Jason Lewis: LA Kings five burning questions for the 2016-17 season

Odds that the Setoguchi contract is two-way?

One of the small changes that gives me hope this year is the bottom D pairing. As Jason has noted, Forbort and Gravel put up decent numbers albeit in a small sample. Despite that, Schenn and Scuderi were brought in and played larger roles, moving up and down the pairings (scuds on with DD -shudder-), than their actual play would seem to justify. Hopefully the mix of Gilbert, Gravel, Greene (the three Gs!) and Forbort can add stability to the D core. Curious if LaDue can leverage his solid camp into a dominant start with the Reign and keep knocking on the door as well.
It is frustrating to see so many of the usual suspects in the bottom 6. Nolan and Clifford have played enough games that we know who they are. With Clifford that's generally a good thing but with Nolan its generally not. Hopefully Shore can step up his scoring a bit, Dowd keeps building on what he showed last year, Seto and Purcell help to provide some balance and Kempe and Mersch (Amadio and Auger long shots?) make it hard not to bring them up.

Unloading brown has gotta be like a horton or clarkson trade.

Brown will continue to slide,

Purcel is a potential null signing

Gooch has potential to pan out on the positive side.

McNaab will continue to piss me off and be lauded over here on this blog

Andreof Nolan King and Clifford don't bring much hope at all, King is great on the forecheck and makes some good plays once in a while but should be a 4th liner at best.

I would have really liked to see Kempe get a shot because we need speed and creativity and he did look a lot better in this camp.

Prediction : Kings eek into the play offs and are a first round exit again.

LA needs a better bottom 6. Theyre bottom 6 is far to complacent and ineffective.

LA needs a better bottom 6. Theyre bottom 6 is far to complacent and ineffective.
- poisondhearts37

I actually think the Kings bottom six is one of their strengths. Their top offensive line and bottom pairing defense are their weaknesses.

I actually think the Kings bottom six is one of their strengths. Their top offensive line and bottom pairing defense are their weaknesses.
- tkecanuck341

It was as strength 4 yrs ago.

Unloading brown has gotta be like a horton or clarkson trade.
- SRam19

Definitely a route that could develop if he has another struggle filled year

It was as strength 4 yrs ago.
- poisondhearts37

I personally like the look of a 3rd line of Purcell-Lewis-Brown and a 4th line of Clifford-Andreoff-Nolan. You can put Shore and Dowd on the 4th line in place of Andreoff and Nolan when you're playing a skill team like Detroit, then switch back to the heavy hitters when you're playing against hard-nosed teams like the Ducks.

Compare that with 2012. King-Stoll-Lewis and Clifford-Fraser-Nolan. I think those lines are comparable.

Definitely a route that could develop if he has another struggle filled year
- Jason_Lewis

If Brown has another down year, I think Lombardi will cross his fingers and hope Brown gets taken in the expansion draft. I don't think a trade happens before then. If not, then he'll have to bite the bullet and make a move like this.

I personally like the look of a 3rd line of Purcell-Lewis-Brown and a 4th line of Clifford-Andreoff-Nolan. You can put Shore and Dowd on the 4th line in place of Andreoff and Nolan when you're playing a skill team like Detroit, then switch back to the heavy hitters when you're playing against hard-nosed teams like the Ducks.

Compare that with 2012. King-Stoll-Lewis and Clifford-Fraser-Nolan. I think those lines are comparable.
- tkecanuck341

Problem is. Clifford is basically worthless at this point. He isnt physical. He chips in almost nothing. Same for Andreoff. Now Andreoff has more time to show he can turn into something. Same mindset goes for Brown though. Since he isnt effective for offense at all. The least he could do is hit something. And ever since the hit on Pominville. Hes gone almost completely invisible.

If Brown has another down year, I think Lombardi will cross his fingers and hope Brown gets taken in the expansion draft. I don't think a trade happens before then. If not, then he'll have to bite the bullet and make a move like this.
- tkecanuck341

Down year or not. DeanO is crossing his fingers Brown is gone in expansion draft no matter what.

Jason, you frequently (including three times here) put down the offseason "negativity" and seem to go out of your way to convince fans that it's unreasonable. Have you considered that, maybe, the fans have the more reasonable read on the team and that your message isn't sinking in because it's too optimistic?

For example, you were gushing about Lombardi's signings on July 1st, presumably because you felt that the negativity from the fans on that day was similarly irrational, and you particularly praised the signings of Trotman and Latta, calling them the best signings. Both of those players ended up getting waived before the season started. Perhaps the fans who were skeptical (if not pessimistic or "negative") were right and you were wrong.

You repeatedly suggest that there's nothing really new with the team, as though fans should expect the team to be about as good as last year. Should they also, though, expect the team to not be able to sustain the early strong play, decline in the 2nd half and to go out in a whimper in the offseason? When the team has won only 1 playoff game in the last two years and nothing is really new this time around, isn't that a concern?

That said, I think that it's obvious to most fans that there is a lot that's new with the team, not to the core or the system, but all along the edges. There are more question marks this season than in past seasons, and not really the good kind of question marks. When the questions are whether these players will simply be as good as what they replaced (and it's almost a sure thing that not all will), there's some reason to be concerned.

