Los Angeles Kings Could Be a Trade Target For Filip Gustavsson

ST. PAUL - There is no doubt that Filip Gustavsson's name will come up in more trade talks as the off-season moves on. 

With the re-signing of Marc-Andre Fleury and young stud goaltender Jesper Wallstedt likely needing more playing time in the NHL, Gustavsson could be on the move. 

The Los Angeles Kings could be a team that should engage in Gustavsson talks. The Kings started the year with Cam Talbot and Pheonix Copley but after Copley suffered an ACL injury, the Kings had to recall David Rittich from the American Hockey League.

Los Angeles has six goalies in their organization and have only one under contract for next season. Rittich signed a one-year extension. Copley and Talbot are both Unrestricted Free Agents. 

Talbot, 36, is not guaranteed to come back. He started the season with incredible numbers but then struggled. The starting role was eventually given to Rittich. Talbot started the first three games of the playoffs but he let up 16 goals in those three games and did not play in game four or game five.

Nonetheless, the Kings will need some goaltending help next season and Gustavsson provides that. What the Wild could get back for Gustavsson is tricky. 

They will probably want a rostered player, a forward to be exact. Gustavsson struggled this season. His 3.06 goals-against-average and a .899 save percentage won't fetch the Wild a first round pick but it could get them a second, maybe, or a third. The Wild don't have a third round pick in this upcoming draft. They do have a second though. 

But the Kings do not have a second round pick or a third in this year's draft. They do have a second and third next year's draft. 

One guy I think could be an interesting option would be Arthur Kaliyev. The 22-year-old forward had seven goals and 15 points in 51 games last season for the Kings and needs a fresh start. 

 

Kaliyev is a restricted free agent and is projected to get a two-year deal at $1,789,000 deal according to Evolving Hockey. The Kings' 33rd overall pick from the 2019 NHL Draft averaged just a hair over 11 minutes of ice time a night last year but averaged just about four minutes of ice time in the Kings' last four games of the year. 

His value is dirt cheep right now. Trading Gustavsson and his $3,750,000 cap hit would free up some space for the Wild. They would have almost $10 million in cap if they were to trade Gustavsson. 

Now they would re-sign Kaliyev for under $2 million which would leave them with around $8 million in cap space. This would leave the Wild with some money to either sign a goaltender from free agency or just roll out a goalie tandem of Wallstedt and Fleury next year. 

They could also spend that money on another forward, like a top-six forward. Trading Gustavsson would give them a little cap flexibility but do you trust 39-year-old, soon to be 40, Fleury with the 21-year-old rookie as your goaltending tandem net year?

The Wild don't need to trade Gustavsson. They could roll with Gustavsson and Fleury next year and still give Wallstedt some starts. But the tandem of Fleury and Gustavsson didn't really work that well last year. 

If they decide to trade Gustavsson, Los Angeles wouldn't be a bad trade partner. 

Should the Wild trade Gustavsson? Would you want Kaliyev back in a deal for Gustavsson? Tell us here.