COREY ELKINS 
This season: 3 games, 1 goal, 0 assists, 0 penalty minutes, 11:54 average ice time.
The good: Elkins had a solid season in Manchester, showing the ability to play a decent two-way game. He’s a big guy (6-foot-3, 216 pounds) who can play a fourth-line center role but who can also move and score some goals. He earned a December call-up to the Kings and scored his first NHL goal in a 2-1 loss to Calgary.
The bad: The final image of Elkins is not a good one. The Kings were tied with Phoenix in the third period on Dec. 26 when Elkins took the puck into the offensive zone and…stopped. He didn’t keep skating, or dump the puck in, or look for a teammate. He appeared to simply freeze, just before the puck was stripped and went the other way for Phoenix’s game-winning goal. The next day, coincidentally or not, Elkins was on his way back to Manchester.
Going forward: After that disappointment, Elkins finished the season strong with Manchester. He figures to be in the conversation, with Marc-Andre Cliche, for a fourth-line center spot, but it’s unlikely that he would be able to fill any role higher than that right now. Elkins did have 21 goals for the Monarchs this season, and has three goals in eight playoff games. If the Kings can count on offensive production from Elkins, it would raise his profile significantly.
What the heck. Another incomplete really. Gave him a C. I wish him luck.
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Off topic here, but since we’re exclusively player eval’s right now, I’m gonna post my thoughts:
there was a fresh Kovy to Kings rumor today, and I have to say, the more I think about it, the more it becomes the wrong move. We have 2 glaring needs this offseason: a top 4 blue-liner & a top 6 forward. The biggest problem with Ilya is his contract (min. $8.5 mil/yr., more likely $10mil) is the same as adding 2 young, elite talents.
So, instead of Kovi, imagine that the Kings use that cap space to sign 2 other players who are rumored to be leaving their squads come July 1, namely: Dan Hamhuis and Bobby Ryan. Bobby, according to this rumor, “just wants to get to July 1 to become a UFA and test the market”. The Ducks probably don’t have the cap room for him if they want to re-sign Niedermayer, Selanne, etc. So, offer Bobby a $5.25mil/yr. deal (same as Getzlaf & Perry), and then sign Hamhuis at $4mil/yr. (too much for the Preds apparently) and we’re spending the same as we would on Kovy, but now we’ve addressed both need areas (not to mention we stole a great young player away from the Disney Quacks)!
Kovy/Kopi looks great (and is fun to say!), but wouldn’t you take Bobby Ryan instead if it meant you could pair JJ with Hamhuis instead of JJ&OD? Kovy is a great player, but he’s not more valuable to this club than those two.
-DD99
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wavesinair Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 12:07 pm
@Doughty99, Are you going to post this on every new thread or just the last 2?
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Doughty99 Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 12:13 pm
@wavesinair,
i have a knack for being the last to post on a thread, so i posted again in an attempt to get people to read it. i was hoping for thoughts about the post, but beggars can’t be choosers
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LAKINGS Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 12:09 pm
@Doughty99, Link?
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Doughty99 Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 12:18 pm
@LAKINGS,
it’s nothing more than editorializing, but how many of these rumors are actually substantiated: “There is an expectation that the Kings will make a big splash in the free-agent marketplace. Flashy Ilya Kovalchuk certainly seems like a player who should live and play in close proximity to Hollywood.”
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/columnist/allen/2010-04-29-kevin-allen-rink-rap_N.htm
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wavesinair Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 12:23 pm
@Doughty99, This is not even a rumor. You made a rumor about an alleged rumor! LOL.
All Allen said was, it seemed to him like a good fit. Just an opinion…kinda like the thousands of comments on here.
Doughty99 Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 12:37 pm
@wavesinair,
you’re right. they made it seem more legit on ESPN’s nhl rumors than it actually was…
Rich Hammond Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 12:13 pm
@Doughty99,
Bobby Ryan is not an unrestricted free agent this summer, which is, by my count, reason No. 1,372 not to read Internet rumors.
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Doughty99 Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 12:28 pm
@Rich Hammond,
Apologies Rich, Bobby R. will become a restricted free agent if the Ducks don’t sign him by July 1 (according to that free agents website you posted during one of the forum answers).
so, the kings could swoop in with an offer the ducks couldn’t or wouldn’t match. i know it’s hypothetical, but my point is that the Kings could address their 2 biggest needs for the same $ it would take to land Kovy.
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Mike L Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 12:20 pm
@Doughty99,
Ryan is a RFA. Volchenkov would be better than Dan. Also kovy’s minimum is not 8.5 if kings want him they’ll offer gaborik type money. 7.5-7.8 mil.
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Doughty99 Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 1:01 pm
@Mike L,
I agree, Volchenks is probably a better fit. Didn’t realize Dan-Ham is only a year younger.
re: Kovalchuk – he already turned down a $10mil/yr. offer to stay in ATL, why would he take $7.5mil/yr now?
