Already down a key offensive winger in Kevin Fiala who is out for the season, the Kings are now going to be without another offensive winger for at least a little while. The team announced that Andrei Kuzmenko has undergone successful surgery to repair a torn meniscus and is listed as out week-to-week; he has also been placed on injured reserve. Taking his spot on the active roster is defenseman Angus Booth, who has been recalled from AHL Ontario.
Kuzmenko is in his first full season with Los Angeles after being acquired at the trade deadline last season. A strong finish saw him put up five goals and 12 assists in just 22 games down the stretch before putting up six points in six games in the playoffs. That performance helped keep him around as Los Angeles signed Kuzmenko to a one-year, $4.3MM contract to keep him from testing unrestricted free agency.
Things haven’t gone quite as well for the 30-year-old this season, however. Kuzmenko has been limited to 13 goals and 12 assists through 52 appearances although he still ranks seventh on the team in points with Los Angeles being one of the lowest-scoring teams in the NHL. Now, with him and Fiala out of the lineup, there will be even more pressure on Artemi Panarin in the short term to pick up the slack while GM Ken Holland might be more motivated to try to seek out some scoring help over the coming days as well. Projected to have more than $15MM in cap room on deadline day, per PuckPedia, Los Angeles has plenty of room to add to its roster.
As for Booth, this is his first career NHL recall. The 21-year-old was a fourth-round pick by the Kings in 2022, going 116th overall out of the QMJHL. In his second professional season, Booth has played exclusively with the Reign and has a goal and nine assists in 42 games. With Drew Doughty exiting Thursday’s game with a lower-body injury, it appears that Booth will serve as the seventh defender until the veteran is able to return.
Can we now all agree that the Kings should have been sellers at the deadline? What other universe is there?
Sell who?? Moveare, Mallott, Perry and Kuzi are the only pending UFA’s. You’re not getting much for those four, if anything . You could argue they should stand pat, but they don’t have stuff to sell.
Why are you speaking in past tense for something that hasn’t happened yet
Probably, but instead they’ll trade for Laine.
I still like the Panarin trade. No one could have predicted losing Fiala and Kuzy for the season! Kings will have over $15 million at the deadline. If they can’t win a few games before the deadline then they should be sellers!
Well this stinks. Losing Kuzmenko in the spot where we’re at right now is gonna sting big time. We need to keep adding to this roster and use some sacrificial lambs in a way to get us competitive
Start with Hiller!
I feel bad for Kopitar,definitely not the way he’d like to go out.
This Kings team is so cooked it’s not even funny. They should be selling whatever they can, including guys under contract next year such as Armia and approaching Doughty about whether he intends to retire next year or not, which will determine whether he gets the Kopitar treatment or Quick treatment (with his consent, of course, he does have an NMC.)
What they need they can’t get at just one trade deadline, but there are enough pieces here that a total rebuild is not necessary; overhaul the coaching and scouting/development staffs and hope they can get more out of Turc, Laffy, and QB, retool at center and D and see what happens next year.
I don’t have anything against Doughty, but I hope he retires. That’s 11 million of freed space to make a big time splash. I’d even look to trade him to be honest. As for Armia, he has been super effective, so I’m not sure I’m sold on moving him, but I see where you’re coming from. At least Laferriere and QB looked great today against Calgary! GKG!
Fire the coach today! Calgary will most likely beat us and Colorado… forget about it! Unless the Kings are within 4 points at the deadline…blow it up. Trade Ceci & Dumouln (even take back 50%) Keep Anderson, Panarin, Kempe and Clarke! Everyone else is expendable!
I would honestly add Byfield and Laferriere to that list you named of players to keep. They are both very good players that could pop. I’d first try and sell players like Turcotte, Moore and Foegele for a center that we need desperately. I’d only move Laferriere for a player like Thomas, but even then, I’d still hesitate big time. At least we got the win over Calgary! GKG