he hasn't turned the corner like I hoped. He does provide a mean physical presence and he's been fine on the bottom pairing. Still has some upside too. He looks good with Doughty, but as we've learned, a lot of people do.
- Sheng Peng

McNabb has had the best or 2nd-best Chances Against/60 of the top 6 D for three years in a row. Also, in those three years, Doughty's best CA/60 came when he was partnered with McNabb. It was 47 in 14-15 (with Muzzin), improved to 43 in 15-16 (with McNabb) and rose back to 47 in 16-17 (with Forbort). McNabb, simultaneously, went from 45 to 45 to 44, so it appears that Doughty benefitted from McNabb more than McNabb benefitted from him.

I'm fairly confident in sticking to the assertion that he's the second-best defender. Who else would it be... Muzzin or Martinez, who both allowed 2.7 GA/60 this past season when no one else in the top 6 allowed over 1.8 and who accounted for 48% of the 5v5 goals against when the other two pairings combined for 52%?

In terms of talent I totally agree with the concern over protecting Forbort. The guy I don't want to lose is actually Dowd. I too think he could be a passable 2C and an excellent 3c.

I think the Kings expected to be up against the cap and so the key factor in deciding to go 4/4 was/is Forbort's very cheap cap hit which made him more valuable than Lewis/Dowd/McNabb. Id rather have protected Dowd/Lewis/Shore. I would even have traded Forbort to make it happen if neccessary.

Though I don't think he will be chosen, Shore is also a guy I could see having a huge improvement with a little more freedom. Should be a 10-15 goal scorer.

All this said the fact that we are discussing the loss of guys like Lewis, Forbort, and McNabb speaks volumes about the Kings depth relative to just a few years ago.

I wonder what the odds are that LA takes a risk on Yakupov. Appears STL isn't going to qualify him an offer so he will be come a UFA. Seems like a low risk high reward type of deal.

In terms of talent I totally agree with the concern over protecting Forbort. The guy I don't want to lose is actually Dowd. I too think he could be a passable 2C and an excellent 3c.

I think the Kings expected to be up against the cap and so the key factor in deciding to go 4/4 was/is Forbort's very cheap cap hit which made him more valuable than Lewis/Dowd/McNabb. Id rather have protected Dowd/Lewis/Shore. I would even have traded Forbort to make it happen if neccessary.

Though I don't think he will be chosen, Shore is also a guy I could see having a huge improvement with a little more freedom. Should be a 10-15 goal scorer.

All this said the fact that we are discussing the loss of guys like Lewis, Forbort, and McNabb speaks volumes about the Kings depth relative to just a few years ago.
- Troy_Ice

I think one of the key factors with protecting Forbort besides the fact that he played very well last year. Is LA doesn't want another situation where they lose a top drafted Dman for nothing again ala Hickey and Tuebert. From a defense standpoint I think hes more valuable to the team than most give him credit for.