After spending heavy in free agency for Jeff Skinner and Kevin Hayes, the Kings were looking to make a little noise for their fans.  Maybe even pull things together enough to make the playoffs.  Making a couple low impact deals by adding  T. J. Brodie and Freddie Gaudreau, who will be Free Agents, increased the thought of that small run was a realistic possibility, or so we thought. 

 

Quick had a very good year last year, so he was resigned to a new contract. He was expected to be the anchor man.  As crazy as it sounds, a request came through … lickity split, Quick was gone to Washington via trade.  That left  Rittich and Peterson to hold the fort.  It was felt Cal could still give us a shot at a wildcard.  Boy were we wrong!  We as a club were taking a lot of heat for that one.  Fans, Media and ownership were ALL Adding pressure.  

 

Out of nowhere something miraculous happened.  Rittich got hot.  Sporting a 16-10-4 record, we were looking at a wild card position. A decision was imminent.  It was now time to try to  beef up the supporting cast.  

 

It was quite obvious, the Kings goalie duo was not going to cut it.  There was no way Rittich was going to keep up the stellar play.   The Quick trade was looking more and more like the mistake of the year. Quality goalies are hard to find and do not come cheap.  The Jets on their path to scorched Earth had a very good goalie available.  The Previous inquiry into Hellebuyck had come up empty.  With the team looking more likely to secure a playoff birth each day, It was time to make a stronger pitch.

 

Paying a bit of a steep price with 3 Dobber top 200 Forwards, a first round pick and a Stephen, one of our best players to allow for Helle’s Cap, Connor came to LA.  That move left a huge hole at Center.  And again the Club went to work picking up the aging but consistent Ryan Getzlaf.  It was a solid pick up but another costly one to the team depth, again taking players to open Cap space. 

 

Heading into Trade deadline weekend, the Kings depth was really been depleted.  Playing with a Minor league call up and a Defenseman on the 4th line, it was looking grim.  Forward depth players were needed to sustain a lineup.  A pair of Rental forwards in Colton Sissons & Pierre-Edouard Bellemare were acquired. Only problem … it is now a different team with 3 consecutive losses.  

 

With about 3 mil in space, there is no reason to not use it.  However, with a full 4 lines, it doesn’t matter if we do.  Two days left, before players are locked, activity has slowed in LA.  The desire to improve is there … the time is not.  Unless something unforeseen appears, this is the playoff roster.  Can it stop this mini skid?  Probably!  Will it?  Maybe!  Can it make some noise? Definitely!   Will it?  All signs point to you add you loose.  Heaven forbid we follow in Montreal’s Footsteps. 

 

One thing is definite:  The Kings will always try to win….but will they?