It seems like everyday you hear a new trade rumor about so- and- so going to LA in exchange for Kopitar, or a high round pick. Most of these are extremely stupid, and usually include an old, overpriced goalie usually named Khabibulin. Today's daily rumor comes from the Los Angeles Times, and yes, includes LA receiving an old, overpriced player.
Helene Elliott reports the Anaheim Ducks should trade defenseman Mathieu Schneider to the Los Angeles Kings, pointing out it would address their respective needs. The Ducks would free up necessary cap space to re-sign Teemu Selanne while Schneider's salary would push the Kings close to the salary cap "floor" as well as provide them with a veteran presence on the blueline. Ducks GM Brian Burke admitted discussing a trade with Kings GM Dean Lombardi but "nothing lines up yet".
Mathieu Schneider, don't get me wrong, is a solid, maybe even very good defenseman. That said, Los Angeles has got to show some foresight before they pull the trigger. LA's front office has got to know that their future is not now, its two, maybe three years from now. Signing a 39 year old defenseman won't help them when they need it, in the future. That's not to say a defenseman can't play past age 39, but with age comes incresed suseptapility to injury, and is that a risk the Kings are willing to take? If people think the Kings will pick up Schnieder just for the sole reason that his 5.75 million contract will get them over the cap floor, forget about it.
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