Rumors of the oft-injured Arizona pivot to Los Angeles shouldn't be of any surprise. Like Landeskog, Hanzal is very much a prototypical King -- strong one-on-one and defensively responsible.
Of note, his 18:09 Time on Ice/Game makes him the Coyotes' most-used forward this year. Hanzal has been their top power play unit's center and has enjoyed some success -- occupying the front of the net with his 6'6" frame -- he leads Arizona forwards with a 4.01 5v4 Points/60. He's not used as much on the penalty kill but is given a regular shift there.
From 2014-17, Hanzal's 58.5 Faceoff Winning % ranks him 11th out of 78 qualified centermen (2000+ faceoffs taken). While his 5v5 scoring has suffered this season -- his current 0.87 5v5 Points/60 is of some concern -- concurrently, he's dealt with the second-toughest zone starts of his career. From 2013-16, he boasted a vigorous 1.86 5v5 Points/60, most among qualified Coyotes forwards (1000+ 5v5 minutes).
After years of positive work relative to his perennially-struggling squad (+2.16 Relative Corsi For %, +2.38 Relative Expected Goals For % from 2014-16), it's a dryspell this year (-5.67 Rel.xGF%). Does that have something to do with the challenging zone starts? For what it's worth, I don't see much difference with Hanzal now as opposed to past seasons -- he still appears to be the same smart, skilled, if lumbering forward.
In Los Angeles, Hanzal would handle a middle-six center role -- and an Anze Kopitar-Jeff Carter-Hanzal trio up the middle could really be the best in the league.
But how about LA's current third-line center Nic Dowd? If what Elliotte Friedman told Bob Stauffer of Oilers Now is accurate, Arizona may well be interested:
"John Chayka has held steadfast that Hanzal's going to have to get them a young player who can play in the NHL right now, preferably a center."
Dowd might fit that bill. As for Los Angeles, Hanzal would certainly be a giant upgrade.
That's nothing against Dowd, whose playmaking ability has been positively electric at times -- but Hanzal is undoubtedly an all-around improvement right now over the rookie, who is still heavily sheltered by Sutter. The 2005 first-round pick, who was drafted six picks after Kopitar, could firm up the third line, especially on the defensive side of the puck, without losing offensive upside.
But "right now" is the operative phrase: The 29-year-old Hanzal is about to become a UFA. Save some cap miracle, LA doesn't seem likely to be able to re-sign him, so he's probably a rental.
Dowd is due just 640K next year. It's worth noting, however, that the Kings might lose him for nothing in the upcoming Expansion Draft anyway. Also, the 26-year-old is going to be a UFA after next season too, so it's not as if he's cost-controlled for long. That might diminish his long-term value to Los Angeles -- but also Arizona too.
All said, trading Dowd plus possibly a high draft pick for Hanzal is a move for a true contender. Are the eighth-seed Kings that? From now until the Trade Deadline, LA is walking that tightrope.
***
The absence of Kopitar was keenly felt in Monday's loss to Tampa Bay. In this particular game, his presence on the power play was perhaps most missed:
Here, the Lightning's penalty killers swarm the Kings with impunity. Kopitar -- whose ability to protect the puck with his size and skill has almost no peer -- would probably be able to buy time and space for the man advantage.
In addition, as Jim Fox mentioned on the broadcast, Kopitar's elite puck protection and deceptive speed were much needed when carrying the puck through the neutral zone against Tampa Bay's aggressive PK'ers.
Kopitar, despite his goalless drought on the power play this season, remains most important to it.
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