Agreed. Why Kovi a wise signing? Guess we'll find out soon.

We need Seattle to take Phaneuf asap. When they get an expansion draft

Yeah I think its a foregone conclusion at this point that one or both of Muzzin and Martinez will be gone next summer. Hopefully Clague and Brickley ready for 3rd pair minutes by then.

I also wonder if Kempe has a strong season and Vilardi is NHL ready after a year, if they will consider moving Carter at 34 y.o. and have Kempe/Vilardi new 2c and 3c.
Just dont see anyone trading for Phanuef. And I dont think they move Brown on his M-NTC.

Well for starters, there are 2 Kovalchuks in there. I think the league and the world as a whole might have something to say about cloning human beings lol.

Even worse trouble if we are giving Fantenberg $1.5 mil for 2 years. :-)

In my opinion, the Kovi signing was an effort to to show Doughty they are serious about going for it, which I think they are in earnest, but our window has probably closed. There were no other options there without moving Kempe, Vilardi or 1st rd picks. You can always maneuver around the cap next year. Goal is make the playoffs. Once in, ANYTHING can happen.

None of Fantenberg, Iafallo, or Amadio will get that much. Kempe will likely get more than that.

Don't forget that Kupari and Anderson-Dolan will likely be on the team next season.

One of Martinez and Muzzin (hopefully Martinez) will be shipped out this season or next summer to make room for Kale Clague. Making no other roster changes, moving one of those guys and replacing them with an ELC will put the Kings under the hypothetical cap if they make no more moves.

They'll be fine.

2 Kovy's?

Lol how do you figure that? Kale Clague was a scratch on all of the Reigns playoff games. He has no professional experience. There's always the possibility that he never makes it to the NHL and you're already suggesting trading a guy like Martinez to have room for him. All You guys think Muzzin and or Martinez are going to get traded. Blake isn't stupid he's not going to trade our 2nd and 3rd best defensemen and weaken our D even more.

How do you figure that? Muzzin and Martinez aren't going anywhere. Forbort and 1 or 2 forwards will go first if cap space is worse next season.

When you go to Long-term outlook he's in there twice somehow.

Kale Clague was on the team for a week before the Reign's postseason ended. His junior team got eliminated from the playoffs, so he joined the Reign for their abbreviated playoff run. No one expected him to get into any games unless they made a deep run. He hardly had a chance to practice with the team to learn the system.

Clague is the highest potential defenseman the Kings have had in nearly a decade. He's one of three defensemen the Kings drafted 2nd round or higher since 2010. The first (Roland McKeown) made the NHL in his 2nd pro season, while the second (Erik Cernak) just finished an exceptional year with the Syracuse Crunch as a rookie, and is expected to contend for a roster spot with the Lightning this season (especially if they acquire Erik Karlsson and have to move out other defensive pieces). Go look at any of the trade proposals from other teams, and you'll see Vilardi and Clague listed in almost every one. He's that highly regarded. He's going to spend an entire season in Ontario, then will likely make the team in 2019-20. Look for him to be one of the best defensemen on the Reign this season.

Blake was directly quoted last season as saying that he was prepared to move out one of the more expensive defensemen to bring in scoring help. Pierre LeBrun (not some arbitrary rumor blogger) reported that the defensemen being considered for trade were Muzzin and Martinez. Now that the Kings need to move out a significant amount cap space to fit in Doughty's extension next season, I don't think it's a stretch to infer that one of Muzzin or Martinez are on their way out. I realize you don't like Forbort, but his contract just isn't big enough to make a meaningful difference in the Kings cap situation.

http://lakingsinsider.com/2017/10/18/internally-kings-considered-possibility-trading-defenseman-forward/

Additionally, Martinez isn't as good as you make him out to be. As I have said many times previously, his shot blocking acumen is actually a negative, not a positive. He's not great at breakouts or moving the puck up to the forwards either. He's very OK at many things, but he's not great at anything, and he's downright bad at driving puck possession. Rewind to 2012, and I absolutely love him as a 3rd pairing defenseman. Having him as a 2/3 guy, not so much.