Sandpaper, desire to win, grit, use whatever buzzword you like, the Los Angeles Kings need to add it this summer, particularly at forward.
They had just one player who brought that element consistently last season, Andreas Englund, but he had a whole set of other issues and you don't want him playing every game again next season.
That player also shouldn't be a defenseman. True enforcers don't exist anymore, but the majority of "fighters" in the league play forward and for good reason.
Rob Blake was clear they need to add a player(s) with those aforementioned assets and they have a few good options.
Tanner Jeannot:
It's no secret that the Tampa Bay Lightning need to clear cap space this summer to re-sign captain Steven Stamkos, and forward Tanner Jeannot has been thrown into trade rumors because of that.
Offensively, Jeannot has fallen off a cliff since the Lightning traded four picks to the Nashville Predators in exchange for Jeannot.
Eight goals and ten assists in 75 games for them isn't the return they likely wanted, but they didn't acquire Jeannot purely for offense.
He's a big body that throws his weight around and isn't afraid to drop the gloves. He has a 24-goal season under his belt, carried by 19% shooting, so there's still some offense to Jeannot.
I wouldn't expect him to threaten for 20 again, but low double-digits seems realistic in the right situation.
It's mainly that sandpaper element the Kings would target though. He's one of the most physical players in hockey, averaging over 300 hits per 82 games, drops the gloves and gets to the front of the net.
When Blake talks about having a "desire to win" Jeannot has that even if the offense is limited.
The big problem with Jeannot is acquisition cost and his contract. After giving up a lot to acquire him, the Lightning won't give him up for nothing and he has a 16-team no-trade list.
The trade could get nixed before it started if LA is on his list. His $2.6 million contract is also a bit rich for what he brings. It's not too much to consider him, but you'd be expecting a bit of an overpay unless the offense comes back to him.
If he can be acquired for a reasonable cost, and the Kings are confident they'll get the Nashville version of Jeannot more than the Tampa Bay version, this could be a great deal for them.
Yakov Trenin:
If you've followed my work for a while, this probably feels like the 100th time I've suggested Yakov Trenin for the Kings, because it might be.
Going back to Blake's comments about "desire to win" Trenin is another player that has it in spades.
He's physical, will drop the gloves and can score. Trenin's also shown an ability to kill penalties well over the last two seasons.
Trenin profiles extremely close to Carl Grundstrom. Looking at their 82-game average, Grundstrom averages one more goal, while Trenin averages a few more hits.
There are two reasons Trenin would be an upgrade though, he is far more consistent and he is willing to drop the gloves.
He has the two elements Grundstrom is missing while bringing a similar impact in other areas.
Trenin's next contract is projected around $2.5 million, so you'd be paying a bit of a premium, but Trenin is worth that.
He's a player who can transform your bottom six. He, or Jeannot, would also give you the freedom to not have Englund in the lineup every night which is a positive.
There's also something to be said about having a little bit of offense on your fourth line.
It's likely that one of Alex Turcotte or Akil Thomas will center the fourth line, and having someone who can finish chances and play off them would be a benefit for everyone involved.
The Kings have quite a few holes to fill this summer and adding some sandpaper should be near the top of the list. On top of that list should be Trenin.