Wings and Kings linked in trade talks?!

The Kings need to do something - but is this the way to go?

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 5 years ago
Wings and Kings linked in trade talks?!
Zuma Press

The Los Angeles Kings have already made important changes to their team following one of the worst starts to the season this year. The Kings currently sit in the last place of the Western Conference with a record of 5-10-1 and just 11 points. This is obviously not what the team expected when they re-signed star defenseman Drew Doughty to a lucrative contract, and went out of their way to bring on one of the most coveted free agents of the summer in Ilya Kolvachuk. 

We bet the veteran forward might be thinking why he did not stay in Russia... 

However, the Detroit Red Wings might be able to help the Kings, as team insider Ansar Khan of MLive.com explains. While the Wings have been satisfied with the performance of veteran star goalie Jimmy Howard, who is himself quite happy in Hockey Town, general manager Ken Holland might be placing the netminder on the trade block.

Howard, who is a pending unrestricted free agent, will be 35 years old in March and carries a $5.29 million salary cap hit this season.There has been some speculation that the Red Wings will look to trade Howard at the trade deadline for a draft pick. Goalie Jonathan Quick‘s injury in LA sparked some speculation that maybe the Kings could be interested in landing Howard. 

Fans in Los Angeles could be intrigued by this trade option, however, Khan quickly dismissed it - just like that - almost to hurt the poor Kings fans, who quite honestly we believe, have suffered enough already. 

"It doesn't matter. The Red Wings are committed to keeping Howard. He likely will receive a multiyear contract, and the tandem of Howard and Jonathan Bernier will be manning the nets in Detroit for a couple more seasons," writes Khan in his conclusion of the trade speculation. 

"None of the Red Wings' goaltending prospects (Filip Larsson, Keith Petruzzelli, Joren van Pottelberghe) will be NHL-ready in at least the next several seasons. Howard is better than what they have in Grand Rapids (Harri Sateri, Patrik Rybar). And the Red Wings see no point in searching for a better alternative in July's thin free-agent market.

The Red Wings know what they have in Howard, someone who gives them solid goaltending for the most part, despite facing a lot of rubber (the Wings are being outshot by an average margin of 35-28 and have outshot their opponent only twice in 15 games)."

So... where will the Kings find the help in between the pipes? They must be hoping Quick returns sooner rather than later... 

Source: MLIVE.com