LA Kings: Three young LHD to target on St. Louis Blues
If the LA Kings want to target a young, left-handed defenseman, the salary cap-strapped St. Louis Blues could be the perfect trade partner.
As the LA Kings continue their quest to find a left-handed defenseman, one alternative that we haven’t explored yet is making a trade for a prospect that is on the verge of regular playing time at the NHL level. To this point, we’ve looked at several established veterans on salary cap-strapped teams.
The flat salary cap is going to impact several teams’ plans this offseason, and it will likely impact the contracts that individual players garner as well. A prime example on the Kings’ roster is Sean Walker, who was projected to receive a contract extension at a higher AAV, but he and the team agreed on a four-year extension at a $2.65 AAV.
Now that most of the restricted free agents have been signed, the Kings can solely focus on the draft and finding their LHD. Ideally, the Kings would like to find an established veteran, but they may opt for a younger, unproven player.
While they have just $5.2M in available cap space this offseason, the St. Louis Blues are intent on bringing Alex Pietrangelo back. He’s likely going to cost every bit of what they have left and then some, and while dealing a younger player won’t help much from a financial flexibility perspective, it will allow the Blues to gain extra draft capital. Let’s look at three younger left-handed defensemen on the Blues to consider trading for.
Tyler Tucker
Plucked in the seventh round of the 2018 NHL Draft, Tyler Tucker is ready for a full-time gig at the NHL level. The 20-year-old scored three goals with 20 assists in his draft year, playing for the Barrie Colts of the OHL. The following year, he erupted for 14 goals and 45 assists in 68 games, including three goals and three assists in the playoffs.
This past season, he wore a letter for Barrie, lighting the lamp eight times with 21 assists for 29 points, including a goal and nine assists on the man advantage. He was acquired by the Flint Firebirds in January, and there, Tucker continued his hot streak, scoring nine goals with 18 assists. Similar to Barrie, he was a machine on the powerplay, with two more goals before the shutdown.
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Standing at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Tucker has great size, and he signed his three-year entry-level contract back in March. He’s come a long way, as a defense-first defenseman. Tucker’s offense has exploded and he projects as a top-four pairing. The Blues, however, have an abundance of LHD, so Tucker could be expendable.
Niko Mikkola
Niko Mikkola was ready to be promoted to the NHL for regular time, but the acquisition and eventual extension of Marco Scandella have left his future with the Blues uncertain. The 24-year-old was drafted in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL Draft. He stands at a lean 6-foot-4, 185 pounds and could stand to add more muscle to his frame.
The Finnish blueliner came over to the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL for the 2018-2019 season and scored two goals with seven assists in 70 games. He played in five games for the Blues this year, tallying one assist in limited playing time, before returning to San Antonio.
With the Rampage, Mikkola increased his offensive production, scoring two goals with 12 assists for 14 points. He’s an excellent skater, especially for a guy his size. A two-way defender who can play a 200-foot game, Mikkola is a puck-moving defender that also brings a physical element to his game. He is under team control for another two years before hitting restricted free agency.
Scott Perunovich
Perhaps the toughest to pry away from the Blues, Scott Perunovich has flourished into the top left-handed defensive prospect in St. Louis’ prospect pool. He was drafted in the second round of the 2018 NHL Draft, scoring 11 goals with 25 assists in 42 games for the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
For Team USA, Perunovich tallied a goal and two assists at the World Juniors while helping the US win the Bronze Medal. His offense has complemented his defense so well, which is exactly why St. Louis holds him in high regard. He was recently ranked as the 50th best prospect in hockey, according to The Hockey Writers.
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Perunovich scored six goals with 34 assists this past season for UMD, and he’s an excellent asset in transition. Fun fact is that he won back-to-back National Championships with Kings’ defenseman Mikey Anderson, so the two have some familiarity playing together. The 22-year-old Perunovich is under contract for another two years before becoming a restricted free agent.
Conclusion
The Kings may still prefer a veteran over an unproven, younger player. They also may prefer not to give up any draft capital and opt to sign an unrestricted free agent on a two or three-year deal. A guy like Brenden Dillon makes a lot of sense. There are several scenarios that could play out here, but acquiring one of the three guys above could accelerate the rebuild while presumably keeping them around for the long haul.