No way the Kings do this. Must be a troll post.

Penguins take that and throw a summer pool party at Sid’s house

That’s not enough for Hart with 2 cap dumps like that. Hart is worth that value without taking back $8M+ in cap dumps ur missing a big chunk of change to pay for that too

Quality over Quantity. The leafs are getting nothing of importance

The Kings are getting one year of Matthews, go get the huge deal you can for one year of him, but it won't be from the Kings.

For the millionth time, the Kings don't have the cap space nor is there logic in a team deep at center trading for a center rental.

The Kings primary focus is getting a LD (Gavrikov or whoever), then a starter goalie. It's super unlikely the Kings can do this and still have space to try and get Matthews.

Too little coming back for Arvidsson, they should try to get a first and flip that first to move Petersen's contract. The cap space from that should be used to get Gavrikov or Graves, then reup Korpisalo short term to give Portillo a crack at making the team. This is literally what the Kings brass have been focused on.

This site is ****ing stupid

Most teams deep at center would have Danault as their 3C and the Kings are going to need a Kopitar replacement. Yes, they have a ton of C prospects but the fact that Danault is their 2C (if I'm not mistaken) shows that they aren't deep at the C position at the NHL-level yet.

Another thing is if LA trades for Matthews, the priority above everything would be to keep him, so it won't be to rent Matthews.

While the Kings needs are a LD and a goaltender, getting Matthews would probably have a large impact on their teams success than resigning Gavrikov. So, if there is a way for them to get Matthews and keep him and still have a team, they certainly do it.

No forward on the LA team or prospect pool is too good to worry about keeping around in comparison to Matthews. So, if they have to trade Vilardi for futures for example, they would do it.

Huzzah, another 30-year old shrimp in the Pens lineup..

Kings shouldn't do any of this foolishness with Matthews on the horizon in 2024. This roster has been reduced to a top-heavy cap-strapped mess with Anze Kopitar playing hopelessly out of position and no first-round draft picks five years in a row -- in short, a good approximation of the utter mis-management that failed to make use of Matthews in Canada. We don't need to take advice from Toronto "authorities" on how to structure a roster around Matthews -- we've seen the results of their "expertise" 7 years in a row now. We've had the plan all mapped out for us -- just do the opposite of the Maple Leafs.

The LA Kings scored 274 goals last season (3.3 Goals per game), that is 4 behind Toronto at 278 (3.4 goals per game),

They also were one of the best teams at limiting shots, but still allowed 254 goals and held very poor goal tending which was a result of putting Durzi in tough minutes he wasn't ready for.

As a team with two Selke-caliber centers, it's not that we don't see the value in Matthews it's that we don't wish to further negate our defense and goaltending which is vital in playoff situations against Vegas and Edmonton. Add to this that the Kings actually will have the cap space when Matthews is a free agent and could potentially get him without moving an asset and you can understand why the Kings don't need to prioritize getting Matthews.

Right you just want Matthews for nothing

Matthews is better defensively than Kopitar who's a total pylon at this point.

In 2024 he'll be available for nothing.

He will be under contract with someone. He'll never hit the open market.

We really can't afford him this season, if he isn't signed by Toronto, he is a free agent and can sign wherever he likes.

Didn't you get Tavares for nothing because UFAs can sign where they like?

If you want to move him, get a lot from a team that needs him as a rental and can potentially woo him as a free agent. Right now our focus is defense and goaltending, our brass has indicated that regularly.

Take a second and look how he did this season, or you know, watch a game or two.

Adding Matthews would allow LA to compete with the Oilers and Vegas for years to come even if it potentially handicaps them in years 1 and 2. So, if they have to wait a year to fix the defence, they would. As for goaltending, Blake would find a way to improve that probably.

