The Los Angeles Kings were dealt a significant blow during the 2026 Winter Olympics. Kevin Fiala suffered a season-ending injury while playing for Switzerland. The injury occurred during a freak accident involving Team Canada's Tom Wilson. Both players attempted to throw a hit, but they fell awkwardly after missing the hit.
Fiala is a big loss for the Kings. Los Angeles acquired the veteran winger from the Minnesota Wild in 2022. He is a two-time 30+ goal scorer who set a career high with 35 goals last year for the Kings. He has helped Los Angeles make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of the last four seasons.
He is not a point-per-game player, but he is an extremely reliable goal scorer. This year, he was on pace to flirt with the 30-goal mark for the third season in his career. It is never easy to replace this sort of goal production, especially during the season. This rings even more true when we are this close to the NHL Trade Deadline.
The Kings cannot make a trade until February 22nd, and the NHL Trade Deadline is March 6th. They do not have a lot of time to find a player to replace Fiala's spot in the lineup. However, there is one intriguing player who could fit Los Angeles while also not necessarily breaking the bank.
Michael Bunting could be a low-risk trade pickup for Kings
Los Angeles could certainly go out and make a major splash to replace Fiala. However, they already made their big splash. The Kings made a trade for Artemi Panarin with the New York Rangers before the NHL's Olympic roster freeze. Of course, this happened before Fiala's injury, so the calculus may have changed within the front office.
In saying this, the Kings don't need to make another major splash. Panarin should replace the goal production Fiala provided. What Los Angeles needs is a player they can trust to handle a top-six role for the remainder of the season. One player that could fit this description is Nashville Predators winger Michael Bunting.
Bunting's value is not what it was when he entered NHL Free Agency in 2023. However, he is still a very solid player. He is on pace to score 43 points this season, which would be his fourth 40+ point season.
Bunting broke out with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2021-22 when he scored 23 goals and 63 points. He produced another 20+ goal season in 2022-23 before hitting NHL Free Agency. He signed with the Carolina Hurricanes only to be traded at the deadline that season for Jake Guentzel.
From there, Bunting has turned in solid performances. He was traded by the Pittsburgh Penguins after 79 games, sending him to the Predators last season. No matter where he's played, he's established himself as a good secondary offensive outlet for any team.
He won't have the same high-end talent he did in Toronto. However, Los Angeles could be a good spot for Bunting. Playing alongside Panarin, Adrian Kempe, and Anze Kopitar could help him ramp up his offensive production.
For the Kings, Bunting is a very low-risk option. They can fit all of his $4.5 million cap hit into their books. Additionally, he is a free agent at the end of this season. If things work, Los Angeles can try to extend him. If not, they had additional depth for the playoff run, and Bunting is free to find a new home.
It will be difficult to replace the impact Fiala had atop the lineup. However, they can try blunting the blow a bit. Adding Panarin and Bunting to this lineup would go a long way in doing so.
