The first of a potential couple of major trade links in the league in the NHL this regular season comes a month before the trade deadline before the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy for the Los Angeles Kings and Ken Holland.
What would the Rangers be asking from the Los Angeles Kings on the block before the deadline for star Artemi Panarin as a trade chip for the team?
Three of the potential trade targets in the West that the Kings and the new general manager, Holland, have been linked to on the block recently include Vancouver Canucks veteran forward Evander Kane, New York Rangers star forward Artemi Panarin, and Calgary Flames winger Nazem Kadri, among others.
It's been known for a while now that Holland and the Kings' front office personnel want to add a top-six scoring forward to active forward lines core group this regular season in the West. The Kings have quality top-six scoring forwards in the active forward lines core group this regular season in the West in the Pacific Division, including forwards Adrian Kempe, Kevin Fiala, and captain Anze Kopitar.
However, getting a piece who could produce at a high level scoring the puck offensively and sparking production on that end of the ice for head coach Jim Hiller, Holland, and the Kings like Panarin could be impactful for the team with the top-six forward lines core group this regular season.
Elliotte Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts podcast from Sportsnet on Jan. 30 that the Kings are "asking the hard questions" in the front office with Holland regarding the possibility of trading for potential forward targets for the active roster forward lines, like Kane and Panarin from the Rangers.
"If Panarin drops on the Kings' laps, I would be very curious to how L.A. would say, 'no, we're not doing this'."Elliotte Friedman
I think the biggest potential target on the block for Holland and the Kings with the active forward lines core group this regular season in the West for the team is Panarin from the Rangers in New York. Panarin is a really good forward and a star producer offensively, scoring the puck for the Rangers this regular season.
Panarin could really help the Kings offensively with the top-six forwards group, alongside key producers offensively like Kempe and Fiala this regular season in the West for Hiller and staff. I think the Kings would have to be giving up some key young players and major draft assets on the trade block to get Panarin from the Rangers this regular season, before the deadline in a couple of months, and after the Winter Olympics break.
Dennis Bernstein reported on Jan. 30 that the Rangers would want a return of young forward Alex Laferriere from the Kings from LA this regular season on the block before the trade deadline in a couple of months. It is a big outstanding question whether the Kings and Holland want to give up young players, like Laferriere and center Quinton Byfield, on the trade block to get a big piece like Panarin at the deadline in the next couple of months, this regular season.
The Rangers are going to want to get as much in return as possible this regular season for Panarin on the trade block and before the deadline in the next couple of months for New York. I can see how the Rangers would want to add young forward assets and draft picks this regular season in the East at the deadline.
Giving up Laferriere is a huge ask for the Kings, and I don't know if Holland and the current front office personnel for LA are willing to give up young players that could be the future could of the team in the West in the Pacific Division this regular season.