Kings may follow Artemi Panarin trade with an even bigger deal before March 6 NHL deadline originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Kings already brought more star power to Hollywood before the Olympic break when they traded for Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers.
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Turns out, that may have just been the opening act.
Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos wrote in a new article that he thinks the Kings may next go after Elias Pettersson, the star center from the Vancouver Canucks.
“It might be an appropriate time for Kings GM Ken Holland to go shopping, as they have many boxes to check,” Kypreos writes. “They must find short-term supplemental scoring to replace Kevin Fiala, who suffered a season-ending injury at the Olympics.”
Pettersson has a long-term contract still to go, and he’s younger than most trade targets, but it seems like the Canucks may be ready to give him a change of scenery.
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“Long-term, the Kings know Pettersson won’t age out of the league as quickly as some other available centres, such as Ryan O’Reilly or Vincent Trocheck will,” Kypreos writes. “Los Angeles knows it won’t have Anze Kopitar back next season, and replacing his top-line minutes will not be easy. That’s why they are seriously contemplating the 27-year-old Pettersson as an option, and we know he is attainable at the right price.”
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Kypreos goes on to cite the Detroit Red Wings as competition in a deal for Pettersson.
Given the Kings’ early surge to get Panarin, they seem like a squad that may not be denied if they also want Pettersson.
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Pettersson hasn’t quite continued climbing to the heights some thought he could get to, but maybe a fresh start is exactly what he needs. The Kings could provide that in an exciting environment.
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