Should the LA Kings be buying what Winnipeg is selling?

The Winnipeg Jets could be moving on from a few different players this summer, and while a couple of them have been linked to the LA Kings, I think there are a few more that could also help LA take the next step.

Connor Hellebuyck, Goaltender

I touched on the prospect of acquiring goaltender Connor Hellebuyck earlier this month. That was before the Kings sent Cal Petersen to Philadephia along with Sean Walker and Helge Grans to open up some cap space. Goaltending is still very much a need for LA as Pheonix Copley remains the only shot-stopper under contract. Hellebuyck is one of the best goalies in the NHL year in, year out. He’s one of the few goalies I’d pay up for. That said, I think there are cheaper ways to solidify the goaltending position, and it may make more sense to use those assets required to acquire Hellebuyck elsewhere.

Pierre-Luc Dubois, Center

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman got plenty of people’s attention in Southern California when he linked the LA Kings to center Pierre-Luc Dubois on the most recent episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast:

“There are some teams here who really think that LA is going to take a run at him.” – @FriedgeHNIC on Pierre-Luc Dubois#GoKingsGo

— Russell Morgan (@NHLRussell) June 12, 2023

At just 24 years old, Dubois is comfortably a top-six center in the NHL. Three times in his young career, he has eclipsed the 60-point mark, and while he isn’t quite the defensive center that Kopitar is, he is a solid two-way centerman. Dubois is a much better option to replace Anze Kopitar as the team’s number-one center when that time comes than either Phillip Danault or Quinton Byfield.

To be clear, that’s not a knock on Danault, who himself is an excellent middle-six center, or Byfield, who I remain optimistic can be an impactful top-six forward in the NHL. But whether we’d like to acknowledge it or not, the LA Kings are in win-now mode. They don’t have time to wait for Byfield to take over for Kopitar. The soon-to-be 36-year-old Slovenian is still the team’s best player, and if the team truly wants to contend for a Stanley Cup while he and Drew Doughty are playing as well as they are, then they’d better strike now when a player like Dubois is available.

What makes a trade for the 6’2″ Dubois difficult is that there are many moving parts. First, he is a Restricted Free Agent. While his current contract with Winnipeg is $6M AAV, Friedman speculated that his next contract could be around $9M AAV over a long-term contract. The Kings would need to move money out to make this type of trade work and would also find it very difficult to sign both Dubois and Gabriel Vilardi. It would seem likely that the Jets would want the 23-year-old Vilardi back in this deal. Coincidentally, Vilardi is also a Restricted Free Agent.

If (and this is a big ‘IF’) the Kings can make the money work, this is a no-brainer for me. Dubois is an impact center at right about the same age as Vilardi, who, despite coming off a breakout season, has battled injuries throughout his young career, including in 2022-23. As they say, you have to give to get, and I wouldn’t hesitate to trade Vilardi if it meant Dubois coming back.

Ville Heinola, Defenseman

While there has been some talk that Ville Heinola would like a fresh start with a different franchise, he is determined to make the Winnipeg roster in 2023-24. That said, if the Jets already have a handful of defensemen under contract next season, not to mention two RFAs in Dylan Samberg and Logan Stanley, the 5’11” Heinola could find himself in another log jam.

But make no mistake; he’s worth taking a shot at:

Will Ville Heinola make the NHL leap next season? 👀

This @JFreshHockey projection card still gives him a solid chance at becoming a full-time NHLer, with a lower chance he becomes a Star. 📝 #NHLJets #GoJetsGo pic.twitter.com/rIdmVJ3pzK

— Connor Hrabchak (@ConnorHrabchak1) June 9, 2023

In 48 games with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, Heinola picked up 33 assists and 37 points while being a dominant player on the blueline:

Ville Heinola played at an elite level through 48 AHL GP this season.

The 22 yr old LHD recorded one assist in 10 NHL GP with #GoJetsGo, too.@TheHockeyNews pic.twitter.com/RukIvOdiMZ

— Jacob Stoller (@JLStoller) May 5, 2023

You know who could slot in nicely on the third pair and be ready to take over as LD2 when Vladislav Gavrikov’s contract expires? Ville Heinola. With Winnipeg a little healthier on the left side of their blueline, could a “hockey trade” of Jordan Spence for Heinola make sense?

Logan Stanley, Defenseman

If the more offensive style of Heinola doesn’t interest the LA Kings, perhaps the 6-foot-6 Logan Stanley would. Known more as a defensive defenseman, Stanley could complement the skillful Spence, Sean Durzi, or Brandt Clarke on the Kings’ third pair.

Stanley’s five-on-five metrics were not great, but Kings fans would be happy to see he was an impactful player on the Winnipeg penalty kill during his 19-game stint in the NHL:

Like Dubois and Heinola, Stanley wouldn’t hate the idea of a change of scenery out of Winnipeg.

He isn’t necessarily the move I would make, but I’d understand it.

Blake Wheeler/Mark Scheifele, Forwards

The end of Winnipeg’s season was just not a good one in terms of public relations. Blake Wheeler was not happy with how Head Coach Rick Bowness handled his press conference after the team was eliminated from the playoffs. Bowness isn’t going anywhere, and it wouldn’t be too far of a reach to suggest that long-time Jets Wheeler or Mark Scheifele could be on the move if the team is looking to reshape their roster. They each have one year left on their contracts, with Wheeler’s paying him $8.25M and Scheiefele $6.125M.

I can’t say I see either really being a fit for LA, especially at their cap hits, but each would represent LA Kings’ GM Rob Blake taking a big swing.

With a handful of potential options that could benefit the Kings, we’ll see if Blake takes a swing at either one or a package of Winnipeg Jets. It would seem if there’s a deal to be made for one of the higher-priced options, that LA would have to part with Viktor Arvidsson, Alex Iafallo, or perhaps even Trevor Moore to Winnipeg or in a separate deal to make the money work.

(Main Photo Credit: Getty Images)