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Gary Livingston Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 1:46 pm
@Doughty99,
Different clubs. Different perks. Different pitfalls. Different compensation necessary to sign.
luc20rules Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 10:58 pm
@Mike L, Not that it is a bad thing, but that is why we won’t get kovi, just like we didn’t get Gaborik. DL will not overpay for a player. I guess he did a little for Smyth, but that was after all other options were gone, and he was able to dump Tom Preissing’s salary, which made it a bargain.
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Moondoggie Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 1:26 pm
@Doughty99, I love the idea and no, I don’t think the Kings will pursue Kovi at the risk of mortgaging their future by being unable to resign JMFJ, DD, etc to extensions. Also, I just don’t see a lot of GM’s going after RFA’s, particularly after the Dustin Penner signing a few years ago. That move by Rob Lowe irked quite a few GM’s out there. I think DL will work with what he has. There are some good UFA’s out there and if he doesn’t sign them he has plenty to fall back on in the Kings farm system that are ready to play. I love the thought of seeing Moller, Schenn, Lotki, etc playing together for years to come…..
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Doughty99 Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 2:58 pm
@Moondoggie,
(a) I similarly love the thought of the young kids coming up, but to be a cup contender next year we need to add a top 6 fwd and a top 4 def. (2) rob lowe – hehe. (d) if not crossing GMs by signing RFA’s is now an unwritten rule, that’s one thing, but offering $5mil/yr to a 23-year old with 2-34+ goal seasons under his belt is not inflated like Penner’s deal was. Certainly DL wouldn’t get flack for that.
also, if kovy is out, who are the good UFA’s of which you speak? Marleau and…?
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luc20rules Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 11:05 pm
@Moondoggie, Is that really a concern. It will upset an opposing GM to beat them in the playoffs. Where Edm screwed up is the were not a one player puts us over the top team. It wouldn’t of hurt them to lose pick 30+ for 2 years. Pittsburgh could make a move like that if they had cap space. Other than giving up top 10 picks I don’t think they were hurt. The Kings also are probably in a position with all the young prospects that they could lose 2 late #1s and it wouldn’t hurt for the right player.
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I gave him a B for Big Buckeye!
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Doughty99 Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 2:59 pm
@seabass,
did you mean B for Badger?
(he went to Wisc)
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-J Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 3:35 pm
@Doughty99,
No, he went to Ohio- http://www.insidesocal.com/kings/2009/03/kings-sign-corey-elkins.html
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Doughty99 Reply:
May 4th, 2010 at 12:11 am
@-J,
yikes, i thought we were on the drewiskie player eval. still. my bad.
Don’t remember the play in the Phoenix game. I think I’ll have to take a look at the highlights…
Again, I think we need “incomplete” and minus grades, maybe next year, huh?.
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I watched the Calgary game that he scored in and he looked really good. If he works hard this summer he could have a solid shot at the 4th line center role.
As said above, we do need some Incomplete grades
ditch the +/- and just A, B, C, D, F, I?
I like reading these Rich, keep em comin!!
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I won’t grade him as I don’t remember him even playing, guess he get’s an incomplete. But…..if he carried the puck into the offensive end and then froze….not good.
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Still waiting to see which one of these big 4th liner types will be the “next Zeus”, the offense he showed towards the end of the year surprised me with some big goals and earned PP time, those aren’t easy skates to fill!
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I didn’t see enough of him to issue a grade, but that was a bonehead turnover…
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Where can we listen/watch Elkins and the Monarchs take on Worchester tonight?
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wavesinair Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 1:59 pm
@King Doughnuts, Nowhere. The next game is on Wednesday.
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Here we are again everyone….a week after the Kings playoffs end and the Kings faithful is still blogging and Rich is still updating…..not bad. Surprised anyone???? Nah….
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Why give him anything lower than a B? (I said B+.) Because he wasn’t an instant star? He scored a great goal. He made a mistake entering the zone. Oh no! Maybe he was just copying Brown.
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Love Corey Elkins ! I Think the Manchester coaching staff has done a great job with this guy. I think he could be our next 3rd or 4th line center in the next 1 to 2 seasons. Like him a lot more then Lewis or Cliche.
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wow i totally don’t remember him….F
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boy i wish the coach wouldve sent Jones down after any of his many turnovers….
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puck73 Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 6:39 pm
@neil, ..Amen Brother. Elkins gets sent ta hell for 1 mistake..go figure.
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I have been posting that Elkins, King, Clifford, & Schenn. Should be locked in a room with a tapes of Ryan Smyth & Michal Handzus to see what is needed from the large frame players in the NHL. The Elkins and King have skill to produce at the AHL, but will need to adjust to faster/more skilled players in the NHL. Schenn with his speed may be able to play his own style in the NHL, but it will still be important to know you score more in the slot below the circles than anywhere else on the ice.
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