Jason Lewis: Setoguchi Edging Closer to a Roster Spot + Camp Cuts

I must admit, I've been surprised and impressed by the play of Setoguchi thus far. If we can sign him to a six-figure contract, then he'd be a great addition to the team. If he wants $1M+, then we have to let him walk.

Go Gooch! Keep up the hard work! (and I mean sobriety, not hockey... though he can keep that up too).

Hope he makes the team. Always felt bad that Setoguchi's career tanked after leaving San Jose, but the trade was obviously heavily in the favor of the Sharks. Only issue I see is the inevitability of Seto becoming a Shark killer in L.A.

Setoguchi has looked impressive every chance I've had to watch him this preseason. I scoffed and wrote him off when we signed him to the PTO, but I genuinely hope he makes it now. He has skill that guys like Nolan or Andreoff just will never have.

Also, not surprised with Trotman, he didn't cut it from what I saw. Still rooting for Forbort, Gravel, and Gilbert to be the 3.

Setoguchi has looked impressive every chance I've had to watch him this preseason. I scoffed and wrote him off when we signed him to the PTO, but I genuinely hope he makes it now. He has skill that guys like Nolan or Andreoff just will never have.

Also, not surprised with Trotman, he didn't cut it from what I saw. Still rooting for Forbort, Gravel, and Gilbert to be the 3.
- CrownedKing

Had a surprising amount of hesitancy in moving the puck up ice.

Go Gooch! Keep up the hard work! (and I mean sobriety, not hockey... though he can keep that up too).
- ChrisMS

How can you not root for this guy. Having somebody in the public eye succeed in battling addiction is so important to the people that are feeling hopeless. He is an inspiration to all suffering the hell of addiction.

I think him holding a cup in June would be a cherry on top of this story

Forgot about toff on the right side

How do you see the line up shaping up Jason ?

I'm sure that Setoguchi and Lombardi both knew what they were doing. They saw that the quality of LA's forward corps wasn't that great or deep and that a single injury could create a big problem (for Lombardi) and a big opportunity (for Setoguchi). I see it as hardly a coincidence that the team suddenly has a need for a skill player and Devin just happens to be there. Hopefully, he makes the team, since it's a good story and the team could use some production, even after Gaborik gets back, IMO.

Forgot about toff on the right side

How do you see the line up shaping up Jason ?
- Jmoogs

Always the obvious ones

A turnover machine is what I saw in Trotman. I wish DL would have some faith in our D prospects, who look very formidable this year. Instead, he keeps adding re-treads which cause a log jam for opportunity.

A turnover machine is what I saw in Trotman. I wish DL would have some faith in our D prospects, who look very formidable this year. Instead, he keeps adding re-treads which cause a log jam for opportunity.
- Regulate

Options are never a bad thing. If the home grown prospects are truly the best option, they will win their spot in training camp.

Setoguchi has looked impressive every chance I've had to watch him this preseason. I scoffed and wrote him off when we signed him to the PTO, but I genuinely hope he makes it now. He has skill that guys like Nolan or Andreoff just will never have.

Also, not surprised with Trotman, he didn't cut it from what I saw. Still rooting for Forbort, Gravel, and Gilbert to be the 3.
- CrownedKing

Not sure how that would work. In order for them to keep those 3, they'd have to get both Scuderi and Greene off the roster, and I don't see that happening.

how is Scuderi still in the mix..?? i doubt he's gotten any faster in the off season.

how is Scuderi still in the mix..?? i doubt he's gotten any faster in the off season.
- kaptaan

He's probably not in the mix for the top six, but he'll probably stay on as the 7th defenseman (or 8th if Lombardi decides to go 13/8 instead of 14/7), simply because he has a contract that is likely unable to be moved. They can stash him in the AHL, but they'd still get hit with ~$250k of salary overages against the cap. With their current cap situation, that's not something that they can afford.

With Gravel able to be sent to Ontario without waivers, it's likely that we'll see Gilbert, Forbort, Greene, and Scuderi as the 5th-8th defensemen. Gilbert will have a regular roster spot, while the latter 3 will alternate, with Forbort taking the majority of starts.

how is Scuderi still in the mix..?? i doubt he's gotten any faster in the off season.
- kaptaan

Scuderi should just retire and join the coaching staff or something. Teams score at will when he's on the ice. I don't know anything about salary overages but I don't care either. Scuds, bless his heart, is terrible and has to go.

