3 Moves the Los Angeles Kings Should Have Made at the Trade Deadline

The NHL trade deadline has passed with the Los Angeles Kings making just one move in the days leading up to it. The Kings acquired Andrej Sekera from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a conditional first-round pick in 2015 or 2016 and Roland McKeown. 

The 28-year-old defenseman will add depth to an L.A. blue line that is without Slava Voynov for an indefinite period of time. 

Now the question is, did the Kings do enough? Were there other potential deals that could have helped the Kings win now? 

Here is a look at some moves the Kings should have made. 

Trade Jamie McBain

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The acquisition of Andrej Sekera puts Jamie McBain down another spot on the depth chart. Even with the possibility of injuries in mind, McBain is not a necessity at this moment.

Jeff Schultz remains in the mix and certainly has enough experience that he could step into a playoff game and get the job done in a limited role. 

A 27-year-old defenseman, McBain has three goals and six assists for nine points in 26 games this season. However, he could be on his way out this offseason. He's in the final year of a contract that sees him make just over half a million dollars per year. 

Acquire a Bottom-6 Forward

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The Kings have been inconsistent up front this season. You name it. Whether it's offensively, physically or in the faceoff dot, they just haven't been able to find a rhythm throughout the lineup. 

The addition of one player won't solve that—unless it's a Marian Gaborik- or Jeff Carter-type player, of course. But, a bottom-six rental might help push a line in one of the areas mentioned above. Perhaps a player like Jiri Tlusty, whom the Winnipeg Jets traded for, could have helped.

On the topic of forwards it's important to note the Kings could soon be without Justin Williams and/or Jarret Stoll, as they are both unrestricted free agents. It would be counteractive to Stanley Cup plans this year to move either of them.

That said, the addition of a more affordable non-Conn Smythe Trophy winner might have been more likely to re-sign. 

A Trade Involving Draft Picks And/or Prospects

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It may not be the type of trade to get excited about right now, as it won't impact the immediate future, but a deal involving draft picks and/or prospects could help keep the Kings in contention in four or five years. 

As previously mentioned, Justin Williams and Jarret Stoll could soon be on the way out, as could defenseman Robyn Regehr. Acquiring picks or a prospect who needs time to develop wouldn't hurt if the price was right. 

The last minor deal the Kings made saw prospect Linden Vey go to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a draft pick. While we didn't see such a deal at the deadline, don't be surprised if one comes as draft day draws closer, especially if some unrestricted free agents aren't signed. 

Stats courtesy of NHL.com and salary information courtesy of HockeyBuzz.com.