The Los Angeles Kings are the mood for making moves. The team has made their second trade in the past three days by acquiring defenseman Keaton Ellerby from the Florida Panthers. In return, the Panthers receive a fifth-round draft pick in the 2013 NHL draft. The team announced the trade Friday.
Ellerby was scratched from the Panthers' game against the Philadelphia Flyers in order to make room for Erik Gudbranson and now the team has decided to get rid of him all together. Ellerby is expected to be in attendance at Kings' practice today.
The 24-year old defenseman is known as a physical third pairing defenseman. He has been averaging 15 minutes of ice time for Florida in just nice games played. Weighing in at 217, the 6-5 blueliner will bring much needed size to the Kings defensive group that is need of more substance and grit. The Kings are 3-4-2 so far on the season, sitting in 13th place in the Western Conference after winning the Stanley Cup last season. The team's slow start has many fans thinking this is a championship letdown season and will count on Ellerby to provide a spark.
Ellerby was the 10th pick in the 2007 NHL Draft. He has spent four seasons in Florida. So far this season, he has not registered a point, has a minus 2 ranking and 36 penalty minutes. He has made 125 NHL appearances, scoring two goals and registering 17 points. No exactly the ideal stats the Kings need to push the team forward.
The team's first trade was with the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday when the team aquired Andrei Loktionov in exchange for another fifth round draft pick. Loktionov had been spending time in the AHL for the Devil's affiliate team. In 59 NHL games, he has scored seven goals and has seven assists. He has registered 22 points in the AHL in 22 games played.
Los Angeles is coming off of being shutout by the Predators in a game they took 32 shots in and came away scoreless. Ellerby's scoreless season certainly does not address that need, but he will be a asset on defense. Loktionov could get the scoring issue back on track but he does lack a lot of NHL experience. If the Kings do not contine to make necessary trades, they can say goodbye to playoff hopes before the month is even over.