By Niesy | Jewels from the Crown
Let’s talk replacements
The Kings may look to acquire another defenseman if Mitchell is out for a long time. While I’m excited that Martinez will get a chance to join Voynov on the second pair, Mitchell was also a stalwart on the PK, and whomever gets the nod to play with Greene won’t have a wealth of experience. Even though the roster will be limited to 23, another veteran tough-minutes defenseman wouldn’t hurt.
The question is, where could they find one? Many other teams are said to be on the hunt for better defensemen. Vancouver is even loading up on depth players of dubious quality like Cam Barker and Jeff Vandermeer, possibly anticipating a rash of injuries during the shortened season.
There aren’t many free agents still available, but check out this list to see a few options. Kubina, Clark, and Campoli are at the top.
Is Lombardi about to do a little more wheeling and dealing? Or will they need to stick with what they have?
For now, well…I’m hoping Thomas Hickey clears waivers.
Editor’s take:
In the short term, there’s no need to look outside for help. If a deal is made for a defenseman soon, let that be a clear sign Mitchell’s injury is far more problematic than we realize. I suspect he’ll be back sooner rather than later, which will allow Muzzin perhaps to fill the role as 7th defenseman.