Kings-Avs Trade Opens Possibilities

by Derek Zona on Jul 7, 2009 10:00 AM MDT

After making a deal with each other, the Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche are both heading towards next season with strangely unbalanced rosters. The Avalanche have seven defensemen under contract for $21.5 million to begin the season. Hannan, Liles, Clark, Salei, Foote, Preissing, and Quincey make up the seven. Quincey is the only good contract in the group and it's his entry-level deal. None of those would be considered a #1 in fact, it seems like a collection of #4 defensemen. The Kings have eight top six forwards in Kopitar, Smyth, Handzus, Stoll, Williams, Brown, Frolov and Moller. They also now have only four NHL defensemen signed [for $11,075,000] next season with Jack Johnson restricted.

The unlikely trade [Ryan Smyth for Tom Preissing and Kyle Quincey] that they just pulled off created this imbalance and it makes me think that neither of these teams is done working the phones. It doesn't look like any of the Colorado blueliners can be moved except maybe Salei, but he's actually somewhat valuable to a team that can lose Adam Foote at any moment. As for the Kings - going by the constant rumors, I'd guess Johnson and Frolov would be on the wire if there is a move made.

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8 top six kings forwards

Most kings fans would consider Handzus a great or at least very good third line center. Stoll is sort of grudgingly accepted as the default #2, behind Kopitar. Moller is a wildcard; he has lots of waiver-exemption left and could actually end up in Manchester this fall, depending on what Terry Murray wants to do with his third and fourth lines (i.e. will he have a shut-down line and a knuckle-dragger line? a speed line and a shut down line? etc.). I personally feel like Moller could take the #2 center job from Stoll, but many fans/commenters on Kings sites think Moller is weak and tiny and should be dealt. I think they’re idiots, but what do I know.

Dealing Frolov would create a hole at left wing like the one we just filled by trading for Smyth. Trading Johnson would create a hole in the top-four d. I agree with you that Lombardi may not be done wheeling and dealing, but I don’t know which assets would be in play. So much depends on which prospects step it up in the fall, or this weekend at development camp, for that matter.

by Quisp on Jul 7, 2009 12:19 PM MDT reply actions

also from DL interviews, LA is high on drew drewekie to take up one of the bottom pairing defense

by SumOil on Jul 7, 2009 2:22 PM MDT reply actions

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