Rjel 
Photo Credit: Toyota Arena
LA Kings bolster their AHL lineup through trade.
The trade deadline has come and gone for the LA Kings and made a few deals. The Kings picked up defenseman Troy Stecher for the main roster and made moves to acquire two players for AHL affiliate Ontario Reign.
The new acquisitions are both defensemen, which the Reign could use after half of the defensive core was brought up to Los Angeles. The Reign needed help on defense, and the Kings made the necessary trades to fill those holes without giving up anything of real value. The two defensemen will step in immediately and be relied on to fill those gaps.
Frederic Allard
The first trade was acquiring defenseman Frederic Allard from the Nashville Predators for forward Brayden Burke. Although not as offensively gifted, Allard, a 6-foot-1 and 176-pounder, reminds me of Kings defenseman Sean Durzi and Jordan Spence. He is an excellent two-way defenseman who can play power play and the penalty kill. He has very good speed and has an active stick in the defensive zone.
Allard and his offensive totals will not wow you, but he can create offense by being creative in the offensive zone and finding the open man. Think of him as a Matt Roy type of player, limited offense but creative, nice shot, takes the body, and clears space for his goaltender. This season for the AHL Milwaukee Admirals, he played in 34 games, scoring one goal and four assists for five points and 12 penalty minutes.
Nelson Nogier
The LA Kings also traded defenseman Markus Phillips to the Winnipeg Jets for defenseman Nelson Nogier, a big 6-foot-3, 209-pound blueliner. Nogier can throw his weight around and is a big hitter. A solid defenseman who has some offensive abilities can play the penalty kill. Although his offensive skills are limited, he is a terrific passer. This season, the AHL Manitoba Moose Nogier has registered three goals and three assists for six points and eight penalty minutes in 25 games.
Two solid additions are coming the way of the Ontario Reign. The Reign are in prime position for a lengthy playoff run as they have secured a spot, and now they have a full defensive core. It will be interesting to see what roles the new defenseman play and how important they will be to the playoff success of the Reign. Nogier and Allard will be counted on to play a more significant role, considering the playoffs are right around the corner.