Monday night was the perfect end to an entertaining NHL season (though not for the LA Kings, but you get the idea). Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Panthers and Oilers was everything and nothing at the same time. It was complete chaos. It was great hockey.
From the moment the puck hit the ice, you could sense that the Cats were not going to endure any historic humiliation, and that is exactly what they did, defeating Edmonton 2-1 to win the team's first Stanley Cup. Congratulations!
draft
But now the calendar is quickly moving on to the fun part of the offseason: The NHL Entry Draft begins on Friday in Las Vegas, and the LA Kings are scheduled to pick with the 21st pick in the first round for the first time since 2021.
But I wouldn't be surprised if Kings general manager Rob Blake moves a pick around to raise more draft capital.
“My goal going into this draft is to find a way to get second- and third-round picks out of nothing,” Kings director of scouting Mark Yannetti said during an appearance on the All the Kings Men podcast with Jesse Cohen and Zach Dooley.
There's talk that this draft will be pretty open from the 10th pick onwards, with scouts saying spots 25-35 could be the same. The Kings have expressed interest in some projected second-round picks, such as Swedish defenseman Gabriel Eliasson. But Rob Blake will enter the weekend festivities without a second, third or fifth-round pick. Look for him to fill that void.
Free Agent
After the weekend, free agency begins on Monday at 9 a.m. PST, and this is where Blake plans to be most active.
On Tuesday's “32 Thoughts Podcast,” Elliotte Friedman linked the Los Angeles Kings to winger Jake Guenzel in a move reminiscent of when he floated the Dubois rumor mill last year.
That's surprising given the Kings' cap situation and the contract Guenzel is expected to receive. The forward, who had 30 goals and 47 assists in 67 games with Pittsburgh and Carolina this season, should make about $9 million per year.
LA has the cap space, but they'd need some Blake magic to make it happen. They'd also need to consider signing Quinton Byfield to an extension. But can you imagine a line with Fiala, Byfield and Guenzel? That would be special.
Guenzel isn't the only free agent name expected to be targeted by Rob Blake. From what I'm hearing, Los Angeles is looking for a “tenacious veteran,” with sources naming Max Domi as a player the Kings are interested in.
With the three center positions secured in Anze Kopitar, Phillip Danault and Quinton Byfield, will the Kings bring back Blake Lizotte, who is currently a restricted free agent, or acquire someone from outside? Domi would fit nicely into L.A.'s need for physical strength in the bottom six of the lineup.
The next few days will be crucial for Rob Blake in protecting his tenure as general manager of the Los Angeles Kings. Having surprisingly let go of PL Dubois' contract, Blake has the opportunity to continue building credibility with the fanbase through a strong draft and an active free agency period.
