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LA Kings’ Trade Needs: 3 Biggest Targets to Watch
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- LA Kings’ Trade Needs: 3 Biggest Targets to Watch
LA Kings’ Trade Needs: 3 Biggest Targets to Watch
The quarter mark of the season is fast approaching, and the LA Kings have some crucial holes to fill. The biggest positional need for the team is a real, first-line winger, and has been for some time. The Kings were in on most, if not all, of the top wingers who hit free agency, but the newly appointed general manager, Ken Holland, was unable to reach a signing agreement with any of them.
With head coach Jim Hiller seeming not to trust creative winger Andrei Kuzmenko , the likelihood of a move grows with each passing game. Kuzmenko has been scratched in the Kings' past three games, and his lack of presence creates a gaping hole in the top six, as well as a spot on the second power play unit, which has been entirely ineffective thus far.
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So today, let's take a look around the league at 3 possible solutions for the Kings to fill that open spot in the top six. It's important to note that the Kings have a minimal amount of tradeable assets, especially since every player or prospect that the Kings have under 27 years old is either seen as untouchable by the organization or has next to no value.
1. Jordan Kyrou , St. Louis Blues
Kyrou is an interesting option because, despite the Blues' poor start to the season, he's been unbelievable analytically. He has a 55.1% shot attempt share and a 64.9% expected goal share this season, which both comfortably lead the team, and yet his ice time has been slashed as of late.
Over his last 5 games, the 27-year-old has averaged just 14:55 per game, and was healthy scratched in the Blues' win against Buffalo. There hasn't been an explicit indication that he's available for trade, and he'll be quite expensive, but the Kings should definitely call about him if they're serious about taking the next step this season.
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2. The Philadelphia Flyers
"That's not a player, it's a team!" Correct, let me explain. The reason the entire team was included is that Marc Bergevin, the senior advisor to Ken Holland, was spotted attending several Flyers games in a row last week. As it turns out, the Flyers have a plethora of great wingers, and if even one of them is available, the Kings would be fools not to explore the option at least.
First up is Travis Konecny . The 28-year-old winger is in the first year of a brand new, eight-year deal with an AAV of $8.75 million, but considering Philadelphia 's franchise trajectory, he may not fit their contention timeline. Konecny's skills are obvious, shown by his 76 points last season, and he's steadily improved every season. He could prove to be a good addition to the second line with Fiala and Byfield, as well as the second power play unit, as they've been in desperate need of some creativity.
Another Flyers winger the Kings could consider is 24-year-old Bobby Brink . Although the points haven't really been there for him, one could argue that he's been mismanaged in the Flyers' organization thus far. Last season was a partial breakout year for Brink, as he scored 41 points in 77 games, with 37 of them coming at even strength. This is especially impressive considering he averaged under 15 minutes per game. His skill set is undeniable, and his hands, as well as his ability to maintain possession, make him an extremely valuable asset when considering the Kings' style of play.
3. Steven Stamkos , Nashville Predators
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Stamkos, the third and final target listed here, is the most intriguing of all, and the most likely of the bunch. Quite simply, he checks the most boxes for both the Kings and head coach Jim Hiller.
Even though Stamkos' tenure in Nashville hasn't quite gone according to plan thus far, his talent is still undeniable. Despite being on one of the most disappointing teams in hockey over the past year and change, Stamkos still put up 27 goals and 53 points last season, and although those numbers are considerably worse so far in this campaign, there's reason to believe that he is slated to improve.
This season, when Stamkos has been on the ice, Nashville has a team shooting percentage of just under 7%. This isn't due to a decline in his shooting ability, however, as his shooting percentage for the season comes in at exactly 10%, which is barely under league average. This leads to the idea that the reason for Stamkos' reduced point totals is either due to his linemates underperforming or being extremely unlucky.
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If Stamkos joined the Kings, he'd likely be put into a crucial role on the power play, and may even play with some offensive powerhouses at even strength like Kevin Fiala or Quinton Byfield . Even though he's much older now, he still knows what it takes to win and how to do so at the NHL level. His presence alone may invoke positive change within the Kings' core.
Will any of these players actually make a difference?
Yes, but they can't be the only moves that the Kings make if they want to commit to a serious attempt at a cup, or at least a deep run in the playoffs. While the top power play unit seems to have found its form, the second unit has struggled greatly due to a lack of a true scoring threat. If the addition of a scoring winger can lead to, say, an extra goal per 20 power plays, plus some great impact at even strength, this would definitely be a step in the right direction for the Kings.
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LA's current defensive corps, as it stands, isn't comfortable enough at moving the puck out of the defensive zone and transitioning to offense. If the Kings really want to contend, that has to improve in addition to an add to the top six.
The Kings don't have the salary cap space available to make a big splash. Who would have to leave for them to be able to afford any of these players?
There are a couple of options the Kings have to free up some cap space, but it depends on which young players the Kings are willing to promote, if any. If the organization decided to move on from aging center Phillip Danault and his $5.5 million AAV, they'd have to be willing to promote young center Alex Turcotte to the third line, which seems rather unlikely.
The two options that come to mind straight away, when it comes to freeing up salary, would be wingers Trevor Moore and Andrei Kuzmenko. While both players are talented in their own right, it wouldn't be surprising to see the organization move on from one of them to emphasize their willingness to go all-in.
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The Kings are in a good run of form as of late, with a record of 9-3-2 over their last 14 games, so they likely won't be in a hurry to change much. With the trade deadline looming on the horizon, though, general manager Ken Holland and the Kings must hurry to fill that hole.
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