It would be exciting for everyone if there was much to report, but there really isn’t as of this morning. Even if the Kings wanted to sell, there isn’t much on their shelf, and any “big” deal that takes place is likely to be a last-minute, out-of-nowhere deal that is conceived and birthed some time in the next 24 hours.
At this point, I’d say it’s far more likely that the Kings will make a splash near the time of the June draft. By then, next season’s salary cap will be set and Dean Lombardi will have a better idea of where he stands, particularly if he can lock up Jack Johnson to a multi-year contract before then.
Could something happen? Sure. Lombardi will continue to do his “due diligence,” as he says, half-mockingly, every time I ask him about the trade deadline, but right now there seems to be more smoke — fanned by Internet rumor-mongers and legitimate-but-overexcited Canadian journalists — than fire.
Lombardi confirmed in a report today that he won’t move Sean O’Donnell, which is no surprise for a number of reasons. The Kings like O’Donnell, O’Donnell likes the Kings, and there’s the little matter of the third-round draft pick the Kings would lose if they traded O’Donnell. It would almost certainly be a step backward to trade him at this point. So many people want to see Kyle Calder and Tom Preissing get traded, which I find funny because some of these people are the same folks who trash Calder’s and Preissing’s play. So what you’re saying is, they’re so bad that teams should be lining up to hand over assets to get them? Somebody is going to have to explain the logic on that one.
As far as Alexander Frolov goes, he should really run for prime minister in Canada. They’re ready to throw feasts in his honor up there. But it doesn’t make sense for Lombardi to make a move on that front right now, unless it’s an overwhelming offer, something where the Kings give up Frolov and a top pick/prospect to get a mega-star. I just don’t see that mega-star out there right now, at least one that the Kings are interested in. Plus, Frolov’s cap hit next season is $2.9 million, which is a steal. Now, in a year we could be having a very different conversation. If it looks as though the Kings won’t be able to re-sign Frolov, or if they just flat-out decide to go in a different direction, Frolov will be a Grade-A target.
Beyond that, it’s impossible to predict. Given the number of prospects and picks the Kings have, Lombardi could pull just about anything out of his hat at this point.
Personally, I’m still waiting for Jason Spezza to arrive. Bryan Murray must be surprised to know he was getting calls from Dean Lombardi about Spezza, seeing as how Murray told TSN yesterday that he had received “Not one call” about Spezza. Oops.
Anyway, we’ll see what happens. It will get fun at some point, either today, tomorrow or in June.
