Following back-to-back playoff appearances, the Los Angeles Kings are continuing to solidify themselves as a contender in the West. However, they now face a tough task in attempting to retain key players while navigating the salary cap.
With names like Joonas Korpisalo, Vladislav Gavrikov and Gabriel Vilardi all in need of new contracts, we could see the Kings make some moves to clear cap space ahead of free agency, beginning July 1.
Kicking off our offseason Kings coverage, we’ll be looking at the three players most likely to be dealt by the team this summer.
VIKTOR ARVIDSSON
Arvidsson isn’t a player the Kings will want to move. He’s been exactly what the team needed since they acquired him from the Nashville Predators in the summer of 2021, scoring at an 82-game pace of 26 goals and 61 points with the team over 143 games. For a team that’s just starting to contend again, it would seem counterintuitive to trade Arvidsson.
However, Elliotte Friedman did mention Arvidsson's name as a possible trade candidate on the 32 Thoughts Podcast last month. At 30 years old and heading into the final year of his contract, it’s likely that Arvidsson isn’t a long-term fit with the group. As much as competing now is a priority, the Kings have a young group and need to avoid decisions that could jeopardize their future success. It would be a mistake to move someone else in order to be able re-sign Arvidsson in 2024, when he'll be 31 years old and potentially set up for a four or five-year contract.
The only other top-nine forward with a similar age and contract status would be Alex Iafallo. However, Arvidsson being in need of a new deal in a year versus Iafallo having two years remaining on his contract sets Arvidsson up as the more likely player to go. The team wouldn’t deal Iafallo this offseason to then just let Arvidsson walk away at the end of the coming season as well.
The benefit is that Arvidsson would also bring assets back. On the final year of a very team-friendly deal, there would certainly be interest in the forward and it’s plausible the Kings could net a similar return to the second and third round picks they sent Nashville when acquiring him in the first place.
SEAN WALKER
At times, Walker found himself on the outside looking in this season with the Kings. He played in 70 games, managing 13 points, but had a smaller role than ever at under 15 minutes per game. He also suited up for just two playoff games.
Walker has a single year remaining on his contract, carrying a $2.65 million cap hit with no trade protection. Unlike Arvidsson, Walker wouldn’t bring back much in a trade and the move would be purely to clear cap space. Getting a pick back would just be a bonus, but finding a team who’s interested in adding him would be the priority.
With an already crowded blue line of right-handed defenders, featuring Drew Doughty, Matt Roy and Sean Durzi, that will also soon include the likes of Brandt Clarke and Jordan Spence, Walker seems like an obvious choice to be dealt this offseason.
CAL PETERSEN
Petersen is really no longer a member of the roster, following his demotion to the AHL partway through the year.
Coming off a disappointing 2021-22 season where Petersen failed to take hold of the starting job from Jonathan Quick, there was some pressure for the netminder to perform this season. However, Petersen's start to the season was disastrous, posting an .868 save percentage in 10 games with the Kings. His AHL numbers this season after being waived were also pretty brutal for a goalie who was just an NHL regular, posting a .904 save percentage across 40 games with the Ontario Reign.
Now 28 years old, it seems like a fair conclusion that Petersen won’t be an NHL goalie again – at least not with the Kings. But carrying a $5 million cap hit for the next two years, he’s causing a massive issue for the team’s cap situation.
Obviously, moving Petersen would require the Kings attaching assets as well. Based on some comparable cap-clearing moves like the New York Islanders' trade of Andrew Ladd, who had two years remaining on his deal at a $5.5 million cap hit, it could cost the Kings multiple good draft picks. Petersen also holds a 10-team no-trade list which could make a deal tougher, but you have to imagine he'd be willing to move almost anywhere else, given it's clear that he won't have an NHL spot with the Kings.
For a team already without their first-round pick this year, giving up more draft picks to get a contract off the books wouldn't be an easy decision. But with the Kings now starting to compete and in need of cap space, along with possessing a fairly strong prospect pool already, moving Petersen would immediately clear enough cap space to re-sign at least one of Gavrikov or Korpisalo.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
SEAN DURZI - I think it’s fair to question whether Durzi will be a long-term fit. Despite the fact that he has the makings of a high-end offensive defenseman, the same logjam that should lead to Walker’s departure may also push Durzi away in the future.
However, the difference with Durzi and Walker (other than the obvious on-ice impact) is Durzi’s contract only carries a $1.7 million cap hit, which is about a million less than Walker’s final year, and he'll also still be a restricted free agent at the end of the deal.
Trading Durzi would do very little in the way of clearing cap space and could leave a temporary hole in the blue line. So while he may be a candidate to be dealt once the Kings have more well-rounded defenders to take his spot later on, the more likely scenario is that he’ll play out the final year of his contract, before the Kings could look to capitalize on his value in a trade.
A DEPTH FORWARD - Even if the team moves a winger like Arvidsson, there could be a logjam of depth forwards. Arthur Kaliyev won’t be going anywhere, but Rasmus Kupari, Jaret Anderson-Dolan and Zack MacEwen are all due for new contracts, and Carl Grundstrom still has a year left on his deal. Plus if Quinton Byfield shifts to center, there’d be a lack of spots for both Lizotte and Kupari down the middle.
With players due for new deals and a potential lack of spots available, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a depth forward moved as well.
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