Sunday, February 28, 2016

Kings Add Playoff Performer Versteeg


2016 2016 2017
To Los Angeles POS GP G/W P Cap Status
Kris Versteeg F 63 11 33 $2.2 mil UFA
--------------
To Carolina POS GP G/W P Cap Status
Valentin Zykov F 0 0 0 $736k 1 year
Conditional 5th Round Draft Pick

The Carolina Hurricanes were the only dedicated sellers on Sunday, by the quick review tonight.  As the trade deadline approaches, they were ready to move assets, before and after their game against the St. Louis Blues.

The latter of the two moves saw Kris Versteeg, rental player extraordinaire, heading to the left coast, Tinsel Town, Hollywood... to the Los Angeles Kings for a prospect and a conditional pick.

The Kings get themselves a player that has been on two Stanley Cup winning teams with the team that they will be vying to get past this Spring, at one point or another, the Chicago Blackhawks.  Versteeg is a pretty good playoff performer and with the Kings ready to take the Pacific crown in the regular season, they will need someone of his calibre to keep that party going into the deep Spring.

On the other hand, the Hurricanes get another prospect that is a little bit more matured in Valentin Zykov, a 2013 pick (2nd round, 37th overall), who hasn't been able to crack a Kings lineup, where veteran presence is all the rage.  The Hurricanes have shown that they aren't afraid of youth and their acquisition of more is cementing that idea.

ImplicationsThis is another bottom of the standings acquisition in the hockey pool, as Cindy's team is in the bottom third, late on Sunday night.  This is the second player on her pool team to get dealt in the last few days, but on a win by one Kings team, it's tough to think that Versteeg will get any offensive gains out of the move to Los Angeles.  He certainly has a better shot in the playoffs, but his individual successes in the regular season will still be limited.

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