Los Angeles Kings’ Needs at the 2025 Trade Deadline

This season seems to be different, and for the better. Starting goaltender Darcy Kuemper has been terrific, head coach Jim Hiller has had this group bought in from the start of the season, their center depth now with Quinton Byfield playing at his natural position and Dubois gone is stronger, and they have three lines that have been contributing offensively. Those top nine forwards never seem to be phased by playing with different linemates all the time either. Furthermore, the Kings have been the best defensive team in the league. They have given up the least amount of high-danger chances, goals against, shots against, and their penalty kill is the fifth-best in the NHL. They are confident in grinding out tight, low-scoring games and are comfortable in a heavy, tight-checking game, which is what a big chunk of playoff hockey is all about. 

The Kings have had the same story on repeat for the last three seasons, failing to make it out of the first round at the hands of Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers. As we take a look at the standings this season, the Kings and Oilers going at it for the fourth straight year seems like the most likely matchup. Yay, right?

This year’s Kings have the best chance at getting over the hump and finally making it out of the first round. With how everything has played out so far this season, it would be shocking to see Blake go another year without making at least one move to try and improve this roster. There’s no question the Kings are a solid playoff team, but they are still a couple of pieces away from trending toward the term contender. So it begs the question, what should the Kings be looking to add ahead of the 2025 Trade Deadline?

Adding Scoring Should Be the Top Priority

The biggest priority for Blake should be to add a right-shot scoring winger. The Kings only have two right-handed wingers and one of them isn’t even in the lineup consistently (Akil Thomas). So really, they only have one impactful right-handed winger and that is Alex Laferriere, who has 15 goals and 31 points through 52 games. Adding a right-handed goal scorer would obviously boost the Kings’ ability to put the puck in the net and considering they are the best defensive team in the league, any additions made before the deadline should be to improve the offense. 

Most importantly, adding a right-handed scoring winger would make the power play more dynamic and if you know anything about the Kings this season, you would know that their power play is the one truly awful part of their game. It ranks the third worst in the NHL, operating at just 15.2%. Special teams can make all the difference in a game, and there have been more than a few times where the Kings’ inability to capitalize on the man advantage has cost them valuable points. They currently don’t have a triggerman or one-timer threat on that left side. The power play needs extreme help and there’s no better way to try and improve that than adding a player who could add a different layer and help generate goals in ways the Kings aren’t able to without the presence of a right-handed shot. 

A deep dive into some options that fit this particular need for the Kings will be coming shortly, but as far as name-dropping players who the Kings could be looking at, there should be at least five names on that list. Kyle Palmieri, Rickard Rakell, Brock Boeser, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Alex Tuch, who the Kings have reportedly already been taking a close look at.

Another area, a less significant one although important, would be to add a fourth line center. Right now, the Kings’ fourth-line center is 38-year-old Trevor Lewis. While there is this sense of loyalty toward Lewis who manages to remain in the lineup game after game, the truth is he shouldn’t be. There is no reason to believe that he is going to be able to withstand the trials and tribulations of playoff hockey this season. It’s keeping up with the pace and the speed that’s been the biggest problem for him, and it’s only going to get harder once the playoffs come around. 

Younger players like Jake Evans, Morgan Geekie, Trent Frederic, and Ryan Donato would all be affordable upgrades. Adding one of these players would just add to the overall forward depth even if they don’t play center and are placed on the wing. Alex Turcotte is still a fourth-line center option who had shown reliability in that shutdown type of role earlier on in the season. With the offensive struggles that the first line of Turcotte, Kopitar, and Kempe are having as of late, it could work out where one of these players comes in and fits alongside Kopitar and Kempe while Turcotte goes back to driving the fourth line. Regardless of what the configuration will be, the Kings will have more depth and more options.

With eight days remaining before no more moves are allowed to be made, these are the two biggest areas Blake and the Kings should be looking to improve. The Kings have proven they can compete with the top teams in the league, and they are one themselves, but if they want the best shot at finally making it out of the first round, and getting past what will most likely be the Oilers again, they need to try and bring in someone who can move the needle and make an impact. 

Stay tuned for more Kings trade deadline coverage in the coming days.