The Los Angeles Kings made a major trade on Wednesday, acquiring forward Kevin Fiala from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for the 19th overall pick in this year's draft and defenseman Brock Faber.
Fiala is a very strong skater and also has good agility and playmaking abilities. He produced at a great rate with Minnesota this season, scoring 33 goals and 85 points in 82 games.
While he may not be able to sustain that exact pace, he had also managed a pace of between 65 and 70 points per 82 over the two prior seasons and he can likely be counted on for at least those numbers next year. He's also just 25 years old (turning 26 this month) and given his age, the winger could potentially go through his entire contract without seeing a decline.
He’s a great fit for the Kings and has the potential to be a long-term difference-maker within the team’s top-six. Los Angeles has lacked legitimate high-end scoring at the top of their forward group and Fiala is going to be a major upgrade.
In terms of what the Kings gave up, that’s a really manageable package to send back the other way. A 19th overall pick has good value but still isn't a lock to produce a quality NHLer and while Faber projected as a solid defender, the Kings have so many young, right-handed defenseman that they can definitely do without him. Los Angeles is stocked with future assets and as a result, they’re able to make moves like this with minimal risk attached.
This trade is a major win for the Kings. They get a legitimate top forward without giving up any package that could jeopardize their future and made an immediate improvement to their top-six.
I’ll go more in-depth about Fiala’s contract in the near future.
Los Angeles Kings Blogger • 
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