3 Los Angeles Kings Most Likely To Be Traded

The Los Angeles Kings are a team to watch heading into next season. The Kings are expected to sit in the middle, and aren't necessarily a contending team in 2026-27, so they could be a very important team come trade deadline time.

The Kings are without Anze Kopitar this season, as the franchise great announced his retirement. The Kings haven't really done a good enough job replacing Kopitar up front, and with several question marks throughout their lineup, it could be a long season in southern California.

Heading into next season, here's three Kings who are most likely to be traded:

Drew Doughty

The Kings management team has already told Doughty they won't be re-signing the veteran defenceman to a contract in season this year. The Kings are going to be patient to see how they stand up against the rest of the Western Conference, and if they're out of it, Doughty is for sure getting moved. He's a pending unrestricted free agent making $11 million AAV, but the Kings will retain up to 50% of Doughty's money to retrieve a nice package. Put it this way, the blueline is now Brandt Clarke's.

Trevor Moore

The speedy Moore has been linked to trade rumors throughout the summer and is starting to get into the category of someone who would benefit from a change of scenery. Moore's had a hard time landing consistent top-six minutes in LA, and with no trade protection, he could certainly be on the move this season. Moore is owed $4.2 million AAV for two more years. With his speed and versatility, Moore will be an attractive piece on the trade block.

Darcy Kuemper

Experienced goaltender is hard to come by and especially for a team looking to make a splash in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Kuemper leads the Kings this season, but again, LA isn't expected to make playoffs, so look for the 36-year-old netminder to be moved before March's trade deadline. The Edmonton Oilers will be watching closely, and same goes for the Colorado Avalanche and Pittsburgh Penguins.