'This is our group,' GM Rob Blake addresses the media

Trade Deadline

After our conversation with Rob Blake, it doesn’t feel like the Kings will be players come the March 8 trade deadline. He mentioned Viktor Arvidsson being a big addition to the team right around that time.

“It’s a little different in the approach going into it. Right now the speculation with Arvidsson plays big into this. You have to be able to put him back into the lineup. We’re excited about his progression and we don’t see anything that would stop that from happening right around that time. Then we’re back to that situation we started with a limited roster and cap space with everybody that’s healthy.”

Of course, injuries can happen between now and the deadline, much like Lizotte, but the lack of cap space does hamper the team from making any moves.

Goaltending

Once Pheonix Copley was lost for the year after suffering an ACL tear during practice, concerns grew over the longevity of 36-year-old all-star Cam Talbot and David Rittich to carry the load.

Blake was asked about his confidence level in the current group to carry them the rest of the year and into the playoffs, “They’ve done a good job. The team as a whole, in defending and offense, and I’ll put the goalies in that as well, we need to be better than this past trip. That’s what we have. Unfortunately, losing Pheonix for the year was not part of the plan.”

Talbot hasn’t appeared in 50 games in a season since 2018. With 30 games already this year, he’s on pace to eclipse that mark. Hopefully, Rittich, who has looked good so far, can help alleviate some of those concerns.

Pierre-Luc Dubois

With only 19 points in 41 games, there’s been a lot of criticism over the season of Blake’s big summer acquisition of Pierre-Luc Dubois. The Kings’ GM was asked what more he’d like to see out of the big centerman.

“I think when he has the puck there’s a lot of good things that happen. There are ways to get that puck back that we need more of, but that’s not on him. That’s on the team right now. When I say we want to defend, and the structure, and the system, it’s getting into that structure and it’s winning those battles, getting the puck back.”

When asked about Dubois’ low point total on the season, Blake said he’d like to see more there but pointed to his 5v5 numbers being similar to his past seasons. Dubois is producing 1.97 points per 60 minutes during 5v5 which would be the second-highest rate of his career, according to evolving-hockey.com. 

Injury updates

Much to Kings’ fans’ delight, Viktor Arvidsson, who hasn’t played this season due to back surgery, was seen before the morning skate on the ice in a red (non-contact) jersey.

“We’re hopeful within the next two to three weeks coming out of the break he joins us for practice. There’s a protocol in place and he’s meeting all the standards right now,” said Rob Blake.

Blake Lizotte, who was injured in the game in Carolina, is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury. “I would say after the break. We got seven games until that break and coming out of there would be a better time to assess it.”

Pending UFAs (Matt Roy, Viktor Arvidsson, etc.)

In regards to potential contract extensions for the pending unrestricted free agents, don’t expect to see any announcements on that front this season. And most likely no movement of any of those players either.

“I think our process with them is to let things play out and go from there. I don’t know how much success we’ve had internally trying to do negotiations during the season with any UFA in the past. So you see more and more teams do it, but those players get us to where we need to be.”

It’s good to hear from the general manager during these trying times. But the questions and pointed criticisms will only continue if the team doesn’t start winning. Kings hit the ice back home tonight at 7pm PT against the Nashville Predators.