The Los Angeles Kings have acquired the rights to pending restricted free agent Kevin Fiala, one of the more coveted names this NHL off-season, from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for the 19th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft and University of Minnesota captain Brock Faber.
Along with Matt Boldy and Frederick Gaudreau, the Fiala played a pivotal role in one of the NHL's most dangerous lines, scoring 33 goals and 85 points in 82 games last season.
Coming off a career-year, paying the 25-year-old would have posed a near-insurmountable challenge for the cap-strapped Wild.
For the Kings, who faded in the first round of the playoffs to the Edmonton Oilers, adding Fiala infuses scoring punch into their top six — something it appears he will be doing in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future, at least.
The Kings and Fiala reached a deal on a long-term deal carrying an average annual value of $7.9 million, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman noted.
Adding Faber to the fold brings a young defenceman to Minnesota. Originally selected 45th overall in 2019 by the Kings, Faber played two seasons with the University of Minnesota, recording 14 points in 32 games last year.
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