Goalie update

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To follow up on last week’s discussions, the Kings were, until late last week, in the running for Chicago goalie Nikolai Khabibulin. No longer, it seems. Talks ended without a deal, but it had nothing to do with Khabibulin’s salary or any injury concerns. But that should answer the question about whether the Kings are willing to go after a veteran goalie this season.

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  • Dorian

    i’m sure it had to do with what the Hawks were asking in return. They prolly wanted a prospect and a draft pick.

  • nykingfan

    Makes you wonder what the asking price in terms of talent was.
    If it involved trading the future, I’m glad the deal didn’t get done. Good to see that it didn’t have anything to do with $$.

  • http://kings.hockeyanalysis.com/ BoltThrower

    Bummer that talks have ended, but it’s fairly obvious if things broke off without worry about salary or injury concerns, Chicago is asking more for Khabibulin than DL thinks he is worth.

  • someone

    I think chicago is not asking its kings asking bulin plus for taking salary.

  • Marc Nathan

    if the Hawks are going to stay hot and be a serious cup contender, they need Khabibulin more than the Kings do :)

  • Ibleedkings

    Why didn’t we pick him up when he was put on Waivers??? Another mistake by DL.

  • Freezang

    that’s no mistake ‘Ibleed’. There is no way anyone would pick him up at almost a full $7 million (6.75 i think)

  • Anonymous

    We didn’t take him off waivers because he was horrible last season and his salary was too much, heck no one wanted him, taking that risk would have been bad,not a mistake

  • Bob Bobson

    Khabibulin’s play in recent years did not warrant the salary and really did not seem to be an upgrade over Labarbera/Ersberg. Should not blame DL for that one.

    I do blame him for missing out on Bryzgalov though.

  • src

    HEY GOUDA, WHICH MASON-NAS??

    MILLER WOULD HAVE COST AT LEAST 1ST ROUNDER AND 2 PROSPECTS.

  • mrbrett7

    Uh, Bob Bobson…are you unfamiliar with how the Waiver Wire works?

    Phoenix was lower in the standing than the Kings at the time, therefore, they had first dibs at Bryzgalov.

    How in the world do you blame Lombardi for THAT one???

  • kingsince67

    Khabibulin…too much money for a has been…stay the course and give Bernier, Quick and Ersgerg the chance to fight it out. If we are going to lose the close ones let it be with our future getting the experience. If they have what it takes a few losses will not shake the intestinal fortitude they will need to be an NHL # 1.

  • Quisp

    “Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports that a Nikolai Khabibulin trade with the Los Angeles Kings fell through: “‘According to sources, the Blackhawks were asking for a top prospect and a draft pick in exchange for Khabibulin.’ So the deal was too rich for the Kings’ blood … for now.”

    Top prospect = Hickey or Teubert, although I guess there’s an outside (slim) chance they wanted Boyle, Purcell or Lewis. I don’t think they would be referring to Moller or Simmonds as prospects. And Bernier, that wouldn’t make sense, would it?

    Does anybody think Teubert plus a 2nd round pick for Khabibulin is a good trade for the Kings?

    I do not.

    Quick, Bernier, Zatkoff, Ersberg. Rotate ‘em. Shuffle ‘em. Play ‘em.

    (I’ll bet you DL tried to stick ‘em with Calder — “he had his best season ever with you guys, he’s a Blackhawk kind of player, he’s playing great for us … we don’t want to part with him, but…” — and LaBarbera — “he’s an asset on any team, he likes a lot of shots, he’s an excellent, affordable backup to Huet…” Unfortunately, the Khabibulin “showcase” went much better for Chicago than the LaBarbera “showcase” has gone for DL)

  • mrbrett7

    Teubert isn’t going anywhere IMO…especially not Chicago considering how much he and Beach “love” eachother.

  • Bob Bobson

    Brett, good catch. I guess I should change my statement to be “I blame him for not trading for him”. Speculation was that he was available for almost nothing.

  • JDM

    I’m glad DL is willing to listen and bargain, that his mind is open to finding a vet goalie. However I’m even more glad he isn’t willing to part with any of the current or projected future core.

    Good to know that he isn’t just sitting on his thumbs though, better that he isn’t freaking out and willing to take one in the year to get a goalie.

    Ersberg just needs to drink pleanty of egg-nog, rest up and be ready and raring to go after New Years. Please oh please.

    Looking forward to seeing Quick today against an opponent in our tier.

  • Me

    Is that cuz there was a trade/roster freeze? Any chance they keep trying after it is lifted?

