LA Kings: Three best trades made by Dean Lombardi

The LA Kings acquire Matt Greene and Jarret Stoll from the Edmonton Oilers for Lubomir Visnovsky

During the summer of 2008, Dean Lombardi knew he had the talent to start building a contender. Drew Doughty was just taken second overall and would be a great complement to the pieces already in place. He also knew there was still something missing, leadership.

In 2008, Matt Greene and Jarret Stoll were just two years removed from losing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes while playing for the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers desperately needed help on the blue line and looked to the LA Kings’ All-Star Lubomir Visnovsky.

Visnovsky was a fan favorite in LA. Who could forget the “Vote 4 Lubo” campaign video? At the time of the trade, he was a very capable offensive defenseman, and Dean Lombardi knew any trade involving the All-Star defenseman would require a sizeable return.

While Jarret Stoll and Matt Greene didn’t really fill the stat sheet much like other players acquired in trades did, their locker room presence meant more to the team. The leadership they brought to the young Kings team at the time was exactly what was needed to propel the team to the eventual peak of NHL lore.

Luc Robitaille summed up exactly what Matt Greene brought to the club, just after the Kings made the difficult decision to buy out his contract in 2017.

"“Upon his arrival to Los Angeles he played a significant role in helping change the culture of the Kings, and his contribution to our two Stanley Cups in particular is immeasurable.”"

Whether it was Matt Green blocking shots with his face or the consistency Jarrett Stoll brought in the shootouts or face-offs, the impact each player made is something the Los Angeles Kings will need to find again in order to be successful.