Mikkel Boedker is a 26 year old Danish left winger current playing for a fellow Pacific Division team, the Arizona Coyotes. He’s known for his speed and offensive abilities, and he contributes significantly to the power play. So why is he available? A big reason is probably the $6 million per year for which he is rumored to be asking. With that price and his production levels, it seems the Coyotes would rather get some worth out of him on the trade market now that their playoff hopes seem all but gone. This year, he’s contributed six goals at even strength and totaled 13 points. He had totaled 13 goals in all situations and has amassed a point total of 38.
So, is Boedker a fit for the Los Angeles Kings? First of all, the team already has a log jam on left wing. People can always play their off side, but it can be more trouble for some than others. His speed could help a somewhat slow Kings team, but his real strength is the contribution he makes to the Coyotes’ power play. This is an area the Kings already rank second in the league at, averaging over eight goals per 60 power play minutes. If you look at his even strength contributions, Boedker has a P/60 of about 1.0. That’s good for fourteenth on his team, and it would be eleventh on the Kings – just behind Kyle Clifford. The Kings may be rumored to be sizing him up, but on the surface it seems an ill fit. One final tidbit – the Kings haven’t traded with the Coyotes since 2006, when they swapped Tim Jackman and Yanick Lehoux, so it would be a surprise to see them come together on this one.
The Coyotes’ ask on this trade would likely be sizable. Mikkel Boedker is seen and used as a top six scoring forward. That could warrant a first round pick in the right circumstances, or a second round pick and a serious prospect. The Kings don’t have a first round pick this year, but they do in 2017. They do have some decent forward prospects in Adrian Kempe and Valentin Zykov, while Michael Mersch or Tanner Pearson could be even bigger bargaining chips given their NHL experience. In any event, the ask seems too big for a player they essentially already have in Tanner Pearson, who is signed for much less and for another year.
If Boedker’s name comes up for them on deadline day, they should pass.