There are other teams that could afford him in FA too, would be foolish for a GM to pass on giving up assets, (especially when they have a deep prospect pool like LA). VGK can't afford Matthews easily, but I'm sure if he winds up as a FA, they will find a way to try fitting him. So, while getting a 1C might not be a priority now, getting Matthews would be since 1) LA understands the benefit of having a Selke Caliber C like you said 2) He's the most prolific goal scorer since Ovechkin and that includes 5v5 3) Kopitar is aging, having him isn't a reason to pass on Matthews. Imagine LA reducing their RD surplus by trading Clarke for a LD like Devon Toews relying on the fact that they still have Doughty. You will be opposed to that because of Clarke being an LA pick with future top 2 potential, but that's not as important as the fact thst Doughty can't be relied upon now (due to injury), let alone 5-years in the future.

Kopitar's contract expires at an ideal time, which would make affording Matthews easier the following season.

Finally, signing Matthews as an FA is going to be much more expensive.

You might be right that Blake can't make a Matthews trade work due to cap reasons, but he will definitely try. GMs don't have the same attachment to futures as capfriendly users or the idea of gaining assets for nothing.

I must admit, I have little faith in the front office without Dubas. So who knows what will happen. I won't be surprised if they pick some old school idiot who immediately will alienate the core and blow it up.

I did, Kopitar is the slowest player in the world.

There are a lot of factors you aren't addressing

1. You are right several teams can afford Matthews next season or will move cap to make it work, but how many playoff teams have $10M laying around and the assets to pay for Matthews. There is a reason why it's always LA in these trade scenarios. Will any team trade even in the top-5 of this draft just to get a shot at reupping Matthews? I think not.
2. If there is even a shadow of a doubt that Matthews will try to go UFA, Blake can not do any deal including Clarke or Byfield, and with the new GM we have no idea what this will look like.
3. The Kings focusing on Matthews can open them up to Vilardi getting an offer sheet
4. The Kings are already rumored in talks with Gavrikov which would immediately put them out on Matthews unless there is retention involved.
5. The Kings also need to get a goalie, any signing there will likely put them out on this conversation.

Toronto would need to quickly put together a trade and Matthews would need to agree to an extension before free agency began to make this a reality. And I frankly don't see that in the cards. Toronto will offer Matthews $15M and you all will need to move assets to make it work. The Kings will be fine as we are hoping Byfield or one of many center prospects can take over for Kopitar (who will likely be reupped after having a very good season).

No way, teams learned from the Tavares issue. They will identify if they can reup Matthews as the priority, everything revolves around that.

Oh I fully anticipate the new regime demand the stars take less than they deserve and drive them out the door but likely wait until after July 1, making it way harder to move Matthews and Nylander and then doing the same next year with Marner. They'll try to "make their mark" and trade Nylander for some older secondary defenceman like Parayko and ruin this team

1+2. Yeah, I agree that most GMs and probably Blake won't trade for Matthews at the draft. Will probably be after his NMC kicks in and that means that he's only going to places where he would probably consider resigning.

Before Dubas was let go, Matthews said that he was hopeful to get a contract done before the season, so I don't think he would be against negotiating a deal after a trade.

How many teams have 10M and the assets to trade for Matthews? Not many, but remember my argument is that LA isn't going to standpat if Matthews becomes available via trade because there are going to be more teams that could sign him the following year.

Who LA gives up is a different story, I don't know that the Leafs would even be interested in Byfield since they would need a 1C asap, so they might just get oyher pieces that they can use. The Leafs could use Clarke but I don't think he gets dealt in a trade for Matthews. I do think LA could trade for Matthews with a more quantity than quality but with all pieces being quality picks.

3. It wouldn't surprise me if Vilardi and another roster player like Iafallo are in the trade.

4. Retention on Matthews might be possible but it will be expensive and this is where negotiations could fall apart. That's why I said Blake would try.

5. Goaltending would definitely need to be fixed but I kind of doubt that LA is going to look for a gaoltender in FA unless they want Andersen. So, the solution likely would have to come via trade anyways and that could happen in the season. Wouldn't be ideal nut who knows maybe Petersen has a bounce back like Grubauer did. Of course, goaltending is an important facet of the game, so if a Matthews trade prevents them from a goalie trade, then that would be a reason to not pull the trigger.