LA Kings acquire superstar Ilya Kovalchuck

                                               

The LA Kings have signed Russian forward Ilya Kovalchuck to 3 year deal. Kovalchuck has played in the NHL with the former Atlanta Thrashers (now the Winnipeg Jets) from the 2001-02 season to 2009-10 when he was traded to the New Jersey Devils. He then played from 2009-2013 with New Jersey, at the end of the 2013 season with New Jeresy he decided to go back to Russia to play in the KHL. He played in the KHL from 2013-2017, and won the KHL’s version of the Stanley Cup with former LA Kings defenseman Slava Voynov, and NHL superstar Pavel Datsyuk with SKA Saint Petersburg in 2015. Kovalchuck is also a Olympic Gold medal winner as he won the gold medal with the Olympic Athletes from Russia at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

I think Kovalchuck will give the Kings the scoring boost they need to win games, in the past 4 seasons the Kings scoring has not lived up to the hype since the team last won the Stanley Cup in 2014. Ilya will fit good with the teams style of play as well. He will wear number 17 this season for the Kings

LA Kings 2018 NHL Draft selections

Your LA Kings selected 7 players in this years entry draft.

In the first round the Kings selected forward Rasmus Kupari from Kotka, Finland. He has played overseas in Finland before getting drafted by the Kings, the team selected him at 20th overall in the 1st round.

In the second round of the draft the Kings selected forward Akil Thomas from Toronto, Ontario Canada. He is playing in the Ontario Hockey Leauge in the CHL with the Red Deer Rebels. Thomas is a good playmaker and has a great skill in putting the puck in the back of the net. The Kings drafted him at 51st overall in the 2nd round.

The Kings third round selection was forward Bulat Shafigulin from Nizhnemkamsk, Russia. He is playing his junior hockey in the under 17 and under 18 Russian League the MHL. He was drafted at 82nd overall in the 3rd round.

The Kings fourth round selection was forward Aidan Dudas from Parry Sound, Ontario Canada. He is  playing his junior hockey in the Ontario Hickey League in the CHL with the Owen Sound Attack. Dudas has powerful wrist shot that is a dangerous weapon to all goalies that face him. The Kings drafted him at 113th overall in the 4th round.

In the fifth round the Kings selected goaltender Dávid Hernák from Povazska Bystrica, Slovakia. He is  playing his junior hockey at St Cloud State university and has represent Slovakia in the 2016 and 2018 in the World Junior Hockey Championships. He was drafted at 144th overall in the 5th round.

The Kings Sixth round selection was forward Johan Södergran from Stockholm, Sweden. He is playing for Linköping HC of the Swedish under 20 and part time in the Swedish Elite leauge. He was drafted 165th overall in the 6th round

The Kings final selection in the draft in the sisxth round was goaltender Jacob Ingram from Barrie, Ontario Canada. He is  playing in the Ontario Hockey Leaghe in the CHL with the Mississauga Steelheads. He was drafted 175th overall in the 6th round.

I think the player with the best bet at making the Kings roster in the next few seasons will be Akil Thomas due to his great shooting ability and playmaking skills.

LA Kings Trade forward Andy Andreoff to Tampa Bay for goalie Peter Budaj

Today your LA Kings traded forward Andy Andreoff to the Tampa Bay Lightning for goalie Peter Budaj. Budaj previously played for the Kings in the 2016-17 season where he was called up from the Ontario Regin when Jonathan Quick was injured. Peter Budaj will be now playing for the Regin this coming season. All the best to Andreoff in Tampa.