Here are the moves I would try to make this offseason.

1. Try to sign Joe Thornton for 3C. 1 or 2 years, no more than $3.5M.

2. Try to sign Martin Hanzel for 3C if Thornton won't bite. Again, no more than $3.5M, 3-4 years.

3. If neither of those guys go for those offers, offer Justin Williams 3 years at $3M.

4. If Williams won't sign, offer Patrick Sharp 2 years @ $3M (If he passes a physical).

5. Regardless of all the above, sign Jarome Iginla to 1 year, $2-2.5M.

6. If there's enough money left after 1-5, sign Johnny Oduya to 2 year contract for $3M.

7. Trade Clifford to Las Vegas along with a 2nd or 3rd round pick for Calvin Pickard.

8. Euthanize Jeff Zatkoff (or stash him in the AHL behind Campbell).

Here are the moves I would try to make this offseason.

1. Try to sign Joe Thornton for 3C. 1 or 2 years, no more than $3.5M.

2. Try to sign Martin Hanzel for 3C if Thornton won't bite. Again, no more than $3.5M, 3-4 years.

3. If neither of those guys go for those offers, offer Justin Williams 3 years at $3M.

4. If Williams won't sign, offer Patrick Sharp 2 years @ $3M (If he passes a physical).

5. Regardless of all the above, sign Jarome Iginla to 1 year, $2-2.5M.

6. If there's enough money left after 1-5, sign Johnny Oduya to 2 year contract for $3M.

7. Trade Clifford to Las Vegas along with a 2nd or 3rd round pick for Calvin Pickard.

8. Euthanize Jeff Zatkoff (or stash him in the AHL behind Campbell).
- tkecanuck341

#3, #5, or #6 AND #8!!...not in that order. Getting Jumbo would be like the 80s Lakers picking up Danny Ainge or something... Others are fragile and I doubt LV lets Picard go for Cliffy.

I can only hope they took a stab at Methot too... he's a proven veteran warrior with a lot of strong nasty to his game.

I can only hope they took a stab at Methot too... he's a proven veteran warrior with a lot of strong nasty to his game.
- Stu17

I wouldn't have been mad at bringing him in for a 2nd, but he's on the wrong side of 30, and statistically Karlsson carried him, not the other way around. With a smaller sample size granted, Karlsson's numbers were the worst with Methot. I think he could rapidly slow down and lose effectiveness, although with Dallas' blue line of all out and out offensive guys, he can be a nice counter. Our dmen are well balanced enough I didn't think him necessary.

#3, #5, or #6 AND #8!!...not in that order. Getting Jumbo would be like the 80s Lakers picking up Danny Ainge or something... Others are fragile and I doubt LV lets Picard go for Cliffy.
- Stu17

Vegas is stockpiling draft picks. The attraction here is the pick, not the player.

I'm not a basketball fan, so your Lakers reference went straight over my head.

can you explain why you don't like getting a 2nd line RW and Top 4D AND dump contracts at the same time? Not that this would happen but I think it makes sense.

Vegas would get a 1st for taking on a bad contract and brown is still a great character addition.
- AlfieisKing

I'd be scared to be icing Ryan and Toffoli, too similar of players, and given ages and recent production I prefer the one we already have. I wouldn't take Phaneuf over any of our top 4 d either, especially not for his contract.

Here are the moves I would try to make this offseason.

