GM Rob Blake will be looking for bargain buys this off-season to improve his forward group
As my colleague Austin Stanovich said yesterday in his piece on Tyler Bertuzzi, "The Los Angeles Kings completely changed their plans for this offseason when they traded Pierre-Luc Dubois earlier this week."
That is 100% true. The Kings have changed their plans for this off-season by trading a large contract in Dubois and getting Kuemper, who will be their starter and roughly $3.5 million in cap space.
That cap space will be allocated elsewhere to help improve their 2024–25 season roster.
Anthony Mantha is a player that the team could pursue to help solidify their top six.
Mantha has had recent struggles during this time with the Washington Capitals, but after being dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights, he showed that he can still play at a high level.
The Kings already have the likes of Quintin Byfield, Anze Kopitar, Phillip Danault, Kevin Fiala, Adrian Kempe, and Trevor Moore. Mantha could slot in on either the second line or the third line.
Mantha could complement playing with Kempe as the power forward on the line that drives the net and puts home the garbage goals.
After trading Dubois, Byfield will likely take over as the first or second-line center and will be tasked with playing without Kopitar. If you insert Mantha on the line with Byfield and Kempe, those three could gel and become one of the best lines in the league.
Furthermore, that could mean the second line is Fiala, Kopitar, and potentially Moore unless they sign someone else in free agency and leave Moore with Danault.
In 74 games last season, he had 23 goals and 21 assists for 44 points. Playing consistently in the Kings' top six, he could produce 50–55 points, and with his style of play, he could be a difference-maker in the postseason for the club.