The battle at LD3 was one of the most interesting narratives heading into Los Angeles Kings training camp last summer.
Andreas Englund, Tobias Bjornfot and Jacob Moverare fought for one spot and Englund came out on top.
Even after that, I don't think anyone externally expected Englund to be such a mainstay in the Kings' lineup.
However, the "shepherding" element he brought to the team was extremely valued internally. He ended up being one of just six players to feature in all 82 regular season games and all five playoff games.
That can't happen again next season. I don't want this to become a knocking Englund piece, because he did his job. The Kings wanted someone to fill that Shepard role and he's one of the best at doing it.
The Kings just shouldn't value that over on-ice impact. Englund's raw and underlying numbers were amongst the worst on the team, and looking at Jordan Spence's numbers with and without Englund, the latter was a boat anchor for the younger Spence.
It's also worth noting that having Englund didn't change anything for the Kings. It didn't change how Edmonton approached the game and the Kings were still outmatched physically.
One player, particularly one you can't trust with more than 13 minutes a night, isn't going to change how the opposition views you.
The Kings need to find a new LD3, and if they're intent on having that Shepard role filled, it needs to be at forward.
A lot of people want the Kings to find a more skilled puck mover for the left side, and I get it, but realistically a new LD3 will play alongside Spence or Brandt Clarke and be a defense-first player.
That doesn't mean they need to be hopeless with the puck, but the Kings aren't adding a Shayne Gostisbehere type either.
Option One: Nikita Zadorov:
Why not kill two birds with one stone? Zadorov doesn't fight like Enlungd, but he plays 17 minutes a night of quality hockey and is one of the most punishing blueliners around.
If you want someone who actually makes the opponent think twice about what they're doing, Zadorov is your guy.
The problem with Zadorov is the price. His stock skyrocketed after a good finish to the season with the Vancouver Canucks, especially his playoff performances.
It would be pricy, but if his next contract carries a similar hit to his current one, $3.75 million, I'd pull the trigger. You can let Matt Roy walk and offset a pricy LD2 and LD3 combo with two low-hit young defensemen on the right.
Zadorov would be a fantastic partner for either Spence or Clarke and would certainly bring some of that "desire to win" Rob Blake talked about, without giving up much between whistles.
I think he's likely priced himself out of a move to LA, but the Kings should certainly kick tires on Zadorov.
Option Two: Derek Forbort:
A former first-round pick by the Kings, they should be keeping an eye on Derek Forbort.
Things ended poorly for Forbort in Boston, but he posted good numbers when he did play and has posted good numbers in each of the last few seasons.
Another big body who plays a physical game, Forbort would be an ideal partner for Spence or Clarke.
He can play in the corners and in front of the net, while also being one of the best chance suppressors on Boston the last few seasons.
Forbort would also come in much cheaper than Zadorov. With how things ended in Boston, I'd expect him to take a pay cut from his current $3 million deal.
If the Kings can get him around $2-2.5 million annually, that's a good deal.
Option Three: Alec Martinez:
Keep on bringing back the former Cup winners! I'm generally not a fan of this approach, however, there's an exception to every rule and Alec Martinez might be the exception to this one.
Given the Vegas Golden Knight's cap situation, it's likely that Martinez will be looking for a new team this summer.
He ran into some injury problems last season and played in just 55 games, but he was a defensive stalwart once again in those 55 games.
He's still one of the league's best shot blockers, an area Blake highlighted in his exit interview, and in a more limited role, he could be an excellent addition.
It all comes down to health with Martinez. He's coming off injury trouble and will be 37 at the start of next season which is always a risk.
Of course, Cam Talbot was 36 coming off injury problems last season and never ran into any health issues.
The injury issues, his age and his history in Los Angeles could all lead to a team-friendly deal with the Kings.
If those pieces all fall into place, and the Kings are confident in Martinez's health, he'd be a good option for the LD3 and penalty-killer role.