Trouble in LA LA land

[Pokecheque]

Already going great in LA. Team does the Bergevin thing by not making him available to the media and now the stink of his decline in Montreal is all over this.

Can't wait until Blake gets the axe and Bergy takes a sledgehammer to everything he's built.

[Pokecheque]

Not sold on this rebuild. Kings are winning, but in the weakest division in hockey, made even weaker by the recent faceplant by the Vegas Golden Knights.

Kings regularly outshoot their opponents this season but only have the 13th-best offense in the league, and according to their fans, most of their biggest weapons (Iafallo, Kopitar, Kempe, Kaliev, Danault) have all run dry at the exact same time. Quick had a good start but has since put up terrible numbers.

I just don't quite get what Blake is trying to do here. Still searching for a top six center despite several kicks at the can in the draft (if Byfield ain't that guy, hoo boy), still relying way too much on the Old Guard of Kopitar, Quick, Brown, and Doughty. New additions like Edler and Arvidsson also got hurt.

If guys like Byfield and Clarke turn out to be studs, I'm sure I'll eat crow on this, but I'm skeptical.

Also, fix those damned uniforms. Second-worst duds in the league, barely ahead of those awful Ducks kits.

One kid to keep an eye on, Jordan Spence. Defenseman selected in the 4th round in 2019. He was probably the Kings' best player last night.

[E.L.]

So many surefire prospects are struggling to get over the hump: Anderson-Dolan, Vilardi, Turcotte, Kupari, Thomas. None have really made their mark. They should look into that.

[Pokecheque]

So many surefire prospects are struggling to get over the hump: Anderson-Dolan, Vilardi, Turcotte, Kupari, Thomas. None have really made their mark. They should look into that.

Fairly surprised about Turcotte. I believe he was the highest player taken off that insanely stacked NTDP team (except, of course, Jack Hughes) and is still toiling in the minors.

Watch Bergy take over and put fellow GNC-guzzler Trevor Timmins in charge.

[Pokecheque]

Kings lose a nuclear-grade barnburner against Seattle last night, 9-8 (!!!!!) in OT, put Cal Petersen on waivers, and canceled media availability AND practice.

[Pokecheque]

Legendary scribe Helene Elliott hangs them up, or at the very least ends her amazing run at the Los Angeles Times.

I believe this particular column is not behind a paywall.

https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/20 ... ell-column" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I didn't realize her husband died late last year. Obviously that played a part but she also opted for a buyout to save the career of one of her colleagues in the wake of massive layoffs at the LA Times and other news outlets.

Y'all should read it. She was one of very best to do it, and this is an example of some of her finest work.

[E.L.]

Welp, the PLD gambit has blown up in their faces already. As mentioned in the Boston thread, the story is LA tried to trade Mr. 8.5M cap hit to Boston for Ullmark but the goalie refused to waive his no-trade.

Dubois has 28 points this season, but he's playing less than 16 mins a night and isn't getting the PP time he needs.

If Boston thinks they can fix him, maybe someone else will in the offseason? This story isn't over yet.

[Pokecheque]

https://twitter.com/spittinchiclets/sta ... _&ref_url=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[E.L.]

Out in five in the first round against the Oilers. Prized offseason acquisition Pierre-Luc Dubois had a disastrous first, and possibly last, season in LA.

Two goals in his final 21 games. Took three penalties in five playoff games. Another $59.5M in salary over the next seven years.

They can buy him out now and save about 32M, but after that it gets costly.

[Pokecheque]

Thank heavens for the Kings that they did not do one of those stupid contracts where nearly all of it is paid out in signing bonuses. That makes a buyout much more amenable, though as you say, things get pretty dicey there down the road.

I can't imagine Blake survives this. That's a very high payroll for a team that just...isn't all that great.

[E.L.]

Blake says no buyout for PLD, but will Blake even be the guy to make the call?

[Pokecheque]

Blake says no buyout for PLD, but will Blake even be the guy to make the call?

Blake IIRC has only one year left on his deal. He's got one more chance to turn it around, after that he's likely gone. Not sure what in hell he can do at this point, obviously he has to try SOMETHING in order to fix the horrendous goaltending situation. What that is, I don't know.

[E.L.]

HOLY COW: PLD to Washington for Kuemper. Hockey trade no salary retained.

[E.L.]

Kings are going back to 90s silver and black look. Sharp.

https://x.com/LAKings/status/1806078818320531628" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Pokecheque]

Kings are going back to 90s silver and black look. Sharp.

https://x.com/LAKings/status/1806078818320531628" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I absolutely despised the number/nameplate font they used throughout the mid-90s until now. Always looked like something better-suited for a Medieval-themed kids restaurant.

Glad they're going back, the minor changes to the primary logo are fine, and if I'm being nitpicky I preferred the numbers being right on the sleeve stripe like they were when Gretzky played there, but whatever, these were hands-down the second-worst uniforms in hockey, this is a vast, vast improvement.

Now...bring back those "Forum Blue" originals as an alternate (both of them) and you're cookin'.

[E.L.]

Byfield re-signs for five years, $31.25M after his breakout season. $6.25M AAV. Sets him up to be a UFA at 27.

[Pokecheque]

Byfield re-signs for five years, $31.25M after his breakout season. $6.25M AAV. Sets him up to be a UFA at 27.

If he continues his development, that'll be insane value, and a huge payday for Byfield afterward. If he doesn't, it's still decent, but not great.

Either way, by the time that contract expires, what's left of the Kings' aging core will be long since done.

[E.L.]

Drew Doughty’s ankle exploded. Out month to month!

[E.L.]

Blake out. Holland in.

Blake deserved to go for the PLD debacle, but bringing the guy who was gifted McDavid and Draisaitl and got nothing done probably isn’t the answer.