As the NHL trade deadline nears, speculation regarding top players on the market has run rampant. From Noah Hanifin to Jake Guentzel to Jakob Chychrun, there are some big names on the market. For the Los Angeles Kings, it is hard to predict if there will be any moves. The team has many glaring holes, but there is also proof that this current core is capable of beating anyone. So, if the team does make a move, who is available?
Absolutely Not
There are very few prospects in hockey who teams should deem as untouchable. After all, amateur and minor-league hockey is a far cry from the NHL, so translating success is always a tall ask. But for Los Angeles, there is one prospect who should not be considered in any trade, and that is Brandt Clarke. With the current talent on the market, moving him would be very unwise.
The eighth overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, Clarke spent his first season in the Kings organization as captain of the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) before spending the 2022-23 season split between the NHL, OHL, and American Hockey League (AHL). Now, in his first full season as a professional, he has dominated the AHL and is now on the NHL club. Most recently, he scored his first NHL goal, which was an overtime winner against the Boston Bruins. Moving forward, Clarke aims to be the face of the Kings’ defense for years and is as untouchable as prospects come.
Unlikely to Move
With the team’s most recent first-round selection being Clarke in 2021, there are not many prospects who fit this category. However, there are a few who are here because of positional value rather than prowess. Erik Portillo was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres at the 2023 Trade Deadline for a third-round selection in the 2023 Draft. Standing 6-foot-6, Portillo dominated at the University of Michigan before signing with the Kings. In his first season as a professional, he has a 13-8-3 record to pair with his 2.47 goals-against average and .920 save percentage with the Ontario Reign of the AHL. Simply put, he has been phenomenal in his first season of professional hockey, and he is a lot closer to being called up to the NHL than being traded.