1. Try to sign Joe Thornton for 3C. 1 or 2 years, no more than $3.5M.

2. Try to sign Martin Hanzel for 3C if Thornton won't bite. Again, no more than $3.5M, 3-4 years.

3. If neither of those guys go for those offers, offer Justin Williams 3 years at $3M.

4. If Williams won't sign, offer Patrick Sharp 2 years @ $3M (If he passes a physical).

5. Regardless of all the above, sign Jarome Iginla to 1 year, $2-2.5M.

6. If there's enough money left after 1-5, sign Johnny Oduya to 2 year contract for $3M.

7. Trade Clifford to Las Vegas along with a 2nd or 3rd round pick for Calvin Pickard.

8. Euthanize Jeff Zatkoff (or stash him in the AHL behind Campbell).
- tkecanuck341

I'd make move 1, maybe move 5, and 7 if they went for it.
I think aging expensive wingers will just exacerbate our current production and speed problem; I really think Brodzinski and Kempe need to be in the line up. I'd take a flier on someone like a Yakupov or Grigorienko, bring in a RHD on a 2 yr contract, and call it a day.
*I'd take Thornton if he was game and we could fit his salary though.

I'd make move 1, maybe move 5, and 7 if they went for it.
I think aging expensive wingers will just exacerbate our current production and speed problem; I really think Brodzinski and Kempe need to be in the line up. I'd take a flier on someone like a Yakupov or Grigorienko, bring in a RHD on a 2 yr contract, and call it a day.
*I'd take Thornton if he was game and we could fit his salary though.
- CrownedKing

Thornton wants 3 years. Not sure I'd do that.
https://lakingsinsider.co...pending-ufa-joe-thornton/

Thornton wants 3 years. Not sure I'd do that.
https://lakingsinsider.co...pending-ufa-joe-thornton/
- arh777

I'd give him 3 years if he'd take less money. 2 years at $3.5M or 3 years at $2.75M.

Thornton wants 3 years. Not sure I'd do that.
https://lakingsinsider.co...pending-ufa-joe-thornton/
- arh777

I'd avoid the 3 years. That's Doughty's year, need as many salaries off the books as possible. Would suck to not be able to pay Doughty because of the last year of a contract to a 40 year old Thornton haha, not that we'd actually let it happen.

Kings aren't close to playing for the cup and the Kings need to get younger and faster instead of older and slower. So that should be an easy NO on Thornton, for both sides. Thornton should go play for the either the Preds who can use some Center depth or take a big pay cut and play for the Hawks, Pens or Caps, those 4 teams I think are all closest to the Cup, in my opinion.

Edit: Just saw the 3 year thing, no team is going to want Thornton for 3 years and the Kings should stay as far from that as possible.

The Major is saying it looks like Jumbo Joe will be a King come Saturday.

3 years is one too many but man 11/77/19 down the middle come playoffs is lethal.

3 years is one too many but man 11/77/19 down the middle come playoffs is lethal.
- KINGS67

Id honestly imagine it would allow carter to play RW and have that 3rd center for icing's and what not.

Id honestly imagine it would allow carter to play RW and have that 3rd center for icing's and what not.
- poisondhearts37

I agree. We need an upgrade at wing, so we do it the roundabout way by bringing in a solid center and moving Carter to wing.

Id honestly imagine it would allow carter to play RW and have that 3rd center for icing's and what not.
- poisondhearts37

During the season. Yes Carter on RW but in the playoffs being strong down the middle is key

Id honestly imagine it would allow carter to play RW and have that 3rd center for icing's and what not.
- poisondhearts37

I wouldn't. If the Kings are trying to tweak their system to allow for more scoring, they're going to have to have four lines capable of putting goals in the net. Last season, what I would call our 3rd line players (Dowd, King, Lewis, Shore) scored 36 goals, while our 4th liners (Clifford, Nolan, Andreoff) scored 10. That's just not gonna cut it. Our lines should look like this next season:

Gaborik-Kopitar-Iginla
Pearson-Carter-Toffoli
Mersch-Thornton-Kempe
Brown-Dowd-Lewis
Shore/Clifford

I like Nolan and Andreoff on the old Kings, but if we're shifting to a system that will allow for more scoring, then we can't carry those anchors anymore. Our bottom six needs to be able to get closer to 65-70 goals, not the 46 that they managed last season.

Brodzinski should be the first call up in case of injury, and should take Clifford's spot next season when he is no longer waiver exempt. Clifford should be traded sometime before next July for the best return possible, but he shouldn't be on this team next season.

