Los Angeles Kings Extend Trevor Moore
The Los Angeles Kings announced today that they re-signed forward Trevor Moore to a two-year contract extension. The deal is one-way and pays him $1.88MM per season, per CapFriendly.
Moore’s developed nicely for Los Angeles after being acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2020. He’s posted 28 points in 71 games across two seasons with the Kings, scoring 13 goals. Now 26 years old, Moore likely doesn’t have anything more than third-line upside, but that’s where Moore likely slots in next season with Los Angeles’ young core. He’s an adequate two-way forward, and will likely focus on continuing the improvement of his defensive game.
Moore will be 28 at the expiration of the deal. He’ll be hitting unrestricted free agency, and Moore could definitely see a pay raise if he impresses with Los Angeles in the near future. Across 123 total NHL games, Moore’s scored 18 goals and 41 points. Moore’s only playoff experience came in 2019 with the Maple Leafs, playing in all seven games against the Boston Bruins in their First Round series that year. Moore scored one goal in those seven games.
Los Angeles Kings, Arizona Coyotes Complete Minor Trade
The Los Angeles Kings and Arizona Coyotes have completed a minor trade, swapping a pair of minor league players. The Kings will receive Brayden Burke and Tyler Steenbergen, while the Coyotes are getting Boko Imama and Cole Hults.
None of the four players have spent any time in the NHL to this point, and Hults is the only one under contract for the 2021-22 season. This deal will really just change the minor league mix for both clubs, giving young players a fresh start.
Burke, 24, scored just one goal in 28 games for the Tucson Roadrunners this season but was a 20-goal man in the past. A huge offensive piece in junior, Burke was undrafted out of the WHL because of his size and a lack of explosive skating ability. He’s proven he can be a top producer at the minor league level, but is unlikely to really receive much of an opportunity in Los Angeles.
Steenbergen, 23, was drafted, but is likely just as far away from the NHL. Remembered for his gold medal-winning goal for Team Canada in 2018, Steenbergen had just 13 points in 36 games for the Roadrunners this season. Another player who had huge junior totals but doesn’t really have the size for the NHL level, if signed he’ll likely spend next season in the AHL.
Imama, 24, had one of the more interesting QMJHL careers in recent memory. After having a career-high of 28 points through his first four seasons of junior hockey, he ended up scoring 41 goals in 2016-17, helping the Saint John Sea Dogs win a league title. He was a dominant physical presence that season, using the size and strength that had previously helped him as a fighter to bully his way to the net. Imama still had 105 penalty minutes that season, and has continued to fight in the minor leagues. He scored nine goals and 14 points this season, racking up 56 penalty minutes in 31 games.
Hults, 23, only has one year of professional experience after coming out of Penn State. His 19 games this season resulted in just five points, but he is perhaps the closest to the NHL given his position. The young defenseman could potentially see some time for Arizona next season, though just like the other three, will likely spend most of the year in the AHL.
Los Angeles Kings Willing To Move Top Draft Pick
Want to get into the top-10 at this year’s draft? Call the Los Angeles Kings. Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reports that the Kings are “open for business” in regards to the eighth overall selection in the upcoming draft.
The Kings, who haven’t made it past the first round of the playoffs since winning the Stanley Cup in 2014, have amassed a huge number of picks over the last few years, making their prospect list longer than most. In 2020, they had five picks in the first three rounds including second-overall Quinton Byfield. In 2019, they had another five picks in the top three rounds, including fifth-overall Alex Turcotte. Now, with the team trying to move closer to contention, it seems they are ready to sacrifice some futures for current help.
To get an idea of what that eighth overall selection may represent, Luke Hughes occupied the spot in yesterday’s final draft ranking from Bob McKenzie of TSN. That ranking is based on polling of current NHL scouts, meaning there is a real chance someone as talented as Hughes is still available at that spot. Even if it’s not him, there is enough talent at the top of this draft to make the eighth pick pretty appealing.
