On Tuesday morning, the Los Angeles Kings pulled off a one-for-one player trade with the St. Louis Blues, sending off forward Akil Thomas for 25-year-old defenseman Nikita Alexandrov.
Los Angeles Kings deal Akil Thomas to the Blues for defenseman Nikita Alexandrov to add depth and minor-league scoring in the AHL
The team announced the move to trade Thomas to the Blues for Alexandrov on Tuesday morning.
Both Thomas and Alexandrov are 25 years old and are former early-round draft picks in the second round in the NHL Entry Draft in the 2010s decade. Thomas and Alexandrov have both also played in multiple dozen games in the league in the NHL in the past few years with the Kings and Blues, respectively.
Neither Thomas nor Alexandrov broke through and made it onto opening-night rosters in the NHL this regular season this fall.
Alexandrov has one year remaining on his current two-way contract, worth around $800K through the end of the 2025-26 campaign next offseason. He was originally picked by the Blues in the second round (62nd overall) of the 2019 draft. Alexandrov has spent all six years of his hockey career since getting drafted with the Blues organization in the late 2010s and 2020s decades.
He's played the past few years in the AHL with the Blues' minor league affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds. In 18 games played in the AHL this regular season, Alexandrov has scored three goals and 14 total points for the Thunderbirds in Springfield.
In 188 career games played in the AHL in the 2020s decade, Alexandrov has scored 61 goals and 143 total points. He registered career highs in goals scored (28) and total points (49) in 48 games played with the Thunderbirds in the AHL this past season in the 2024-25 campaign.
Assuming Alexandrov starts out with the Kings' affiliate in the AHL, the Ontario Reign, this fall, it could be a boost to the blue line for Ontario this regular season. Alexandrov has scored at well over a pace of a point every other game on the blue line on defense in the AHL this fall.
This looks like a chance for two talented prospects who haven't broken through in the NHL in the league yet in the mid-2020s decade to get a shot with new teams and a change of scenery this fall.
The Kings also get a depth boost on the blue line on defense this regular season in the minor league system with the Reign in the AHL. LA currently has a spot open on the defenseman roster this regular season with Drew Doughty on injured reserve.
Thomas was the 51st overall pick in the second round of the 2019 draft for the Kings in the late 2010s decade. He played through upper-body injury issues in the past few years for the Kings in the minor league and development system. Thomas has spent the past half-decade with the Reign in the AHL for the Kings.