The Los Angeles Kings have been dealt a serious blow to their lineup following the season-ending injury to Kevin Fiala during the Olympics. The Kings, currently three points out of a playoff spot, will likely explore the trade market to try to replace Fiala. The St. Louis Blues are sellers this season, and there are some possible trades that make sense between the teams. However, the Blues should exercise caution when negotiating, as there are some trades the team should avoid with the Kings.
What the Kings Are Replacing
Fiala is a high-skilled winger known for speed, puck-handling, and offensive playmaking. He has 18 goals in 56 games this season, and likely would have scored 20 for a seventh-straight season.
Replacing a top-six player like Fiala will not be an easy task. The trade for Artemi Panarin in early February will help, but it was made to supplement Fiala’s production, not replace it. The Kings were hoping to have both Fiala and Panarin in their lineup. Their reality is now different.
Related: Grading the Kings & Rangers’ Blockbuster Artemi Panarin Trade
Thankfully, the Kings have some cap room to work with. As of now, the team can acquire up to $15.7 million in cap space at the deadline. Furthermore, once the roster freeze ends, Fiala will likely be placed on long-term injured reserve, clearing his $7.8 million salary for the remainder of the season. In short, the Kings will have the cap space available to make another move.
Blues Matching Kings’ Needs
Jordan Kyrou matches Fiala’s style of play the most, making him a logical replacement option for the Kings. Kyrou has elite speed and puck-handling skills. He is an offensive-minded forward who has scored 30-plus goals in three straight seasons.
Robert Thomas plays a style similar to Fiala’s. However, Thomas is known for setting up his teammates, with consecutive 60-assist seasons, while Fiala is more known as a goal scorer. However, Thomas should be an untouchable for the Blues. Pavel Buchnevich also matches Fiala’s offensive-zone potential, but is more of a two-way forward and physical presence.
If the Kings want an exact Fiala replacement, Kyrou is their answer. However, Kyrou should not be on the Blues’ trade board when talking to the Kings.
No King Kyrou
This does not mean Kyrou is an untouchable asset. The Blues should explore a Kyrou trade, but not to the Kings.
The Kings do not have the right pieces to give the Blues in a trade. They traded their best prospect, Liam Greentree, in the aforementioned Panarin trade. If the Blues are going to trade Kyrou, they need to acquire a top prospect in return. Kyrou has multiple seasons with 30-plus goals and is signed through the 2030-31 season. If he is on the move, it needs to be for someone who can replace him in the lineup.
The Kings do have a first-round pick they could offer, but that alone isn’t enough to acquire Kyrou. With Greentree out of the picture, the next best players the Kings could offer would be young talent like Quinton Byfield or Brandt Clarke. However, trading them would only create other holes in their lineup, so we can cross those names off the board.
Trades That Make Sense
Buchnevich matches Fiala’s offensive-zone abilities as we mentioned earlier. He has been a threat on the power play in the past, and could find that success again with the talent surrounding him on the Kings. Being a two-way player, he will not truly replace Fiala’s production, but he can be a serviceable asset on the team.
Buchnevich does carry an $8 million cap hit through 2031, but the Kings could ask the Blues to retain some of the salary. For the Blues, clearing Buchnevich from the lineup to give more playing time to youngsters like Otto Stenberg would be worth paying up to $4 million. Furthermore, they would get a solid return for Buchnevich, likely a second or third-round pick, and possibly a mid-tier prospect.
Brayden Schenn could be another trade option for the Kings. He does not replicate Fiala’s offensive abilities, but he would bring leadership, physicality, and scoring to the lineup. Furthermore, his cap hit is smaller than Buchnevich’s, carrying a $6.5 million cap hit through 2027-28.
Proceed With Caution
The Blues and Kings could be trade partners at this season’s deadline. However, the Blues should proceed with caution. Kyrou should not be part of any negotiations, given the lack of a return on the Kings’ end.
At the same time, the Kings should proceed with caution. The players we have talked about carry high cap hits for multiple seasons beyond this one. The Kings will have higher salaries, such as Panarin and Adrian Kempe, coming to the cap starting next season, so they do need to plan long-term.
The rosters may still be frozen, but both general managers are likely planning what should be an interesting deadline.
