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Snapshots: Zadina, Byfuglien, Kings

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Filip Zadina has had a difficult year. The sixth-overall pick from 2018 has just 11 goals and 23 points with the Grand Rapids Griffins, and was held to just a single assist at the World Juniors, a tournament he dominated last year. Still, that won’t stop the Detroit Red Wings from giving him a taste of the NHL before the end of the season. GM Ken Holland told Ansar Khan of MLive that Zadina will play a few games with the Red Wings before the end of the year, but won’t go over the nine-game threshold that would make his entry-level contract kick in for this season.

Zadina is an extremely skilled player with a deadly accurate shot, and is still just a teenager playing in a professional league with opponents sometimes more than a decade older than him. Struggles maybe were to be expected, but for the Red Wings success he needs to take another step forward next season. Getting him a taste of what it takes to play in the NHL before the summer will give him even more focus this offseason to come to camp ready to compete in September.

  • Dustin Byfuglien has been activated from injured reserve by the Winnipeg Jets after a 15-game absence, and should immediately help them on their push to finish at the top of the Western Conference. The Jets are still in the market to make a move at the trade deadline, but getting Byfuglien back at this point should feel like a big addition for the last part of the season. The big, mobile defenseman usually logs some of the highest ice time totals in the league and is a physical force that demands respect all over the rink.
  • Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake had some snark for the analysts at TSN when speaking with Curtis Zupke of the Los Angeles Times, and explained that there’s not definite time frame on when he’s looking to make moves to improve the club. If there are opportunities like the one he took by trading away Jake Muzzin the Kings will jump all over it, but they’re not rushing to sell off the whole team right away. For what it’s worth, our readership at PHR believes that Tyler Toffoli will be the next player sent packing by the Kings.

Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Jake Muzzin

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There have been many trades so far this season, but with less than a month to go before the NHL Trade Deadline, we finally the first that qualifies as a blockbuster. The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced that they have acquired defenseman Jake Muzzin from the Los Angeles Kings. Going the other way is a package of forward prospect Carl Grundstrom, defense prospect Sean Durzi, and the Leafs’ 2019 first-round pick. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that Toronto GM Kyle Dubas and L.A. GM Rob Blake had been discussing the framework for this deal for weeks before finally pulling the trigger tonight.

Muzzin, 29, is a major addition for the Maple Leafs. Dubas has been searching for help on the blue line all season long and adds a bona fide top-pair defender without having to move any pieces off his NHL roster. Muzzin is a well-rounded and versatile two-way defenseman. Although he is a left-shot, Muzzin often plays his off side and will likely slot next to Morgan Rielly on Toronto’s top pairing. Muzzin will also play a major role on the penalty kill, as he is a tough, durable defenseman who plays a steady game in his own end. Perhaps more than anything, Muzzin is known as a big game player, capable of playing his best when it matters most. Muzzin was a Stanley Cup champion in 2014 with the Kings and has 20 points and 125 hits in 50 playoff games. He has also starred for Canada on the international stage, including a 2015 World Championship in which he notched eight points in ten games. An experienced and clutch defenseman who excels in all three zones, Muzzin is truly a complete defender joining the back end in Toronto. Add in that he makes just $4MM against the cap and is signed for one more year and you get an acquisition that no one in Toronto should be unhappy with.

Los Angeles should be commended for this trade as well, though. Although Muzzin was one of their best players – arguably their top player this season – they maximized the return from a Leafs team that was unwilling to move any current roster players. Grundstrom and Duzri are two of Toronto’s very best prospects and each project to be NHLers sooner rather than later. Grundstrom, 21, was a second-round pick in 2016 out of Frolunda HC of the Swedish Hockey League. In his first season in North America this year, Grundstrom had 29 points in 42 games for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. Grundstrom will now join the Ontario Reign and could see action with the Kings before the season is out. The powerful winger is certain to compete for a regular job in L.A. next year. Durzi, 20, was considered the top overage player in the NHL Draft last year and was selected in the second-round as a result. The skilled defenseman has been better than a point-per-game in the OHL this year after returning from injury and has the experience and intelligent game that should translate to the pros easily next season. As for the first-round pick, the Kings have to hope that Muzzin’s addition isn’t enough to get the Leafs past likely playoff opponents in the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning, as Toronto’s pick could still very well end up in the early twenties. If the rest of Blake’s fire sale yields similar returns, L.A. is going to be in good shape moving into their rebuild phase.

