The Los Angeles Kings announced today that they’ve traded forward Carl Grundstrom to the San Jose Sharks, in exchange for defenseman Kyle Burroughs.
Grundstrom had been with the Kings since 2019, when he was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of the Jake Muzzin trade. The winger has primarily been used on the fourth line, but has shown glimpses of higher offensive upside, with a great shot and some flashy agility from time to time. Still, he’ll primarily bring his value through his work ethic and intensity, being effective on the forecheck and willing to be physical in battles. This past season, Grundstrom scored eight goals and 12 points in 50 games, and is a restricted free agent.
Burroughs, on the other hand, is a physical, right-handed defenseman. Burroughs is 28 years old and this past season, he managed eight points in 73 games while averaging about 19 minutes per game. He has two years remaining on his contract at a $1.1 million cap hit.
While it’s a minor move in the grand scheme of things, it likely makes sense for Los Angeles. You may be able to argue Grundstrom carries higher upside, but Burroughs is likely a better fit right now for the Kings.
Grundstrom is likely due for a slight raise, and with other players who can likely fill out the fourth line at a cheaper price, shipping out Grundstom made some sense. Meanwhile, with the Kings potentially in a scenario where two younger defensemen in Brandt Clarke and Jordan Spence could both be regulars on the right side of their defense group, having a larger, older, and more physical depth option available in Burroughs isn’t a bad move.
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In other news, while we’ve already discussed the potential loss of Matt Roy this offseason, another player expected to part ways with the team in free agency is Viktor Arvidsson. For the case something was to change though and Arvidsson was brought back by the Kings, I’ve completed a contract projection article for Arvidsson at HockeyComparables.com. For those interested, the article can be viewed below:
- ARTICLE: Projecting Viktor Arvidsson’s next contract (HockeyComparables.com)
OTHER OFFSEASON ARTICLES
- Season Recap: Kings fail to take a step forward
- Are the Kings making a mistake by not buying out Pierre-Luc Dubois?
- Should the Kings re-sign Matt Roy?
- Kings trade Pierre-Luc Dubois to Capitals, acquire Darcy Kuemper
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