Heading into the Olympic break, Los Angeles Kings general manager Ken Holland pushed his chips to the middle and pulled the trigger, landing superstar forward Artemi Panarin in a trade with the New York Rangers that sent prospect Liam Greentree, a 2026 conditional third-round pick, and a 2028 conditional fourth-round pick to New York.
In Anze Kopitar’s final season in the NHL, and the Kings sitting three points out of third place in the Pacific Division, trading for Panarin signalled the decision to go for it. It was a decision that was expected, whether it was the right or wrong one for the future of this franchise. Management has made it abundantly clear over the past couple of seasons that the Kings are in it to win it and have no interest in rebuilding right now.
And why would they? While the Kings are clearly not a contender, all they have proven through 56 games this season is that they are right in the mix and have a team that is competitive enough to remain there. Defensively, this team is elite, and it’s the reason they have been “right there” all season long. Offensively is where they have struggled, so ultimately bringing in a consistent 90-point player makes a ton of sense for a team trying to win now.
Nothing ever comes easy, and what happened to Kevin Fiala during the Olympics causes a significant bump in the road for a team that, quite frankly, can’t afford to lose that type of production on their quest toward a playoff spot. Fiala, representing Switzerland at the Olympics, was injured during a pre-elimination game against Canada when he and Tom Wilson got tangled up along the boards. Fiala, in visible discomfort, needed a stretcher to leave the ice. It was later revealed by the Kings that he would miss the remainder of the regular season and be reevaluated at the conclusion of the regular season. Fiala underwent successful surgery to repair fractures in his left leg.
The wording in the Kings’ statement regarding the star winger was interesting. While Fiala won’t play another regular-season game, there could potentially be a chance he returns for the playoffs, if they manage to make them.
Making the playoffs is the first step, and without Fiala, that task only gets harder. Add in the fact that the Kings are undeniably thin down the middle, and they have a couple of questions to answer in the next few weeks.
Where Do the Kings Go From Here?
The Kings are in a slightly better position than they were before acquiring Panarin, if you think about essentially swapping Panarin for Fiala, but the move no longer feels like that insane offensive boost now that a 30-goal scorer has gone down.
After committing to winning now by trading for Panarin, there is only one option for the Kings, and it’s to make another move before the trade deadline. What makes the Panarin trade even better is the fact that the Kings didn’t give up a whole lot. Not only do they have $7.875 million more in cap space to use with Fiala on long-term injured reserve (LTIR), but they still have the assets to facilitate a move that brings in another big piece.
Related: Kings Land Panarin, Commit to Winning Now
The piece that would be brought in would have to be a center, and one in particular has seemed to catch the eye of Holland during the Olympics. According to Ben Kuzma of The Province, the Kings’ “interest in Elias Pettersson increased with the Swede’s two-goal game Saturday for Sweden in the Olympics.”
Pettersson is an interesting candidate for many reasons, and one that would be the definition of high-risk, high-reward. He has the potential to be a game-breaking talent and has shown that in the past. The problem is, that version of Pettersson hasn’t come out to play in quite some time, and the Kings could run the risk of acquiring a player who won’t be able to get it going. Pettersson is also in a position where he needs to find his game again. He can’t be relied on to drive offense right off the bat, even though a change of scenery could very well propel him into doing that.
The situation that Pettersson is in right now also allows for a cheaper return. Still, the Vancouver Canucks aren’t going to trade him for a bag of pucks and will be looking for a return that allows them to continue on their path of a quicker rebuild/retool. That means a young roster player would most likely have to be included, and with the position the Kings are in right now, that just doesn’t seem feasible.
For a player like Pettersson, with the number of years he has left on his contract, it would be a big commitment.
Another player that fits the bill is Robert Thomas, who would be the better option at this point and time, but also a more expensive one as well. The St. Louis Blues are reportedly looking for an overwhelming return that’s too good to turn down, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
In a trade for any superstar centerman like a Pettersson or Thomas, a player like Quinton Byfield is almost 100% on the other team’s wish list. To get something good, you have to give something good, but are the Kings willing to make that big of a change?
If not, there are still other options that could help move the needle in Kopitar’s final season, but still leave question marks for the future. Do they target a player like Nazem Kadri or Ryan O’Reilly? Draft capital, which the Kings have, would most likely get a deal done for an aging veteran.
We know the Kings are pursuing another trade; the question they need to answer is which way they prefer to go.
The Kings come out of the Olympic break with three massive games against Pacific Division teams, and what comes out of those will most likely have an impact on the direction Holland chooses to go with the trade deadline right around the corner.
