The LA Kings exceeded expectations this year by making the playoffs and eventually losing to the Edmonton Oilers in game seven of the first round of the NHL playoffs.
GM Rob Blake will be looking to improve the team this offseason and one surprising name that is floating around in the NHL trade rumor mill is Quinton Byfield.
Lisa Dillman of The Athletic reports if GM Blake gets a phone call from an interested team asking about Byfield and if it has the potential to reshape the Kings in a meaningful fashion, he should engage in trade discussions.
The Kings were interested in a Jakob Chychrun trade at the NHL trade deadline but a deal could not be worked out. Byfield would likely be part of a package going back to Arizona if the Kings revisit a Chychrun trade this offseason.
“Byfield would likely be part of a package going back to Arizona if the Kings revisit a Chychrun trade this offseason.”
That implies the Kings would not only have to part with Byfield, but also include additional assets in order to acquire Chychrun… but surely Byfield has more value than Chychrun at this point, no?
And why would Byfield “likely be part of the package going back to Arizona”? If the Kings refuse to part with their prized young C, it’s not as if the other teams bidding on Chychrun have a C prospect with Byfield’s upside they can offer, so Arizona if sends him to any other team, they’ll end up settling for a similar package to what the Kings could offer without Byfield involved…
So, if Chychrun is dealt to Los Angeles, the C prospect that would likely be going to Arizona would be Alex Turcotte