LA Kings trade news: Kings acquire defenseman Cole Krygier from Florida Panthers

The LA Kings have made a move to bolster their defensive prospects. They announced on Monday that they have acquired the rights to defenseman Cole Krygier from the Florida Panthers.

Krygier, a seventh-round pick by the Panthers in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, has spent the past five seasons at Michigan State University. During his time with the Spartans, the Novi, MI, native recorded 20 goals and 41 assists in 160 games. Krygier has 10 goals and six assists in 38 games for the Spartans this season alone.

The 22-year-old Krygier is known for his solid defensive play, physicality, and hard shots. His style of play should fit well with the LA Kings, who are looking to continue building their young defensive corps.

Interestingly, Krygier's twin brother, Christian Krygier, also plays defense and has spent the past five seasons at Michigan State. Christian was drafted in the seventh round of the 2018 draft by the New York Islanders, just five picks before Cole.

It remains to be seen if the Kings will take a look at Christian as well. But the acquisition of Cole's rights certainly shows that they have an eye on the Krygier brothers.

While it's unclear what the Kings gave up to acquire Krygier's rights, it's a low-risk move that could pay off in the long run. Krygier still has a lot of development ahead of him, but he has shown flashes of potential during his time at Michigan State.

With a strong work ethic and dedication to improving his game, Krygier could be a player to watch in the Kings' system in the coming years.

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LA Kings' performance this NHL 2022-23 season

The LA Kings have had a strong start to the 2022-23 NHL season. They currently boast a record of 40 wins, 20 losses, and 10 overtime losses in 70 games played. This puts them in second place in the Pacific Division, just behind the division-leading Calgary Flames.

The Kings' success this season can largely be attributed to their strong defensive play. In addition, the team has received solid goaltending from Jonathan Quick. Offensively, the Kings have been led by center Anze Kopitar, who has recorded 63 points in 70 games played.

Improving their power play will be key for the Kings as they look to make a deep playoff run.

Despite some ups and downs throughout the season, the LA Kings have remained a consistent presence in the Pacific Division standings. They will need to continue their strong play down the stretch in order to secure a playoff spot and make a run at the Stanley Cup.