The Los Angeles Kings just got pulled into the Connor Hellebuyck conversation, and their 0-2-1 start makes the timing hard to ignore.
David Pagnotta floated the idea Wednesday on DFO Insider, calling the Kings the left-field team that could enter the mix for Winnipeg's star goaltender.
His reasoning was blunt. Pagnotta said there are question marks internally about Darcy Kuemper's ability to run the full season.
The early tape backs him up. Kuemper has no wins in three appearances, with two regulation losses and an .825 save percentage.
Asking a 36-year-old to carry the crease all season after that start is like planning a cross-country road trip in a car that stalled twice leaving the driveway.
Anton Forsberg hasn't offered much relief. The backup sits at .800 across two appearances, and one of those ended in an overtime loss.
Add it up and Los Angeles has surrendered 15 goals in three games. That's a rough welcome for Peter Laviolette, who took over behind the bench in June.
David Pagnotta puts Alex Laferriere on the Jets' price list
The Laferriere detail is where this gets uncomfortable for Kings fans. Pagnotta said the 24-year-old forward would probably be part of that mix.
He's been one of the few Kings pulling his weight, with a goal and two assists through three games and a +1 rating on a roster full of minus signs.
His $4,100,000 cap hit is less than half of the $8,500,000 Winnipeg carries for its franchise goalie. Only Igor Shesterkin and Andrei Vasilevskiy carry bigger goalie numbers league-wide.
Here's where I land. If Laferriere is the ask, Ken Holland should pick up the phone today, because young forwards on friendly deals don't stop pucks.
But would Kevin Cheveldayoff even want to deal? The Jets sit at 3-0-1 after a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche last night, riding a three-game winning streak.
Stuart Skinner made 32 saves on 34 shots against Colorado. He and Clay Stevenson have split the work in the Winnipeg crease through four games.
Hellebuyck has yet to appear for the Jets this season. That alone keeps the speculation alive, whatever the reason turns out to be.
The two clubs haven't met yet. Their first meeting is Feb. 17 in Winnipeg, which could make for a very strange night if a deal lands before then.
For now, Los Angeles heads to Vegas on Saturday with the same two goalies and the same question hanging over the room.
Three more games like the first three, and Pagnotta's rumor stops sounding left-field.
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Should the Kings give up Alex Laferriere to land Connor Hellebuyck?
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