Kings to force trades and keep going with team rebuild

The Los Angeles Kings managed to win two Stanley Cups back in 2012 and 2014 and didn’t make much significant changes to their lineup after their championship victories.

However, now, it has bit them in the butt… 

The Kings have realized that they are looking at a team rebuild and might need to make a few trades to get the process going strong. 

Pierre LeBrun revealed on Insider Trading on TSN on Tuesday night that Tyler Toffoli might be collateral to this approach. 

“Another pending unrestricted free agent is Tyler Toffoli of the Los Angeles Kings. He’s only 27-years-old and you wonder, where he fits into this Kings rebuild? And it is a rebuild; the Kings are going to turn this roster over big time over the next couple of years. At this time, and it could change, I don’t believe the Kings are thinking they’re going to re-sign Toffoli. I do believe he’ll be made available for a trade closer to the February 24 Trade Deadline.

“He was a healthy scratch recently and his numbers dipped last year, but he is a former 30-goal scorer and three-time 20-goal scorer. Of course if you’re Toffoli, and getting moved is going to be the case, probably sooner rather than later is better so you can go somewhere else and boost your numbers in a contract year. “

The Carolina Hurricanes are said to be shopping for a boost for their top-nine forwards. We are sure other teams will take a closer look at him as the middle of the season fast approaches. 

A change of scenery could do some good to Toffoli, who remains an interesting trade target. The 27-year-old has posted three 20-goal campaigns, a league-best five shorthanded in 2014-15 that helped squeeze him onto a few Selke ballots, a league-best plus-35 rating in 2015-16, and of course an integral offensive threat in L.A.’s tear to the 2014 Stanley Cup.

Let’s see if the trade market gets shaken up in the coming weeks!