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After Tom Gilbert was waived, the Kings were left with a deficiency on the back end. Dean Lombardi has called up defenseman Paul LaDue from AHL Ontario.
The 24-year-old Ladue, 24, has appeared in 36 games during his rookie season with Ontario, posting 18 points (6G, 12A) and 26 PIMs.
At the time of his recall he ranked tied for first in goals and third in assists among Reign defensemen. Ladue ranks fifth among AHL rookie D-men in goals, is tied for ninth in assists, tied for eighth in points and tied for second in PPGs (4).
LaDue is a right shot D 6'2" and 205 lbs., is native of Grand Forks, North Dakota. He attended North Dakota University where he played for three seasons. Ladue won an NCAA national championship with NoDak last year. In his time at NoDak, Ladue scored 62 points in 123 games and took the team to the Frozen Four three years in a row.
Ladue was a sixth round draft choice in 2012.
Are the Kings calling up Ladue to showcase him for a trade?
The Kings host the Colorado Avalanche tonight.
More to come.....
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The LA Kings have placed veteran defenseman Tom Gilbert on waivers.
When he clears , he will join the AHL Ontario Reign and the Kings will gain an additional $353,611 in prorated salary cap space.
According to Cap Friendly, the Kings are working in stealth fashion to create salary cap space. Dean Lombardi currently has $6.89 million in trade deadline space, which will likely escalate to $8.48 million when Gilbert is assigned to Ontario.
The Kings have been in desperate need of a top six scoring forward. The Kings have been aggressively scouting Buffalo and Colorado for the past eight weeks.
Lombardi is also looking to add a veteran left shot D along with a scoring foward at or before the March 1 NHL trade deadline.
Jeff Carter leads all Kings scorers with 24 goals and Tanner Pearson has popped in 15 goals.
After that, the big guns have gone silent.
Anze Kopitar has just 6 goals and has been surpassed by Drew Doughty, Alec Martinez, Trevor Lewis and Jake Muzzin who have scored more goals this season. Tyler Toffoli has 8 goals, but has been injured and out of the lineup for the past month.
Marian Gaborik has been invisible with just 5 goals and 7 assists in 28 games played.
Kopitar needs a playmaker/finisher who can skate with and create for the Kings captain on his wing. He has just 6 goals and 24 assists in 30 games played.
Evander Kane and Gabriel Landeskog have been linked to the Kings through hockey trade buzz. The Kings have also been been making eyes at Avs forward Matt Duchene who is a $6M AAV this season and for three more.
Would it surprise me if the Kings make a trade for Kane, Landeskog or Duchene. None whatsoever. Lombardi isn't ready to throw in the towel on this topsy turvy season in which his Kings have struggled to find consistency.
Kane is a $5.25M AAV this and next season. Landeskog is a $5.57M AAV for this season and five more.
Lombardi has a couple of hockey mitts full of currency and he is going to use it to improve his current roster.
The Kings have played 50 games and are 25-21-4 (54 points), and are holding on to a Western wild Card berth by one point. The Kings are in fourth place in the Pacific Divisiion, 10 points behind Edmonton. Dean Lombardi wants to create a more favorable ranking in the turbulent Western standings.