DAILY RUMORS: Nixing the Lecavalier and Spezza Talk

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Having lost out on signing Ilya Kovalchuk (*written before the NHL rejection) or trading for Simon Gagne the Los Angeles Kings must now consider other options if they wish to add a notable veteran scorer.

Hockeybuzz.com’s “Eklund” acknowledged the Kings might consider Chicago’s Patrick Sharp (though Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman has since stated Sharp won’t be traded) or Boston’s Marc Savard but believes they might have bigger targets in mind.

“I really feel the Kings are targeting either Jason Spezza or Vincent Lecavalier…there are already rumors about this tonight…by tomorrow it could be everywhere..”

Well, so far there’s been nothing anywhere except on Eklund’s blog about the Kings pursuing Spezza (whom Ottawa Senators GM Bryan Murray claimed wouldn’t be traded after finding little interest for him in the trade market last month) or Lecavalier, who was reassured by Tampa Bay Lightning’s new GM Steve Yzerman he wouldn’t be dealt.

Furthermore, where would you put either guy on the Kings forward lines? Both are first line centers, which the Kings already have in Anze Kopitar. They might be reluctant to drop him down to the second line.

Moreover, Spezza has a “no-trade” clause, Lecavalier a “no-movement” one. The former might be keen to accept a deal but not the latter. Even so, there’s no guarantee Spezza would accept a trade to Los Angeles.

I realize Murray made his comments well before the Kings lost out on Kovalchuk but he sounded quite adamant about the issue and there’s little reason to believe he’ll change his mind, or that interest in Spezza will increase now.

It’s also unlikely the Kings would want to saddle themselves with Lecavalier’s lengthy, expensive contract given they balked at ponying up too much for Kovalchuk.

It’s been widely reported the Kings are seeking scoring wingers, not centers.

Lyle Richardson
SpectorsHockey.net
twitter.com/spectorshockey