 

Kings’ Jeff Carter Linked To Boston Bruins

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When one national writer connects a contending team with a trade candidate, it’s simply speculation. When three link the two in the span of a few days, there is usually something to it. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggested that the Boston Bruins could be a possible destination for Los Angeles Kings veteran center Jeff Carter in his latest “31 Thoughts” segment. The same day, The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa published an entire piece on Carter’s ideal fit in Boston. His colleague, Craig Custance, also wrote about how the best blueprint for a rebuild in L.A. could be to emulate the Bruins, who recouped picks and young players in 2015 by trading away Milan Lucic and Dougie Hamilton, but largely leaving their core intact. This time around, could Carter be in Lucic’s shoes with the Bruins and Kings swapping roles? It’s looking like a real possibility.

The logic behind a Carter deal is obvious for the Kings. L.A. sits in last place in the NHL, with just 24 points through 33 games. The team is far older than they would like to be given their struggles and, as Custance suggests, would benefit greatly from moving out a handful of veterans to inject youth and potential into the roster along with a solid core of Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, and Jonathan Quick. It is no surprise that TSN’s most recent Trade Bait list features Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin at No. 2, Carter at No. 5, and Alec Martinez at No. 16. Although Carter, still a capable offensive player, has three years remaining on his contract beyond this season at a remarkably reasonable $5.27MM cap hit and even lower salary, he is also 33 years old and is unlikely to improve in the years it could take for L.A. to return to the postseason. The Kings would be able to add some impressive young pieces in exchange for Carter, kick-starting their rebuild. TSN’s Frank Servalli warns that Carter could use the threat of retirement to decide on his destination, but he would be unlikely to turn down the opportunity to end his career with a contender like Boston.

However, does the deal make sense for the Bruins? Obviously, the first aspect worth noting is Boston’s depth down the middle. Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, while aging themselves, are still playing at an elite level and are both signed long-term. Adding Carter would give the Bruins three centers age 32 or older signed through at least the 2020-21 season. The Bruins would have the gauge the asking price on Carter against the fact that he would most likely be their third-line center. Yet, this alone doesn’t rule out a Carter trade. Shinzawa notes that Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, while improving, is not yet ready for prime time match-ups as the anchor of his own line. Carter would be a very helpful addition in the short-term, especially as the Bruins square off against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning and their equally impressive depth down the middle. Carter playing alongside a young winger like Ryan Donato or Danton Heinen could be a dangerous combo this season and beyond. If and when Forsbacka Karlsson – or Trent Frederic, Jack Studnicka, or Jakub Lauko – looks ready to take on a regular role over the next few years, the right-shooting Carter could also slide to the wing, where the Bruins have yet to identify a long-term option next to Krejci and Jake DeBrusk. 

The Bruins could find a way to make a talent like Carter’s work, but the cost will likely dictate whether or not a deal gets done. If Carter is playing the Lucic role in Custance’s proposed role reversal, the Kings would likely land a strong if unspectacular return. Lucic had just one year remaining on his contract as opposed to Carter’s three, but was younger and healthier and expected to play a top-line role in L.A. The Bruins received a first-round pick, established backup goaltender Martin Jones (who they flipped to San Jose), and standout AHL defenseman Colin Miller in exchange for Lucic. The Kings don’t need a young goaltender, nor do the Bruins have much to offer in that department. Boston will also be hesitant to move a first-round pick after forfeiting that pick last year in the Rick Nash trade. However, the Kings need scoring and the Bruins have a plethora of young forwards. Heinen could fill the Jones role of an established young NHLer, although the Kings could instead ask for Donato or Anders Bjork, while one of the team’s prospect centers could be substituted for the first-rounder and Jeremy Lauzon or Jakub Zboril could play the part of Miller. Anything more than that package of three talented young players would probably be a deal-breaker for GM Don Sweeney and company, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the combination gets a deal done.

