Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2015 23:43:27 GMT
The Los Angeles Kings completed a four-player trade with the Nashville Predators on Thursday.
The Kings shipped left winger Kyle Clifford and defenceman Ryan Wilson to Nashville, along with a fourth round pick in the 2015 draft. In return, they got defenceman Mattias Ekholm, centre Mike Santorelli and a fifth rounder in 2015.
"The gist of the deal was Clifford for Ekholm," said Kings GM Josh Lewis. "We added the other two players to balance out our rosters."
Ekholm, 24, had nine points in 62 games with Nashville last year and is described as a stay-at-home rearguard. The Kings feel he has some untapped potential.
"Right now he's a third pairing guy, but we see him developing into a solid #4 guy for us, similar to Dennis Seidenberg but a bit better," said Lewis. "We need more guys back there who look to their own end first."
Santorelli, 28, had 28 points in 49 games last year in Vancouver. He is expected to carve out a role on the Kings' fourth line.
In Clifford, the Kings give up a 23-year-old grinder who hasn't hit his prime yet.
"He's going to be a solid defensive forward, but we have lots of those guys in the system, like Kempe, Mersch, Zykov, etc," said Lewis. "Right now he's a fringe NHLer and we're in win-now mode, so Santorelli gives us an upgrade for now."
Wilson, 27, is a stay-at-home defender who had been acquired from Quebec during the off-season.
"Wilson was our #7 guy and he had no further upside. Ekholm gives us the same level of play now and will only get better," the GM said.
The Kings also made a minor deal with the Boston Bruins, sending depth winger Jordan Nolan to Beantown for a fifth round pick in 2016.
This is how the Kings' lineup looks at the moment:
Gaborik-Kopitar-Brown
JVR-Carter-Toffoli
King-Richards-Dupuis
Santorelli-Stoll-Kelly
Ex: Jones, Lewis
Kronwall-Doughty
Muzzin-Seidenberg
Sekera-Ekholm
Ex: Greene
Quick
Jones
The Kings shipped left winger Kyle Clifford and defenceman Ryan Wilson to Nashville, along with a fourth round pick in the 2015 draft. In return, they got defenceman Mattias Ekholm, centre Mike Santorelli and a fifth rounder in 2015.
"The gist of the deal was Clifford for Ekholm," said Kings GM Josh Lewis. "We added the other two players to balance out our rosters."
Ekholm, 24, had nine points in 62 games with Nashville last year and is described as a stay-at-home rearguard. The Kings feel he has some untapped potential.
"Right now he's a third pairing guy, but we see him developing into a solid #4 guy for us, similar to Dennis Seidenberg but a bit better," said Lewis. "We need more guys back there who look to their own end first."
Santorelli, 28, had 28 points in 49 games last year in Vancouver. He is expected to carve out a role on the Kings' fourth line.
In Clifford, the Kings give up a 23-year-old grinder who hasn't hit his prime yet.
"He's going to be a solid defensive forward, but we have lots of those guys in the system, like Kempe, Mersch, Zykov, etc," said Lewis. "Right now he's a fringe NHLer and we're in win-now mode, so Santorelli gives us an upgrade for now."
Wilson, 27, is a stay-at-home defender who had been acquired from Quebec during the off-season.
"Wilson was our #7 guy and he had no further upside. Ekholm gives us the same level of play now and will only get better," the GM said.
The Kings also made a minor deal with the Boston Bruins, sending depth winger Jordan Nolan to Beantown for a fifth round pick in 2016.
This is how the Kings' lineup looks at the moment:
Gaborik-Kopitar-Brown
JVR-Carter-Toffoli
King-Richards-Dupuis
Santorelli-Stoll-Kelly
Ex: Jones, Lewis
Kronwall-Doughty
Muzzin-Seidenberg
Sekera-Ekholm
Ex: Greene
Quick
Jones
i'll be doing it all on friday as its teh only day off I have at the moment. Sorry, we are down people and its long late shifts at teh moment. 