NHL Rumor Roundup: What Moves Should The Kings And Blackhawks Make?
For the fifth straight season, the Los Angeles Kings were eliminated from the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
There were several notable differences this time. The Kings were eliminated by the Colorado Avalanche instead of the Edmonton Oilers. They were swept in four games, and it was the final game for retiring captain Anze Kopitar.
ESPN.com's Ryan S. Clark believes the first order of off-season business is determining whether interim coach D.J. Smith remains as the full-time bench boss. He also felt they must find a top-six forward to replace Kopitar at center, which means bypassing the talent-thin free-agent market to find one through a trade.
Bright Spots The Kings Could Build On From A Disappointing First-Round Playoff Series
Though it was a disappointing ending to the campaign, here are a couple of positives that the Los Angeles Kings can take with them into next season.
Turning to the Chicago Blackhawks, Scott Power of The Athletic recently examined what additions might be in store if they fail to win this year's draft lottery or if promising winger Roman Kantserov doesn't make the cut.
Powers believes the Blackhawks have the draft capital to pursue a legitimate top-six forward in this summer's trade market. However, he felt it would take more than draft picks to land someone like Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars or Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues.
Thomas has a full no-trade clause and might not waive it to join a rebuilding team. The Maple Leafs aren't rebuilding, meaning they'll likely retain Knies.
Robertson is an RFA with arbitration rights who's a year away from UFA eligibility. The Blackhawks would have to ensure he's open to a long-term extension or risk losing him to free agency in a year.
Powers also thinks the Blackhawks need a veteran top-four defenseman.
Free-agent targets could include Darren Raddysh of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Mario Ferraro of the Sharks or former Blackhawk Connor Murphy of the Oilers.
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This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 10:49 AM.