What Could the Kings and Lightning Trade Eventually Evolve Into?
- Updated: February 27, 2017
Hey Kings’ fans. My colleague from LA Kings Road Talk Radio, the LA Kings Superfan Augie Loya is our special guest writer for today. Here is his take on the huge LA Kings/Tampa Bay Lightning trade that occurred yesterday, with some scenarios of what it could eventually evolve into. Enjoy!
By: Augie Loya
Sunday, February 26, 2017 – The Los Angeles Kings and Tampa Bay Lightning made a deal. The Kings acquired goalie Ben Bishop and a fifth-round draft pick in the 2017 draft from the Lightning in exchange for goalie Peter Budaj, defensive prospect Erik Cernak, a seventh-round pick in the 2017 draft and a conditional pick (2017). Rather than letting Bishop walk away for nothing, the Lightning decided they’d rather get something in return, trading him on Sunday to the Kings, three days before the March 1 trade deadline.
(photo credit to nhl.com)
Now we know why Tampa Bay did the deal. Next question is, why did the Kings give up yet another defensive prospect that happens to be a right-handed shot, (like Colin Miller when traded to Boston in Lucic deal), that they have desperately needed since the departure of Slava Voynov?
(photo credit to kings.nhl.com)
As of this writing, there are 21 games remaining in the regular season. The Kings have 64 points. They trail the Blues by 3 points for the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference. In 2015-16, the final playoff spot was claimed by the Minnesota Wild with 87 points, a huge contrast to the 2014-15 season when the Winnipeg Jets earned the 8th seed with 99 points. So how many points will it take for the Kings to get into the playoffs? I am going to guess 92 points would get them in. Based on this projection, they would have to go 14-7 or 13-6-2, or any variation which would add up to 28 points. This means that every game matters the rest of the way, and the Kings have very little wiggle room, so here are my possible scenarios leading up to the trade deadline, and beyond.
Scenario #1
Watching the Kings play the Ducks, it was clear that this is a different team when they have an elite goaltender in the pipes behind them. Bishop is a front line goaltender who has big game experience. This two-headed monster will force other teams to take chances, which could lead to optimal scoring opportunities for the Kings when opponents get caught pinching in trying to score hard to come by goals with Quick or Bishop in net.
(photo credit to sportsnet.ca)
Scenario #2
Ben Bishop will be flipped to another team that needs a goalie. This seems like a great scenario! But there are some major issues with this particular one. The Kings would prefer to trade Bishop out of the Western Conference, but all the playoff qualified teams in the Eastern Conference race already have their #1 goaltenders, who seem to be healthy. Even the teams who are on the outside looking in are set in the crease. The market in the East will not be strong at all for these very reasons. The team in the East that makes the most sense to me is the Philadelphia Flyers, but who would the Flyers being willing to part with in exchange for Bishop? Michal Neuvirth, whose numbers are comparable to Ontario Reign goaltender Jeff Zatkoff? According to reports, the Flyers are only shopping defensemen Michael Del Zotto and Mark Streit at this point. Unless Flyers GM Ron Hextall wants to blow it up by shopping Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, Wayne Simmonds, etc, the Kings & Flyers won’t be doing business, because if Hextall is willing to part with those assets, then he will be using his speed dial and calling Avs GM Joe Sakic. Of course there’s also that thing called “Cap Issues” that will always accompany any conversation involving the Kings.
(photo credit to lightning.nhl.com)
Scenario #3
Los Angeles want to ease Jonathan Quick back into action without taking a chance on sacrificing games. What if Jonathan Quick is operating at around 85%? It is possible that Quick is not ready to shoulder the full work load just yet. If so, then having Ben Bishop is a huge acquisition for the Kings! Los Angeles can alternate Bishop & Quick until #32 is ready to play multiple games in short periods of time. At this time, part of Quick’s comeback is how well his body responds the day after games. If he needs more recovery time to bounce back, then having Bishop in net gives the Kings another elite net-minder who the team’s offense can have confidence in.
(photo credit to nhl.com)
These next few days leading to the trade deadline will be interesting to say the least!
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Augie Loya is a long time Los Angeles Kings fan, a photographer, a connoisseur of hockey jerseys, a former Pro Wrestler/Sports Entertainer and a co-host for LA Kings Road Talk Radio.
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