Draft picks in the top five are rarely moved in the NHL, but trades involving picks 5-10 are a little more common. In 2011, Columbus sent Philadelphia the eighth overall pick in the Jakub Voracek–Jeff Carter deal. It ended up being Sean Couturier. At the 2012 draft, the Penguins received the eighth overall pick in a package for Jordan Staal and ended up selecting Derrick Pouliot. In 2013, it was the ninth pick heading from New Jersey to Vancouver for Cory Schneider, eventually leading to the Canucks selecting their captain, Bo Horvat. In 2017, the Rangers ended up with Anthony DeAngelo and the seventh overall pick for Derek Stepan and Antti Raanta, using it to pick Lias Andersson.
The results have been mixed, and almost always come down to the player that the team ends up picking. Even in the Pouliot and Andersson years, there were several NHL stars still on the board. Though late-round firsts have a much lower probability of success, the eighth overall pick carries plenty of value even in this uncertain draft year. If the Kings are really entertaining offers, they should be able to command a hefty price.
Los Angeles Kings Sign Christian Wolanin
The Los Angeles Kings have retained a depth defenseman, signing Christian Wolanin to a one-year contract. The two-way deal carries an NHL salary of $750K. Wolanin was scheduled to become a Group VI unrestricted free agent this summer.
As we examined recently in our Kings Free Agent Focus piece, Wolanin was basically the only pending UFA that really carried any weight for Los Angeles. His return will give the team another depth option, but certainly doesn’t guarantee him much playing time. The 26-year-old suited up for 18 games this season, but only three of them came with the Kings after a trade from the Ottawa Senators. Since signing his entry-level contract in 2018, he has played in 61 NHL games, recording 18 points.
One thing that may have swayed things in favor of an extension? Wolanin’s strong performance at this year’s World Championship, where he posted six points for Team USA and took home a bronze medal. A league-minimum two-way contract is never a bad idea for a player that has shown an ability to play at the NHL level, and in this case it very well could be a bargain for the Kings.
Wolanin will be left exposed to Seattle, but doesn’t really seem like a prime target given the other players that could be available in Los Angeles.
Free Agent Focus: Los Angeles Kings
Free agency is now just under a month away and many teams are already looking ahead to when it opens up. There will be several prominent players set to hit the open market in late July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well. The Kings have already done a lot of their offseason work, unrestricted free agency isn’t really even an issue for them in the coming weeks.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Andreas Athanasiou – What the heck is Athanasiou? Is he the 30-goal scorer from 2018-19, the mess that went unqualified in Edmonton, or the 40-point-pace utility knife that he showed this season? If the Kings want to find out, they could be taking the risk of arbitration awarding Athanasiou a hefty contract. The 26-year-old could settle for a one-year deal in the arbitration process and head to unrestricted free agency a year from now if the Kings decide to issue him a qualifying offer. If he were to sign a multi-year extension, it would be something new for Athanasiou, who has only ever played on one- or two-year deals since his entry-level contract expired.
F Trevor Moore – Talk about work ethic. Moore has climbed all the way from undrafted college free agent to full-time NHL forward, setting career-highs in goals (10), points (23), and games played (56) this season. Coming off a two-year deal that carried an average annual value of just $775K, the 26-year-old winger is looking at a raise, even if it won’t be a huge one.
F Lias Andersson – Signing a 22-year-old restricted free agent with just 89 NHL games to his name usually isn’t a big issue, but nothing has ever come simply with Andersson. The seventh-overall pick from the 2017 draft, Andersson exercised his European Assignment Clause for the New York Rangers in his first season and left North America altogether during the 2019-20 season. This year he split time between HV71, the Kings, and the Ontario Reign, but does look like he should have an inside track for a full-time roster spot come next season. Andersson isn’t arbitration-eligible, meaning the Kings could wait and force him to sign his qualifying offer (or an offer sheet) if he wants to play in the NHL this season, meaning the only leverage he really has is the threat of another return to Europe.
