The deal: Los Angeles acquires Marian Gaborik for Matt Frattin, a second round pick and conditional third round pick.
The money:
Gaborik: $7.5 million cap hit, deal expires July 2014
Frattin: $875,00 cap hit, deal expires July 2014
What the Kings are thinking: Los Angeles is hoping for a little déjà vu. Two years ago, the Kings acquired an unhappy Jeff Carter from the Blue Jackets because it desperately needed scoring help. A few months later, Los Angeles was hoisting the Cup and Carter tied for the team lead with eight playoff goals. Gaborik has missed much of this year with a broken collarbone and his long history of injury troubles is well documented. Still, this is a player who scored 41 goals in 2011-12 and has the potential to help a Kings offence that ranks 27th in goals-per-game. L.A. doesn’t need Gaborik to light it up; it just needs him to create a few chances and finish some of the ones it isn’t cashing right now.
What the Blue Jackets are thinking: Columbus is making significant strides without much of a contribution from Gaborik, so why not deal the pending UFA? The Jackets are zeroing in on a playoff spot and removing Gaborik from the lineup—he’s missed 40 games anyway this year—doesn’t figure to have a large impact on a team increasingly built around centre Ryan Johansen and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. Frattin, who’s been a healthy scratch of late for the Kings, adds a little depth to the Jackets as they embark on the home stretch.
Fantasy Implications: Any time a talented scorer gets a change of scenery, there’s a chance he could surge. Having played just five games since returning from his collarbone injury, Gaborik should theoretically be feeling better and better all the time.
Who wins now: Los Angeles gets a guy with the potential to boost a sorry offence; it’s a risk worth taking.
Who wins later: Columbus still has its eye on the big picture and a second-round pick can help with that.
Overall: Gaborik wasn’t doing much for Columbus and there’s every chance he doesn’t do any more for the Kings. But L.A. is in a position where it has to roll the dice on this, and Gaborik obviously came cheaper than the other goal-scoring options.