We’re still many months away from the Los Angeles Kings hitting the ice again, but one major offseason event between now and then will be free agency. With the Kings in the midst of a rebuild though, should they be active in free agency?
In net, we can assume that Cal Petersen and Jonathan Quick will both be back, so it’s pretty much a guarantee that they won’t be looking at any goalies in the market this year.
As for forwards, while it’s possible we see someone brought in, I’d say it’s unlikely. I’ve said this many times before, but the Kings have so many prospects to start integrating into the lineup that it's hard to imagine them using a spot to bring in an older, established middle-six player. Considering they’re in a rebuild, they’re also not going to sign a top forward to a long-term deal either.
A strategy that some teams will use is signing a veteran player to a one-year deal who could be used as a trade chip at the deadline. I’d say this is pretty unlikely in the Kings’ situation as well, based on the fact that they’re already stockpiled with draft picks and should give a spot in the lineup to someone who can develop into a quality player, rather than having a veteran take a spot for two-thirds of the season, just to get back a mid-round pick.
Adding to the defense group, to me, is the only move that could make sense for the Kings. I think a potential move could be signing a veteran, left-handed defenseman who could play top pairing minutes to a short-term deal. The left side of Los Angeles’ defense group is going to be very young and inexperienced, likely featuring Mikey Anderson and either Tobias Bjornfot or Kale Clague. Having someone to take on the tough competition would probably be the best move.
There aren’t a ton of players who would fill that need but the one name that stands out to me is Andy Greene. I’ve been able to watch him quite a bit since he was acquired by the New York Islanders and he could be a good fit. Greene is a veteran, left-handed defenseman who would likely take a one-year deal and assuming he does, money isn’t really a problem for the Kings, based on their cap situation. He’s great defensively and would still be capable of playing tough minutes.
That said, the Kings still have the option of re-signing Ben Hutton and I certainly wouldn’t be against that. He’s still quite young, performed fairly well this year and probably wouldn’t command more than a two-year deal. In my opinion, he’s probably the best option.
If the Kings do use free agency to add to their roster, I’d imagine it’s to look for that left-handed vetaran defenseman who could play with Drew Doughty. But whether they go that route or not, I wouldn’t expect any major action from Los Angeles in free agency.
***NOTE: We've launched a HockeyBuzz Kings Twitter account! For anyone interested, you can follow @HB_LAKings for updates on articles, Kings news, etc. We're starting right from scratch, so any followers would be appreciated!***
Here’s today’s poll question (results and discussion will be posted in a future article):
Los Angeles Kings Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»