Other RFAs: F Matt Luff, F Bokondji Imama, F Michael Eyssimont, F Drake Rymsha, D Kale Clague, D Jacob Moverare, D Austin Strand
Key Unrestricted Free Agents:
D Christian Wolanin – Impressively, the Kings have just four UFAs left to sign, and Wolanin is the only one that played more than two games for Los Angeles this season. He played three. There’s not really much to say about the Group VI UFA, other than he could be a potential depth piece for the Kings next season. He played 15 games with the Senators before being traded at the end of March. During his three games with the Kings, he failed to record a point.
G Troy Grosenick – Grosenick certainly isn’t a must-sign goaltender, but like any team, the Kings will have to address their depth at the position this summer. They do have a pair of interesting prospects, but a veteran third-stringer like Grosenick should probably be brought in just for emergency situations. The 31-year-old did play two games this season, posting a .922 save percentage. That took his career total to four appearances.
Other UFAs: D Mark Alt, D Daniel Brickley
Projected Cap Space
After acquiring Viktor Arvidsson earlier this month, the Kings now have just under $15.5MM in cap space heading into the summer. With so few players to re-sign that’s a good amount for the free agent market, but it doesn’t mean the team can spend it haphazardly. If their young players develop as expected, there will be big extensions to come down the pipe in the next few years, meaning they’ll need cap space to fit everyone in. Remember, the trio of Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty and Jonathan Quick still combine for a cap hit of nearly $27MM the next two seasons (with Doughty’s deal stretching much further than that). Adding free agents makes sense, adding long-term money might not.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.
“Every GM In The League” Has Called On Seth Jones
The Columbus Blue Jackets are having to make another difficult decision this off-season, as star defenseman Seth Jones has indicated that he will test free agency next summer rather than re-sign. As The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline writes, barring a change of heart, this means that Jones will be traded, as expected. GM Jarmo Kekalainen has allowed other top players to stay with the team and walk as free agents in recent years, but with the team re-tooling and John Davidson back in his role as team president and focused on the future, Jones will not follow suit.
Fortunately, the Blue Jackets will have no trouble at all trading Jones and will be able to get a major return back. Kekalainen tells Portzline that he has ” heard from just about every GM in the league” since Jones’ availability became public. This could be puffery from the veteran executive to drive up the price, but is also entirely believable. Jones has been playing top-pair minutes for years, produces on offense, is solid on defense, and has improved in his physicality as well. At just 26, Jones is one of the more complete defensemen in the NHL and any club could use him.
Who will be the lucky team that lands Jones though? Portzline has heard four names come up repeatedly in conversations with sources around the league: Chicago, Colorado, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. The Avalanche certainly stand out as a outlier; the top contenders have plenty of depth on defense and are lacking in cap space, this year and beyond. They would likely be looking at Jones as a year-long rental as they push for that elusive Stanley Cup. Would the cost be worth the short-term investment though? The other three clubs certainly would be eyeing a long-term deal with Jones as they are each in need of a top-tier defenseman. The Flyers have long been searching for a capable player to pair with Ivan Provorov on their top pair and Jones is as good a fit as can be found on the market. The Blackhawks also have been without a truly elite defenseman for some time. Like Colorado, they have salary cap issues but would be more willing and able to make it work. The Kings are the most dangerous buyer on the market, armed with a ton of talented prospects and fueled by a desire to improve before their aging core calls it quits. A top defenseman would go a long way in L.A.’s effort to return to relevance.
Of course, as Jones’ market continues to develop and the asking price becomes more concrete, another suitor could swoop in. Every team in the league will keep an eye on the bidding war over the next few weeks, before the Blue Jackets are expected to pull the trigger, by the NHL Entry Draft if not before.
