Trades and Potential Trades

I don't think Weal is going anything more than a less versatile but slighty better in the OZ version of Matt Read. He might carve out a nice NHL career but he's small and not the great finisher or playmaker that a guy his size has to be. I've seen him a few times, he looks like one of those career AHL guys. (I said the same about Andrew Shaw too, that he's an "AHL guy"). LA was going to lose him on waivers next year or they would have kept him in my opinion.

I agree that just getting him away from the franchise is a win. The contract slot alone is worth more Vinnie at this point.

 

anything is better than matt read! at least weal can score. he tore up the junior league. he's worth a look to me. the flyers aren't going anywhere anyway this season. give the kid a shot.

 

Give vinny some motivation to show up and he just might, 4th line depth to a proven SC winning franchise.

 

philly has traded many athletes in the last 10 yrs to go on to win championships with their new city!

richards and carter are prime examples. Simon Gagne, Justin Williams and hunter pence are others...

 

This week more than made up for that dud in Belicheat's house.

 

I'm assuming that's the plan.
Word is they tried to get him in July...that's troubling if I'm a Kings fan. This isn't a guy to plan around with players like Gaborik and Brown already there

....but I said similar things about Lombardi's plans and extensions prior to 14'.

 

He might have 2nd line minutes on the PP, but its only depth.

 

just read vinny will hopefully play 4th line center...

hmm his natural position. something berube refused to let him play. ass.

 

the current model of Vinny Lecavalier is terrible at hockey cat. why play an old overpaid vet that won't contribute one iota of anything towards your future when you can get crappy, yet improving, play from a kid?

 

perhaps, even if that is true it's at 1/4 the cost.

annnnnnd yes.

 

Because kids can't get away with hacking wrists, ankles, doing all the bs in all 3 zones like Vinnie can.

He can win a faceoff and slash and still beat the garbage on the bottom pairs in the Pacific division, that's better than developing a gamble if I'm LA. He absorbs some of the abuse Kopitar or Carter would/will take. It will be tough to identify the gain, but I sincerely think hiding Kopitar and Carter, especially on the road in a playoff series, will make LA more likely to beat somebody.

Imagine Vinnie saving Carter and Kopitar from a combined 45 shifts in a series against Getzlaf and Kesler for example. Just the lower physical toll will be help the Kings, as long as he didn't lobotomize himself in terms of defensive play.

How do you even let an undersized, O-zone guy on the active roster with Sutter anyhow? Weal had no future in LA so while I think Vinnie is a suck I'll take that gamble for a late 3rd and a prospect without a future in the franchise. From a LA perspective, I can see the attraction. The downside of the trade for LA is that they've burned through cap space at a rate greater than the likely return. The plus side is that they're better with both players as bad as they are. For Lombardi, I think there's much to be said for moving Weal. I'm skeptical there was much value for him over the summer or even the deadline since he was going to likely be available on waivers next fall.

On paper, I really dig the move for LA, mostly because of the timing as I think about it more. They're going to have months to fit Schenn into a useful but limited role. In the meantime they can save their minutes on the real defensemen as they figure it out since a playoff berth isn't a concern. Vinnie is Vinnie, give him 9 minutes a night every other game, he's only there for the spring (hopefully) anyway, and he doesn't have to score.

LA is insulating their overburdened core now and in playoff matchups. While not the most efficient use of cap dollars, I think it's a very sound approach and very good overall asset management by Lombardi.

I hope Vinnie decides NOT to retire this summer.

 

I'm trying to rate the weirdness/awkwardness of that event.

"Hey man, like uh good luck"
"Hey man, you too. Torts is a dick"

 

i got a nice plane for him if he wants to play...

 

i feel like Id have to imagine it because I don't think it will actually happen. I think the puck ends up behind Quick too often if thats the route Sutter takes. If they want to go all in this season get a real/current NHL C.

what if Vinny likes the sunshine and douchebags of LA so much that he doesn't want to retire?
speculation that he'll retire at season's end would make me nervous if Im a Kings fan.

this is the only positive that I see from an LA perspective. he'll eat minutes.

we're in full agreement.

 

Vinnie is only 2.25 against the cap, 1.3 if buried. The risk next year is minimal since Lombardi appears to be going for it now. Kopitar's raise kicks in (if retained) along with the diminishing returns of Brown and Gaborik. Lucic has retained salary too. LA only has 3 picks for this draft next year. I don't think Dean is too worried about tomorrow.

LeCavalier sucks, but he only has to play defense if he wants minutes for Sutter. He can still beat up somebody at the dot and probably hold his own as long as he cheats back a little bit. Sutter doesn't let his centers forecheck aggressively too often anyway. He would be going up against shutdown forwards mostly, I'm guessing so he can't do that much damage imo.

 

Cbj made a great move today, they get a high pick this year where they could get a power forward. Imagine building your team around matthews and jones.

 

All they need is an overhaul of their developmental pipeline, scouting department, to attract 3 good dmen, and bump the hockey ops budget from ownership and they're all set.

Sh%$ is almost too easy.

 

At least they'll have two key pieces, if ownership isn't ever going to the cap then I would give up as a fan. And we question bettman when he gives teams to certain cities?

 

I hear what you're saying. I'm goofing around...mostly. My point is that they have a scouting and development system operating in two different hemispheres and both have failed time and time again. Every time this team is ready to "break out" they crash into a wall.

Half the league operates on an internal hockey operations budget (or need to in order to be in the black).

EDM, CGY, OTT, STL, CAR, FLA, CLB, TB, BUF, NYI, NJ, CLB, NAS, COL, WPG, AZ, DAL, and maybe even SJ and ANA. Well, that's more than half. I think it's unrealistic to expect year over year cap spending by those teams for the duration of the current CBA.