Thoughts On the LA Kings, Seattle Kraken, and Winnipeg Jets
This was a disappointing season for the LA Kings, Seattle Kraken, and Winnipeg Jets. Many were expecting each of them to take a step forward and they didn’t. In the case of the Kraken, they took a step back. In this article, I want to share some thoughts I have on each team and what direction I think each should take in light of their disappointing finishes.
Los Angeles Kings
Another year another first-round exit at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers. This is the third year in a row that’s happened. This team is a vehicle caught in the mud spinning tires and making zero progress despite desperately trying. Honestly: I think it shows the “rebuild on the fly” failed. They did not get enough talent to have any real success. Byfield who was the big get for them has not lived up to what was expected of him. Sure, he showed improvements this past season and was more than half-point-per-game, but he’s not going to be the star he was expected to be. The reality is, I don’t know who that young star forward of the future is going to be. Anže Kopitar is 36. He’s not going to be around for long and while I know this is blasphemy to Kings fans, I wonder if it’s time to trade him to an actual contender. You’re going to get a decent amount in return for him. Maybe it’s time to take a step back and build around Brandt Clarke, get a few extra picks, and try to get some studs. That, or, I know this is also going to be unpopular, see if the Ducks are selling Zegras or not and if they’ll trade him away in division. You need any and all top-end forward talent you can get for the future because I don’t see where it is in the organization currently. I think it’s time to accept this was a failed rebuild, get rid of what you can that’s not going to be around for the long term, and build around Clarke. I just don’t see what you can do otherwise. You cannot run this back. Big changes have to be made. They must change direction. Getting younger and retooling again may just be the best plan in my view. And no, I’m not touching the PLD contract. I have no idea what you do with that. Complete malpractice and everyone but Rob Blake knew it the moment it was announced. Actually, I do: take a step back, retool like I said, keep him for the duration of that, and then buy him out. Right now if you buy him out, it’s a 14-year cap hit. You can’t do that. Retool, keep him, and then in three or so years when you’re done retooling buy him out. Yes, I know it sucks, but that’s what happens when your GM screws up that massively.
Seattle Kraken
What is the plan in Seattle? I officially don’t know any more after they fired Hakstol. Who are you getting that’s a clear upgrade on him? This feels like a frustrated owner who doesn’t understand that this season was an inevitable regression and feels the need to take out their frustration on someone. I don’t know. Maybe they are playing chess and I’m playing checkers, but until we see this clear upgrade on him, I reserve the right to be skeptical of their plan. I just don’t see how this season was on Hakstol. They overachieved last season and everyone knew a regression was coming. Sure, I didn’t think the regression was going to be as bad as it was, but I didn’t think it was on Hakstol at all. Personally, I would’ve kept him for another year. This upcoming season should be Beniers’ breakout year, hopefully, Shane Wright’s first full NHL season and the team should rebound some, especially with some solid free-agent signings. It really feels to me as if the best course of action was to just stay on course. Don’t deviate from what you were doing. Trust that things will even out next season and that Beniers will break out. This just feels like a small-minded move that harms the long-term for some short-term emotional satisfaction. I hope I’m wrong.
Winnipeg Jets
I’m not going to lie, I thought the Jets finally figured it out. Nope. Frankly, I have no idea what you can do if you’re the Jets. You can’t tear it all down because you’ve already had attendance issues and there’s been reports that the Jets likely aren’t surviving a full rebuild. So that can’t happen but none of these veterans that you’ve built around are capable of doing anything in the playoffs. I genuinely have no idea how you run it back with this core. Maybe you could pull off an aggressive retool? Sell some of your veterans for young NHL players or close-to-the-NHL prospects and be able to at least promise fans of a young promising team? That’s the only thing I can see that you could do without completely tearing the team down and praying for the first pick overall. The absolute worst thing that can be done is running it back. This team, this core, does not have it. Maybe it’s time to force the kids to grow up and go all in on Lambert and McGroarty. All I know is what can’t happen and I do not envy those in the front office having to decide what to do. There aren’t good solutions.
If you want to follow me on social media, find me on Bluesky, Instagram, Mastodon, Threads, and Twitter. You can also find Vibes Based Hockey on Instagram and Tumblr.