Poll: Grading The Viktor Arvidsson Trade
The Los Angeles Kings made their first big splash of the summer yesterday, acquiring forward Viktor Arvidsson from the Nashville Predators in exchange for the 40th overall selection in this year’s draft and a 2022 third-round pick.
The deal came after two consecutive seasons where Arvidsson has come up short of expectations, with just 25 goals and 52 points over 107 combined games. That’s a big step backward for the player who racked up 34 tallies in just 58 games during the 2018-19 season, or the one that had posted back-to-back 61-point seasons the two years prior. Arvidsson has also failed to ever play in every scheduled game for the Predators, dealing with various minor injuries throughout the last several years.
Still, there’s lots of upside to the 28-year-old forward, something the Kings can take a chance on next season. Los Angeles has amassed one of the most impressive prospect groups in the NHL and didn’t have to forfeit a single one to land the talented winger. In fact, they still own a draft pick in each of the rounds they gave up, thanks to previous trades for Alec Martinez and Jeff Carter. There was an opportunity to add an established forward without drastically affecting the Kings future, and they took it.
Was Arvidsson the right choice though? That same draft capital could have been used to land someone else, and it’s not like he has provided much excess value on his $4.25MM deal the past two seasons. He immediately becomes the Kings’ third-highest paid forward and will contribute to a bit of a financial squeeze in the coming years. Even though Los Angeles has shed some of their highest-priced assets in recent years, they still have nearly $27MM tied up in the trio of Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty and Jonathan Quick. As younger players start reaching restricted (or unrestricted, in the case of Calvin Petersen) free agency, they’ll need raises to keep them in the organization. Adding a $4.25MM hit doesn’t come without some risk in that regard, though if Arvidsson bounces back it won’t be much of an issue.
For Nashville, moving Arvidsson not only cleared a bit of cap, but also helped their expansion situation. Should the team decide to go the eight-skater protection route in order to keep all of their talented defensemen, the forward list is down to just a few names. Moving Arvidsson for some draft capital now allows them to protect someone else, a little extra value that should be taken into account when assessing the trade.
Filip Forsberg certainly didn’t like the deal, but how do you think each team did? Cast your vote for each side below and make sure to explain your thoughts in the comments.
Grade the Arvidsson trade for the Predators
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B 41% (570)
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C 34% (474)
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D 11% (157)
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A 11% (148)
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F 4% (52)
Total votes: 1,401
Grade the Arvidsson trade for the Kings
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B 43% (598)
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A 35% (482)
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C 17% (228)
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D 4% (49)
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F 1% (19)
Total votes: 1,376
[Links for mobile/app users: Predators, Kings]
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Trade Rumors: Eichel, Blackhawks, Kings
Jack Eichel remains the biggest name on the trade market and will remain as such until he is dealt. Or not dealt? The Athletic’s John Vogl spoke to both sides and found that GM Kevyn Adams and Eichel’s agent had a long, productive meeting on Wednesday. Eichel’s camp believes that the situation is “heading toward a resolution.” Read into that what you will, but the language at least hints at a possible reconciliation between the two sides. This report comes on the heels of TSN’s Darren Dreger reporting that the Sabres’ asking price of “the equivalent of four first-round picks” has depressed the market. If the Sabres are not willing to drop the price of this franchise-altering trade, they could instead try to make amends with their superstar. Then again, Vogl also notes that the Sabres have not changed their opinion on Eichel’s proposed controversial neck surgery, a line in the sand that could still split the two sides. “Resolution” could still mean that the team and the player are working toward finding a trade.
- One team in on Eichel are the Chicago Blackhawks. Don’t mistake their openness to trading iconic defenseman Duncan Keith as transitioning into a rebuild. Dreger notes that they are big game hunting this summer and have talked to Buffalo about the star center. However, Dreger does not believe that adding Eichel to a roster that already has two top-tier forward contracts in Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews is feasible from a cap perspective, even if Keith is moved. Instead, he believes that Chicago has a far better chance of landing one of their other two rumored targets: defensemen Seth Jones and Dougie Hamilton.
