After a very successful year in LA which saw it's first playoff hockey in years GM Rumpel goes and trades the core away? Fan favorites Vanek Simmonds Marchand are all gone and so is the little depth that the Kings had and any chance of tasting playoff hockey again this year.
Rumpel had this to say:
Making the playoffs was a great expereince and winning a round was even better but we have bigger goals in LA. I looked at the current core and all I thought was it's a decent team that will make the playoffs but I wanna win. So with that goal in mind I decided to target high end young talent and hope we can rebuild again.
A deal with Calgary was the first move that secured us the 3rd OV pick and the hope of landing Tyler Seguin. We paid a hefty price giving up LA SJ STL 1rst round picks and P.Cormier.
Then a deal was struck with Washington giving up our only legit NHL dman in Meszaros and our best defensive forward in Ward. In return we got Bailey and Stuart. I'm really high on Bailey and think he is ready to explode i the NHL so it's a risky deal but I hope it works out. Stuart now becomes one of the worst #1 dmen in fantasy hockey history.
The next deals are the ones that really shook the locker room.
Vanek Simmonds and Chi 5th were moved out for Thornton 10th OV and Minny 4rth. This deal was tough to make giving up proven young talent but getting an elite center like Joe is nice and the 10th OV was really just a pawn to make another move.
That move was already worked out behind the scenes and with the 10th OV being LA's it was immediately dealt along with Marchand and Abdelkader to the CBJ for #2 OV.
We definately gave up A LOT but we feel sitting #2 and 3 in this years draft is a huge step for the organization moving forward.
Seguin will be selected #2 and #3 is honestly still up in the air Skinner and Fowler are both great players that will be scouted heavily before the pick is made.
To recap:
LA:2nd and 3rd OV Joe Thornton Josh Bailey Marc Stuart and Minny 4rth
Out:LA SJ STL 1rsts Patrice Cormier Brad Marchand Justin Abdelkader Joel Ward Thomas Vanek Wayne Simmonds Andrej Meszaros Chi 5th