With a seemingly sensible fit on both sides and several major pundits pedaling the rumor, this isn’t the last of Carter-to-Boston speculation. However, the Bruins have also been linked to Carter’s teammate Tyler Toffoli, the Minnesota Wild’s Charlie Coyle, and the New York Rangers’ Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello, yet no move has been made. There is no guarantee that Boston is looking to make a move right now, but as the season wears on these names will only continue to pop up until the Bruins inevitably make a move in pursuit of the Stanley Cup.

Pacific Notes: Ducks, Quick, Chychrun

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The Anaheim Ducks have dealt with more than their fair share of injuries over the past year or so. The team is still far from healthy, but finally full strength is within sight, particularly among their battered forward corps. The likes of Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Kesler, and Patrick Eaves are healthy, and recent injuries like those to Jakob Silfverberg and Kalle Kossila have also run their course. Nick Ritchie and Ondrej Kase are on the mend and expected to be active sooner rather than later. Corey Perry (knee) and Carter Rowney (upper body) are still far from a return, but in terms of players the Ducks reasonably expected to be healthy, things are looking up. However, a full set of healthy forwards also brings with it some tough choices. While Anaheim has the flexibility to send the likes of Ben Street, Pontus Aberg, Sam Carrick, and Kiefer Sherwood – currently on the roster – to the AHL, they have to be concerned about whether there is enough ice time to go around for the more permanent pieces. Already, the team sent promising rookie Isac Lundestrom to the AHL today to bring up Kossila and fellow top prospects Sam Steel and Troy Terry are already down with the San Diego Gulls. As the team grows healthier, it it possible that they could explore returning rookie Max Comtois to his junior club, the QMJHL’s Drummondville Voltiguers. While Comtois has already played in ten games this season and tolled the first year of his contract, he cannot be sent to the AHL and could be better served getting guaranteed top-six minutes at the junior level than fighting for ice time with the Ducks. Comtois is currently sidelined, buying Anaheim some time on the decision, but with conceivably an upwards of 20 forwards expecting to see action in the NHL this season, eliminating even just one option by sending Comtois back to junior would help the Ducks with their impending roster crunch.

  • The Los Angeles Kings took another hit in net today with the news that backup goaltender Jack Campbell will be out four to six weeks with a torn meniscus. The team is already without starter Jonathan Quick due to the same injury and are left to lean on veteran Peter Budaj and rookie Cal Petersen for the time being. Fortunately, GM Rob Blake did assure the media later on that Quick remains on track to return sometime around the end of the month, per beat writer Curtis Zupke. Quick underwent surgery on October 31st and was given a timeline of roughly a month to return. So long as his rehab continues to progress positively, Quick could potentially be ready to return by the Kings’ November 30th clash with the division rival Calgary Flames. Yet, even in that best-case scenario, Budaj and Petersen will still be on the hook for the nine games between now and then.
  • In more immediate injury news, The Athletic’s Craig Morgan reports that Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun is “probable” to make his season debut on Tuesday night against the Detroit Red Wings. Chychrun has been sidelined since late last season with a torn ACL in his right knee. The first-round pick was establishing himself as a reliable top-four defender prior to his injury and his return should come with an automatic starting spot, likely bumping Ilya Lyubushkin down to the minors and Jordan Oesterle from his starting slot.

Trade Rumors: Bruins, Kings, Hurricanes

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After another humiliating loss last night, an 8-5 drubbing at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks, the pressure on the Boston Bruins has been ratcheted up even higher. The team is falling short of expectations so far this season due to a total lack of secondary scoring. While speaking on the topic, Sportsnet’s John Shannon reports that the team feels they have too many of the same style of player among their secondary scorer. Shannon is likely referring to young forwards Danton Heinen and Anders Bjork, who have both underwhelmed in middle-six roles, and potentially AHL options Trent Frederic and Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, as well as the possible similarities between veterans Joakim Nordstrom, Chris Wagner, Sean Kuraly, and Noel Acciari. Shannon states that the team is not happy and that a trade centered around one of their redundant forwards in exchange for an established young forward is likely coming soon.