- The equivalent of four first-round picks is a mighty big ask, but it won’t slow down the Los Angeles Kings if they want to add Eichel. L.A. has long been a rumored landing spot for Eichel and it seems there is mutual interest in a trade. As Vogl notes, the Kings’ ability to part with the pieces needed to land Eichel hasn’t changed with today’s deal for Nashville forward Viktor Arvidsson. L.A. parted with two valuable draft picks, but not a first-round pick nor any of their top-flight first-round prospects like Quinton Byfield, Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Turcotte, Rasmus Kupari, or Tobias Bjornfot. If Eichel remains on the market, the Kings will definitely be in play.
Los Angeles Kings Acquire Viktor Arvidsson
The NHL trade market has been slow to this point, with many teams wary of making big moves that could upset their plans ahead of the Expansion Draft later this month. However, a move was made today as Nashville announced that they have dealt scoring winger Viktor Arvidsson to Los Angeles. The Predators will receive L.A.’s 2021 second-round pick, No. 40 overall, and a 2022 third-round pick. Though the deal may lack excitement with none of the Kings’ high profile prospects going the other way, it is a solid return for Nashville, who need to restock their system. According to The Athletic’s draft pick value chart, the Kings’ second-rounder this year plus a presumptive top-half third-rounder next year is equivalent to a late first-round pick.
Arvidsson, 28, has cracked 30 goals and 60 points twice in his six-year NHL career, showing dangerous scoring ability. Even as his numbers have tailed off the past two seasons, he has maintained a half-point per-game scoring mark in all five of his full NHL seasons. It is also worth noting that his 6.6% shooting percentage this season was an extreme deviation from his career average. Positive regression likely means that more goals are on the way. Arvidsson is more than just his scoring totals, too. The undersized, but hard-working wing plays big minutes, contributes to both the power play and penalty kill, and is an excellent possession player.
[Related: Expansion Primers – Los Angeles Kings and Nashville Predators]
With all that said, Nashville was not wrong to be shopping Arvidsson. At times this past season, he seemed too passive and uninvolved. While he has still put up solid top-six numbers, the Predators have been relying on him as a top-line scorer and he has fallen short. It seems that both sides will benefit from this change of scenery. Nashville will certainly benefit from the expansion flexibility, cap space, and draft pick capital as they look to get back into Stanley Cup contender status after some up-and-down years.
As for the Kings, this is exactly what GM Rob Blake and company have promised their veteran core. The team plans to add established talent this year to help take their young team to the next level and to give their long-time centerpieces another chance to win. In a new place with and with a fresh group of teammates, Arvidsson could easily return to elite production. They had draft picks they could afford to move, the Expansion Draft slot to spare, and a desire to win and now they have a capable veteran in the fold as they look to get back into playoff contention.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report that the Kings were acquiring Arvidsson.
Expansion Primer: Los Angeles Kings
Over the next few weeks, we will be breaking down each team’s situation as it pertains to the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. Which players are eligible, who will likely warrant protection, and which ones may be on the block to avoid the risk of losing them for nothing? Each team is required to submit their protection lists by 4:00 PM CDT on July 17th. The full eligibility rules can be found here, while CapFriendly has an expansion tool to make your own lists.
The Los Angeles Kings have come a long way since the last Expansion Draft… a long way in the wrong direction. After winning Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014 and topping 100 points in 2016, the Kings were still clinging to their hopes of remaining contenders when the Vegas Golden Knights made their expansion selections in 2017. It was arguably at that point that things began to unravel for the franchise. Even with four defensemen protected, all of whom were well worth it at the time but only one of whom remains on the team now, Vegas still stole from the blue line with the reliable Brayden McNabb. McNabb has been a fixture for the Knights ever since; meanwhile, L.A. has watched as protected players Tanner Pearson, Jake Muzzin, Tyler Toffoli, Alec Martinez, Derek Forbort, and Jeff Carter all departed.
