It’s been some time since our last Los Angeles Kings mailbag, hasn’t it? Hey, I’ve always said I can use another eight hours in a day. Or another of me to get things done. (Another of me is a scary proposition, though).
Enough about me. You had a bunch of questions. So many that there will be a Part 2. Let’s get to some answers.
How much bigger a role on the team do you expect Quinton Byfield to play this coming season? Do you see (as many of us do) that he is quietly being groomed as the next man to wear the “C” when Anze Kopitar’s time is up? – Paul M.
As we sit here today, who’s playing on QB’s line? – Tim S.
Good timing, Paul, with the recent news of Byfield’s extension. While the five-year term makes it so he can be in line for a huge third contract if he outperforms this one, Byfield said what the Kings wanted to hear when he talked to reporters Tuesday.
“I think we always came to the agreement that this is the best deal for both sides,” he said. “When that time comes – hopefully that time never comes. I want to be an L.A. King for the rest of my life.”
Byfield must play a major role. Not just for his sake but for the team’s, if it wants to be any better than last season. Some of that is with the power play and him being, for example, a net-front presence on the first unit. He showed last season that he can get some things done in tight. The club seems ready to put him back at center. If that happens, I’d like to see him work more with Kevin Fiala. If they could be the feature part of a second line and the Trevor Moore-Phillip Danault pairing make up the basis of the third line, I think the Kings could make some headway and give Byfield the room to flourish.
Tim, Byfield sounded hopeful that he and Fiala can become a full-time union. He’s learned from Kopitar and Danault, particularly in their examples of committed defensive play. Center is his natural position and the one he feels he can maximize himself as a player. I asked him if he feels Kopitar’s two-year extension gives him the runway to become his successor.
“First off, we’re talking about Kopi,” Byfield said. “He’s had an unbelievable career. It’s very hard to replace a guy like that. I think the franchise knows that. He’s well-respected every year. If I can just follow along those footsteps as much as I can, I think we’re going to be heading down the right track.”
As to Byfield and the captaincy, I don’t know if there is a direct line toward that in two years. If Drew Doughty is still around at that time, I’d think he’d be eager to be the first in line for succession. Another name I’ve heard mentioned as a future captain candidate is Mikey Anderson. But I can see Byfield being considered as part of the future leadership. We had a 30-minute conversation in April for my feature story on him, and while it didn’t make the finished product, I did ask him about the organization moving him out more in spokesman-like front-facing roles. (e.g. postgame interviews). He welcomes that.
Two questions. There is a lot of talk about income tax-free states and also talk that players perceive L.A. (the place, not the team) as an undesirable place to live. What are your thoughts on the Kings’ ability at attract good players without “overpaying” them? And the Kings have been very roundly criticized for the term and AAV they gave Joel Edmundson. He seems to fill two huge needs they have for size and quality penalty killers (along with Warren Foegele and Kyle Burroughs, if he makes the team). From what you’ve heard and seen, did they have better options on players who they had a realistic chance of signing (or trading for)? Also, reports are that they’ve wanted him for years. How can so many hockey talking heads see Edmundson so differently than the Kings do? – Jim T.
Outside of relatives and Kings management is there anyone on the planet earth who believes 1) Signing Joel Edmundson was a brilliant idea and 2) here’s a contract that’s going to age well? (This is not a personal attack. I hear he’s a great guy, it’s just he was burnt out with the Habs two years ago and has a wonky back.) – Allan K.
Jim, that’s a long one (or several?) and I’m kindly letting it slide as it also folds into Allan’s inquiry. As you alluded to, Kings general manager Rob Blake clearly had a making-his-team tougher mindset when it came to roster moves this summer. When it comes to Edmundson, the 31-year-old reportedly had multiple offers, and it’s possible Blake had to sweeten his to land him. Here’s the thing with Edmundson: GMs and head coaches place a lot more value on him than others. I don’t know him at all, but I’ve read that he’s very popular with teammates. And he’s got a sizable playoff track record.
I felt the Kings could have signed someone who could upgrade the third defense pairing for cheaper and a shorter term. The contract won’t age well if he’s hurt too often or struggles to keep up. As to Los Angeles and the tax-free issue which teams like Tampa Bay, Florida and Nashville enjoy, I’ve talked with some front-office types, and it is definitely an issue. Personally, I think it’s being made into a bigger issue than it should be. (Financial planners are often able to mitigate some of the difference between “no-tax” and “high-tax” states). Good teams with good young core players will always be attractive.
And I might be a partial person to ask if L.A. is “undesirable” as I’ve lived here all my life and spent time in most of the cities and neighborhoods that make up SoCal. I’d say until California and other western or southern states start churning out more born-and-trained hockey players, a lot of them will be partial to where they grew up and will consider playing for their hometown team or near it if given the opportunity. Manhattan Beach is still a great place to live. Not just during the hockey season.
Eric, first of all, keep up the nice work. How do you rate the Kings’ draft record over the rebuilding and recent years? While the Kings’ scouting department has received a lot of praise in recent years for its highly rated prospect pools, I see so many star players the Kings bypassed with all those draft picks. Thoughts? – Don N.