  • Shannon also states that the Los Angeles Kings are not done making moves after firing head coach John Stevens. However, Shannon reports that the team is waiting to pull the trigger until their trade candidates can repair their market values. With the team struggling so severely to begin the campaign, the Kings would be trading the majority of their players while their stock is at its lowest. This is particularly true for the likes of struggling Tanner Pearson and ineffective Kyle Clifford. Once L.A. can string together some strong outings and potentially see some improvement from Pearson, Clifford and other names out there like Alec Martinez, Jake Muzzin, and Tyler Toffoli, they should become active players on the trade market.
  • During the latest “Insider Trading” segment on TSN, Pierre LeBrun confirms that the Carolina Hurricanes are interested in more than just William Nylander. LeBrun says that the Hurricanes are worried about their scoring abilities and want to add a top-six scorer. Nylander is surely Carolina’s favored target, but they are looking elsewhere for help as well. The Hurricanes were recently rumored to be shopping young forward Valentin Zykov and, like the Bruins, may be looking to use his upside  to swap for a more established young forward.

Los Angeles Kings Fire Coach John Stevens

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The Los Angeles Kings announced that general manager Rob Blake has relieved coach John Stevens of his duties. The Kings have made Willie Desjardins as the interim coach for the rest of the season.

“This is a critical time in our season and our results to date have fallen well below our expectations. With that in mind, this was a difficult decision but one we feel was necessary,” said Blake. “We have a great deal of respect and appreciation for John’s time with our organization. He was a key part of our past success, and we have tremendous gratitude for his many contributions.”

Despite picking up a 4-1 victory Saturday over the Columbus Blue Jackets, the victory didn’t do anything to allow Stevens to keep his job as the team remained 4-8-1 in the team’s first 13 games, giving them the worst record in league with the Florida Panthers the only other team that has nine points (although they have played two less games). Stevens, in just his second year as head coach of the team, took the team to the playoffs last year as the fourth-seed in the Pacific Division, but were swept in the first-round of the playoffs as the Vegas Golden Knights exposed their lack of speed.

Los Angeles responded by adding 35-year-old Ilya Kovalchuk through free agency this offseason and was expected to make a renewed run for a Stanley Cup title with the likes 30-somethings Jonathan Quick, Drew Doughty (he’s actually just 28), Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter, Dustin Brown, Trevor Lewis, Nate Thompson, Dion Phaneuf and Alec Martinez. The team was expecting some of their young players to step up, but players such as Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson have struggled under Stevens’ tenure and haven’t developed into the goal scorers that everyone had hoped for. The team also has been without Quick, their star goaltender, for much of the season and there is no word on how much time he might miss with his most recent injury. Throw in the lack of development of some of their prospects and the team was heading down the wrong path with many of their veterans under contract for three of four more years.

Desjardins, who has 20+ years of coaching experience, has been acting as Team Canada’s men’ head coach, including leading the team in the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, Korea. He served as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks for three seasons between 2014 and 2017, compiling a disappointing 109-110-27 record. He also led Team Canada to gold at the Spengler Cup in December of 2017. Desjardins also served eight years as head coach in the WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers where he won two championships in eight seasons there.

The team also released fired assistant coach Don Nachbaur from his duties, who served as the team’s assistant since last season. The team has brought in current German National Team coach and former Kings player Marco Sturm. The team did retain assistant coach Dave Lowry.

One has to wonder what Stevens chances will be to get another head coaching position. He served as head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers between 2006 through 2009, reaching the Eastern Conference finals once and a second playoff appearance. He has a combined record of 171-148-43.

Helene Elliott was the first to report the coaching change.

 

Kings’ Alec Martinez Drawing Trade Interest

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The Los Angeles Kings have the worst record in the NHL right now at 3-7-1. Trade interest in top players comes with that territory. The newest name that has GM Rob Blake’s phones ringing is veteran defenseman Alec Martinez. TSN’s Darren Dreger recently talked on TSN Radio 1290 about the growing market for the talented two-way defender, hinting that there is “a ton of interest”.

However, Dreger did state that his feeling in speaking with Blake was that the GM was not yet ready to pull the trigger on a major trade. Martinez is one of several players – Jake Muzzin, Tyler Toffoli, Tanner Pearson, and Trevor Lewis being others – that the struggling Kings could deal away before the season ends. Yet, Blake is being patient with his team right now and, in Dreger’s opinion, is not ready to become a seller this early in the season. Dreger also notes that L.A. is dealing from a position of weakness right now due to their slow start and are likely receiving offers for Martinez not yet equivalent to his true value.

