Kings Trade Value Rankings: The Touchables

We’ve looked at the untouchables and the nearly untouchables, now it’s time to move on to the “touchable” players on the Los Angeles Kings’ roster.

These are players who the Kings wouldn’t necessarily be shopping if they dipped into the trade market. But would be willing to move without a huge fuss.

Good Players, But Potentially Expendable:

The first group of players consists of top-of-the-lineup contributors who are moveable because of their contracts or the possibility of young players stepping up and taking their spot.

Trevor Moore:

After extending Trevor Moore to a five-year. $21 million extension last December, I don’t expect the team to move him in the near future, especially considering his 10-team no-trade list this year.

However, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Moore moved in 12 months’ time.

Moore is a very good forward. He’s a “trusting” player as Todd McLellan likes to call him and can play anywhere in the lineup.

Solid defensively with good underlying numbers, he’s the kind of complimentary piece you need to win in the NHL.

That being said, he’s a shade overpaid at $4.2 million per year and is coming off a down year. Of course, his concussion issues played a huge part in his struggles, but there’s no guarantee he gets back to his form from the 2021-22 season.

Even if he does, I don’t think that changes where he’d land in these rankings.

There are a lot of things that Moore does well, but at the end of the day, he’s a player who’s never broken the 20-goal or 50-point mark. Yes, opportunity plays a big part in that, but he’s likely at his ceiling offensively.

Players who post those numbers are usually replaceable, even with the intangibles Moore brings.

If some of the King’s young players begin to take the next step in their development, Moore becomes even more expendable and someone who can be easily moved.

He could end up in the same spot Alex Iafallo was in this summer, a good player who provides value, but makes too much money relative to their role.

Viktor Arvidsson:

Since being acquired by the Kings, Viktor Arvidsson’s consistently been one of their best forwards and a mainstay in the top-six.

The only reason he didn’t feature in the nearly untouchable tier is his contract.

Arvidsson has one year left on his contract and is currently making $4.25 million per year. Assuming he has another strong season, he won’t be looking for a pay cut and might even demand a raise in negotiations.

Looking at Moore’s contract, Arvidsson has a strong case to bring in at least $1 million more. And in isolation, Arvidsson is worth that money. The problem is, he’ll be 31 next summer and the Kings will still be working with a tight cap situation.

Add in the possibility that someone like Artur Kaliyev takes the next step in their development and proves he can be a top-six forward and Arvidsson becomes easier to move.

Because the Kings are moving into a win-now mentality, I think it’s more likely they hold onto him for a push and let him walk next summer if they don’t see him as part of their future. But moving Arvidsson at the deadline isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

Especially if one of the young forwards breaks out and the goalie situation isn’t working out.

Regardless, a 30-year-old who will be looking for one last big contract next summer is always a moveable piece.

Matt Roy:

Similar to Arvidsson, based purely on playing quality, Matt Roy isn’t a moveable piece for the Kings.

But when you factor in one-year remaining on his contract and both Brandt Clarke and Jordan Spence coming through the system it becomes reasonable to think he could be traded before next summer.

That would require one of Spence or Clarke exceeding expectations or the Kings drastically underperforming as a team, but it isn’t impossible.

Really, non-elite players with one-year left on their contracts are always moveable assets, especially with young players available to take their spot.

I expect Roy to play a big part on the team next season on the second pair alongside Vladislav Gavrikov but the future beyond that is unknown.

Young Players Who Need to Prove Something:

This second tier will include a few young players with NHL experience who are moving into their last chances to prove they deserve a spot on the team.

Arthur Kaliyev:

After trading Gabe Vilardi, I expect Arthur Kaliyev to get a long look in the top nine this season, but he has to take advantage of this opportunity.

If he can’t establish himself in that role, the Kings might even begin shopping him.

Kaliyev has the tools to be an effective goal scorer in the NHL and can even be the player that pushes someone like Moore are Arvidsson into a trade.

Kaliyev needs to have a similar improvement to the one Vilardi made last summer. Improving his 200-foot game and developing what McLellan refers to as a “B game.” The ability to be effective even when you aren’t putting pucks in the net.

If Kaliyev does that, he could move into the nearly untouchable tier, if he doesn’t, his time in the organization might be coming to an end.

Jaret Anderson-Dolan:

Despite playing in just 46 games last season, the Kings’ coaching staff always had positive things to say about Jaret Anderson-Dolan.

When he did play, he was used everywhere from the fourth to second line and was generally reliable.

Anderson-Dolan suffers from a packed group of forwards and his lack of a defining skill or talent. He provides okay secondary offense and is solid defensively and on the forecheck. But doesn’t do any of those things well enough to really stick.

He needs to find his niche in the NHL. Whether that’s taking his defensive game to the next level or finding the goal scoring touch he’s shown at every level prior to the NHL, he needs to develop something that separates him from the glut of fringe forwards in the system.

The coaching staff likes Anderson-Dolan so, I doubt the team would shop him, but there’s no doubt he’s expendable.

Tobias Bjornfot:

Rob Blake often talks about the benefit of an AHL reset for young players, and that’s exactly what Tobias Bjornfot got last season.

After leading Kings defensemen in games played during the 2021-22 season, Bjornfot played just 10 games last season in the NHL.

If Bjornfot can’t stick on the roster out of camp, his time in Los Angeles could be coming to an end.

There’s still faith in him internally to become an NHL defenseman, but that faith won’t last forever.

He’s expected to get a real chance on the third pair this season, so I doubt the Kings are interested in moving him right now. But, there are also very few bottom-pair defensemen who aren’t considered moveable assets.

And if he fails to impress, he could become a likely trade candidate.