The LA Kings have been active during the NHL Draft and one of the players to watch on Day 2 was Jordan Spence. He had been rumored to be available and it seemed almost certain he would be traded after the selection of Henry Brzustewicz in the first round.
That trade happened early on Saturday as Jordan Spence was traded to the Ottawa Senators. However, the return for Spence has fans questioning the trade, and the only way it makes sense is if he is building to a bigger deal.
According to Elliott Friedman, the return for Spence would be a third-round pick in this year's NHL Draft and a sixth-round pick in next year's NHL Draft. The reason this deal doesn't make sense from the Kings' perspective is that they are trying to compete for a Stanley Cup next season. The idea that they are trading NHL-caliber players for draft picks doesn't align with their objective.
LA Kings defense quickly becoming a concern for next season
Last season, the defense was the strength of this roster but it has quickly become a concern for general manager Ken Holland. The trade for Spence, with no players coming back, creates a hole for the third pair on the right side. When including the fact that Vladislav Gavrikov is still unsigned, this just compounds the departure of Spence.
Last season, Spence played in 79 games for the Kings and averaged 16:47 of ice time per game while setting career-highs in points with 28 and a +/- of +23. He is only 23 years old and while he might not fit in Los Angeles, it is hard to imagine this was the best return they could have gotten.
The hope is that with a trade like this, combined with the trade yesterday for an additional second-round pick, Holland is looking to use these picks to add NHL-ready players or someone who can help them next season. If that doesn't work out, then the idea of moving Spence now just doesn't make a great deal of sense.