Yet, Martinez remains one of the most likely names to move out should Blake reach his boiling point and finally respond to trade interest. At 31 years old, Martinez is on the downside of his career and his decline in production last season is even further evidence. He also carries another two years of term on his current contract beyond this season at a $4MM cap hit. The cap-strapped Kings could certainly benefit from dumping his salary, but are likely to land some intriguing assets in return as well. As Dreger notes, the time doesn’t seem right just now, but as long as the Kings continue to struggle, a move is unavoidable and Martinez very well could be the first major departure.

Injury Notes: Krug, Brown, Schneider

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Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug left the team’s preseason finale in the first period last night and the early indications are not good. Krug did not return to the game and was later seen in a walking boot. Head coach Bruce Cassidy did not have much of an update after the game, saying that he has “no information” on his status, adding “hopefully it’s nothing serious, but it’s tough luck if it is, obviously.” The offensive blue liner was already returning from a fractured ankle suffered in the postseason and had been limited in training camp, but this sounds as if it was a new injury on Saturday night. Whether that is good or bad remains to be seen and with the regular season opening in just a few days, Krug’s availability is up in the air. The team does have fellow puck-moving lefty Matt Grzelcyk to fall back on. Grzelcyk was a starter as a rookie last season for the Bruins, but looked slated for No. 7 duty to begin the year. If he can overcome his own minor lower-body injury, he would be an easy fix. If not, Cassidy said that he would not hesitate to start rookie Urho Vaakanainen. The 2017 first-round pick is in his first season in North America, but has impressed in camp and has yet to be cut. While Krug is clearly the superior option, the Bruins have plenty of depth to manage his potential absence to begin the year. The concern would be just how long their power play quarterback remains sidelined.

  • Los Angeles Kings veteran forward Dustin Brown was another casualty last night. The big winger took a shot up high from teammate Anze Kopitar and was forced out of the game. Brown did not return and the team issued an update that he had suffered an upper-body injury on the play. However, there has been no word from the Kings since. The Athletic’s Lisa Dillman reached out to head coach John Stevens and GM Rob Blake, but could not get any more information. The team is likely taking their time to evaluate Brown, but it’s also possible that the injury is more serious and the team wants to approach the news on their terms. Like Krug, the proximity of the injury to Opening Night leaves his status to begin the year as a question mark.
  • One question that has been answered is who starts the year in net for the New Jersey Devils. Although he traveled with the team to Europe for their exhibition game in Switzerland and regular season opener against the Edmonton Oilers in Sweden, Cory Schneider is primarily there to continue working with the team’s medical staff. Head coach John Hynes made it official today that Schneider will not start for the Devils in their opener, reports NHL.com’s Mike Morreale. Still rehabbing from off-season hip surgery, it was always a long shot for Schneider to be ready to go for game one. New Jersey’s starter has yet to even be cleared to play. As such, last season’s savior Keith Kinkaid is likely to get the call, while veteran third-string keeper Eddie Lack remains on the roster as the current backup. Schneider is actually progressing well in his recovery and could be back in net soon, just not next week.

Snapshots: IIHF HOF, Players Of The Month, Devils

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The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) named their 2018 Hall of Fame class today, with several notable NHL names among them. Former stars Daniel Alfredsson, Rob Blake, Chris Chelios, and Jere Lehtinen will all be immortalized for their impressive international careers. Between them, the Swede, Canadian, American, and Finn have 16 Olympic Games and 8 Olympic medals, to of course go along with outstanding professional careers. Builders Philippe Lacarriere, a former European player and IIHF Councilman, and Bob Nadin, a long-time referee, will also be inducted.

