Panthers, Kings off-season report (The Hockey News)

[lesgardiens]

Los Angeles Kings
Gone – Michael Cammalleri, Lubomir Visnovsky, Rob Blake, Jon Klemm, Ladislav Nagy, Scott Thornton, Brian Willsie, Dan Cloutier.

Incoming - Jarret Stoll, Matt Greene, Brad Richardson, Denis Gauthier.

Ready for full time – Teddy Purcell may have won the American League scoring title this season had he not been recalled to the big club. He impressed in his recall and will impress you as a rookie in your fantasy league. Look for him to play on the top six.

Another potential hotshot is defenseman Peter Harrold. He posted nearly a point per game for Manchester (AHL) and was a plus player in 25 NHL games. With Visnovsky gone, the Kings need a quarterback and Harrold, 25, fits the bill.

Big pivot Brian Boyle is also ready to make the jump, but he will probably need to start out on a depth line due to the numbers game. Checking winger Lauri Tukonen is ready for fourth-line duty.

Last, but certainly not least, Drew Doughty, the second overall pick in last month’s entry draft will get a long look in camp, but may be better served with one more year in junior.

Fantasy Outlook - Last summer I stated in this column that the Kings have everything in place for a powerhouse team of the future and I gave them an “A-” rating. I said they would not make the playoffs, but if you didn’t scoop up their players right away, it would be difficult to do so in the future. Here we are a year later and the Kings did miss the playoffs (for which THN gave GM Dean Lombardi a rather poor rating in their annual GM review), but look at their potential roster a year from now:

Forwards:
Patrick O’Sullivan – Anze Kopitar – Dustin Brown
Alexander Frolov – Brian Boyle - Teddy Purcell
Kyle Calder – Michal Handzus – Lauri Tukonen

With Trevor Lewis, Oscar Moller and Wayne Simmonds on the way.

Defensemen:
Jack Johnson – Drew Doughty
Thomas Hickey – Peter Harrold
Matt Greene – Colton Teubert

Jonathan Bernier is their goaltender of the future.

This does not reflect the fact they will be picking up free agents next summer, which they will certainly be able to afford. Los Angeles is well on its way to being a league power. They’ll contend for a playoff spot next year, but likely fall short. A year from now, however, they will sail into the post-season easily. They have youth, depth and skill at every position, which makes me wish I were a Kings fan. In a way, I guess I am now… A team to build your fantasy squad on, no question.

Fantasy Grade: A (last year was A-)

[24diving]

Moulson is likely to make the team at this point from what Lombardi said during the video broadcast yesterday. I don't think they are projecting that Tukonen is ready yet.

[tkell00]

I like this team--maybe a year out yet but really coming together and a pocket full of bucks to add more strength and experience!

[job]

They’ll contend for a playoff spot next year, but likely fall short. A year from now, however, they will sail into the post-season easily.

Gee, who has been saying that very thing? Goddam I love myself.

[KingSam]

Does anyone know who are UFA's next season, just to give us hope and as always let us down on a big name free agent signing.

[SFKingshomer]

Originally Posted by KingSam

Does anyone know who are UFA's next season, just to give us hope and as always let us down on a big name free agent signing.

Hossa, Gaborik, and the Sedins.

[Stemmer]

The Kings don't need any f..ing UFA or otherwise. We have built this team the right way through the draft and good Free Agent pickups from College. The team has been built through and through. For once we have talent, skill, depth and one helluva of future...Move over Detroit,Dallas...we are going to be heard from...No team in the NHL has as much talent skill and depth as the Kings...Some may be good now...but in a year or two when our team comes of age look-out...we have an allStar team and we are going to Royally kick some Ass...

[Stemmer]

You mentioned the good-great players on the Kings and coming up through the ranks but you forgot Vyateslav Voinov and Andrei Loktionov. The Kings literally stole these players...They say had the draft been on a 'level playing surface', Voinov and Loktionov would have been high First and Second Rounders respectively. So we basically got four first rounders and with Wudrick that could turn out to be Five...Kings Are Going to Kick Some Royal Ass...no more doormats for this franchise...we have been built the right way...Patience my dear I'm going to 'Kill' something...

[puckplayer]

the only reason that Purcell Harrold Boyle Tukonen or Doughty will make the Kings team is because the Kings have an empty roster just about on par with an expansion franchise

[LAK1ngs]

but...but... we suck... this is the worst team in the history of the NHL... I'm so confused....

[Stemmer]

The Kings hardly look like an expansion franchise. We have a superstar Centre Anze Kopitar to go with the next great captain, Dustin Brown. And who wouldn't love him. Sully is the new Steve Shutt... Boyle is going to overpower a lot of people...30 goals count on it, he's hungry...Frolov is our steady Superstar, allround our best...The D...has designs of complete domination...JJ,Doughty,Teubert,Voinov,Hickey & Greene...In goal Bernier will be the Next great French Canadian 'tender...I love this team...Lots of Americans and Canadians with some gifted Europeans...

The Kings have a empty roster...hardly... the Kings could ice two NHL teams with the talent we have...

[astrodog777]

The Kings have a empty roster...hardly... the Kings could ice two NHL teams with the talent we have...

What are you smoking? Two teams. We barely had one last year. I do think we will have a very good team in two seasons, but not now.

[FlyinKIng]

Wow, 2 positive posts in 3 days, what is this place coming to?