The LA Kings are no strangers to shaking up the NHL with groundbreaking moves. Back in 1988, they pulled off one of the biggest trades in not just NHL history, but sports history.
They sent Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas, three first-round draft picks, and $15 million to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for The Great One (Wayne Gretzky), Marty McSorley, and Mike Krushelnyski.
All of a sudden, Los Angeles was a hockey town.
With training camps beginning around the National Hockey League, there is a lot of excitement among the LA Kings faithful. However, it is a team that has not gotten out of the first round of the NHL Playoffs in four straight years, losing every time to Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.
One of the biggest storylines heading into this season is the fact that McDavid is entering the final season of his contract, and terms on an extension have not been agreed upon.
There are rumors that even though the Oilers have reached the Stanley Cup Finals in back-to-back seasons, McDavid may want to test the waters elsewhere.
This is where the LA Kings have an opportunity to recreate history.
LA Kings Linked To Connor McDavid
Connor McDavid is in the final year of an 8-year, $100 million contract, worth $12.5 million per year. The consensus is that for his next contract, he will be looking for a yearly average of around $16 million.
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According to PuckPedia, the LA Kings are projected to have roughly $70 million in cap space next season. They are currently in contract negotiations with Adrian Kempe, who will eat a good chunk of that when a deal gets done.
Captain Anze Kopitar is expected to potentially retire after this season, so that will give the Kings a bit more spending power.
On the books, McDavid coming to LA is certainly possible. Here is where it would get interesting and fun.
one of the most insane things about McDavid possibly walking is that one of the better candidates to get him would be LA… and Draisaitl would still be in Edmonton… and they'd be in the same division… pic.twitter.com/hZZmlg2W0Y
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) September 17, 2025
As JFresh of Elite Prospects points out, not only are the Kings a viable and enticing possibility for McDavid, but it would recreate what happened nearly 40 years ago.
When Gretzky was traded, he left superstar Mark Messier with the Oilers. If McDavid were to leave and join the Kings (whether the Oilers trade him for something before the deadline, or he walks in free agency), he would leave behind superstar Leon Draisaitl.
Draisaitl makes $14 million a year and is under contract through 2030.
Both teams play in the same division, as Kings fans mercifully know, so this rivalry that stretches two Countries would heat up even more.
When Gretzky joined the LA Kings, he joined a new star in Luc Robitaille. McDavid would join a rising star in Kempe. Robitaille is also the current President of the Kings.
The parallels are real. The possibilities are endless. A Stanley Cup finish would be a Hollywood ending.