The Los Angeles Kings and Derek Harland have made a numerous amount of deals over the last couple of days to improve the team immensely for the present, at least. A lot of salary has been taken in but Harland views it as something else. " These trades have been like free agent signings. I have not given up anything for the future but I did give up cap space. " Harland commented.
The first trade was to get UFAs to be Scott Walker and Jassen Cullimore. Cullimore coming off a second deal. Walker was traded for a 3rd rounder and Cullimore was traded for Dave Steckel. Harland added whether the players have signed with the team, " It is unfortunate that Scott Walker will not be signing with the team right now as he wants to test the market and we understand his point of view. Jassen, however, has signed a new deal with the team and we are glad to add him to the Kings. "
The next trade was to acquire Sami Kapanen and a 3rd round draft pick from the Boston Bruins in exchange for Niklas Hagman. Hagman was a key part of the team but Kapanen is a strong player and collected 41 points playing with the Bruins last season.
Harland would then go on to add a backup goalie, an expensive one in Chris Osgood. When all he had to give up was a 4th rounder Harland had to improve the goalie status. Watch his status over the next couple of days as he could be moved.
In an effort to get rid of salary Harland traded away star center Robert Lang for Brett Mclean. Lang had 69 points in the OTHL last season but his $5.5 million was too much for Harland to stomach and he traded Lang for Mclean, who only played 8 games last season but picked up 5 points which shows that he could provide offense.
The blockbuster of the day for Harland and the Kings was one that the GM could barely stomach. " I was not sure if I should have traded so much future away for a strong present. We did pick up a top 10 pick so the future was not all lost. " The trade was the Kings acquiring Tom Poti, Manny Fernandez and the seventh overall pick in exchange for Jeff Tambellini, Mark Mitera, Hannu Toivonen, Chad Kilger and a second rounder. This sets the goaltending position with the Kings and means that Harland can move on to other needs in the offseason. Harland may also be finished with the defense but that is not for sure.
But then Harland traded the seventh overall pick and a fourth rounder for Darcy Tucker and Kirill Koltsov, a very strong defensive prospect. Tucker is a nice upgrade on offense and Koltsov will become a top four defencemen for the Kings or maybe another team. Tucker got 51 points last year and will only improve on that total this year.
Two minor deals saw the Kings trade away Jamie Lundmark for two late round picks and saw the Kings pick up four borderline minor leaguers in Micki Dupont, Dave Gove, Rich Peverley and Rod Pelley.
This moves have altered the course of the LA franchise drastically and stay tuned to the LA saga as Harland will be making more moves.