I wouldn't. If the Kings are trying to tweak their system to allow for more scoring, they're going to have to have four lines capable of putting goals in the net. Last season, what I would call our 3rd line players (Dowd, King, Lewis, Shore) scored 36 goals, while our 4th liners (Clifford, Nolan, Andreoff) scored 10. That's just not gonna cut it. Our lines should look like this next season:

Gaborik-Kopitar-Iginla
Pearson-Carter-Toffoli
Mersch-Thornton-Kempe
Brown-Dowd-Lewis
Shore/Clifford

I like Nolan and Andreoff on the old Kings, but if we're shifting to a system that will allow for more scoring, then we can't carry those anchors anymore. Our bottom six needs to be able to get closer to 65-70 goals, not the 46 that they managed last season.

Brodzinski should be the first call up in case of injury, and should take Clifford's spot next season when he is no longer waiver exempt. Clifford should be traded sometime before next July for the best return possible, but he shouldn't be on this team next season.
- tkecanuck341

Iggy isn't under a contract. But having Joe on the team allows us to use Carter as a RW as we did do when we first got him. Him and Toff on the right side is a nice thing. Then having Kopi and joe down the middle. And adding in Carter for any faceoff situation is a plus. Getting Joe isn't any part of helping the botton 6 score. Fixing that is a whole different issue on its own. Maybe some of that is simply just system stuff? We can only find out. But I guarantee you that while theyre looking to increase scoring. They aint looking at bottom 6 potential. Theyre looking at ppl who can help with the big dogs. Even though Joe is 38. He still produces at a high level. Not to mention signing him as a free agent means we dont loose any assets to get him.

Brod should also not be called up with a bottom 6 guy is injured. That isnt his role. Its the same concept with Yakupov not working anywhere. Coach's are trying to put them into roles that dont work. Brod should only be played in a top 6 role. Because he isnt a bottom 6 type of player. So he either makes it as a top 6 or is a career minor leaguer or goes to europe.

Iggy isn't under a contract. But having Joe on the team allows us to use Carter as a RW as we did do when we first got him. Him and Toff on the right side is a nice thing. Then having Kopi and joe down the middle. And adding in Carter for any faceoff situation is a plus. Getting Joe isn't any part of helping the botton 6 score. Fixing that is a whole different issue on its own. Maybe some of that is simply just system stuff? We can only find out. But I guarantee you that while theyre looking to increase scoring. They aint looking at bottom 6 potential. Theyre looking at ppl who can help with the big dogs. Even though Joe is 38. He still produces at a high level. Not to mention signing him as a free agent means we dont loose any assets to get him.

Brod should also not be called up with a bottom 6 guy is injured. That isnt his role. Its the same concept with Yakupov not working anywhere. Coach's are trying to put them into roles that dont work. Brod should only be played in a top 6 role. Because he isnt a bottom 6 type of player. So he either makes it as a top 6 or is a career minor leaguer or goes to europe.
- poisondhearts37

I realize that Iginla isn't under contract. When I said that these "should" be our lines, I thought it was implied that I was stating that the Kings should resign him.

The problem with the Kings right now is that they have a "top six" and a "bottom six." By putting Thornton, perhaps the most gifted passer and playmaker of his generation, alongside raw talent like Mersch and Kempe, we could get 40-50 goals out of the third line. 15-20 for each of the kids and 5-10 for Thornton himself. If we stack all of our scoring talent into one or two lines, opponents will just play their shutdown lines against our scoring lines, and we will have difficulty scoring again. By putting Thornton on the third line, the "top six" now becomes a "top nine" and a distributed scoring threat that other teams will have difficulty matching against.

Having a "fourth" line of Dowd, Brown, & Lewis gives us a scoring capable line there as well (the three of them put up 32 goals combined last season). Dowd and Brown are willing to throw the body around, so it retains the "checking line" mentality.

