First, let's start things off with a nod to the greatest horror movie of all time:
As if a switch had been turned, as if an eye had been blinked, as if some phantom force in the universe had made a move eons beyond our comprehension, suddenly, there was no goals! There was no sniper, no playmaker, no thing called "Moulson" to be negotiated over. There was nothing on the trading block but the grab-bag assortment of bottom six forwards, who suddenly found themselves alone with shadows and darkness! With the trade announced, one cloud lifts, and another descends. Left winger Matt Moulson, traded, off the market, with a new team, and scoring there in Buffalo, some four hundred miles away on a line with Steve Ott, with no memory of being on Long Island, or how he was separated from Los Angeles! Then who, or what, has Dean Lombardi been chasing? Is it here yet? Or has the cosmic switch been pulled? Case in point: The line between trade rumors and trade news is microscopically thin! You have witnessed the line being shaved even thinner! But is the winger with us? Or is the scoring gone?
If you somehow haven't picked up on the theme of this season with the Los Angeles Kings, they have a serious problem with talent on the left wing. Trades have been discussed. Recalls have been hinted at. Alec Martinez's name has been bantered about. And now The Fourth Period had an interesting, albeit none too surprising, rumor laden post on the Kings addressing this issue. More and more it looks like the Kings will tap their pipeline. The Kings don't have much cap room. Their roster is full. So someone has to go. The easy call is to drop Keaton Ellerby down to Manchester (risking waivers. OH NO), but the Fourth Period has a different view reported.
One of Clifford, Martinez, defenseman Keaton Ellerby, and center Trevor Lewis could be dealt in the near future, one source told TFP, and the asking price appears to be at least one draft pick -- the degree of the pick varies from player to player.
Ah yes. Trading a depth player. Preferably someone who has had little impact. However, in that regard I doubt anyone would even take Ellerby, as he could probably clear waivers. Trevor Lewis, Kyle Clifford, and Martinez probably wouldn't net too much either. Plus their combined salary cap hits are at 3.5 million dollars a year. One name notably absent is that of Jarret Stoll, who's hit is at 3.25 million a year. He also has the second worse Corsi rating of the Kings forwards, topped by linemate Trevor Lewis.
For me, it makes no sense trading a cheap depth player who is performing at a mediocre level when the return is likely garbage. Why not trade a slightly more expensive depth player who is performing at a mediocre level when it is clearly a salary dump? But then there's this:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>UPDATE: Rob Scuderi has a broken ankle. Will require surgery later this week. No timetable.</p>— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) <a href="https://twitter.com/penguins/statuses/395005923259080705">October 29, 2013</a></blockquote>
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TRADE REGEHR. WOOOOOO.
So yeah, Phoenix again. If you were living under a rock you missed Dwight King score a hat trick. You also missed the Kings score seven goals. You also missed the Kings nearly completely blow the game after losing a 4-0 lead. Fun times. Shane Doan did some whining, Mike Smith got chased, and Martin Hanzal did a lot of the damage. Luckily for the Kings, Hanzal did what the Coyotes do best and resorted to thuggery. Now he is suspended for a little bit, so the Kings catch a slight break. Hooray!
Prediction: Kings trade a defenseman to Pittsburgh. It's Martinez. Wah.
<h4>More from Battle of California:</h4>
<a href="http://www.battleofcali.com/2013/10/28/5038270/the-5-funniest-hockey-tweets-of-the-week?utm_source=battleofcali&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">The 5 Funniest Hockey Tweets of the Week: Lowly Sabres Edition</a>
<a href="http://www.battleofcali.com/2013/10/27/5028918/los-angeles-kings-gameday-encore-dwight-king?utm_source=battleofcali&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">Los Angeles Kings Gameday: Encore</a>
<a href="http://www.battleofcali.com/2013/10/27/5032172/ducks-gameday-idiots-dont-like-being-called-out?utm_source=battleofcali&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">Ducks Gameday: Idiots Don't Like Being Called Out</a>
<a href="http://www.battleofcali.com/2013/10/27/5026624/sharks-gameday-gateway-games-video-games-altered-beast?utm_source=battleofcali&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">Sharks Gameday: Gateway Games</a>
<a href="http://www.battleofcali.com/2013/10/26/5026620/sharks-canadiens-bilingual-french-gameday?utm_source=battleofcali&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">Sharks Gameday: En Français</a>
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