Well you have to weigh the positives and the negatives.
If the Isles were a top team and I felt that 1 piece would give us a legit shot at the cup, I'd be fine with moving a the asking price. The thing is, do the Kings and Kings fan's think the Kings are close to the cup were acquiring Vanek would gie them a good shot? Vanek would be the Kings most dynamic offensive player.
- Danformo
The Kings essentially have the same team that won them the Cup in 2012. The only players from that team that are no longer in the organization are Rob Scuderi, Dustin Penner, Jonathan Bernier, Kevin Westgarth, Simon Gagne, and Brad Richardson. The last four either didn't play or were injured for most of the playoffs, so they weren't key factors. Therefore the only two key players that are missing are Scuderi and Penner.
While Penner scored a few timely goals for us in the playoffs, his contribution to the team was mostly negative. He was a bigger liability than an asset. Tanner Pearson is a suitable replacement for him.
The glaring hole that we have in our lineup is from the departure of Rob Scuderi. We miss his stability, reliability, and intelligence on the ice. Robin Regehr was supposed to be his replacement, and has been playing well of late, but he does not begin to fill the void left by the departure of "The Piece".
My point is that the Kings already have a Cup caliber roster. If they are going to be pursuing anything to solidify their shot, it will be a solid veteran defenseman to replace Scuderi, hence all the Markov rumors coming out of Montreal. A player like Vanek would definitely help the cause, but not at the expense of one or more of the players that have already proven that they have what it takes to win the Cup on this team.