  • Quisp

    Speaking of prospects, I just discovered that TSN.com has free streaming WJC games, specifically the Canada v. Sweden tune-up. In case you want to see Hickey and Teubert skating as Canada’s #1 shut-down defensive pair, skating against Oscar Moller, oh and also those guys Tavares and Hedman…

  • vicarious

    No one is perfect and Lombardi seems to be doing a good job so far. If the Kings want to trade for a better goalie then a bit of patience is necessary to ensure making a good deal from the Kings point of view.
    No reason to hurry when the team still has depth issues.

  • David

    Good point Bob Bobson regarding trading for Bryzgalov. The Ducks ended up getting NOTHING for him. How tough could it have been for DL to put together some kind of package to get him? DL must have been biding his time waiting for Dan Cloutier to play his way into form down in Manchester. Cloutier’s acquistion has to rank as DL’s worst move as GM.

    Speaking of waivers, I see that Fredrik Norrena of Columbus cleared waivers last week. I know his numbers aren’t that hot, but he certainly would be an upgrade over LaBarbera until Ersberg returns.

  • JDM

    I believe it was just yesterday that I saw that Norrena signed with a KHL team. I wouldn’t want him anyways.

  • Space_Shot

    If we had Bryzgalov, we would not have drafted Doughty. Even if we got Quincey, our defense would look something like this.

    Quincey/O’Donnell
    Preising/Greene
    Harrold/Gauthier

    You really think we’d be in a better position right now or long term if DL traded for Bryzgalov and he was playing behind that swiss cheese?

  • Gouda

    SRC:

    I was being sarcastic by insinuating that a GM can make any announcement about a deal that “Fell Through” he wants for PR reasons.

    I’m not saying Lombardi wasn’t persuing ‘Bulin, but it’s totally possible that it was a band-aid statement.

    or…I’m just hearing footsteps.

  • wavesinair

    “I just discovered that TSN.com has free streaming WJC games.”

    Link?

  • Anonymous
  • EAT THE RICH

    Bulin is the only goalie in the world?
    A few months ago we could have offered them Tukonen and Boyle for Bulin – two 1st round picks we don’t want.

  • Cup4la

    Speak for yourself EAT THE RICH. The Kings still want Boyle.

  • 28 KINGS

    “A few months ago we could have offered them Tukonen and Boyle for Bulin – two 1st round picks we don’t want.”

    What makes you think they didn’t/don’t want them? Both player situations are completely different.

  • EAT THE RICH

    Boyle is RFA after this season.
    Why would he resign here when he doesn’t get an opportunity?
    It appears they don’t think he’s capable of playing the way they want him to, even though he curtailed his own development playing defense for Manchester last year.
    He’s cited as being lazy and uninspired just like Tukonen, who got all of 4 games and about 20 minutes to prove himself in a Kings uni.
    We’re a team at the bottom of the league and playing three 19 year olds – if Boyle isn’t getting his chance during this “rebuild” year, when will he ever get it in LA?
    If I were him, I’d think somewhere else would be a better opportunity to get my career back on track.
    Plus, we have a gazillion centers on our team.
    To another team, Boyle is the cheapest and most promising one to go after.

  • Quisp

    Waves, re WJC link:

    http://watch.tsn.ca/2009-world-jr-games-on-demand/#clip123229

    The Canada v. Finland and Canada v. Sweden games are both there.

    Eat, re Boyle:

    I think you’re projecting your own frustration onto Boyle. He got a good look in several games, and got sent down. You’re going to say that he didn’t get a shot in the top-six, but you’re missing the point: he can’t play there until he plays defense, and plays “big.” He doesn’t. He needs to learn to. Same with Purcell. Purcell is getting his look now.

    I love both of these guys. But they don’t get a free pass.

    Tukonen is not in the same league as Boyle, Purcell, Moulson, Lewis. He is/was a bust. He didn’t get his shot in the big leagues because he didn’t get it done at the AHL level. That’s why he’s playing on the moon now.

    p.s. I don’t think anyone says Boyle is lazy. He is, so far, having trouble adjusting to the NHL game. That has been known to happen.

    p.p.s. Boyle doesn’t have a choice about where he plays. What’s he going to do, hold out? He has 5 career goals in the NHL. That’s five more than Lindros had, I guess. But still…

    p.p.p.s.

    Tukonen and Boyle and picks for Khabibulin? The Kings were lucky to get Clune for Tukonen. Now, if you throw in Scott Barney…

  • Quisp

    As an aside, how much would you pay for a picture of LaBarbera in one of these?

  • dave fouser

    quisp–

    someone with photoshop skills needs to get on that PRONTO! that is genius stuff.

  • Anonymous

    I’m glad it didn’t happen what happened to building from within Dean? You have the Jonathons and Zaktoff you should be looking at instead. So what they aren’t putting up dazzling #s in Manchester.

