Over the course of the morning, it became clear that Dean Lombardi and the Los Angeles Kings only had eyes for one forward. It’s Jarome Iginla.
Conditional draft pick going to Colorado for Iginla. Pending trade call.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) March 1, 2017
That conditional fourth-round pick is for 2018 in Iginla trade
— Pierre LeBrun (@Real_ESPNLeBrun) March 1, 2017
Iginla, obviously, is a legend; 619 career goals, 1291 career points, and a 39-year-old who’s only missing one thing in his career: a Stanley Cup. It wasn’t going to happen with the Colorado Avalanche, and though the odds are it won’t happen in Los Angeles, there is a chance!
LA’s intentions for the trade deadline were to find someone to play with Anze Kopitar. Given the cap hit and the dearth of forwards who can be had without a prospect going the other way, this might be the guy. I expressed misgivings about the idea earlier, but then I checked the shooting percentages…
Conveniently, Jarome Iginla has already dropped his shooting percentage well below his career levels in preparation for a trade to LA. pic.twitter.com/X3k2UUN70v
— Jewels frm the Crown (@JFTC_Kings) March 1, 2017
Iginla seems more likely than Trevor Lewis or the dearly departed Dwight King to provide goals on Kopitar’s wing. Not passing, not general possession, not defense, but goals. And this trade will be judged solely on the goals that come from Iginla, and from the line he plays on. Can he find some offense a la Vincent Lecavalier? It’s not far-fetched.
More analysis to come.
UPDATE, 10:30 AM: The conditional 2018 pick may not even be a pick. If the Kings miss the playoffs and don’t re-sign Jarome, they lose nothing. So that’ll make us feel better if LA misses out, right? It won’t? Yeah, you’re right, it won’t.