Kings and Canucks potential trade partners

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Felip Gosselin
December 12, 2022 (12:46)

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The Canucks are in desperate need of help on defense, the main problem at this point, they have no money to move on it.

The left side is already expensive enough as it is with Quinn Hughes and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, then there's Stillman, Burroughs and Dermott to take whatever minutes that's left.

It�s definitely not the same thing for the defensive's right side. Tyler Myers hasn't been playing up to the $6M he's earning since he signed that deal and Luke Schenn, although he's the most hard-working defenseman on this cote, has limited talent. There's definitely a need on Hughes' right side for somebody that can skate, move the puck, but can take care of things in his own zone since it's not Hughes' strong suit.

There comes the Kings. They currently have an abondance a right-handed defensemen and a lack of NHL-ready on the left side. They currently hold 4 NHL RH defensemen plus the Brandt Clarke, who's been loaned to team Canada ahead of the WJC. Here's their top trade candidate:

1. Sean Walker

Listed at 5'11'' and 196 pounds, his $2.65M AAV is on until 2024. He's a capable skater with good offensive instincts and before entering the league in a rebuilding King's line up, his differential stats were always great.

2. Matt Roy

Roy is 6'1'' and 205, advanced stats and offensive productivity are better than Walker's but he takes on a bigger yearly salary with a $3.15M until 2024. He plays a similar style, the Kings might prefer to move Roy since he has a higher cap hit.

3. Helge Grans

Stands tall at 6'3'' and 205 pounds. Grans is currently the King's Rathbone, drafted in the 2nd round of the 2020 draft, he's been accumulating experience in the minors but the scouting report suggests that he'd be ready for the next step. The Kings have a deep RHD pool with Clarke and Jordan Spence who both had opportunities in the NHL at this point. He's on the 2nd year of his ELC.

The Canucks are in need that's for sure. On my end, I feel like Grans is most likely the player with the higher potential ceiling and if I were Allvin, I'd definitely take on him. At this point the Kings will most likely look to move Walker over anyone else.