Fansided

3 destinations for William Nylander if Leafs explore trade market

By Simon Vacca

TORONTO, ON - MARCH 24: William Nylander #29 of the Toronto Maple Leafs takes part in warm up prior to playing the Detroit Red Wings at the Air Canada Centre on March 24, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MARCH 24: William Nylander #29 of the Toronto Maple Leafs takes part in warm up prior to playing the Detroit Red Wings at the Air Canada Centre on March 24, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 8: Dustin Brown #23, Drew Doughty #8, Anze Kopitar #11 and Jake Muzzin #6 of the Los Angeles Kings celebrate Muzzin’s first-period goal during the game against the Minnesota Wild at STAPLES Center on November 8, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NHLI via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 8: Dustin Brown #23, Drew Doughty #8, Anze Kopitar #11 and Jake Muzzin #6 of the Los Angeles Kings celebrate Muzzin’s first-period goal during the game against the Minnesota Wild at STAPLES Center on November 8, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NHLI via Getty Images) /

1. Los Angeles Kings

For weeks on end, the Los Angeles Kings have shocked the hockey world with the potentially disastrous implications of their poor start to the regular season.

With news of head coach John Stevens’ firing still fresh among fans, a retooling of sorts is already underway in L.A. Adam Oates joined the organization as a consultant just two days after the dissolution of Stevens’ tenure, as the club looks to reframe its path before the 2018-19 campaign becomes a write-off.

It will be interesting to measure the degree to which Oates’ presence — described by James van Riemsdyk of the Philadelphia Flyers as “second to none” — assists the Kings in reconceptualizing its outlook for the season ahead. But in the eyes of many, an administrative shakeup should not be the only course of action that the franchise undertakes if it is serious about establishing some degree of winning ways.

Currently the bearers of the most undesirable offensive statistics in the NHL (averaging just 2.20 goals for per game), several of the Kings’ players have become central subjects of trade speculation. Jake Muzzin, Alec Martinez and prospect Kale Clague’s names have all been whispered in discussions surrounding the possibility of a deal involving Nylander. While each of these players would surely benefit Toronto’s back end, it would be naive to imagine a scenario in which Dubas & Co.’s asking price is this low. Better yet, the Kings’ looming cap issues would require additional moves to be made — the likes of which could have telling ramifications if handled without utmost care and precision.

dark. Next. It’s time to talk about the humiliation of Jake Gardiner

Indeed, a move to L.A. seems unlikely. But stranger things have happened. If there was ever a time for GM Rob Blake to pull a rabbit out of a hat, it would be now.

Look for the Kings to remain recurring players in the Nylander saga.

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