Very interesting LA trade idea

I'm trying to stay as unbiased as I can, and its just not seeming to work. I just can't wrap my head around Ullmark as a good option for LA (he's 30 years old, he had a massive anomaly last year that I don't think he ever comes close to repeating).

And I certainly don't want to send out 2 very good pieces for him.

I get the appeal to many Bruins fans and even some Kings fans. I'm just personally against giving that much up for a goaltender. Like, vehemently against it.

Will he repeat this years numbers? likely not, but Ullmark is a very good goalie. Even before this season he was one of the better 5v5 goalie in the NHL. In Buffalo their PK so just so bad that it made his numbers look worse. If you take his 3yr prior to this monster season, he had a .916 SV%, which was good for 10th among NHL goalies with 60 games played. Considering that's 2 of those 3 years he was with a bad Buffalo team, that's pretty good.

The Kings play a stingy defensive style where they don't give up many shots. Over the last 3 seasons they 5th in fewest SA/GP. The team right in front of them at #4 is the Boston Bruins. There have been 66 goalies who've played at least 40 games over the last 3 seasons. Looking at the GSAA for LAK main goalies over the last 3 season they ranked:

Quick - 65th
Petersen - 51st

Most Kings fans I've talked to has pointed to goaltending be the issue in recent years, and the data seems to support it. Ullmark would be an upgrade for LAK and while I don't think he'd replicate his numbers from Boston this year. I'd feel confident in thinking he'd be good for around a .920 SV% next year, which in a given year is good for a Top 10 SV%.

Ullmark is a good goalie, and goaltending has been a problem for LA. That's not my debate. I just don't want the Kings buying high on someone that isn't going to repeat the performance. Goalies are just weird man. See: Adin Hill.

I'd much rather take my chances signing Korpisalo to a ~2mil deal, keeping Turcotte, and if necessary trade Arvidsson elsewhere for other pieces to help holes in the roster.

And again, I'm personally fundamentally opposed to spending quality assets for a goalie (or any player, for that matter) going into his 30's. Same thought process goes for Helleybuck.

I also believe the Essensa is a very good coach and Ullmark has improved. I watch the Kings and wonder how good they would have been if Quick hadn’t regressed with age and Petersen didn’t fold. I don’t value some the Kings 3rd line options as some of their fans, but I see this gap and wonder why any Kings fan would want to take a risk with a low dollar, higher risk goalie. That’s a solid team

I understand Ullmark had an anomaly year, but he is still a very good goaltender on a reasonable contract. LA needs a goalie and will likely have to deal one of Iafello, Moore, Arvidsson, Lizotte, Grondstrom, or Roy to re-sign Villardi too.

Again...not moving Turcotte for a goalie. You want JAD or Hughes sure. Maybe even Pinelli but I'd ask for a high pick back if he is apart of the deal.

I just included a deal that other Kings fans said they’d take.

Arvidssen will be a camp dump if acquired and Hughes/JAD aren’t enough to even move forward with the deal for Boston. There has to be value for both sides. The two teams seem to have a decent fit in terms of prospects and players, but have to overcome their respective cap position.

I don't put as much stock into the 30yr mark. With the advancement in training, medicine and technology in general you see more and more players playing deeper into their 30's. Most goalie doesn't peak till their late 20's. Ullmark will turn 30 just before the start of the season and his last year of his deal he'll be 31 years old. He's not in that window when you expect goalies to decline (33+ yr old). I'm not even really looking at the assets coming back to Boston in this as we chat. I'm looking at it more of Ullmark would be a good piece to help the Kings for a few years get the net to a point where its not a weakness.

Looking at the deal OP has, Arvidsson I'd be hesitant to move in a deal. Turcotte though, If I were a Kings fan I'd think about. Sure the talent is there and the #5OA title is on him, but he's already missed a good amount of time due to a concussion and he suffered a lower body injury the year before. He also hasn't exactly lit up the AHL like you'd expect a #5OA pick to do. Kings also have a lot of centers on their roster, where they could gamble and not hurt themselves at the NHL level.

Turcotte + a roster player w a decent cap hit would be a fair trade IMO, BOS isnt trading Ullmark to LA unless they receive one of their surplus of young C's in return, ik most Kings fans dont like the idea of moving Turcotte, but its honestly more of a risk for Boston considering the points you mentioned above.

Arvidsson isnt the right player coming back to BOS IMO (even tho theyre probably moving him out), Iafallo, Grundstrom, Durzi are more likely candidates

Kings fans also seem to be so against the idea of trading for Ullmark, when theyre getting a solid Goalie who can hjelp them take that final leap in the playoffs which theyve been missing. Ya he likely wont put up the same numbers as this year, but hes still a very solid option in net, at a very reasonable 5mill for 2 years

Last deadline teams asked about Turcotte and Blake shut them down, so I don't think Turcotte is available.

I'll give you JAD as not so highly rated but the kid is buried in the LA depth. When he's on the ice he looks good and not so much out of place. I think he'll become the next Amadio. Lost for nothing and breaks out to be a good NHLer.

Hughes is a recent 2nd round pick. Struggled this year but has got some two talent. Fits the Boston style of drafted prospects.

Pinelli is going to be a good center prospect. He has grown every season. He is the non jury version of Turcotte but not as the high ceiling as Turcotte.

But again you have to remember I'd not big on Ullmark. I don't think he is an improvement on what LA had last year. LA needs a young goalie that can be built with the core and run a tandem with Portillo in the future. Any goalies in their 30 at the start of next season aren't my first choice (Ullmark, Helle). I think LA runs with a cheap UFA goalie this season amd let's Copley have the net and get their goalie next offseason when they have more cap space and find out what Kopitar is going to do.

Pinelli is interesting to me. Hughes transferred schools and was kind of a disappointment. I believe the Kings goalie situation is the worst in the league for a team with a solid defense, so I don’t share your faith. I believe that team is one good goalie away from top 5 in Stanley Cup favorites.

LA isn't near cup favorites. They are a 7-10 team in the West. They are a bubble team that plays a trapping style of defense that gets exposed by good teams. Vegas and Seattle owned them all season. Once Edmonton got Ekholm they had the Kings number too. The Kings got lucky some teams struggled this season. They don't have a coach that can lead them anywhere other than to choke in the playoffs.

Yes their goalie tandem suck because they have 2 AHL goalies signed. But a career below average goalie with one breakout season with the best record breaking team of the NHL is not gonna take them over the top. The Kings need to bite the bullet on this season and sign a cheap UFA goalie to a 1yr deal. Let the kids take the lead and wait until next offseason to make their big moves when Kopitar and Arvidsson come off the cap.

I have more faith in your team than you do and based on the last three years, I suggest your relook at Ullmark.

No I know his stats. He's an average middle of the road goalie. His stats show that. His career stats put him in line with Johnathon Bernier. What I did see is that for the last half decade Boston goalies have been at the top of most charts stats wise. Maybe it's just a Boston team style thing covering up a average goalie.

I'm not willing to trade a Top6 winger and top prospect for an average 30yr old goalie @ $5m cap hit to have him come to LA an underperform because he doesn't have a good Boston defense in front of him.

Edit: I have faith in letting the kids play and take the lead of this organization as the were drafted to do. I don't have faith in the coach or the GM to put the kids in the proper spots to grow the team because they have proven they rely on the old guard too much.

For SoCal King