For God's sake, at least a little education.
When the Kings made that deal in 1978, 18 year old players like Ray Bourque were not eligible for the 1979 NHL draft.
Even if the Kings were scouting him, he wouldn't have been eligible until the 1980 draft. Which the Kings kept their pick and took Larry Murphy.
By 1981 it was all 18 year old's getting picked.
Though the NHL and WHA were still locked in a battle of should we or shouldn't we, no ground rules on how the 1979 draft was to be handled were available in the Winter of 1978. GM's at the time were told by the NHL to prepare under the current rules. Which is why only like 6 or 7 18 year old's were taken in the first 4 rounds.
It wasn't until the merger was announced that the NHL would allow the drafting of 18 year old's, months after that deal was made.
7 other teams passed on Bourque as well before Boston took him.