  • In terms of current recognition, the NHL announced the top players of the month of November today. The Three Stars of the Month were Colorado Avalanche star center Nathan MacKinnon at #1, Toronto Maple Leafs keeper Frederik Andersen at #2, and new St. Louis Blue Brayden Schenn at #3. MacKinnon was a point per game player last month, notching five goals and fifteen assists in 12 games for the Avs. Andersen kept the Leafs going with nine wins, a 2.14 GAA, and .938 save percentage. Schenn was arguably better than either despite coming in third, with seven goals and twelve assists in just 12 games, bringing his season total to 30 points in 25 contests. Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser was named the Rookie of the Month behind his 16 points in 15 games, as the young scorer has kept the Canucks afloat early on and leads all first-year players in scoring.
  • If there was an award for Team of the Month, it could have easily gone to the New Jersey Devils. The Devils have somehow survived another month at or near the top of the toughest division in hockey, the Metropolitan, despite little expectation that they would even be a playoff contender in 2017-18. To cap off the month, they swung a deal to acquire a much-needed elite defenseman yesterday as well. The Devils are just getting started though – the team announced that Sami Vatanen caught a cross-country flight, took part in morning skate, and will make his debut tonight and joining him will be Marcus Johansson, the big off-season acquisition, who is returning from a long injury absence. November was a great month for the Devils, but December is starting off even stronger.

2017-18 Primer: Los Angeles Kings

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With the NHL season now just a couple of weeks away, we continue our look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come.  Today, we focus on the Los Angeles Kings.

Last Season: 39-35-8 record (86 points), fifth in Pacific Division (missed playoffs)

Remaining Cap Space: $6.83MM per CapFriendly

Key Additions: F Mike Cammalleri (free agency, New Jersey), D Christian Folin (free agency, Minnesota), G Darcy Kuemper (free agency, Minnesota), D Oscar Fantenberg (free agency, KHL), G Cal Petersen (free agency, Buffalo), F Alex Iafallo (free agency, NCAA)

Key Departures: D Brayden McNabb (expansion, Vegas), F Devin Setoguchi (free agency, Germany), F Jarome Iginla (free agency, unsigned), G Ben Bishop (trade, Dallas)

[Related: Kings Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

"<strongPlayer To Watch: F Anze Kopitar – It’s not always a young player breaking out that brings a team back to contention, and that likely won’t be the case with Los Angeles. Though Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson could have even more room to grow as potential top-line options, it’s Kopitar that will be under the microscope this year.

In what turned out to be a disappointing year for the Kings, Kopitar himself had a frustratingly poor season. Though his point total of 52 still put him second on the team, an extremely low shooting percentage kept him to just 12 goals all year and his possession numbers hit a career low. Kopitar had never scored fewer than 10 even strength goals in his career, but tallied just seven last year.

That said, there may be nothing to worry about for the Kings. The aforementioned shooting percentage is the most likely culprit of the decline, as he came in more than 4% under his career norm. He should bounce back from the low total, though may never again reach the 30+ marks of his youth.

Key Storyline: It was clear in 2016-17 that the entire organization expected to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Despite being out of a playoff spot at the trade deadline, the team still went out and acquired Jarome Iginla and Ben Bishop to try and sneak in. They wouldn’t, and it ended up costing nearly the entire management and coaching staffs their jobs.

There are new but familiar faces in town to run the show now, as President Luc Robitaille and GM Rob Blake have taken over the front office while John Stevens will take over the head coaching duties. All three have Kings blood running through their veins, and will be entrusted in guiding the franchise back to the promised land.

That may be easier said than done though, as the team has several aging core pieces and a lack of elite prospect capital. They added a couple of solid names in that department at the draft (one of which signed his entry-level contract just today), but will have to keep working to create the type of homegrown pipeline that once carried them to multiple Stanley Cups. Blake and Robitaille were both late-round Kings’ draft picks themselves (in the fourth and ninth rounds respectively), and should have a good understanding of the value of drafting.

With all of this turnover there still remains the looming Drew Doughty decision, as the superstar defender will be eligible for a contract extension as of July 1st, 2018. With just two years left on his current deal, Doughty would be one of the most sought-after free agents on the open market should he ever reach free agency. With that in mind, the new front office will need to decide whether handing out an extremely expensive, long-term extension to a player who will turn 30 during its first year is worth it.

Doughty is clearly one of the best players in the world, but if Los Angeles takes a step backwards and misses the playoffs again, speculation about his availability on the trade market will surely spike.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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