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3 early Kings trade candidates after Round 1 sweep in 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs
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- 3 early Kings trade candidates after Round 1 sweep in 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs
3 early Kings trade candidates after Round 1 sweep in 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Los Angeles Kings were swept in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche . That marked the end of Anze Kopitar 's Hall-of-Fame caliber career, as he retired at the age of 38. Kings general manager Ken Holland should take the playoff embarrassment and Kopitar's retirement as a sign to make offseason trades and start a rebuild.
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The Kings have made the playoffs in five consecutive seasons with three different coaches and two different GMs. Holland fired Jim Hiller this season and replaced him with DJ Smith, but it did not lead to a playoff win. They should be starting the rebuild that they never truly finished in the late 2010s as soon as this offseason starts.
Who should the Kings trade from their old roster this summer?
Mikey Anderson could net a haul
Griffin Hooper-Imagn Images
The Kings do not have many high-priced trade assets. They are an old team with a lot of players on long and expensive contracts. But one defenseman bucks that trend, as Mikey Anderson is due just $4.125 million per year through 2030 and is just 26 years old. It would be a tough pill for fans to swallow, but moving Anderson is the perfect first move for the Kings' rebuild.
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The free-agent market is bleak this year, so selling teams could be at an advantage in the trade market. Anderson is a left-handed defenseman who can hold his own in all three zones. Some team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs is going to get dominated defensively and convince themselves they need a new defenseman. That is who the Kings should call, only trading Anderson for a haul.
The Kings need to get a first-round pick and a prospect back for Anderson if they trade him. They d ealt a prospect to the New York Rangers for Artemi Panarin at the trade deadline , so replacing Liam Greentree in the pipeline is key in this move.
A Quinton Byfield trade would shake up the Kings
The Kings drafted Quinton Byfield second overall in 2020 after winning the NHL Draft Lottery. Similar to other COVID-era prospects, Byfield's development has stalled at the NHL level. He has topped out at 55 points, back in 2023-24, and scored a career-high 24 goals this season. With Kopitar gone, the Kings need Byfield to step into the top center role. If they don't think he can do that, this is the time to trade him.
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The Kings gave Byfield a bridge deal when his entry-level contract expired. That deal pays him a reasonable $6.25 million through the 2028-29 season, which can fit under many contenders' salary caps. But the question remains whether or not he is worth that contract or the pieces it would take to get him.
This is a deal where the Kings should prioritize draft picks in the return. A first-round pick would be an incredible return for a center without one elite skill six years into his career. That is not to say Byfield has no chance of being a great pro, but he has not become an offensive or defensive superstar.
One of the goalies has to go
This trade will not get the Kings the first-round pick that the other two players should net. But the goalie position is old, mediocre, and still under contract. So one of Darcy Kuemper or Anton Forsberg has to go this offseason to open up a roster space for a younger option that can take the net for the future.
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Kuemper backstopped the Colorado Avalanche to the 2022 Stanley Cup title, leaving for the Washington Capitals right after. After two years in D.C., he was dealt to the Los Angeles Kings . In his first year in Hollywood, Kuemper finished third in Vezina Trophy voting with a .921 save percentage and a 2.02 goals-against average. Those numbers came crashing down in year two, and he lost his starting job. He has one year left at $5.25 million, so the team taking him on won't be stuck with him for long.
The Kings could also trade Forsberg, who started all four games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Formerly of the Ottawa Senators , Forsberg posted the second-best save percentage of his career this year. They could sell high on the 33-year-old, hoping someone pays up to take on the final year of his $2.25 million deal.
It is time for the Kings to change course and start accumulating assets for the future. Making it to the Stanley Cup Playoffs just to lose in the first round is not a fruitful endeavor, and it is time for Ken Holland to see that. These trades are a great place to start for Los Angeles , which has a long way to go to reach its former heights as Stanley Cup Champions.
Related: Kings most to blame for Round 1 sweep at hands of Avalanche
Related: Kings rumors: The 'bold' move LA needs to make after yet another Round 1 exit
