The Los Angeles Kings began their 2023-24 season on fire, owning a 13-4-3 record through the season's first two months. They struggled through the middle of the season but ended in form again to grab the third-place spot in the Pacific Division. Their reward was a playoff date with their rival Edmonton Oilers for the third straight season. Like the other two years, the Kings couldn't get past Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, losing in five games in a series that wasn't close. The Kings don't have much room to maneuver after Quinton Byfield's contract extension put them $2.9 million under the cap. However, the Kings have some intriguing trade targets they could try to acquire this offseason.
The Kings have made some moves already this offseason to try and improve their team. They lost Viktor Arvidsson to the Oilers in free agency and traded recent acquisition Pierre-Luc Dubois in a trade to the Washington Capitals. However, the Kings hope they fixed their goaltending issues by getting Darcy Kuemper in return. The Kings defense also took a hit with Matt Roy leaving to sign with the Washington Capitals in free agency.
Where do the Kings go from here? An overpayment to Joel Edmundson in free agency won't help their cap issues, and he isn't an improvement over Roy. The Kings arguably have a weaker team than last season, so let's look at some targets on the trade block they could acquire this offseason to improve their chances.
Kaapo Kakko to the Kings?
The New York Rangers decision to draft Kaapo Kakko hasn't looked like their shrewdest move, as plenty of players drafted behind him have had more success. Bowen Byram, Moritz Seider, Dylan Cozens, Trevor Zegras, and Matthew Boldy are all players the Rangers would likely rather have in their lineup. However, hindsight is 50/50 for the Rangers, and they need to make the best of a bad situation.
The Kings also have a disappointing former top prospect looking for a fresh start. Arthur Kaliyev could be getting dealt this offseason, so the Kings may be able to work something out with the Rangers. We've seen these types of trades before in the league, and this is another one that makes sense.
If Kakko can unlock his offensive upside with the Kings, they would unlock more depth while they get better goaltending from Kuemper. They'd never admit it, but the Kings' focus is likely getting past the mountain that is the Oilers. The way to do that is to try and get as close to matching the Oilers' forward group as they can.
Kakko has one year remaining at $2.40 million, putting the Kings snugly under the cap ceiling.
Rutger McGroarty, a cheaper option
If the Kings don't want to spend to the ceiling, they may try to acquire Rutger McGroarty from the Winnipeg Jets. McGroarty will be on an entry-level deal for the next three seasons. However, it'd take a lot more to acquire McGroarty compared to Kakko.
McGroarty likely has more offensive upside than Kakko, and he'd be a great fit in the Kings' forward group. He isn't happy with his career trajectory in the Winnipeg organization, and the Jets should explore trading him soon to avoid losing him for nothing.
McGroarty doesn't seem worried about staying at the University of Michigan for the duration of his college career and becoming a free agent. If players at the NCAA level remain in school long enough, their NHL Draft rights rescind and they can choose whichever team they want as a free agent. The risk is getting hurt in college and losing out on the money of an NHL contract, but the reward is picking your team like Rangers defenseman Adam Fox did as a younger player.
Marco Rossi enters the trade block
The Minnesota Wild are willing to listen to trade offers for Marco Rossi and Filip Gustavsson. Rossi played his first 82-game season in the NHL last season, recording 41 points. The decision by the Wild to put him on the trade block is confusing, but the Wild's loss would be the Kings' gain.
The most likely trade scenario for the Kings here is Kaapo Kakko. It's hard for teams to make trades like this in-conference, as Rossi or McGroarty becoming stars and beating out their former teams for playoff spots or series would be crippling for the organization. A Kaliyev for Kakko swap makes the most sense.
Rob Blake needs to win back some respect from the fans after a disappointing beginning to the NHL offseason, and the Kings need more help up front.
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