LA Kings: Top five Stanley Cup-contention trades
By Ryan Cowley
LA Kings trade Jack Johnson for Jeff Carter
Despite his role in turning the LA Kings into a Stanley Cup contender, Jack Johnson was not part of the team when the silver-and-black reached the top of hockey’s proverbial mountain in June 2012.
Instead, Johnson was traded a few months earlier to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for star center Jeff Carter.
On the surface, it appeared as though the trade was the result of two big contracts being swapped for each other. But, there was more to it than that.
Being a former Flyer himself, Jeff Carter had a great friendship with the aforementioned Mike Richards off the ice and great chemistry with him on the ice. However, an off-ice story that included excessive partying from both sparked concern.
No concern was needed.
Jeff Carter fit in right away with the Kings — scoring six goals in 16 games and eight in 20 playoff games — helping his new team win the Stanley Cup.
Fans may have struggled to part ways with Jack Johnson at first, but this trade certainly worked out for the best as Jeff Carter wasted little time in becoming one of the most popular Kings in recent memory.