The Los Angeles Kings didn’t sit around and wait until the trade deadline to pull off a massive move, acquiring Artemi Panarin. He reportedly only wanted to go to LA and was willing to sign there, which he did. This adds much-needed offense to the team and keeps them in contention for a few more years, whether Anze Kopitar retires or not.
But since the team’s top centerman is retiring after the season, the Kings are going to have to address that as well. But there could be a solution that fits their timeline, and it’s Nazem Kadri. Frank Seravalli said this about Kadri, “I wonder about the Kings as they sift through their center market with Anze Kopitar leaving.”
There is a good chance that the Calgary Flames either trade Kadri by the deadline or in the offseason, but the Kings, seeing as they’re going for it this season as well, would like to bolster the team sooner rather than later and give themselves a better chance immediately. Even with Kopitar still on the team, acquiring Kadri would work because of the $9 million in cap space still available.
The centers right now for the Kings are Kopitar, Alex Laferriere, and Quinton Byfield, but Laferriere or Byfield could easily shift over to the wing, putting Kadri at second line center. I could see someone like Trevor Moore potentially going back, even though the Kings don’t have to move money out.
Kadri is signed for three more years at $7 million AAV and has a 13-team no-trade list. LA is usually not on anyone’s no-trade list seeing as it has history and is a nice place to play. It adds to their appeal now that Panarin is on the team and they’re a pretty good team too.
Kadri plays 19.5 minutes per game and has 10 goals and 39 points. He’s not a top tier top-6 center this season, but he is even able to still be the top line center. The Kings have had a more spread out forward group, and this season is no different. It would just create even better depth at forward and the wing by acquiring Kadri, and the Kings will be a team to watch if they can pull it off.
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