Ben Shelley: Gabriel Vilardi could get a large role with the Kings next season

I feel he can easily be the #2 center but like you said and as we all know, he has had some major injuries already and he hasn't even really started his NHL career yet. He has shown some great things when healthy so hopefully we can see him playing a lot more nhl games next season and be healthy.

The Kings have a couple other up and coming top centers as well so not sure how they will fit in since no one will take on Kopitar's contract.

Whether he's the "2C" or "3C" is just semantics at this point. He and Frk built solid chemistry in the AHL/NHL last season, so they're all but guaranteed to be on a line together. Kempe is likely to be the LW on that line. So assuming there's a line of Kempe-Vilardi-Frk and Grundstrom-Amadio-Carter, which is the 2nd line and which is the 3rd?

I feel he can easily be the #2 center but like you said and as we all know, he has had some major injuries already and he hasn't even really started his NHL career yet. He has shown some great things when healthy so hopefully we can see him playing a lot more nhl games next season and be healthy.

The Kings have a couple other up and coming top centers as well so not sure how they will fit in since no one will take on Kopitar's contract.
- Bojangle

If the Kings put Kopitar on the trade block (and if Kopitar was willing to waive his NTC), there would be numerous suitors for his services. However, the Kings have no interest in trading him, as he's still an elite two-way center in the NHL. He's not going anywhere, and I suspect he will extend his contract with the Kings once the current one ends.

If the Kings put Kopitar on the trade block (and if Kopitar was willing to waive his NTC), there would be numerous suitors for his services. However, the Kings have no interest in trading him, as he's still an elite two-way center in the NHL. He's not going anywhere, and I suspect he will extend his contract with the Kings once the current one ends.
- tkecanuck341

add to that Kopitar's value in mentoring the young prospects coming up, I would be surprised to see the Kings letting him go..

Bring in Turcotte and Byfield. Its a rebuild so let them play and learn. That would one awesome group of centers. Toss in some really fast skating wingers and the rest of the NHL will hate us. Forget playing defense, lets try to score at least 5 goals per game. Now that would be exciting. Once the forwards catch the scoring bug, then we can draft and build a defense around that.

Bring in Turcotte and Byfield. Its a rebuild so let them play and learn. That would one awesome group of centers. Toss in some really fast skating wingers and the rest of the NHL will hate us. Forget playing defense, lets try to score at least 5 goals per game. Now that would be exciting. Once the forwards catch the scoring bug, then we can draft and build a defense around that.
- UglyinLA

Ask Toronto how well that strategy has worked for them.

Ask Toronto how well that strategy has worked for them.
- tkecanuck341

So your opposing strategy for next season would be to leave Byfield and Turcotte in the minors and build up the D corp with whom?

So your opposing strategy for next season would be to leave Byfield and Turcotte in the minors and build up the D corp with whom?
- UglyinLA

The solution is to leave Byfield and Turcotte in the OHL and DEL/AHL, repressively, and play with the roster we have.

So your opposing strategy for next season would be to leave Byfield and Turcotte in the minors and build up the D corp with whom?
- UglyinLA

Maatta-Doughty
Anderson-Roy
MacDermid-Walker
Clague