The Kings have certainly been active on each side of the Olympic break, first trading for Artemi Panarin and then hoping to make an addition by subtraction by firing Coach Jim Hiller and promoting assistant D.J. Smith.
They’ve also experienced setback after setback on the injury front. Kevin Fiala broke his leg competing for Team Switzerland. Andrei Kuzmenko tore his meniscus in the first game following the pause, leaving him out for the season as well. Drew Doughty got injured again after the break, though he could return later this week, and Joel Armia’s condition was still under scrutiny as of Monday morning. Trevor Moore and Darcy Kuemper had been battling illnesses, and that was only the explicitly revealed extent of the Kings’ maladies.
Yet with the playoffs still in their hazy sights – they were situated in a three-way points tie for ninth place in the Western Conference, three points back of the final wild-card berth – the Kings still had possibilities and interest when it came to making the postseason.
General Manager Ken Holland hinted at potentially being done after trading center Phillip Danault for a draft pick in December and acquiring Panarin at a suppressed price in February, though he has been known to under-promise often and, sometimes, over-deliver.
“We made a big deadline deal, it just wasn’t on the deadline,” he told reporters.
When asked if he would seek more scoring for an offensively constipated team that just lost its No. 2 and No. 7 producers this season, he said “I did that,” referring to Panarin’s acquisition, which he made prior to the injuries to Fiala and Kuzmenko.
Yet Holland also said he would “work the phones” and “see what’s out there.” He did offer that the Kings’ 2026 first-round draft pick, presently a lotto pick (eighth overall by record) in a stellar draft class headlined by Penn State’s Gavin McKenna, would not be in play.
The Kings have not been able to fill the void left by Danault’s departure via a trade he requested and they were already eyeing a center given that Anže Kopitar will be retiring at season’s end. While high-level targets with remaining term exist – Robert Thomas and Ryan O’Reilly of St. Louis as well as Calgary’s Nazem Kadri, leading Vancouver scorer Elias Pettersson and Panarin’s former New York Rangers teammate Vincent Trocheck are among them – the Kings might have neither the ambition nor the assets to pursue them in what projects to be a sellers’ market.
Jimmy Murphy of The RG Media reported that the Kings were one of a handful of teams linked to Toronto pivot Bobby McMann. A late bloomer, he’s currently 29 and a pending unrestricted free agent, while being on track to improve his goal, assist and point totals for a third consecutive season.
On the wing, Edmonton’s Andrew Mangiapane cleared waivers on Monday, but a former Oiler, one whom Holland signed during his time in Alberta, could be on the move from Vancouver. Evander Kane has played for three teams in the Pacific Division already and virtually any situation would be more competitive than Vancouver’s, including reuniting with Holland in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, Warren Foegele, whose name was circulating in the rumor mill, is likely safe given that he has another year left on his deal and the Kings presently need bodies on the flank.
Though Kuemper has faced health issues since returning from Milan with a silver medal despite zero games played for Canada, a move in goal seems unlikely for the Kings given that their tandem has mostly performed well and few goalies are moved at the deadline.
Equally unlikely, for better or worse, seems to be another reconfiguration on defense. Half of the Kings’ six regulars were signed either this past summer or the one prior, and all three veterans have trade protection, as does Doughty.
Related Articles
Kings open D.J. Smith era against Avalanche Kings fire coach Jim Hiller after nearly 2 seasons Kings snap 5-game skid in win over Flames Kings express faith, urgency after getting tuned up Struggling Kings routed by Oilers for 5th straight lossHence then, the article about nhl trade deadline injury plagued kings to see what s out there was published today ( ) and is available on The Orange County Register ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( NHL trade deadline: Injury-plagued Kings to ‘see what’s out there’ )
Also on site :