Los Angeles Kings acquire Schenn, Lecavalier in trade for Weal
By Matt Pelkey
The Los Angeles Kings have made a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Consider it a done Weal deal.
The Kings have acquired defenseman Luke Schenn and forward Vincent Lecavalier from the Flyers in exchange for forward Jordan Weal and a 2016 third-round draft pick.
Being the wizard that he is, Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi was also able to get the Flyers to retain 50% of both the contracts of Schenn and Lecavalier.
With the pick involved being a third-rounder, the trade is a low-risk deal for L.A.
Surprised? You shouldn’t be.
It seemed as it were only a matter of time for Lombardi to trade Weal. At 5’10” and 179 lbs., his physical stature didn’t fit into L.A.’s big-bodied, heavy system. Add in the fact that he has only suited up in 10 of the team’s 39 games, recorded just a single shot on goal with zero points and it becomes clear that Weal, who put up 116 points in his final season of junior hockey for the WHL’s Regina Pats, just didn’t fit in.
It was predicted this would happen, as noted in my recent article discussing recent and future moves for the Kings.
This trade makes sense for both teams.
Schenn was drafted three spots behind Kings defenseman Drew Doughty at fifth overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. L.A. will be the 26-year-old’s third team after having began his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs before being dealt to Philadelphia in 2012.
Schenn is a big body at 6’2″, 229 lbs. who has recorded 5 points (2g, 3a) in 29 games with the Flyers this season. Schenn is also a right-handed shot, something the L.A. defense is thin on. With Matt Greene out of the lineup for the foreseeable future, the Kings add some solid depth at arguably their strongest position. Schenn will likely play a third-pairing role with the potential to play in the top four.
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Lecavalier is another player with a large frame, standing at 6’4″ and weighing 214 lbs. Lecavalier, a former first overall draft pick, won the Stanley Cup in 2004 as captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning but has only appeared in seven games with Philadelphia this year, recording one assist. His best season came in the 2006-07 season, when he put up 52 goals and 108 points with the Lightning.
The acquisition of Lecavalier gives L.A. another veteran presence who has won hockey’s top prize before. Lecavalier will likely fit into either a third or fourth line center role with the Kings.
Check out one of Lecavalier’s most memorable moments in the NHL. You probably remember it.
TSN’s Bob McKenzie also wrote that Lecavalier’s agent said it is his client’s plan to retire at the conclusion of the 2015-16 season.
In a corresponding move to make room for Schenn, the Kings assigned defender Derek Forbort to the Ontario Reign (AHL). This was another move we predicted would happen once Greene returned to the lineup, but with Greene out for a while, it’s Schenn in this case.