The men’s hockey event at the Olympics has been thrilling to this point, with Canada and the USA both surviving quarterfinal scares on Wednesday and advancing in overtime. But at least two NHL teams have not been enjoying the proceedings as much.Â
As for the Kings, the Games have not only robbed them of a key offensive player, but also has given them even more impetus to land a big name on the trade market they’ve been pushing for, in Elias Pettersson.Â
With centre Anze Kopitar retiring, and the major trade play to land winger Artemi Panarin, the Kings are in go-for-it mode.Â
Their interest in Elias Pettersson increased with the Swede’s two-goal game Saturday for Sweden in the Olympics, plus the Kings have $15 million in cap space.
Additionally, notes Kuzma, current Kings winger Andrei Kuzmenko could be resuscitated by reuniting with EP40. Kuzmenko scored 39 goals in his rookie season in the NHL in 2022-23 while paired largely with Pettersson, who also had his career year that season with 102 points. The Kings’ interest in Pettersson makes a ton of sense.Â
Kings are second last in NHL in goals scored
The team went into the Olympic break in 28th in goals per game in the league, and only one team in hockey has scored fewer than their season total of 146 goals. While the Panarin trade was huge, imagine if they could also bring in Pettersson, and he could recapture his (and Kuzmenko’s) former glory.Â
Kuzma also notes that Pettersson’s wife used to live in LA for more than a decade.Â
However, throwing a little cold water on this possibility: if the Canucks are looking for a center in any return for him (and they are in need of that), the Kings probably don’t have the asset to make it happen.
LA currently sits three points back of the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, while the Canucks are in the midst of a rebuild.Â
Photo: © Bob Frid-Imagn Images