Not too far into the future, the Los Angeles Kings and new general manager Ken Holland will have choices to make for the team's roster at the trade deadline this regular season in the West. It's been widely reported and made known that Holland and the Kings' front office want to get more forward scoring depth up front for the top six forward lines, core at the center position, and on the wing this regular season.
Which possible top-six forward would be a trade target for the Los Angeles Kings this regular season?
Head coach Jim Hiller and the Kings are battling to work into a playoff spot in the standings in the West this regular season in late January. Adding more firepower with an offensive scoring forward to the top six forward lines core this regular season could help the Kings get over the line in the Pacific Division in the next few months.
With the Winter Olympics for 2026 coming up early next month in early February in a few weeks, the Kings and Holland could also be looking more quickly for trade options on the block this regular season in the West in the Pacific Division.
Here are three potential trade targets on the market that the Kings and Holland have reportedly shown interest in kicking the tires on in the past couple of months this regular season.
Nazem Kadri (Calgary Flames)
Since center captain Anze Kopitar is in the final year of his career in the Kings organization with the team in the West this regular season in the Pacific Division, LA and Hiller will need to add more depth and offensive scoring firepower next offseason in the summer of 2026.
The Kings and Hiller could get more firepower and veteran valuable postseason experience in the playoffs from the block on the trade market this regular season in the Pacific Division from Calgary Flames center and former Stanley Cup Champion with the Avalanche, Nazem Kadri.
TSN's Darren Dreger noted this past week that there could be a connection on the trade market on the block this regular season in the West in the Pacific Division between Kadri and the Kings in LA.
Kadri has three years remaining on his current contract, which pays him around $7 million in average annual value, which could be more on the expensive side for a player at his age at 35.
Elias Pettersson (Vancouver Canucks)
There is a chance at the trade deadline in the Pacific Division in the West this regular season that the Vancouver Canucks go all out with trading multiple asset players on the block in the next few weeks.
A name that has been mentioned multiple times on the trade block and in various rumors and trade discussions in the media in the past couple of months this regular season is 27-year-old center Elias Pettersson.
The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta reported a couple of weeks ago that the Kings are one of multiple teams in the West this regular season on the trade block that are interested in potentially trading for Pettersson from the Canucks in Vancouver before the deadline in a couple of months.
Pettersson is in his eighth year in the league in the NHL for the Canucks in Vancouver this regular season.
I don't know if Pettersson is necessarily the most ideal fit for the Kings for an offensive scoring forward in the top six forward lines this regular season in the West.
Pettersson still has over a half-dozen years remaining on his current contract that pays him well over $11 million in average annual value, and he has a full no-trade clause.
Artemi Panarin (New York Rangers)
The idea of the Kings in LA trading for a possible top-six scoring forward at the winger position in the Pacific Division this regular season on the block, like Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers, could help get Holland and the front office a valuable player offensively in the West for the top-six forward lines core.
At 34 years old, Panarin is still producing at a high level in the Metro Division offensively in the East for the Rangers in New York. He's scored 19 goals in 51 games played for the Rangers this regular season, including six points in the past five games for Panarin offensively for New York.
Two possible trade targets to watch from the Rangers this regular season for Holland and the Kings in the front office are Panarin and fellow veteran center Vincent Trocheck.