This past weekend on Friday (Feb. 13), Los Angeles Kings fans and the media got the news regarding winger Kevin Fiala that he will miss the rest of the 2025-26 regular season in the West. We expected to hear that Fiala would miss the rest of the 2025-26 regular season for the Kings, but it is still calamitous for LA in the West in the Pacific Division this campaign in this upcoming few months this campaign.
How much would it take for the Maple Leafs to part ways with Bobby McMann in a possible trade with the Los Angeles Kings on the trade block?
Fiala was really excited to play for his home country in the Winter Olympics in Italy this month in mid-to-late February in the past couple of weeks. As we expected for other Kings' players representing their home countries in the 2026 Winter Olympics this month in February in Italy, Fiala was thrilled with the opportunity to play for his flag on a huge stage in Milan.
Now that Fiala is out of the active roster lineup due to the lower leg injury he suffered in the Olympics this past week on Friday morning, the Kings need to make some critical choices in the front office with new general manager Ken Holland that will impact the rest of the regular season in the West in the Pacific Division.
There is the option for Holland and LA to put Fiala on long-term injured reserve this regular season in the West. But the Kings have cap room available to make a move to get on the trade block and before the trade deadline next month in early March in a few weeks after the Olympic break on the market.
It's also noteworthy that Fiala's contract isn't all that expensive in terms of his production offensively in the zone for the Kings and head coach Jim Hiller, with the front office paying him under $8 in average annual value on the cap sheet roster.
Now that the Kings and Hiller are just a few points out of a spot in the playoffs in the standings in the West in the Pacific Division this regular season means that the active roster lineup could use a boost scoring the puck offensively in this upcoming couple of months on the ice.
The Kings lost their second leading scorer who is on pace for over 65 total points this regular season in the West, which will negatively impact the team offensively. Replacing Fiala will be no easy task in the active roster lineup for Holland and the Kings' front office management this regular season in the West in the next few weeks on the trade block for the team.
There has been pitches that Holland and the Kings' front office are looking to trade winger Warren Foegele on the block and before the trade deadline next month in early March in the West. While I don't think Holland has ever said outright that he's planning to trade Foegele in any reporting or public statements this regular season in this past couple of months, it hasn't stopped various writers and figures in the media from suggesting potential trade rumors involving Warren for the Kings.
Peter Baracchini from The Hockey Writers has pitched multiple times the trade idea of the Kings sending Foegele to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the East, north of the border this regular season. He also suggested a possible trade in the West between the Kings and the Maple Leafs that would send forward Bobby McMann from Toronto to the West Coast in Southern California this regular season.
Baracchini mentioned the value of the Kings having another top-nine scoring forward offensively who can play in the active roster lineup up front with Artemi Panarin for LA and Hiller this regular season in the West. If the Kings could get a quality scoring forward offensively in the top six or top-nine forward core group lines this regular season, that would be huge to have McMann in the lineup for the team.
This article notes that the Maple Leafs are looking for a future first-round draft pick on the trade block and before the trade deadline this regular season as a return on the trade market for the forward McMann.