Brodzinski would be able to fit in any of those lines. If the Kings are resigned to only use him in the "top six" they might as well trade him now, as he's way too far down the depth chart for that to work.

Brodzinski would be able to fit in any of those lines. If the Kings are resigned to only use him in the "top six" they might as well trade him now, as he's way too far down the depth chart for that to work.
- tkecanuck341

thornton could prob turn brodz into a 20 goal scorer next season...and maybe even brown if he centered him quite frankly. or he could 2C and let Carter go guns blazing with Kopi. i like either option.

3 years assuming his knee recovers isn't horrible in my eyes if at reasonable cap hit, he can play with fast players and altho he's no burner, can still play fast. he's aged pretty well, and has been fairly durable before his knee shredded at the end of last season. if kopi can age like him, i'd call it a stellar career.

love love love the cal peterson expected signing. dude was a beast at ND the past couple years, and fits a nice need for organizational depth. if quick has another prolonged injury scare, it'll be nice to have peterson in the system for sure.

thornton could prob turn brodz into a 20 goal scorer next season...and maybe even brown if he centered him quite frankly. or he could 2C and let Carter go guns blazing with Kopi. i like either option.

3 years assuming his knee recovers isn't horrible in my eyes if at reasonable cap hit, he can play with fast players and altho he's no burner, can still play fast. he's aged pretty well, and has been fairly durable before his knee shredded at the end of last season. if kopi can age like him, i'd call it a stellar career.

love love love the cal peterson expected signing. dude was a beast at ND the past couple years, and fits a nice need for organizational depth. if quick has another prolonged injury scare, it'll be nice to have peterson in the system for sure.
- hiway39

If Thornton could turn Cheechoo into a 50g scorer, I'm sure he could work wonders with whomever you put on his wing. My point is that Mersch and Kempe are both better options this season. Kempe's ceiling is much higher than any other prospect in the pipeline right now, and Mersch is no longer waiver exempt while Brodzinski is for one more season.

Gaborik-Kopitar-Williams
Pearson-Carter-Toffoli
Mersch-Thornton-Kempe
Brown-Dowd-Lewis
Shore/Clifford
- tkecanuck341

Better yet....

Brodzinski would be able to fit in any of those lines. If the Kings are resigned to only use him in the "top six" they might as well trade him now, as he's way too far down the depth chart for that to work.
- tkecanuck341

Brod most def would not fit into any of the bottom 6 lines. Its not his style. Its the same reason a player like Yakupov isn't making it. Becuase he isn't working with his current coach's or players. So they play him down the lineup. Theyre not designed to be in those positions.

Brod most def would not fit into any of the bottom 6 lines. Its not his style. Its the same reason a player like Yakupov isn't making it. Becuase he isn't working with his current coach's or players. So they play him down the lineup. Theyre not designed to be in those positions.
- poisondhearts37

You're missing the point. The point is that the Kings shouldn't have a "top six" and a "bottom six" anymore. A lot of teams have a clear distinction between the two. The former is designed to be the two lines that score all your goals, while the latter is made up of your role players that eat up minutes, prevent the other team from scoring, and lay some bodies on the other team's defensemen so they get fatigued quicker, but isn't necessarily expected to put the puck in the net. That is the style of the "old" NHL.

The "new" NHL, which is showcased by teams like Edmonton, Chicago, and Pittsburgh, has a "top nine" and a "bottom three." When your "3rd line" is made of of Bonino, Kessel, & Hagelin, you likely have three full lines that are capable of putting pucks in the net. By firing Lombardi and Sutter, and appointing Blake to figure out a way to score more, the Kings ownership is essentially saying they want the team to fit into the "new" NHL.

If we go towards a top-nine style system, then Brodzinski no longer needs to fit in the "top six." He can fit comfortably on the third line alongside players like Thornton and Gaborik, and still be put into a role where he is able and expected to score goals.