NHL Trade Rumors: Jeff Carter Shipped from Columbus to Los Angeles

At some point during conversations between Dean Lombardi and Scott Howson, the Los Angeles Kings became the front-runners to acquire Jeff Carter, not Rick Nash, ahead of Monday's NHL trade deadline.

And while it certainly would've been preferable for the Kings to have thrown all their eggs in Nash's basket, Carter should make for a more-than-capable consolation prize, one capable of boosting LA from a fringe playoff team in the Western Conference to a dark-horse Stanley Cup contender.

According to the Kings' official Twitter feed, the Columbus Blue Jackets will receive 25-year-old defenceman Jack Johnson and a first-round pick in exchange for Carter:

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OFFICIAL: #LAKings acquire Jeff Carter in exchange for Jack Johnson and conditional first round pick: ht.ly/9g0ad

"

Carter had been a bust with the Blue Jackets since arriving in Ohio via trade this past June, though he did notch a nifty hat trick against the San Jose Sharks in what appears to have been his final game in Columbus. All told, though, Carter has still managed only 25 points and arrives in the City of Angels with a considerable history of knee and leg injuries, along with a cap hit of $5.27 million per year through the 2021-22 season.

The deal isn't all doom and gloom for the Kings, though. Carter will be reunited in LA with former Philadelphia Flyers linemate Mike Richards, who helped Carter to pour in better than 60 points per season over a three-year stretch.

The Kings must hope, then, that moving Carter from center back to the wing next to Richards will reignite his deft scoring touch—something that LA, last in the league in goals scored, desperately needs if it's to make good on its preseason Cup potential over the second half of the season.

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