This past week in the West, new general manager Ken Holland and the Los Angeles Kings took it upon themselves to aggressively push to improve the active roster lineup this regular season in the Pacific Division. Holland and the Kings’ front office acquired star forward Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers in the East for the simple exchange return of forward prospect Liam Greentree and a couple of conditional draft picks.
Could the Los Angeles Kings make a move on the trade block for Vincent Trocheck from the Rangers after getting Artemi Panarin this past week?
The Kings were the top destination candidate for Panarin from the Rangers from New York this past week on the trade block in the West. He signed a contract extension deal for a couple of years with the Kings, worth around $11.5 million in average annual value (through the end of the 2026-27 season).
There will be a void in the first-line center position role for head coach Jim Hiller and the Kings in the West in the Pacific Division after the conclusion of this regular season in this campaign, with center Anze Kopitar retiring at the end of the 2025-26 season for LA.
It makes sense that Holland and the Kings’ front office are at least kicking the tires on the possibility of trading for another top-six scoring forward for the active roster lineup boost the team’s scoring offensively this regular season and before the trade deadline. The Kings have the cap room necessary to make another big splash trade move on the block this regular season and before the trade deadline next month in early March.
Here’s a prediction of the next possible trade target on the block that the Kings could make a trade for this regular season and before the deadline this upcoming month in the league in early March after getting Panarin from the Rangers last week.
Evander Kane, W
In this past couple of weeks in the West, multiple reports have confirmed that Holland and the Kings’ front office have interest in at least kicking the tires on the possibility of a trade with the Vancouver Canucks in the West this regular season for veteran winger Evander Kane in the Pacific Division.
The Kings have been rumored for a while to be wanting more firepower offensively, scoring the puck with the active roster lineup in the top-nine forward lines core group in the West.
There is confirmed interest between Holland and the Kings’ front office this regular season in the Pacific Division, and Kane with the Canucks in the last couple of weeks on the block, and before the trade deadline.
Holland is familiar with Kane from their time together with the Edmonton Oilers in the early 2020s decade a few years ago in the West in the Pacific Division.
Nazem Kadri, C
I don’t know if the Calgary Flames are guaranteed to trade key veteran asset players on the trade block this regular season in the West in the Pacific Division. A potential trade chip the Flames could move is veteran 35-year-old center Nazem Kadri.
In terms of the Kings and Hiller needing to get a veteran scoring center position roster need filled this regular season in the West, Kadri could fit the bill for Holland and the LA front office on the trade block over the next few weeks in the Pacific Division.
Getting Kadri could add to the tough minutes and veteran contributor lines that Hiller and the Kings boast on the active roster lineup in the West this regular season. He has three years remaining on his current contract, which pays him around $7 million in average annual value (through the end of the 2027-28 season).
Vincent Trocheck, C
The Rangers made headlines with the big splash trade this past week on Wednesday that sent Panarin from New York to the Kings in the West in the Pacific Division this regular season. Panarin is a huge piece that could help dramatically upgrade the Kings’ ability to score the puck consistently in the zone this regular season.
Another veteran player from the Rangers in New York who could be on the move in the near future and before the trade deadline is 32-year-old center Vincent Trocheck. He could help the Kings get another valuable two-way center who is at the peak of his value on the trade block before the trade deadline next month.
Insider Chris Johnston said on the Nielson Show on Edmonton Sports Radio that Trocheck is possibly the next veteran player in the active roster lineup that Drury and the Rangers in New York could trade on the block and before the deadline next month in early March in the Eastern Conference.