After years in the basement of the league, the Kings are now on their way back to relevance, fueled by a few holdover veterans, a couple new core players, and a treasure trove of talented youth. Their Cup days may be well behind them, but there are brighter days ahead – and expansion will not slow them down. L.A.’s current roster has so few established assets and is so heavy in exempt young players, the Kings face little risk in the impending draft. By their recent standards, they will lose a good player and maybe even a young player, but by league standards they should be one of the teams least impacted. This is not a roster where the Seattle Kraken will be able to find their own McNabb.
Eligible Players (Non-UFA)
Forwards:
Lias Andersson, Andreas Athanasiou, Dustin Brown, Michael Eyssimont, Martin Frk, Carl Grundstrom, Alex Iafallo, Boko Imama, Adrian Kempe, Anze Kopitar, Brendan Lemieux, Blake Lizotte, Matt Luff, Trevor Moore, Drake Rymsha, Austin Wagner
Defense:
Drew Doughty (NMC), Kale Clague, Olli Maatta, Kurtis MacDermid, Jacob Moverare, Matt Roy, Austin Strand, Sean Walker
Goalies:
Jonathan Quick, Calvin Petersen
Notable Unrestricted Free Agents
None
Notable Exemptions
D Michael Anderson, F Jaret Anderson-Dolan, D Tobias Bjornfot, F Quinton Byfield, F Samuel Fagemo, F Arthur Kaliyev, F Rasmus Kupari, F Tyler Madden, D Markus Phillips, F Vladimir Tkachyov, F Akil Thomas, F Alex Turcotte, F Gabriel Vilardi
Key Decisions
The most difficult question for the Kings as they face expansion is the first one: what is their overall approach? A team that is currently straddling the line between rebuild and playoff pursuit. L.A. is loaded with talented prospects and certainly values their youth, but they are also loaded with cap space and have sworn to add more veteran talent this off-season. When making decisions on who to protect and who to expose, they need to decide what the next step for the franchise is. Will they risk established veterans, knowing it would be a step back in their return to relevance? Are they comfortable enough in their deep stable of prospect to expose unproven young players instead?
The x-factor in this whole conversation is young defenseman Clague, as the Kings’ decision on him will also determine whether they protect three defensemen and seven forwards or eight skaters, including Clague as defenseman No. 4? A well-regarded prospect, Clague has been given opportunities in L.A. but has little to show for it. The 23-year-old was a second-round pick in 2016 and was heralded as a skilled, puck-moving defenseman, but so far that ability has not appeared at the NHL level. Could Clague blossom in Seattle if the Kings let him go? Sure. However, they have numerous other impressive defense prospects in the system to replace him. Protecting Clague also comes at a steep cost: three forward slots. If Clague is not exposed, several other young forwards are.
Assume then that Clague is exposed as the Kings go with three defenseman: icon Doughty and affordable top-four defenders Roy and Walker. Maatta brought needed veteran presence and stability to L.A. this year and MacDermind is an impressive physical specimen, but neither is worth protecting over Clague, nevertheless three forwards.
Up front, the locks are simple. Star center Kopitar, the recently-extended Iafallo, and young standout Kempe are all safe. Beyond that, the final four names could be anyone from a long list (which is why protecting Clague remains a possibility however unlikely.) The first decision will be the most polarizing, as it pertains to the up-and-down Brown. A career King, Brown started to decline even before the last Expansion Draft and was left exposed as L.A. hoped they might be rid of his long-term contract. However, in the years since he has returned to form, playing at a 50+ point full-season pace this year for the third time in four seasons. Brown’s contract is also down to just one year, no longer a detriment to the team. If there were only four forwards to protect, this becomes a more difficult decision, but with seven spots it is likely that Brown stays a King for at least one more season, even if not all fans will be happy about it. His experience and leadership is invaluable to the young team and he would be an easy target for Seattle if exposed.
