Confirmed Trade: [LAK/PHI] Andrei Kuzmenko (50% retained) and 2025 7th round pick for 2027 3rd round pick

[CraigBillington]

Ku

Wow, Fanny fleeced. No way 50% retention on Kuzmenko is worth less than a full retention Beauvillier.

Kuz>Beau without a doubt.

Contract wise, even at 50%, Kuz still will cost the kings twice as much. Beauvillier has a bit more all round value as he doesnt hurt the team when he doesn't have the puck as much. Also, because Washington paid a late 2nd for the pick doesn't mean anyone got fleeced in this trade. Value is about what you'd expect for Kuz. Given where the standings are, Washington would likely pick around 60, while the LA pick is around 80-85. Not a big difference at that stage of the draft

 

[FlyguyOX]

Kuz was great for the flyers. He's going to surprise many in LA.

This is awful return for the Flyers, they should have received more for Kuzmenko at 50% retained.

Agree.

 

[dendazen]

Briere f***ed up here, if he was just a tad patient he'd flip Frost and Farabee on yesterday's/today's market for much more than he did when he did trade with Calgary.

 

[SmytheKing]

Kuz was great for the flyers. He's going to surprise many in LA.


Agree.

Not with the way the Kings will use him. Don't know anything other than what the advanced stats are showing but it looks like a guy who has his best success when playing a purely offensive game and getting a lot of Ozone starts. The Kings are not that team. He's going to be expected to dig in the corners and, if he doesn't, he's going to be scratched. Weird decision for the Kings...but Blake is likely (please god hopefully) out of moves so he's just reaching for whatever he can.

 

[Osprey]

Seems like more of a moore-danault-kuzmenko line thing but I guess the flexibility/options it gives them is the point

I don't see Moore-Danault-Foegle being broken up any time soon. They're clicking right now, and Laferriere-Byfield-Fiala is doing all right. In contrast, Turcotte-Kopitar-Kempe has struggled since the start of January. I really think that Kuzmenko is penciled in on the left to try to give that line a boost.

 

[Kahvi]

Kuz was great for the flyers. He's going to surprise many in LA.

He's like the most night or day player I've seen. Can be great, can be absolute dogshit. He was both for Calgary and Vancouver, good for Philly (only 7 games of course). Buyer beware in July if he has a good season in LA.

 

[Schmooley]

I don't see Moore-Danault-Foegle being broken up any time soon. They're clicking right now, and Laferriere-Byfield-Fiala is doing all right. In contrast, Turcotte-Kopitar-Kempe has struggled since the start of January. I really think that Kuzmenko is penciled in on the left to try to give that line a boost.

In reality Turcotte isnt a first line left winger he is a 3c.
But the real problem with the top line and powerplay is Kopitar. Theyve tried everyone there. Kuzmenko isnt going to fix the issue that the team refuses to address.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Not with the way the Kings will use him. Don't know anything other than what the advanced stats are showing but it looks like a guy who has his best success when playing a purely offensive game and getting a lot of Ozone starts. The Kings are not that team. He's going to be expected to dig in the corners and, if he doesn't, he's going to be scratched. Weird decision for the Kings...but Blake is likely (please god hopefully) out of moves so he's just reaching for whatever he can.

He can play in corners, though... if they are in the offensive zone. He actually scored most of his goals for Vancouver and Calgary playing around the net, he isn't a perimeter player at all.

 

[funky]

If this is all Blake does then I am happy. Hasn’t sold off our future pups. Gives the boys playing their asses off a bit off a bump even if it’s not the biggest sexiest fish in the pond

 

[Lt Dan]

If this is all Blake does then I am happy. Hasn’t sold off our future pups. Gives the boys playing their asses off a bit off a bump even if it’s not the biggest sexiest fish in the pond

and that 7th round pick that he got back could be a future HOF'er!

 

[chris kontos]

This trade is proof daddy didnt take the car keys from little robby

 

[KingPuckChoo]

and that 7th round pick that he got back could be a future HOF'er!

even better, our future president!

 

[BluesyShoes]

Kuz and Torts was never gonna work, but I thought the Russian contingent might work well for him in Philly.

LA gets the labrador retriever of the NHL. The interviews and comic relief will be worth the 3rd on their own.

 

[funky]

His 7th round picks have panned o

and that 7th round pick that he got back could be a future HOF'er!

His seventh round picks have turned out better than his third round picks. The player was just an added bonus.

 

[Osprey]

In reality Turcotte isnt a first line left winger he is a 3c.
But the real problem with the top line and powerplay is Kopitar. Theyve tried everyone there. Kuzmenko isnt going to fix the issue that the team refuses to address.

Kopitar isn't the problem, IMO. He leads the team in assists by a wide margin and isn't holding back Kempe, who's having his 2nd-best PPG season of his career. Also, trying everyone on his left isn't new. That LW spot has always been a revolving door, including when Kopitar was in his prime. For whatever reason, it's hard to find someone who fits there, and, as you said, Turcotte didn't belong there. Replacing him does address the biggest issue with that top line.

 

[Zbynek]

The 7th here is legitimately embarassing

 

[bland]

Kopitar isn't the problem, IMO. He leads the team in assists by a wide margin and isn't holding back Kempe, who's having his 2nd-best PPG season of his career. Also, trying everyone on his left isn't new. That LW spot has always been a revolving door, including when Kopitar was in his prime. For whatever reason, it's hard to find someone who fits there, and, as you said, Turcotte didn't belong there. Replacing him does address the biggest issue with that top line.

Kopitar's numbers ended in December. He just can't skate anymore. Bright side is that he and Kuzmenko will be in the same camera frame, which was increasingly unlikely with Kempe and Turcotte.

Turcotte is no winger, his game suffered from deferring to Kopitar and Kempe and will be much more effective as the 4c than 1lw.

 

[funky]

The 7th here is legitimately embarassing

LA seems to put a lot of 7th round picks into the NHL. They better in that round than they do in the first.

 

[Lt Dan]

The 7th here is legitimately embarassing

future HOFer!

 

[kingsholygrail]

Does he have a dog? This is important for the annual dog calendar.

 

[Telos]

Less than I thought for Kuzmenko, especially with the 7th added, and the Kings are pretty decent at finding players in the 7th round for some reason. Either way, the team just doesn't have to to be a contender in the postseason unless some miracle puck luck happens and the stars align. Things are looking good at escaping this deadline with only losing a 3rd which would be an amazing way to head toward Blake's departure this summer.

 

[Lt Dan]

Does he have a dog? This is important for the annual dog calendar.

IF he doesn't have a dog, this trade is an abject failure even with the 7th rounder

 

[ViD]

Kuz and Torts was never gonna work, but I thought the Russian contingent might work well for him in Philly.

LA gets the labrador retriever of the NHL. The interviews and comic relief will be worth the 3rd on their own.

Kuz had 5 points in 7 games and looked alright to me

 

[Osprey]

Kopitar's numbers ended in December. He just can't skate anymore.

That isn't why his production stopped. He was already slow in the first half of the season and still produced at one of the highest rates of his career. You can still be productive when slow if you're smart and know where to go (see also: Luc Robitaille). You still need good linemates, though, and Turcotte really disappeared. Also, I imagine that the team playing 11-7 all season couldn't have helped. Many on the team seemed tired and slower than they were earlier in the season.

 

[bossram]

It's some offensive depth. Kings can't score. We'll see if Hiller uses him.