You can call it negativity, but these are not unreasonable concerns. You choose to be one of the most optimistic of fans, and that's your prerogative, but being more optimistic than others doesn't make one the better judge. Just look at Trotman and Latta. Being critical or lukewarm about many moves made by the organization, rather than praising and being optimistic about every one, doesn't make fans "negative." It suggests that they're judging them on their face, rather than what they want to believe. I think that, when you judge this team on its face at this moment, there are greater concerns than there were a year ago and most fans recognize that, hence the relatively lower confidence. We'll see how it plays out, but I think that it's reasonable to be concerned and unreasonable to cast that concern as negativity.

Jason, you frequently (including three times here) put down the offseason "negativity" and seem to go out of your way to convince fans that it's unreasonable. Have you considered that, maybe, the fans have the more reasonable read on the team and that your message isn't sinking in because it's too optimistic?

For example, you were gushing about Lombardi's signings on July 1st, presumably because you felt that the negativity from the fans on that day was similarly irrational, and you particularly praised the signings of Trotman and Latta, calling them the best signings. Both of those players ended up getting waived before the season started. Perhaps the fans who were skeptical (if not pessimistic or "negative") were right and you were wrong.

You repeatedly suggest that there's nothing really new with the team, as though fans should expect the team to be about as good as last year. Should they also, though, expect the team to not be able to sustain the early strong play, decline in the 2nd half and to go out in a whimper in the offseason? When the team has won only 1 playoff game in the last two years and nothing is really new this time around, isn't that a concern?

That said, I think that it's obvious to most fans that there is a lot that's new with the team, not to the core or the system, but all along the edges. There are more question marks this season than in past seasons, and not really the good kind of question marks. When the questions are whether these players will simply be as good as what they replaced (and it's almost a sure thing that not all will), there's some reason to be concerned.

You can call it negativity, but these are not unreasonable concerns. You choose to be one of the most optimistic of fans, and that's your prerogative, but being more optimistic than others doesn't make one the better judge. Just look at Trotman and Latta. Being critical or lukewarm about many moves made by the organization, rather than praising and being optimistic about every one, doesn't make fans "negative." It suggests that they're judging them on their face, rather than what they want to believe. I think that, when you judge this team on its face at this moment, there are greater concerns than there were a year ago and most fans recognize that, hence the relatively lower confidence. We'll see how it plays out, but I think that it's reasonable to be concerned and unreasonable to cast that concern as negativity.
- Osprey

While Gilbert could possibly have a good season. The signings dont do anyhthing for the team other than possibly Purcell producing. And Seto getting a deal and also producing. You could find so many free agents out in the market to be equal to each Dman that got brought in.

I think you simply sign some of these guys just to create competition for your aged vets and up and comers. Cant make them really compete with the guys that are already locks. The 5-7 Defense spots are a crap shoot since they didnt actually get anything worth while. So just create competition. Make a young buck step up. Same for the bottom six. Bring in a Latta who could take anybody in the bottom 6's spot. Make them want it.

Problem is. Clifford is basically worthless at this point. He isnt physical. He chips in almost nothing. Same for Andreoff. Now Andreoff has more time to show he can turn into something. Same mindset goes for Brown though. Since he isnt effective for offense at all. The least he could do is hit something. And ever since the hit on Pominville. Hes gone almost completely invisible.
- poisondhearts37

I'm gonna have to disagree on Clifford. He missed a lot of last season due to the concussion from Hedman's hit, and he took a few games to get his rhythm back, but aside from that I thought he was good.

I think Andreoff is just fine for a fourth line option. He's certainly not going to win any skills competitions, but for a grinding, forechecking fourth-liner, I think he is very effective.

I don't disagree about Brown. He has been a terrible top-six forward these last few years. Due to his contract and captaincy, I think that Lombardi and Sutter had been putting him in situations that exceed his new normal. If they instead use him on the 3rd or 4th lines and take away the scoring requirement, then I think he can be an effective player again. Granted, he'd be the most expensive 4th line player in the league, but he'd also be one of the best. We're stuck with his contract, we might as well get what we can out of him rather than throwing him in over his head and dragging down the performance of our top six in the process.

Down year or not. DeanO is crossing his fingers Brown is gone in expansion draft no matter what.
- poisondhearts37

If Brown puts up 20g and 50p again (i.e. not a down year), I don't think that Lombardi will wish that he goes. He might not go so far as to spend a protection spot on him, but I think he'd secretly hope that someone else gets taken.

If Brown puts up 20g and 50p again (i.e. not a down year), I don't think that Lombardi will wish that he goes. He might not go so far as to spend a protection spot on him, but I think he'd secretly hope that someone else gets taken.
- tkecanuck341

We all as kings fans, have been hoping Brown turns it around for three years now. He is another year older. I doubt he gets above 25pts, if that. God I hope brown gets picked up in the expansion draft. Otherwise the Kings will be stuck with him. A buyout doesn't help much really and no team is taking on brown without eating some contract and a prospect goes back with him (I.e. Bickell/Terovienen)

If Brown puts up 20g and 50p again (i.e. not a down year), I don't think that Lombardi will wish that he goes. He might not go so far as to spend a protection spot on him, but I think he'd secretly hope that someone else gets taken.
- tkecanuck341

even if he goes 20/50 this season, what are the odds he keeps it up during his contract? DL would be happy he can give a lower draft pick to LV to entice them to take 23, but i can't see DL actually wanting to keep him at this point.