The remaining three forward spots are a more interesting debate. Athanasiou and Moore, though older than some of the other candidates, are still relatively young and entering the primes of their careers. Each played well in his first season in Los Angeles, recording a matching 23 points to tie for fifth in scoring among Kings forwards. With that said, both are restricted free agents as well and contract negotiations could come into play. However, neither player meets the exposure requirements to fill the quota and are superior players to the other candidates, making them useless to expose other than to distract the Kraken from other options.
The Kings do have four forwards that meet the exposure criteria, two of whom must be protected. Grundstrom, Lizotte, Wagner, and mid-season trade addition Lemieux all satisfy the exposure requirements, but which two should fill that position? There is some reason to believe that Lizotte will. The undersized forward earned a suspiciously quick extension after a down year, which could mean that the Kings had ulterior motives. There is also something to be said for the Kings adding Lemieux when the team already had physical bottom-six wingers in Grudstrom and Wagner. Lemieux also may have been brought in for expansions purposes. And yet, Wagner is probably the least valuable player of the group and likely to be exposed.
Grundstrom stands out as an outlier. The youngest of the group, Grundstrom was a 2016 second-rounder taken just six spots behind Clague. A physical forward with offensive touch, Grundstrom made the most of limited ice time in just 47 games to lead this group of four in scoring, finish among the top nine forwards in goals and points, and lead the team in hits. Grudnstrom is the favorite to be protected.
Of course, there is one more forward to consider and that is impending RFA Andersson. The 2017 No. 7 overall pick came to L.A. after struggling in New York and unfortunately found more of the same. He recorded just six points in 23 games, matching a career high but still falling short of expectations. A one-dimensional offensive player, Andersson is a difficult young asset to hand starts and ice time. Yet, his draft stock implies immense potential and at 22 years old he could still turn into a star elsewhere. Can the Kings risk giving him up?
In net, the decision is much easier than elsewhere on the roster. Despite his longevity and career achievements, Quick is currently just an overpaid backup. His play has actually been improving and L.A. may not be as desperate to move his contract as they once were, but there is no question that young Peterson is the current and future starter and will be protected.
Projected Protection List
F Andreas Athanasiou
F Dustin Brown
F Carl Grundstrom
F Alex Iafallo
F Adrian Kempe
F Anze Kopitar
F Trevor Moore
D Drew Doughty (NMC)
D Matt Roy
D Sean Walker
Skater Exposure Requirement Checklist
When Vegas had their expansion draft, a minimum of two forwards and one defenseman had to be exposed that were under contract and played either 40 games in the most recent season or 70 over the past two combined. Due to the pandemic, those thresholds have been changed to 27 games played in 2020-21 or 54 in 2019/20 and 2020-21 combined. In creating our expansion list for each team in this series, we will ensure that these criteria are met.
Forwards (3): Brendan Lemieux, Blake Lizotte, Austin Wagner
Defensemen (2): Olli Maatta, Kurtis MacDermid
At the end of the day, the Kings need to focus on themselves and what they know they have rather than what could be. Could a Clague or Andersson be selected by Seattle and become a great player? Sure. Could they also go to Seattle and not even be able to crack the roster, ending up back in L.A. or elsewhere on waivers? Of course. What the Kings know to be true is that they have the means to protect all of their main contributors from this past year, when the team took a major step forward, and that they have arguably the deepest and most talented pipeline in the NHL to replace any departing young player.
Whether it is taking a risk on a Clague or Andersson, adding a role player like Lemieux, Wagner, MacDermid, or Strand or swinging for the fences and hoping for a resurgence from Quick or Maatta, the Kraken have options. Their decision may be even harder than L.A.’s, who should feel confident moving forward without whoever Seattle lands on.