With that goal he scored, I don't think that a goalie in the world could have stopped that Setoguchi blast. Obviously he is in good condition and ready to contribute. Give him a contract and see if he can do it on a more regular basis. Kings need some depth players anyway so he has earned a shot.

I don't know if Dustin Brown can be considered as bolstering any line at this point. The man has been on steady decline since the last cup he won, and in a big way. He's a good guy (off the ice anyways..), hopefully he can rebound this season, and if not, it's buy out city for him at the end of this year guaranteed.

Off topic, but I just read this article on The Hockey News. A decent amount of it was correct, but this paragraph really stood out to me.

In net is the Kings real achilles heel. That may seem odd given all the lore that surrounds Jonathan Quick, but he’s only slightly above average for his career while being treated as a top three goalie in the league (and if your argument is his “clutchness” ask yourself where that was in last year’s playoffs and this year’s World Cup). He gets lauded because he wins a lot (because his team is very good) and his low GAA (his team gives up very few shots), but his save percentage has rarely been anything special.

Seems like something Tanner would write, a quick "numbers are the only thing that matter, ever" analysis for which no games were actually watched. I'm obviously biased, but are their really people that put blame for Team USA's complete failure at the WCOH on Quick? I mean... really?!

http://www.thehockeynews....preview-los-angeles-kings

Not sure how that would work. In order for them to keep those 3, they'd have to get both Scuderi and Greene off the roster, and I don't see that happening.
- tkecanuck341

Its been a few months since I had the exact numbers, but Scuderi's hit against the cap drops a lot if sent to AHL, and Green's drops a little (and he already passed through waivers which I think counts, and if not, hey please take him haha).
We need to pick the 3 (or 4, but hopefully not) which give us the best chance to win today and for the future, and for my money it is those three.

Off topic, but I just read this article on The Hockey News. A decent amount of it was correct, but this paragraph really stood out to me.



Seems like something Tanner would write, a quick "numbers are the only thing that matter, ever" analysis for which no games were actually watched. I'm obviously biased, but are their really people that put blame for Team USA's complete failure at the WCOH on Quick? I mean... really?!

http://www.thehockeynews....preview-los-angeles-kings
- PancakesPenner

I have read a lot of comments from people saying they should have went with Bishop or Schnieder and that he was only picked because he has Stanley Cups. A lot of people feel he is a mediocre goalie that was benefiting from playing with the best D in the league.

I have read a lot of comments from people saying they should have went with Bishop or Schnieder and that he was only picked because he has Stanley Cups. A lot of people feel he is a mediocre goalie that was benefiting from playing with the best D in the league.
- LAkings96

Is he mediocre? No.
Is he at fault for Team USA poor results? Not at all.
But is he a top 3 goalie in the league? Probably not.

Off topic, but I just read this article on The Hockey News. A decent amount of it was correct, but this paragraph really stood out to me.



Seems like something Tanner would write, a quick "numbers are the only thing that matter, ever" analysis for which no games were actually watched. I'm obviously biased, but are their really people that put blame for Team USA's complete failure at the WCOH on Quick? I mean... really?!

http://www.thehockeynews....preview-los-angeles-kings
- PancakesPenner

Quick is a top 3 goalie at times then he will just do something and let in a softie here and there. I watched the guy, particularly in 2012, make unbelievable highlight reel saves saving the game and winning the Stanley Cup. I know he has it in him to be a Vezina type guy but really he let's in some softies and the defense has not been there the way they describe, particularly last season where we had an awful bottom pairing and McNabb not always doing the job. Then Martinez was injured for the playoffs so there were more problems. Anyway...

Is he mediocre? No.
Is he at fault for Team USA poor results? Not at all.
But is he a top 3 goalie in the league? Probably not.
- CrownedKing

Yeah, I'd say that if Quick were a top 3 NHL goalie, he'd be 3. I'd say he's probably more a top 5, definitely a top 10.

What I tend to take issue with is the people who tried to blame him for Team USA losing in the Olympics, and now the WCOH. The team was a dumpster fire a lot of the time, and both times Quick was one of, if not the best US player on the ice. Could Team USA gone with Schneider or Bishop over Quick in this last tournament? Definitely. They're both great goalies, Schneider especially. But, would that have made the defense suddenly know how to play, or the offense how to score...?