St. Louis Blues forward Brayden Schenn skates past Los Angeles Kings fans, one of whom is holding a sign imploring him to join the Kings amidst ongoing trade speculation.
When Kings GM Ken Holland moved Phillip Danault to Montreal on Friday, it wasn’t just about clearing cap space in a vacuum—it was about setting the table for a specific target. That target appears to be St. Louis Blues captain Brayden Schenn.
Eric Stephens of The Athletic correctly noted that Los Angeles didn’t get a roster player back for Danault. That’s because the “win-now” roster player is likely coming in the next move. The Kings are currently starved for offense, and the organization still believes their playoff window is wide open with Anze Kopitar continuing to defy his age.
But here’s the catch that makes this complicated: St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong isn’t interested in a full rebuild. He doesn’t want the draft picks LA just acquired. Reports indicate the Blues are seeking a “young NHL player” in return for Schenn to help them retool on the fly.
The “Win-Now” Mandate and Cap Reality
My take is that Ken Holland is far from done. You don’t clear Danault’s $5.5 million cap hit right before the holiday freeze unless you have an immediate plan to utilize it. That move gives the Kings roughly $9.2 million in current cap space.
Brayden Schenn’s contract fits almost perfectly into the slot Danault vacated. This isn’t a coincidence; it’s calculated roster surgery. The Kings need Schenn’s specific brand of versatile, gritty scoring and leadership to punch up their top-nine forward group. They cannot afford another wasted season of offensive struggles while their core is aging.
If the Blues are adamant about getting a young, NHL-ready player rather than futures, the Kings are one of the few contenders with the specific depth to make this deal work.
The Projected Trade Package: What LA Must Sacrifice
Based on the Blues’ desire for a “retool” piece—someone who can step into their lineup immediately but is younger than Schenn—the Kings will have to dip into their surplus of young forwards.
The likely centerpiece: Alex Turcotte.
Turcotte, a former 5th overall pick, has struggled to crack the Kings’ deep center position permanently. However, he possesses the two-way pedigree and grit that Doug Armstrong covets in St. Louis. He fits the “young NHL player” description perfectly and needs a fresh start where he can play significant minutes.
Another option, if the Blues prefer pure shooting, is Samuel Fagemo, who has dominated the AHL but hasn’t found a consistent top-six role in Los Angeles.
A projected trade scenario looks like this:
To St. Louis Blues: Fwd Alex Turcotte + a mid-tier prospect.
To Los Angeles Kings: Fwd Brayden Schenn (with potential slight salary retention depending on the second piece moving to STL).
This moves a blocked asset from LA for immediate help, while giving St. Louis a young piece they can plug into their middle-six for the next five years.
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