1 player Kings must acquire before 2025 NHL Trade Deadline
Today at 12:01 AM
The Los Angeles Kings are playing fantastic hockey in 2024-25 after a disappointing playoff exit in 2024. The Kings have seen Anze Kopitar turn back the clock this season to lead their efforts. Players such as Adrian Kempe, Alex Laferriere, and Kevin Fiala have also turned in important performances throughout the season.
The Kings look the part of a potential Stanley Cup contender this year. However, they have some playoff demons to exercise. Los Angeles has lost each of their last three playoff appearances to the Edmonton Oilers. All of these postseason losses have come in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, as well.
Los Angeles tried to take a big swing in the summer of 2023 to address this. But Pierre-Luc Dubois was traded to the Washington Capitals this past summer after a disappointing 2023-24 campaign. A more reserved summer followed as they relied more on the established core already in place to take a step forward.
The Kings could continue adding around the margins and trust the group they already have. However, Los Angeles is projected to have a little less than $11 million in deadline day cap space, according to PuckPedia. This gives them the ammo they need to make a significant trade if they decide to push their chips to the middle of the table.
Los Angeles may not acquire the likes of J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson, or Chris Kreider. But there is one name with a solid goal-scoring track record the Kings should go for. And the likelihood of his entering the trade market is reportedly growing by the day.
The Kings should trade for Canucks’ Brock Boeser
Brock Boeser has established himself as a reliable middle-six winger in the NHL. A former first-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks, Boeser turned in a career-best performance in 2023-24. He scored 40 goals for the first time while posting a career-high 73 points. The Canucks won the Pacific Division as a result of his performances.
Boeser has not been able to reach last season’s highs, unfortunately. Still, he has turned in a rather respectable performance in 2024-25. The Canucks forward currently has 15 goals and 28 points in 38 contests. This places him on a 33-goal, 61-point pace across a full 82 games.
The Kings could address other areas of the ice, to be fair. However, they could certainly use a top-six scoring option. Boeser could certainly fill in on the top six flanking either Kopitar or Phillip Danault. In fact, his 28 points would be good for third among Los Angeles skaters.
Boeser has been somewhat inconsistent throughout his career. And that certainly will give interested teams pause as they consider a trade with Vancouver. However, the former first-round pick is a free agent at the end of this season. The Kings are not locked into a long-term pact if they decide to make this trade.
This is not a swing similar to the Dubois trade. The idea behind that was that Dubois would be the first-line center for years to come. Especially once Kopitar finally called it a day on his illustrious career. Boeser, while an established player, is more of a flier. If he consistently scores goals, they could work out an extension. If not, they can move on.
Players like Brock Boeser may not exactly be superstars. In any event, they could score some of the biggest goals of the season for a team. If the Kings trade for Boeser, he could prove to be a vital part to a deep playoff run this coming spring.
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