Dubois

[Johnny Utah]

Wow, couldn't have said it best.

I still recall that one pre-season game against the Ducks a few years back where Kayilev had a hat trick. It was a Kopitar, Doughty, and Quickless Kings roster that night. It has toughness in Lemieux and youth in Turcotte, Kayilev. I was so excited with that roster. Vilardi played also.

Kings 6-3 Ducks (Oct 6, 2021) Box Score - ESPN

Box score for the Los Angeles Kings vs. Anaheim Ducks NHL game from October 6, 2021 on ESPN. Includes all goals, assists and penalty minutes stats.

www.espn.com

I don't know why they had to force the rebuild.

Can you imagine a team with Vilardi, Byfield, Turcotte, Faber, Clarke all playing right now?

 

[Kurrilino]

If the Kings moved only Iaffalo’s 4 million and re signed Vilardi for around 3 and Kupari for 1 they would have 3-4 mil left for a goalie.

Most people agreed that 2 out of Iafallo/Arvidson/Moore needed to be traded and everything would
have been fine having 8 mill in cap space and 3 dangerous lines.

Byfield - Kopitar - Kempe
Fiala - Kupari - Vilardi
Moore - Danauld - Khaliev

This is all we asked for but no, we needed to trade for a guy who has a proven record of attitude issues and under performing.


I would go as far as waiving him before his ntc kicks in, he will be untradedable after.
On the other hand i would have a new Kopitar after Kopitar is gone.

 

[bmr]

I'm gonna try not to freak out too much on PLD. Gotta give this a full season and get Arvidsson back and let the coaches tinker with the lines. If the Kings flame out in the playoffs, then you're going to see a lot of heat coming back to Blake.

 

[Johnny Utah]

What is wrong with this line up?

Kempe-Kopitar-Byfield
Arvidsson-Danault-Moore
Fiala-RR/Bjugstad-Vilardi
Grundstrom-Lizotte-Lewis/Kupari

Plus, that leaves 4 million for a goalie....

 

[Sol]

The options are:
- hope PLD's play improves
- if not, Blake has an option to buy him out this first year
- if not, his NMC and then the Kings won't have any options without approval from PLD

Frankly, I think all of us are just hoping he plays better. It will be much easier that way.

Excuse my lack of knowledge on this kind of stuff, but what benefit happens buying him out this year opposed to next year?

 

[Little Psycho]

Only solution I can think of is framing him and getting his contract terminated. Any ideas? Can’t pull a Richards, will be too obvious.

 

[King'sPawn]

Excuse my lack of knowledge on this kind of stuff, but what benefit happens buying him out this year opposed to next year?

His NMC kicks in next year, so if he's not bought out this year, he'd have to approve being waived for the purpose of a buyout.

Edit: additional info. These would be the cap hits if bought out on June 15 2024 (far right column):

The $1,130,952 cap hit would continue until 2038.

His cap hit if bought out June 15, 2025 would be:

The $2,194,444 cap hit would continue until 2037.

Big contracts to players who have yet to play a game is extremely dangerous, because if they struggle, you're burning a good chunk of the forest to put out a forest fire.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I could understand saying “we need more time to evaluate” if PLD were putting in anything above a minimal level of effort but the bounces just weren’t going his way. This isn’t an issue of things just not going his way. This is an issue of his give-a-shit level bordering on dangerously low.

Exactly, people will point to the low on ice shooting %, but that's because that line takes terrible shots, they collectively make trevor lewis look like stamkos

That’s the sad thing. We only need this doofus to play at his historic 0.75ppg level, but he can’t even do that.

The PLD problem is only going to be magnified the longer the season goes on. The Kings have been great this first quarter due to Byfield’s emergence, a fixed D core, and Talbot, in that order. PLD has been able to skate under the radar because the team is winning.

Once everything regresses to the mean, the warts on this team will be very obvious.

To be fair, most of the process-based metrics vs. results-based metrics say that the Kings are exactly where they 'should' be or 'deserve' to be. But imo the warts are very obvious regardless.

What is wrong with this line up?

Kempe-Kopitar-Byfield
Arvidsson-Danault-Moore
Fiala-RR/Bjugstad-Vilardi
Grundstrom-Lizotte-Lewis/Kupari

Plus, that leaves 4 million for a goalie....

Oh, that's easy, only one Quebecois.

 

[Bandit]

Has anyone ever been bought out in the first year of an 8 year deal? I mean there’s no WAY that happens but it would be hilarious. The epitome of the stupid GM.

I’m not sure there’s a Kings player I’ve hated more than Dubois. Didn’t even hate Roenick this much. From the moment the rumors came out about this trade I was ready to punch Blake in his stupid f***ing droopy face.

If the Kings somehow miracle their way to a championship I will take it all back, though I’m pretty sure I won’t have to worry about it.

 

[tbrown33]

No one thinks Lizo should be 3C so he's answering his own hypothetical. And even still, I think he's wrong when you factor QB, the improved 2nd and 3rd pairing and Talbot..having Vilardi over PLD and some FA center - team would be better for sure.

View attachment 787960

it’s an incredibly bad faith argument on his part. as if that was the ONLY option. insulting the fan base per usual.

 

[BaileyFan]

The $1,130,952 cap hit would continue until 2038.

I guess that’s what people were referring to when they kept saying the contract would “age well”. Just imagine how low that $1,130,952 will seem with all the cap ceiling increases between now and 2038! Another masterclass from Rob Blake.

