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About This Page: This is a discussion on LA Kings Talk within the LetsGoKings.com forums, at Los Angeles Kings Hockey Fan Forum. I've been amazed at the number of recent threads stating that we need to go after <insert forward and/or offensive defenseman> at the trade deadline or
I've been amazed at the number of recent threads stating that we need to go after <insert forward and/or offensive defenseman> at the trade deadline or in the off-season. Names that have been bandied about lately include:
Marian Hossa
Brad Richards
Jeff Carter
Evgeni Malkin--are you kidding me????
Brian Campbell
Wade Redden
etc.
What's funny is that offense is the last place we need to invest more of our cap space in. Hell, its going to be hard enough retaining our core long-term as is (Kopitar, O'Sullivan, Frolov, JMFJ).
Don't forget that O'Sullivan is an RFA this summer and a likely target for another Kevin Lowe-type poach if we don't get an extension done soon. On that same front, what do you think will happen next summer if both Kopitar AND Johnson aren't signed to long-term deals before then? If you don't think someone will attempt to break the bank on Kopitar, you're deluding yourself.
Dean will likely worry more about re-signing our own young forwards before thinking about someone else's at this point.
If LA is going to spend substantial sums in FA this summer and/or dangle the proverbial "Cammy + a pick" the focus will have to be on D.
The lone exception to the "D first" approach, IMHO, is the draft. If the space/time continuum is disrupted and LA does, in fact, get the 1st overall pick, I would hope that DL will select the "best player available" in Stamkos and then attempt to package as many picks as possible in order to move back into the top 10 if Schenn happens to fall out of the top 5.
The reasoning is that a forward like Stamkos is more likely to have an immediate impact than any defensive prospect. Of the top D propsects, I'm most sold on Schenn as he's been compared to Adam Foote but with better skating skills. As evidenced by the WJC, he would be an ideal complement to Hickey down the road.
Any ideal summer would be something like the following:
Draft
- select Stamkos 1st overall
- trade Dallas 1st + two of our 2nd-round picks in order to move to the X spot (@ 8th position) and somehow draft Schenn
- trade Cammalleri + Tukonon/Lewis + DET 2nd for young "established" D like Suter or Edler
Re-Sign to long-term deals:
O'Sullivan
Kopitar
JMFJ
Re-Sign to short-term "filler" deals:
Blake, only if < 4MM
Thornton, provides solid leadership size on 4th line, only if < 1.5MM
I said something similar to this in another thread. We could quite possibly have the 'pussiest' defense in the NHL now that Stuart's gone. I think DL will do the right thing this summer and go after a good and rugged defenseman. I think the pieces for offense are almost completely in place. We need to go after D.
BBBBBBBernier? I'm not expecting JLB to take us to the promised land but I don't see any pending UFA goaltenders that we'd want to break the bank on, do you?
I agree with your point about Dmen not being the only players responsible for defensive zone coverage but that is the most glaring weakness at the moment.
- trade Dallas 1st + two of our 2nd-round picks in order to move to the X spot (@ 8th position) and somehow draft Schenn
Defintiely a realistic offseason, although I think Vancouver would trade Luc Bourdon way before they try to dangle Alex Edler.
I'm a little skeptical that DAL1 (in the 24-30 range) + LA2 (in the low 30s) + CAL2 (~50) could equal another top 10 pick. Even though this is a supposedly deep draft, you just don't want to drop that far down.
Ie, in the retardedly deep 2003 Draft, that'd be like trading Suter for Tambellini, Boyle, and Pushkarev. Getting a guy like Tambellini is much more likely than getting a Patrice Bergeron or Corey Perry late in the first.
BBBBBBBernier? I'm not expecting JLB to take us to the promised land but I don't see any pending UFA goaltenders that we'd want to break the bank on, do you?
I agree with your point about Dmen not being the only players responsible for defensive zone coverage but that is the most glaring weakness at the moment.
UFA, not so much. RFA, well... not many people like my ideas on MA Fleury so I'm not the right person to ask.
I honestly feel like if you replace Armstrong and Cammalleri on the 2nd line with a Center like Jokinen, Langkow or Marleau and Teddy Purcell this team will be better defensively. You then deal Calder followed by putting Boyle and Tukonen on Handzus' wings and you've got a solid, BETTER and YOUNGER 3rd line. A 4th line of Moulson/Armstrong/Ivanans? is no worse defensively than our current 4th line.
The keys, for me, are getting Kopitar's minutes down/acquiring a legitimate NHL top line Center.
Moving Kyle Calder.
Cutting Armstrong's minutes.
Adding size and a fair amount of skill to the 3rd line.
That's how you improve this team's overall defense without even talking about d-men.
BBBBBBBernier? I'm not expecting JLB to take us to the promised land but I don't see any pending UFA goaltenders that we'd want to break the bank on, do you?
I agree with your point about Dmen not being the only players responsible for defensive zone coverage but that is the most glaring weakness at the moment.
it's team defense... poor backchecking up the middle, primarily from the center position or the high forward coming off the cycle, lousy gap control by everyone in the neutral zone and by the defenseman against opposing players in the triangle that goes from the half-wall to the corner to the near goal post, getting caught on switches and complete lack of communication from goaltender to defensemen to the forwards.
a good example of it not being solely a defenseman issue was the winning goal the other night against Minnesota. i noticed a couple of busts on Lubo in both GDT threads and in fact, in 4 on 4 situations, it is the forwards responsibility to check the defenseman and vice versa. Martin Skoula was Kopitar's man and after he made the play (which was a give and go), Anze backed off into a zone and seemingly assumed that Visnovsky would rotate down and take the man. he didn't, so in that case you have two players essentially "floating" and ZERO communication between them. Lubo appears to make a bad read and Kopitar ends up late on recovering and Skoula gets inside position.
__________________ GESCOM:sneakin' peeks and coppin' feels!
Defintiely a realistic offseason, although I think Vancouver would trade Luc Bourdon way before they try to dangle Alex Edler.
I'm a little skeptical that DAL1 (in the 24-30 range) + LA2 (in the low 30s) + CAL2 (~50) could equal another top 10 pick. Even though this is a supposedly deep draft, you just don't want to drop that far down.
Ie, in the retardedly deep 2003 Draft, that'd be like trading Suter for Tambellini, Boyle, and Pushkarev. Getting a guy like Tambellini is much more likely than getting a Patrice Bergeron or Corey Perry late in the first.
Laying out the position of those picks made me think of something. Because of the ridiculous offer sheet that Lowe gave Penner, Edmonton lost many high picks. What would it take to get Matt Greene in LA? Maybe Deano will trade find a partner after the season that needs to restock picks? Greene provides some physical play on the blueline that this roster is lacking.
D-Fence! 
Barbera?
JJ289
