Los Angeles Kings left winger Warren Foegele has been listed in the top 10 of a 50-player trade board by The Athletic.
The NHL trade deadline is exactly one week away, and every team has its short list of players that they're either looking to move out or a trade target.
At this point, it seems more likely that Los Angeles Kings GM Ken Holland will position his team as a buyer at the deadline, based on previous comments, the acquisition of superstar Artemi Panarin, and the fact that this is captain Anze Kopitar's final season.
However, in the latest edition of The Athletic's trade board, written by Chris Johnston, Kings left winger Warren Foegele was ranked eighth in the list of 50 players.
It shouldn't be a shock to see Foegele on the trade board, considering Holland did hint at moving the 29-year-old not long after his trade for Panarin.
"Warren Foegele had a great year last year," the Kings GM said earlier in the month. "He's been out of the lineup for the last couple of games… got to work the phones here."
Who knows if Kevin Fiala's leg injury from the Olympics, which ruled him out for the remainder of the regular season, will change Holland's thought process and where he stands with
Foegele has played 45 games out of the Kings' total of 58 contests. He missed a few games with injuries, but has also been a healthy scratch for several outings, too.
When he has been in the lineup, Foegele hasn't been nearly as effective this season as he was last year. He has seven goals, nine points and has a minus-five plus-minus rating while averaging 14:45 of ice time.
Warren Foegele (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)In comparison, last season was the best of his NHL career. Foegele scored 24 goals, 46 points and averaged the most ice time in his career at 16:10 per game. In fact, he led the Kings' roster in the plus-minus department with a plus-36 rating.
In The Athletic's article, Johnston touched on the massive difference between these past two seasons for Foegele.
"The best season of Foegele’s career has been followed by one of the worst," his player description said.
Foegele was described as a player "with speed and is an effective forechecker who helps keep plays alive in the offensive zone," the article read. "He’s got a great shot and the percentages haven’t been in his favor — hinting at a bounce-back to come. The puck tends to be moving in the right direction when he’s on the ice."
The left winger carries a $3.5 million salary cap hit for one more season after this campaign. He was signed to a three-year contract ahead of 2024-25. Foegele is in the midst of his second year in Los Angeles.
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