 

[tigermask48]

You have to think enough due diligence was done on this trade before it happened. I get the fact that Vilardi has an injury history and has been moved to wing, but PLD just doesn't look to me like he even wants to impact the outcomes of these games...just so aloof.

Do we have to think that? This isn't the first time that Blake has been burned on a trade.

Remember how he traded Gaborik who promptly went on LTIR thus making the remaining contract meaningless.

He traded for an already injured McEwen last year with the intent of having him fight.

 

[chris kontos]

The surprising part about all of this to me is how obvious it was that pld has the historyhe does and he was STILL dealt for.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Do we have to think that? This isn't the first time that Blake has been burned on a trade.

Remember how he traded Gaborik who promptly went on LTIR thus making the remaining contract meaningless.

He traded for an already injured McEwen last year with the intent of having him fight.

Shit, you talked to him? Really?

Nevermind, you don't need to answer, but next time preface it with "I think" it won't make you look so bad

 

[King'sPawn]

I guess that’s what people were referring to when they kept saying the contract would “age well”. Just imagine how low that $1,130,952 will seem with all the cap ceiling increases between now and 2038! Another masterclass from Rob Blake.

It's frustrating and daunting indeed. So far, it's not looking good. This could be an era-defining moment in either direction.

If PLD steps up, particularly in the playoffs, it would make the Kings formidable for years.

If they get another first-round exit or even miss the playoffs, I don't see how the current regime remains.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

It's frustrating and daunting indeed. So far, it's not looking good. This could be an era-defining moment in either direction.

If PLD steps up, particularly in the playoffs, it would make the Kings formidable for years.

If they get another first-round exit or even miss the playoffs, I don't see how the current regime remains.

Agree with you to a point, because there will ALWAYS be circumstances you can't foresee....and you hope guys rise to the occassion etc,

LA draws VGK first round, takes them to game 7, which goes into triple OT only for the Kings to lose on a goal like the 1st goal from Seattle, just with that, does the current regime go or not? I would say, maybe....Coach probably.....GM maybe not....sports is just so fluid there is no absolutes, no matter what anyone on this board thinks that there should be....

 

[Johnny Utah]

Kings could have looked at Bjugstad, RR, or Duchene this past offseason.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Kings could have looked at Bjugstad, RR, or Duchene this past offseason.

They 100% did.....all 3 chose to play somewhere else.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Has anyone ever been bought out in the first year of an 8 year deal? I mean there’s no WAY that happens but it would be hilarious. The epitome of the stupid GM.

I’m not sure there’s a Kings player I’ve hated more than Dubois. Didn’t even hate Roenick this much. From the moment the rumors came out about this trade I was ready to punch Blake in his stupid f***ing droopy face.

If the Kings somehow miracle their way to a championship I will take it all back, though I’m pretty sure I won’t have to worry about it.

This easily could set the franchise back a good many years. The only way a buyout happens is in the next regime... talk about a self indictment to even think about it. My guess is Luc and Bergovin were pulling for this so maybe Blake's seat isnt as hot as it might be. Im curious as to what AEG thinks of this 70mil investment though.. everyone from Blake on up are probably pretty nervous about it.

 

[Sol]

Do we have to think that? This isn't the first time that Blake has been burned on a trade.

Remember how he traded Gaborik who promptly went on LTIR thus making the remaining contract meaningless.

He traded for an already injured McEwen last year with the intent of having him fight.

They sold the farm for the biggest known quitter in the league and now we have an issue with him not trying. Who could have seen this coming?

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Kings could have looked at Bjugstad, RR, or Duchene this past offseason.

Who is RR?

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Who is RR?

Ryan O'Reilly I am guessing

 

[FrozenKing18]

I've been on the "Give it time" boat since the beginning of the season. I can acknowledge that the boat has holes and it's slowly sinking. Putting myself in Blake's shoes, I can see why PLD was targeted. The guy has size, he's capable of dishing out physicality out there, he has offensive capabilities, he's young and fits the age group in the roster, and he's unhappy where he's at. On paper, it's a homerun and a no brainer to acquire him. I was okay with the trade, give up something good to get something good. One thing I did not like was how much and how long he was extended for. This being the negative thing that was surrounding him. As far as I know, being lazy was it (someone correct me if i'm wrong). You had to have some sort insurance in case PLD pulls the same shit all over again. But I guess Blake was confident he will stick here. I'm sure some of us has attributed the laziness to him just being unhappy on the teams he was playing on, so we expected PLD to play much better than he has in his previous seasons. We are now at the 30-game stretch and we haven't seen this guy make some sort of impact aside from his mere presence. It's definitely worrisome and a head scratcher. He got paid, he's on a team that's poised to be Stanley Cup contenders sooner rather than later, so what is wrong? Playing through an injury? Drowning in the LA night life? Unhappy once again? The guy is an enigma for sure.

 

[Bandit]

I love how slowly but surely more and more people are gravitating to the “he must be injured” cope. No, he just the same lazy heartless do nothing bitch he’s been his entire career.

I put more effort forth drunk as a skunk at a Vegas tournament at 10am with vodka in my water bottle than this f*** puts in for millions of dollars.

 

[tigermask48]

---

Shit, you talked to him? Really?

Nevermind, you don't need to answer, but next time preface it with "I think" it won't make you look so bad

Lol. You realize MacEwen was on IR following jaw surgery to repair a broken jaw right up until he was traded to LA and then was wearing a jaw guard playing with the Kings right? Lmao even. Him not being 100% was common knowledge.