Three tweets, edited into bullet points.
Helene Elliott (helenenothelen) on Twitter
- Kings decision to send Brayden Schenn to AHL is based on their desire that he not feel pressure to relace Kopitar when he’s different player
- […] Playing him burns year of contract. And he’s more a playmaker. They need scorers.
- budget is not the reason. He’s a playmaker more than a scorer. They need scoring. And Murray never liked his D zone play
- Moller out of Kings’ lineup
First of all
MURRAY: Don’t try to replace Kopitar. You’re a different player.
SCHENN: Okay.
Problem solved. And if it’s not solved, then you may as well send the whole f-ing team to Manchester, because they’re all feeling that pressure.
Second
It doesn’t matter if it burns a year of his contract or not. Why? Because if Lombardi thought Schenn would improve the Kings’ chances, Schenn would be a King. Otherwise, why did he keep Clifford up? The Kings have three forwards signed beyond the 2012-13 season (Kopitar, Brown and Williams), and of the three, Brown is the only one whose contract is up the following summer (2014). So, if Schenn’s contract starts next year, you’ll be negotiating Schenn’s RFA contract and Brown’s UFA contract at the same time. Whereas, if Schenn’s contract starts now, you’ll be negotiating Schenn’s contract a year earlier. And there’s every reason to believe that negotiating Schenn’s contract in 2014 gives him another year to become even more of a superstar and cost you even more money.
Not to mention the fact that whether he’s extended in 2013 or 2014, he’s going to be an RFA, not a UFA. He doesn’t get to say where he goes. He’s Kings’ property.
So why is it that burning a year of Schenn’s contract is a problem again?
Third
Anze Kopitar is also a playmaker.
Fourth
Yes, I agree. The Kings need scoring and they need to be sound defensively. Which is obviously why you dress Kevin Westgarth when you could dress the only sniper* in the Kings’ system outside of Tyler Toffoli.
*That’s Oscar Moller I’m talking about.