Rickard Rakell
The player that seemed like the best fit and probably would have been the easiest in terms of trade discussions was Rickard Rakell with the Pittsburgh Penguins. While the Penguins still have Sidney Crosby, they seemed like clear sellers at the trade deadline but that never really materialized as they not only kept Rakell but also Erik Karlsson.
The idea that the Penguins were going to be sellers might not have been a reality within the organization and that could have been the holdup in any trade negotiations. The Penguins might have really had to been offered a trade that was too good to pass up.
If that was the case, then it was wise for the Los Angeles Kings to not meet those demands. However, if the asking price was once again around a first round pick, then that is a deal that should have gotten done. Right now, the Kings are expected to be picking late in the first round and a player like Rakell could only help to move that pick later in the round.
Rakell has had an excellent season with 29 goals and 27 assists and doesn't appear to be slowing down any time soon as three of those assists have come in the last two games. He is a right-handed shot that would have had a similar impact that Kuzmenko had but with more goal-scoring.