LA Kings: 5 players they should trade at the deadline
The LA Kings will likely be one of the most active sellers at the 2020 NHL trade deadline. Which players are they likely going to trade?
As expected, the LA Kings season hasn’t gone too well. Entering the month of February, the Kings are in last place in the Western Conference with a record of 19-28-5. In the NHL, only the Detroit Red Wings have a worse record and they’re historically bad.
The Kings are in a tough position, as they’re a team that needs to rebuild, but they have quite a few aging contracts. However, they’re still in a very good position to be sellers at the trade deadline, as they have quite a few free agents.
Usually, the Kings have approached the deadline as buyers over the past decade. But this time, the deadline is going to be all about improving their future. If they play their cards right though, they could easily bolster their already quickly improving prospect pipeline and gain more draft picks in the 2020 NHL Draft, which should be one of the best in recent memory.
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The Kings also have a ton of cap space. This could allow them to be a middle man in some trades, as most contenders are very close to the salary cap ceiling. Here’s a look at the players they will be looking to move at the 2020 NHL trade deadline.
Derek Forbort
Contenders are always looking for defensive depth this time of year. Defenseman Derek Forbort could be an intriguing piece for a team looking to bolster their blueline. His cap hit is $2.525 million, which is a bit pricey for someone who has battled injuries like Forbort has. He’s played in just seven games this season.
However, the Kings have cap space, so they could easily retain salary and make his cap hit more attractive. It’s worth noting Forbort has played at least 20 minutes in a game for three straight seasons, though he’s averaging just over 15 per game this season.