There are a lot of big names floating around out there as this trade deadline inches closer and closer. Gagner, Hemsky, Calllahan, Kesler etc. Are the Kings really IN on any of these though? Is Dean Lombardi working the phones and trying to posture his team for a long cup run?
History actually says no. History, as well as the current state of affairs, also says that despite the rumors this could potentially be a quiet trade deadline for the Kings.
90-percent of the time you overpay at the trade deadlines in my opinion. Just look at the countless examples we have already. Garth Snow asking for an arm and a leg for upcoming FA Thomas Vanek, Ryan Miller and Steve Ott going for a plethora of picks and players. How about last year when Paul Gaustad fetched a first-round pick from Nashville? Deadlines can make people do crazy things.
Looking back over Lombardi's history, there haven't been too many overpayment moments. For the most part he has been pretty tame aside from the occasional rental here and there. Let's go over the trades Deano has made at or around the deadline recently.
2013 Deadline
Davis Drewiske to the Canadiens for a 2013 5th round pick (Used to select Patrik Bartosak)
Two 2014 second-round picks to Buffalo for Robyn Regehr
Overall not bad trades in my opinion. If you want to argue that the assets used to get Regher were better served elsewhere then I can understand that. Regehr has done admirably for the Kings though it is by no means a bad deal. I would like to believe it's a rough deal for the Kings, but when you look at how Regehr has acted as a stop gap it makes sense. Who else is going to play a full time shut-down role at this point? The Kings had Ellerby before that, and no minor league prospect is ready to play the style of game that Regehr has played. Two seconds is steep, but it hasn't been an unsuccessful stay for the former Sabre at all.
2012 Deadline
Jack Johnson and a conditional 2012 or 2013 first (used in 2013 to select Marko Dano) for Jeff Carter.
Widely considered a solid hockey trade from both organizations.
2011 Deadline
Colton Teubert and the 2011 first-round pick (19th overall - Oscar Klefbom) and a conditional 2012 3rd round pick (Daniil Zharkov) for Dustin Penner.
Arguably one of the better trades Dean Lombardi has made considering what a force Penner was in key post-season games. While he was an underachiever through the regular season, Penner showed up for the playoffs and was a key piece in the King cup run. Teubert surmounted to very little, so the deal essentially came down to a first-round pick for Dustin Penner.
2010 Deadline
Kings trade nothing, seriously, nothing to Columbus for Freddy Modin. (Actually it was a conditional 7th round pick, condition being if the Kings won the cup. So yea. Nothing.)
Teddy Purcell and a 2010 third-round pick (Brock Beukeboom) for....uh....Jeff Halpern.
The Purcell deal, although Purcell wasn't looking like a fit here, was a pretty bad trade in hindsight. Halpern was supposed to give the Kings some depth down the middle, but rarely made it off the fourth line. In his 16 regular season games and six playoff games he didn't register a single goal, and accumulated a minus-3 rating with two assists. Purcell has gone on to have several successful seasons with Tampa Bay, including a 65 point 2011-12 season. The Kings gave away a top-six forward and a 3rd round pick for a fourth line center. Not the greatest move by any stretch.
2009 Deadline
Patrick O'Sullivan and a 2009 2nd round pick (Brian Domoulin) for Justin Williams
Hands down, the best deadline deal Lombardi has made. Williams has been a staple on the Kings top lines since he has come to the team. He has been a fairly consistent performer for the team scoring in the range of 55 points and 20-plus goals in his tenure as a Kings. Even though this was a deadline deal, it certainly doesn't feel like it considering what Lombardi got in return for O'Sullivan.
2008 and before
Once you hit the 2008 deadline and beyond you realize the Kings were in sell mode. Various amounts of deals went down, with the Kings primarily selling off older players for younger prospects and draft picks. Lombardi took over in the 2006 offseason, and in the two deadlines of 2007 and 2008 he sold off a staggering eight NHL roster players for 15 draft picks and the rights to two prospects (Marc Andre-Cliche and Jan Marek).
Some of the players heading out of LA were Mattias Nordstrom, Jason Ward, Sean Avery, Jaro Modry, Brad Stuart, Brent Sopel, and Craig Conroy. In return, some of those draft picks were dealt in packages to move up in selection and some developed fairly well. Wayne Simmonds, Dwight King, Alec Martinez, and Oscar Moller were among those picks.
Since the pre-2008 firesale, Dean Lombardi has made 28 deals for roster players. Seven of those have come at the deadline.
Could this deadline be a big flop? After all the hype and rumor?
I'd say the potential is definitely there. Asking prices have been very high for players that the Kings need. The Gagner deal apparently fell through when Edmonton wanted a top prospect for retaining Gagner's salary as well, the Vanek asking price is too high, Girardi has resigned, and who on earth knows what Florida wants for something like Fleischmann or Kulikov.
Lombardi has overpaid for rentals at least once in his tenure with the Halpern trade. Other than that he seems to be incredibly calculated with his dealings, in many cases getting the better ends of deadline deals. If the smart deal isn't there, I don't expect one to be made.
There are plenty of free agents coming up in the off-season, including Vanek, Stastny, and Andrew MacDonald, whom with proper cap management the Kings could take a real swing at. Why overpay now for a player you could run at in the offseason. Also, historically speaking, that is when Lombardi has gone to bat.
The Kings have been a frustrating team to watch this season. They have also, at times, been incredibly brilliant. They started the year as one of the best teams in the league. They scored at will, kept the puck out of the net, and had several key players like Richards, Carter, Williams, and Kopitar finding the stat sheet every night. It has been touch and go since late December. The flashes have been there for long stretches though.
If Lombardi stands pat this deadline are you going to be unhappy? Do we have a team that can challenge for the cup without making a drastic deadline move?
What do you think?
I know what will happen here as well. Soon as this goes live the Kings will trade for Vanek, Moulson, and Christian Ehrhoff.
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