Quoting: DennisReynolds
I think If you’re LA and you’re trading for Eichel, it’s both a short and long term move. Eichel will be your best center on the team and when Byfield starts to make a major impact in three years (when Kopitar’s contract is up as well btw)c then you could have a dominant trio of Eichel, Byfield and Vilardi or Turcotte. Kopitar still has plenty of quality hockey as well left.
And you do it because you think he can make you a contender. In the short term, Eichel helps them get to the postseason easily. Long term, he easily makes them a Stanley Cup contender in the west again.
They do need some scoring help but I think the main concern here short term is not if they need a center but if they want to pay three guys 10 million for three years
Having said, I don’t think there is any chance they get Byfield, and I think LA would balk at including Vilardi as a second piece. I think the return would be centered around Turcotte, Anderson-Dolan and the 10th overall pick
The kings also do have other areas of concern, but if they acquire Eichel, it only gives them much more flexibility to address those needs by moving a center or forward prospect to fill it
The Kings have areas of concern, yes, but center isn't it, with Kopitar-Byfield-Turcotte-Vilardi-JAD-Kupari-Andersen-Madden-Thomas-Lizotte, they are not desperate at the position as they are at LD where they have Bjornfot and Andersen as top 4 defensemen. Also, their leading scorer is 36 year old Dustin Brown who has potted 17 for the season, losing Vilardi and Turcotte as potential options for them to transition to playmaking wingers.
To compound this bad fit: Eichel has a sketchy injury status where he is being barred from surgery (which I imagine a willing team would also need to be ok with this surgery), multiple occasions of him seeming like a thorn to management with public outcries, Eichel is a player who has yet to push his team into playoff contention, and his brutally bad season the Sabres are not giving Eichel his peak value that would justify the return of two centers who are projected borderline top-line /top-six and two high picks.
Furthermore, if the Kings decide they want to make an immediate playoff push why would they move Vilardi who is an active NHLer forcing Byfield to take on a much larger role if Eichel isn't ready to start the season. The Kings could potentially give up Turcotte, Kupari, and a 1st for Eichel (what I imagine Blake will offer), but I think this offer would be beat by the Rangers who are more desperate at the position.