Kings Rumors: Former First-Rounder Becoming Trade Candidate

The Los Angeles Kings are gearing up to be big buyers at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. Due to their recent struggles, changes to their group should be on the way, as they have high expectations. A top-four left-shot defenseman, 1B goaltender, and bottom-six forward are three kinds of players that they are likely to try to add before the deadline passes.

Due to the Kings' desire to be buyers, they are likely to move on from some of the younger players in their system. As a result of this, one player who fans should keep an eye on in the trade market is prospect Alex Turcotte.

When the Kings drafted Turcotte with the fifth-overall pick of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, the expectation was that he would become a long-term top-six center for them. However, fast forward to 2024, he has failed to become a full-time NHL player, and the Kings' immense depth down the middle will make it hard for him to. Because of this, now may be the time for the Kings to give the 22-year-old a change of scenery.

Turcotte is still young enough where he can become an NHL player, but his days of being a top prospect are over. Although this is the case, there certainly could be some rebuilding teams willing to take a chance on him. He is having a decent season in the AHL with the Ontario Reign, as he has seven goals and 22 points in 27 games.

We will now need to wait and see what happens with Turcotte from here, but it would not be very surprising if the Kings move on from him if it means adding an impactful player now.