LA Kings: Three players to watch on the St. Louis Blues
By Jack Weber
Brayden Schenn
Here’s a familiar name for LA Kings fans.
Drafted fifth overall by LA in 2009, Brayden Schenn was the top prospect in their farm system and expected to be a big part of the team’s future. However, he played only nine games for the Kings before being included in a stunning trade for Philadelphia Flyers captain Mike Richards in 2011.
Schenn was a solid player in Philly, but he’s taken his game to another level since being traded to St. Louis in 2017. He set career highs with 28 goals and 70 points in his first year with the Blues. Last year he scored 25 goals and 58 points in just 71 games.
Schenn took a bit of time to reach his potential, but he seems to have gotten there. It will always be hard for Kings fans to lament the trade too much since Richards did help them win two Stanley Cups. He didn’t work out long term, though, and this season Schenn will get plenty of chances to remind his original team what they gave up.