3 Kings trade candidates after Oilers series loss

Adrian Kempe is entering the final year of a contract that pays him $5.5 million. The Kings have gotten some great seasons out of Kempe, including three 35-goal campaigns in the last four years. The next logical step for Blake, had he kept the job, would be to extend Kempe. But if another general manager comes in, they could trade Kempe for a king’s ransom.

Kempe has a modified no-trade clause that allows him to submit a ten-team no-trade list. That should not be a problem for the new general manager, as the 21 teams not on that list could all get better by adding Kempe. The Kings would benefit from trading Kempe because it would dramatically improve their prospect pipeline and set them up to spend on other players.

This would be a tough sell to ownership and the fans, but given the massive pay raise that Kempe will need after next season, the Kings could be better off not giving that to him. The Swede will be 30 when the new contract starts.

Continuing a true rebuild by trading a center

The Kings picked up Phillip Danault from the Montreal Canadiens in unrestricted free agency before the 2021-22 season. Since then, he has been a solid defensive center who has beefed up their depth. But his lack of scoring hurt the team down the stretch, and he has not been the elite defender they hoped for in their playoff series against the Oilers. The Kings should trade Danualt this offseason to get some assets out of this contract.

This is assuming that the new Kings GM will come in and make offseason trades to start a mini-rebuild. They have young pieces to build around like Quinton Byfield, Brandt Clarke, and Mieky Anderson. But these guys with term that aren’t helping them beat the Oilers provide a ripe opportunity for trades. Danault fits that description and could be replaced.

The Kings would again have to work around a ten-team no-trade list. They will have a tougher time dealing Danault, as he is not the elite scorer that Kempe is. But someone will want to trade for a solid defensive center with team control.

Undoing a head-scratching move from Rob Blake

Last offseason, the Kings signed defenseman Joel Edmundson to a four-year deal worth $3.85 million per year. With the salary cap rising, this contract is not too bad. But at 31 years old, Edmundson is not moving the needle much over the next three years. If the new general manager is truly committed to a rebuild, they will trade Edmundson this offseason.

The Kings were reportedly working on a new contract for Vladislav Gavrikov before Blake’s departure. They should not trade Edmundson if they let Gavrikov walk, as they need a stay-at-home defenseman. But assuming Gavrikov stays, they should trade Edmundson. Another qualifier is if Marc Bergevin becomes the Kings’ general manager, as he was an advisor with LA last summer and signed Edmundson to a contract with the Canadiens.

If the Kings get an aggressive general manager after their search, they could be the biggest players in the NHL offseason. They have trade pieces if they want to buy or sell, and need a refresh to compete in the playoffs.