Matt Ross: Super Kempe Bros & Arbitration

I don't like this signing. He's no good, he's 30yo and he has no untapped potential. If he spends the entire year in the AHL, that's fine, but I'm not going to like it if he ends up getting ice time with the Kings. I can imagine a young player on a call up, like Anderson-Dolan or Kupari, making a mistake and being scratched or sent down the next day and Mario being called up or inserted in his place because McLellan trusts him more. I'm for competition, but that kind isn't fair, IMO. Maybe I'm worrying for nothing and he'll stay in the AHL and not be a serious call up candidate, but I still don't like that there's not much reason for this signing other than the familial connection.

Edit: It feels like Matt has already posted more Kings blogs in the last month than the last Kings blogger posted all season.

I think Jim Fox said if you can blend the brothers together you’d have a superstar. Adrian has the talent and Mario has the hard work ethic. Maybe the older brother will rub off on the younger one!

I would have much rather kept Leipsic than adding Super Mario.

I would have much rather kept Leipsic than adding Super Mario.
- KingsFan67

I don’t think Leipsic was part of the future plans and at the price/contract he would have wanted, they probably just chose to cut ties and let him to somewhere that he could be a “guy” for a team not in transition - of course, the irony is that the Caps signed him to a one-year deal for something like $700K I think...maybe the Mario deal is more favorable because it has that option to send him down?

Not that I think Mario is part of the future plans (especially at 30), but like Arh777 was saying, maybe the idea is to try and get Adrian really moving?

I don't like this signing. He's no good, he's 30yo and he has no untapped potential. If he spends the entire year in the AHL, that's fine, but I'm not going to like it if he ends up getting ice time with the Kings. I can imagine a young player on a call up, like Anderson-Dolan or Kupari, making a mistake and being scratched or sent down the next day and Mario being called up or inserted in his place because McLellan trusts him more. I'm for competition, but that kind isn't fair, IMO. Maybe I'm worrying for nothing and he'll stay in the AHL and not be a serious call up candidate, but I still don't like that there's not much reason for this signing other than the familial connection.

Edit: It feels like Matt has already posted more Kings blogs in the last month than the last Kings blogger posted all season.
- Osprey

The Kings know what Kempe is and he has no upside. So in the scenario you cite, if a kid like Kupari makes a mistake, you are less tolerant because you want to impose a consequence to improve Kupari's game, specifically the "little things" like loose puck pursuit and forechecking. You have to trust in the coach to impose those consequences fairly. Hopefully, McLellan is that guy. If McLellan is that guy, then he has to be the type of coach who will coach to develop but not necessarily to win. That's a tough pill for a lot of coaches to swallow.

The Kings know what Kempe is and he has no upside. So in the scenario you cite, if a kid like Kupari makes a mistake, you are less tolerant because you want to impose a consequence to improve Kupari's game, specifically the "little things" like loose puck pursuit and forechecking. You have to trust in the coach to impose those consequences fairly. Hopefully, McLellan is that guy. If McLellan is that guy, then he has to be the type of coach who will coach to develop but not necessarily to win. That's a tough pill for a lot of coaches to swallow.
- Only_A_Ladd

What I've read doesn't give me great confidence that McLellan is that guy. Here's a quote from an Oilers fan that Jewels From the Crown got when McLellan was hired:

My biggest gripe with McLellan was that he was latched too much to his veterans. Jesse Puljujarvi is a great example of this. The fourth overall selection from the 2016 NHL Entry Draft would find himself on the fourth line with two other ‘energy’ players, toiling at eleven minutes a night. Nobody’s going to collect very many points like that.

Elsewhere, I've read a lot of other Oilers fans blaming McLellan for misusing Puljujarvi, as well. If McLellan was keen on playing veterans ahead of a very promising kid like Puljujarvi, then playing guys like M. Kempe ahead of a kid like Kupari doesn't seem out of the realm of possibility. Hopefully, we won't see that, but it sounds like it can't be ruled out.

What I've read doesn't give me great confidence that McLellan is that guy. Here's a quote from a Oilers fan that Jewels From the Crown got when McLellan was hired:

Elsewhere, I've read a lot of other Oilers fans blaming McLellan for Puljujarvi's misuse, as well. They certainly feel that he wasn't treated fairly. If McLellan was keen on playing veterans ahead of a very promising kid like Puljujarvi, then playing guys like M. Kempe ahead of a kid like Kupari doesn't seem out of the realm of possibility. Hopefully, we won't see that, but it can't be ruled out.
- Osprey

Perhaps McLellan will be a bit different knowing the plan here in LA of going younger and giving the youngsters legit shots. I dont think EDM has a plan like that. EDM's management thought they would succeed purely off talent and adding crappy veterans to the roster.

We will have to wait and see. We heard alot about this plan in place, and will have to see how well they stick to it.

I don't like this signing. He's no good, he's 30yo and he has no untapped potential. If he spends the entire year in the AHL, that's fine, but I'm not going to like it if he ends up getting ice time with the Kings. I can imagine a young player on a call up, like Anderson-Dolan or Kupari, making a mistake and being scratched or sent down the next day and Mario being called up or inserted in his place because McLellan trusts him more. I'm for competition, but that kind isn't fair, IMO. Maybe I'm worrying for nothing and he'll stay in the AHL and not be a serious call up candidate, but I still don't like that there's not much reason for this signing other than the familial connection.

Edit: It feels like Matt has already posted more Kings blogs in the last month than the last Kings blogger posted all season.
- Osprey

This is what you get with Rob Blake as your GM. #failure
Just give the fans the money for his three signings instead. #wastedcap

I don’t think Leipsic was part of the future plans and at the price/contract he would have wanted, they probably just chose to cut ties and let him to somewhere that he could be a “guy” for a team not in transition - of course, the irony is that the Caps signed him to a one-year deal for something like $700K I think...maybe the Mario deal is more favorable because it has that option to send him down?

Not that I think Mario is part of the future plans (especially at 30), but like Arh777 was saying, maybe the idea is to try and get Adrian really moving?
- Matt.Ross

Adrain is a Professional hockey player he should be motivated without his brother holding his hand.

^ Agreed, but I think sometimes certain players have a way of bringing something out of other guys and maybe that’s the Kings hope with this move.

How does Mario motivate Luigi from ontario? If both were likely to make the big squad sure, but when one is likely targeted for the AHL with some possible call up time...

How does Mario motivate Luigi from ontario? If both were likely to make the big squad sure, but when one is likely targeted for the AHL with some possible call up time...
- wreckage

The Kings and Reign both practice in the same facility in El Segundo, meaning they'll both be at the same rink every day they're not on the road.

I think this signing is a favor to Adrian in a hope to spark his production by keeping his hard-working brother in close proximity. I don't think they expect Mario to become a NHL caliber player all of a sudden. It's a no-risk signing, so I'm all for it.