Two of the biggest priority needs this offseason for general manager Ken Holland and the Los Angeles Kings to address at the No. 1 center role and finding another top-pairing defenseman.
Sportsnet recently focused on breaking down one looming need for every NHL team to address at this point of the offseason. For the Kings, the need identified by this Sportsnet piece was getting another skilled defenseman to add to the blue line this summer.
After some of the most recent moves this offseason, the Kings don't have a shortage of experienced and proven defensemen. But finding another player who can consistently and reliably generate offense and move the puck from the back end remains a different challenge.
The Los Angeles Kings may not be finished reshaping their defense despite a busy start to free agency
The 23-year-old Brandt Clarke has already established himself as one of the Kings cornerstone defensemen after signing a five-year contract extension deal this summer. Yet, expecting Clarke to shoulder the entire playmaking and puck-moving workload from the blue line may be asking too much.
The biggest issue the Kings face to get another top-flight defenseman to pair with Clarke on the blue line for this upcoming season isn't the trade market, it's freeing up the necessary cap space to get a deal done. Following the most active free agency period in this past couple of weeks, the Kings have roughly $2 million in cap space remaining.
Elliotte Friedman mentioned in this piece on Sportsnet that any addition for the Kings could be a "dollar in dollar out" move this offseason.
"I think they would still add a puck-mover on the back end if they could, but I think it's basically dollar in dollar out for them."Elliotte Friedman
A name that has surfaced in recent speculation in the media and on social media is Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin.
There have been various rumors and discussions since early this offseason connecting Holland and the Kings to the Hurricanes and 24-year-old defenseman Nikishin. While Nikishin would be an excellent left-shot defenseman to put on the top pairing with Clarke going into this upcoming season, he won't come cheap to the Kings in any hypothetical trade discussion this summer.
Adding another playmaker on the blue line who can be a top-four puck-moving defenseman would also help the Kings improve an offense that ranked near the bottom of the league in goals per pame and power play conversion percentage this past regular season. Another puck-moving defenseman capable of creating offense and scoring opportunities for teammates on the back end could ease some of the burden on Clarke while helping in the neutral zone, transition, and on special teams.
This piece from Sportsnet is correct about the Kings needing to add another skilled defenseman this offseason, even if it isn't the franchise's biggest need. Replacing Anze Kopitar's role at the center position is still the Kings' top long-term priority, but getting another skilled, puck-moving defenseman could make the roster lineup more complete this upcoming season.
Whether Holland makes the moves necessary to create enough cap flexibility to get a trade done is the bigger challenge for the Kings this offseason than identifying the need itself.
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