LA Kings Draft: Team reportedly tried to get number one pick
By Ryan Sikes
Per a recent report, the LA Kings had conversations with the NY Rangers about swapping the first and second overall pick.
The LA Kings stood pat with the second overall pick, selecting centerman Quinton Byfield, but a recent report suggests that the franchise tried to move up to the first overall pick. According to Frank Seravalli of TSN Sports, the Kings tried to swap picks with the Rangers within the last couple of months leading up to the NHL Draft.
Sounds like there have been plenty of calls to #NYR GM Jeff Gorton about availability of the No. 1 overall pick over last two months - including a (recent?) overture from #LAKings to swap No. 1 and No. 2.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) October 6, 2020
Alas, we are told #NYR have zero intention of trading No. 1.#NHLDraft
The Rangers took the consensus number one pick in Alexis Lafreniere. I have no idea if the Kings felt that Byfield was their guy, and they’d do anything to make sure he ends up in LA. But New York would have been the victim of severe backlash had they passed on Lafreniere. Or maybe the Kings simply wanted the best player in the draft.
As noted, Byfield joins a wealth of centerman prospects for LA, and an argument can be made that a winger should have been the preferred choice. However, when you have a player that projects to be the next Anze Kopitar, that isn’t easy to pass up. The Kings would have had to pay a significant price as well to move up one spot.
light. Related Story. LOOK: Byfield in a Kings' sweater
Would it have made that much of a difference? I suppose only time will tell.