Three trades that shaped landscape of LA Kings rebuild
By Ryan Sikes
These three trades have shaped and will continue to shape the LA Kings rebuild.
When Rob Blake took over as vice president and general manager of the LA Kings in April 2017, the organization still featured much of the core that won two Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014. However, the Kings had missed the playoffs in two consecutive seasons, ending Dean Lombardi’s time as general manager.
Blake took over with the mindset of another deep postseason run. When that appeared unlikely, it was time to start looking towards the future. There we three significant trades that have shaped the Kings’ rebuild, with the first domino to fall being 29-year-old Jake Muzzin.
“We feel this trade was necessary for the future of the organization,” said Blake. “Moving Jake was not easy as he has been a key player for us and a significant part of our most historic and memorable achievements. We are grateful for his contributions to the Kings and we wish him the best of luck in the future.”
Let’s break down the Muzzin trade and two other trades that have led us to where the franchise currently stands.