What is your honest assessment of where the Kings’ farm is at? How have the org’s scouting and development efforts set up the Kings for the future and where might there have been missed opportunities? I am a Kraken fan that follows the Kings as my #2 team, so I haven’t paid much attention to Kings’ organizational depth aside from the Reign/Firebirds playoffs series this year. – Alex M.
Appreciate the kind words, Don. We were among those outlets that once had the Kings near or at the very top of the NHL in analyzing prospect pools. I’ll say that it’s always easier to look back at how players have turned out than projecting what 18-year-olds will become. And to be fair, all teams have had their share of players they’ve passed on over the years who blossomed into stars. But I get the concern. They’ve had just three top-10 picks over the last 15 years – coming in succession between 2019-21 – and only Byfield has begun to hit.
Being very general and broad here, I’d say the Kings have seen well-rounded prospects not have the kind of games that make them stand out in the NHL and others with some flaws not be elite in the parts they’re strongest at or aren’t given full opportunities to showcase those strengths when they get to L.A. Is that a drafting problem or a development problem? Is it coaches who don’t show enough faith in younger players? I don’t think there’s a clean-cut sole answer.
Alex, I’m not convinced that the Kings’ farm system will provide much immediate help as players like Alex Turcotte, Akil Thomas and Brandt Clarke prepare to graduate to the NHL. If they can impact the club this season and youngsters like Alex Laferriere and Jordan Spence take another step, that will ease some worry over the prospect pipeline. The Kings’ top two picks this year, big forward Liam Greentree and goaltender Carter George, have been lauded as having true NHL potential.
Of Alex Turcotte, Akil Thomas, and Samuel Fagemo who would you say the front office is most bullish on being a consistent and positive contributor to the lineup? – John C.
It’s a good question, John. Fair or not, I’d think Turcotte would be one they’d love to extend some rope to with his pedigree as a No. 5 draft pick. The concussions and other injuries have obviously impacted his growth and put a dent into the upside he could reach. (And it’s fair to wonder if he never had the projected upside others around him in his draft class had or still have). But when he’s stayed healthy long enough, Turcotte has shown that he can become a useful NHL player.
Thomas has had his own injury battles and last season was a major step forward, with the late-season call-up and his impressive showing putting him on the Kings’ radar for 2024-25. Lineup placement could be key for him and Turcotte. The additions of Foegele and Tanner Jeannot (along with re-signing Trevor Lewis and if Byfield plays center) take away clear openings. Fagemo needs a top-six role to succeed as the AHL scorer he is, but he’s not unseating their projected wingers on the top two lines, and he hasn’t been given much of an opportunity for good minutes by L.A. and Nashville.
With the loss of Viktor Arvidsson, I feel the Kings biggest need is another guy who can put 20 goals in the net. Fair assessment? Also, it seems like Andreas Englund is unofficially on his way out the door. Am I reading that situation correctly? What’s his status with the team? – Michael J.
It’s why I felt reuniting with Tyler Toffoli was ideal given their needs and the amount of financial flexibility they had available. Toffoli wouldn’t have solved all their issues, but the one thing you can’t question is his ability to put the puck in the net. He also likely chose more stability and probably more money with San Jose, which is his prerogative as a veteran free agent who’s moved around a lot.
The arrival of Edmundson pushes Andreas Englund out of the lineup, but I’m not sure that removes him completely. Englund was a tweener before last season and is signed for another year. Teams routinely need eight or nine defensemen to get through an NHL season. I’ve had executives tell me that 10 D-men is a good number to have because of injuries that invariably will crop up. Unless Englund wants a trade for opportunity elsewhere and is dealt, I can see him being kept around for useful NHL depth.
Based on what you may be hearing behind the scenes from the organization, what is the likelihood of a reconciliation with Arthur Kaliyev at this point? – Carey G.
Carey, if there is one, I’ll be surprised. I’m just not seeing it. The Kings haven’t been happy with how his game hasn’t had any material development beyond his terrific shot, and I’d imagine Kaliyev hasn’t been pleased with getting sat out regularly and not getting many chances to get back in the mix. Qualifying him did make sense, though, in terms of not letting someone who could still have some low-cost value just leave for nothing. Had the Kings moved away from coach Jim Hiller, I’d buy a possible path back with a new coach. Fact is, Hiller played him less than Todd McLellan – although he essentially worked under a mandate of getting the Kings in the playoffs, which made him a candidate to keep on as coach.
Hi Eric, how far off is Erik Portillo from a shot at the starter’s net? And do you think he is the answer after the rotating cast of short-term veteran goalies? – Michael C B.
Michael, I’d say 2025-26 is when Portillo could be in line to get a real shot. It certainly looks like Darcy Kuemper and David Rittich will be their pair this season. Portillo, 23, also has only one pro season under his belt, but it was a promising first one in the AHL. He was in the top 10 in wins (24) and save percentage (.918). At 6 feet 6 inches, he’s got great size, and I want to take a closer look at him this season. I think it’s still a bit soon to say that he’s the long-term answer. But I do believe he’s being groomed to join them eventually.
(Photo of Quinton Byfield: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
