Matt Ross: Slow Day = Quick One

Don't understand why we're not going after Panarin. I think adding him takes heat off young ones to become something right away, also no way he doesn't instantly make this team better in areas it struggles with.

As you know, Blake and co. won't be tendering a qualifying offer to Brendan Leipsic, making him a UFA in a few days. I thought with his energy and age (25), he might fit in with the younger roster the Kings are going to roll with, but they'll be cutting ties.
- Matt Ross

I suspect that the decision had less to do with fit and interest and more to do with finances and process. If they had qualified him, he could've elected arbitration, and his 18 points in 45 games last season probably would've won him a $1M+ contract from an arbiter. That's likely more than Blake wants to pay him, so he would've walked away, making Leipsic a UFA, anyways, but only after the bad blood of arbitration and a month after free agency opened. By not qualifying him, Blake kind of does a favor to Leipsic, who can shop himself immediately. Blake can still make an offer along with all of the other teams and, at the end of the day, who knows; maybe Leipsic will be underwhelmed by the other teams' offers, like the fit with LA better and how Blake treated him and re-sign. It probably won't happen, but it's possible.

Hopefully we'll start seeing some videos come out.
- Matt Ross

In the comments sections of the camp threads at lakingsinsider.com, a fan named Augie has been posting videos that he's taken. Here's a direct link to his gallery (so that you don't have to search through the comments):

https://www.pscp.tv/AugieRunGood/1MnxnveBngdxO

In theory that would be amazing but no way you could add him with Kopitar and Doughty making $11,000,000 which is probably what Panarin will get. I just don't see how you can 3 players making that and let's not forget Carter is making around $7,000,000 as well as Kovalchuk and Quick ain't exactly paying for league minimum either. I do agree he is exactly what they need but they just can't afford him at this point.

Earl

I suspect that the decision had less to do with fit and interest and more to do with finances and process. If they had qualified him, he could've elected arbitration, and his 18 points in 45 games last season probably would've won him a $1M+ contract from an arbiter. That's likely more than Blake wants to pay him, so he would've walked away, making Leipsic a UFA, anyways, but only after the bad blood of arbitration and a month after free agency opened. By not qualifying him, Blake kind of does a favor to Leipsic, who can shop himself immediately. Blake can still make an offer along with all of the other teams and, at the end of the day, who knows; maybe Leipsic will be underwhelmed by the other teams' offers, like the fit with LA better and how Blake treated him and re-sign. It probably won't happen, but it's possible.

In the comments sections of the camp threads at lakingsinsider.com, a fan named Augie has been posting videos that he's taken. Here's a direct link to his gallery (so that you don't have to search through the comments):

https://www.pscp.tv/AugieRunGood/1MnxnveBngdxO
- Osprey

Great points, Osprey. It wouldn’t make sense to go to arbitration with him. It would just drag things out for Leipsic (who can now get a jump on signing elsewhere) and would make the Kings sign a guy with money they don’t want to use on him.

Thanks for the link and pointing out the videos - awesome!

In theory that would be amazing but no way you could add him with Kopitar and Doughty making $11,000,000 which is probably what Panarin will get. I just don't see how you can 3 players making that and let's not forget Carter is making around $7,000,000 as well as Kovalchuk and Quick ain't exactly paying for league minimum either. I do agree he is exactly what they need but they just can't afford him at this point.

Earl
- Earl Skakel

Agreed, Earl

Not to mention they’ve stressed a bunch that they want to build from within and it’s the young guys turn to start stepping it up.

In theory that would be amazing but no way you could add him with Kopitar and Doughty making $11,000,000 which is probably what Panarin will get. I just don't see how you can 3 players making that and let's not forget Carter is making around $7,000,000 as well as Kovalchuk and Quick ain't exactly paying for league minimum either. I do agree he is exactly what they need but they just can't afford him at this point.

Earl
- Earl Skakel

Carters cap hit is only 5mil and change. But going after Panarin goes against everything Blake has said about building the team from within. Now isnt the time to go after a big fish anyways.

In fact his actual salary is only 3mil this coming season. Carter is actually a decent add to a team who dont wanna pay alot in actual salary. sure cap hit is almost 5.3 , but his salary is 3mil then 2mil each of the last 2 years of his deal.

Carters cap hit is only 5mil and change. But going after Panarin goes against everything Blake has said about building the team from within. Now isnt the time to go after a big fish anyways.

In fact his actual salary is only 3mil this coming season. Carter is actually a decent add to a team who dont wanna pay alot in actual salary. sure cap hit is almost 5.3 , but his salary is 3mil then 2mil each of the last 2 years of his deal.
- poisondhearts37

I may be in the minority here, but I don't see Carter's contract as problematic right now. Yes he had a down year but so did everyone on this team. If healthy I think Carter is still a guaranteed 20 goal scorer in 2019/20 and a cap hit $5.2M is market value for a 20 goal guys these days.

They can afford him but, is it worth it? And, like others have pointed out, it kind of moves them in a different direction from what they set out for. Affordability is not the issue because, unfortunately, Quick will most likely be moved before the start of the season. Carter as well, if and when a team miss out on the current UFA group.

I may be in the minority here, but I don't see Carter's contract as problematic right now. Yes he had a down year but so did everyone on this team. If healthy I think Carter is still a guaranteed 20 goal scorer in 2019/20 and a cap hit $5.2M is market value for a 20 goal guys these days.
- KingsFan67

I agree, it's not problematic at all. Not at this stage. Beside, with a new coach and not WD's crazy analogy I think most of the vets will have a real good bounce-back season and raise their value by trade deadline. That's the time for Kings to move aging players for prospects. If they would have ended the season with a strong finish the last 10-15 games, I'd say the time to move them is now but, with that fizzer...ugh...they should wait and let them "teach" the rookies.

It feels weird to be going into July 1st without any anticipation whatsoever. Going back at least to the start of the Lombardi era, management has gone into free agency with the clear goal of adding a few pieces, very often at least trying for big name pieces on day one. Even last year, when a Kovalchuk signing was almost a sure thing and the only thing to expect, at least there was anticipation of it getting done. This year, however, Blake has pretty much said that the team is set and the kids will get opportunities. I still expect him to see what's out there and signing an experienced defenseman is a real possibility (since a D corps in which the #3-7 spots are all rookies or sophomores probably isn't ideal), but it likely won't be anyone to be excited over and may not even happen until weeks into free agency.

It feels weird to be going into July 1st without any anticipation whatsoever. Going back at least to the start of the Lombardi era, management has gone into free agency with the clear goal of adding a few pieces, very often at least trying for big name pieces on day one. Even last year, when a Kovalchuk signing was almost a sure thing and the only thing to expect, at least there was anticipation of it getting done. This year, however, Blake has pretty much said that the team is set and the kids will get opportunities. I still expect him to see what's out there and signing an experienced defenseman is a real possibility (since a D corps in which the #3-7 spots are all rookies or sophomores probably isn't ideal), but it likely won't be anyone to be excited over and may not even happen until weeks into free agency.
- Osprey

I know. Aside from the Risto rumor a couple days ago (which was weird because it goes against everything Blake has said about moving forward), there's nothing floating around about the Kings.

The only thing I think you'll see LA in the news for would be if they make a trade of some kind to offload a contract, but that seems pretty unlikely.

We thought that the team would be inactive today. How little did we know that Blake would make not one splash, but two. Let the Martin Frk and Joakim Ryan era begin.

Seriously, Ryan is the kind of depth defenseman that I expected, though not on day one. Frk is more of a surprise, but he makes sense if you consider him as an Andreoff (13th forward) replacement.