  • EAT THE RICH

    quisp –
    good one with the snoopy shirt.
    If I had a few bucks, I’d pay to see it.
    Poor Lambs.

    Do you really feel it’s necessary to explain the Kings philosophy on Tukonen and Boyle to me again? Believe me, I know how they see them. I simply think they’ve got their heads you-know-where…and I think Boyle hasn’t gotten an opportunity on a top line because of who drafted him. He played defense in Manchester, for pete’s sake. Are you telling me Purcell and Lewis got the opportunity because they were better students of the defensive game?
    When Boyle is long gone the line on him WILL be that he was lazy and not dedicated, just as it is with Tukonen. It may not be your opinion now, but read through what all the comments against me on Boyle have been saying. He’s being muckraked now so that Kings fans will be silent when he’s shipped out or not resigned.
    You think Boyle won’t garner interest from other clubs but Zeiler will?
    Even if Boyle is for some reason resigned in LA next year, are they going to be rebuilding again and make room for him to come learn the NHL? I don’t see much sense in any of that, so I think Boyle’s gone unless the philosophy here changes and he gets this season to work his way in.
    Maybe you know some stuff about how the salaries work for the Manch. guys that I don’t, but it seems strange to spend on a guy you’ve never reaped anything from.
    Plus, Lombardi will have more draft prospects coming in after June.
    I don’t see how Boyle fits in to the plan anymore.

  • deadcatbounce

    If the Kings don’t want Boyle or Tukonen, what makes you think that Chicago would want them?

  • CUP4LA

    You are just making stuff up now. Boyle has never been tagged as lazy. The team is hoping that he wil learn from his demotion and come back the player they envision like O’Sullivan did. If it sinks in, he’ll be an impact player who should score 25-30 goals a year. He is still maturing as a player and needs to develop that fire in his gut to fight for the pick shift after shift. He is in no way the prima donna that Tukonnen was.

  • Quisp

    Eat, re Boyle:

    It’s pretty simple really. Here is the Kings depth chart at center:

    Kopitar
    (Stoll)
    (Handzus)
    Boyle
    Moller
    Lewis
    Cameron
    Loktionov
    Roe
    Azevedo

    Stoll and Handzus are in parentheses because they will not necessarily be here in the long term. The bottom four names are not close to being ready to play in the NHL. The other three — Boyle, Moller and Lewis — are.

    As far as your comment about Purcell and Lewis: Boyle got the opportunity first, when those two were sent down. Then Boyle got sent down, and Purcell and Lewis were brought up. They’re each being graded on the same scale. Which is: learn to play a complete game.

    There really isn’t any need to read into it any more than that.

    You say, “do you really think it’s necessary to explain the Kings philosophy…again?” It’s not the Kings’ philosophy. It’s the philosophy. It’s what separates NHL players from AHL players. The distinction is made all the time. This year, there are (as we speak) six centers on the roster (Kopitar, Stoll, Handzus, Moller, Lewis, Armstrong) who get it. There’s no need for Boyle to be here until he does his homework. It would be nice if it’s this year. It might be next year. Whatever.

    I really don’t think the solution is to have him center the second line so he can be keyed on every night. And what does this say to Handzus, who has been consistently our best center this season?

    Boyle’s performance is the only argument necessary (or possible) to get him back on the roster. From there he can work his way up to the top-six. Just like everyone else.

  • EAT THE RICH

    Quisp,

    Boyle never got first line minutes this season.
    Purcell and Lewis have been played there automatically.
    We also have Richardson and O’Sullivan who are centers.
    You’ve ranked Boyle above Moller and Lewis on your list of centers by rank, but Boyle is in Manchester and Moller and Lewis are here. Moller is 19 and has played every game.
    Regardless of why, if Boyle doesn’t get any more significant time in LA this season, how does the RFA contract go?
    Do you think nobody will take an interest outside of LA?
    Or, that Boyle is eager to resign with a team that may not be looking for what he is as a player?
    I don’t know the strength of Boyle’s position in the RFA system – is the cost of signing him too high-risk for a prospect?
    Who knows, maybe Murray will find a way to get him involved and Boyle will find a zone where he can learn and compete in LA.
    A lot depends on how close we are to a playoff spot and whether guys like Zoos, Calder, and maybe some others are shopped at the deadline.
    If the Kings are in the playoff hunt, meaning Murray finds the winning combos, Boyle may be the odd man out and his contract status would help push him out the door.
    Come to think of it, if the Kings are in playoff position, perhaps the Kings are using Boyle to bait the hook at the deadline.
    My male intuition tells me he’ll be gone.

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