It is being reported by tsn that Dion Phaneuf has been traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Dion Phaneuf trade to Toronto went down about 10 minutes ago, and here is the full trade Dion Phaneuf, forward Fredrik Sjostrom, and defenceman Keith Aulie to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for forwards Matt Stajan, Niklas Hagman, Jamal Mayers and defenceman Ian White.

In addition to the Dion Phaneuf trade to the Maple Leafs, it is also being reported that Anaheim’s Giguere was traded to the Maple Leafs as well. Stay tuned to more breaking news on the Dion Phaneuf trade to Toronto and the JS Giguere trade to the Maple Leafs.

O’Sullivan did not participate in training camp for the King’s while the two sides worked to create a deal that worked for both parties.  In the end, Patrick O’Sullivan has signed a 3 year contract with the Los Angeles Kings worth $2.925 million per season, with this year’s contract being frontloaded so the Kings would meet the salary floor of $40 million.

Expect O’Sullivan to be a little rusty coming into the season which starts on Saturday, but at least he will have a few days to skate with the team before they take on the Sharks on Saturday night.  He will probably be playing on the King’s top line with Kopitar and Dustin Brown.

Photo Credit:  NHL.com

The Los Angeles Kings desperately need help defensively and in goal, although, potential star Jonathon Bernier will fill the role in the near future.  The Kings are small and weak on defense.  Jack Johnson and Lubomir Visnovsky are the only 2 players that currently fill the roster that are guaranteed to be around a while.  1st round draft pick from last year, Thomas Hickey, had a great year in Juniors this year, but is another smallish offensive defensman.  The Kings need a defenseman that is willing to stand up to opposing players in front of the net.  Something that Jack Johnson was getting better at towards the end of the season.

Now the Kings have the 2nd overall draft pick in the 2008 NHL draft and they will likely have a choice between 3 very good defensemen. Drew Doughty is an incredible skater and has a booming shot.  Doughty, who plays for the Guelph Storm averages about a point per game and will likely pan out to be a great player in the NHL.  Zach Bogosian plays for the Peterborough Petes and is a 6’2″ bruising defenseman that has also put up good numbers in juniors.  The final player is Alex Pietrangelo of the Niagara IceDogs.  Pietrangelo is 6’4″ and is a solid all around player.

If I were Dean Lombardi I would pick either Bogosian or Doughty.  I think both players will be solid NHL defensemen for years to come.  Your thoughts?

Dean Lombardi discussed his strategy from last off-season when it came to signing free agents. He discussed his reasoning for not picking up Drury, Gomez or Briere. The reasoning certainly makes sense in that they are all small, over-priced and aren’t franchise players and not worth the money. Lombardi is much more interested in drafting players and building a winning team around young, home grown talent instead of a quick free agent fix.

Lombardi: “Until we start drafting and developing our own, we’re not gonna win. When we get ‘em in there NOW I’ll go use free agency. Establish your core with your own identity, your own players, THEN maybe you can add to your core, but if you think you can build your core through free agency you’re headed like the New York Yankees before Jeter. Now matter how much money you’ve got.”

Defense was raised as a the biggest concern by Dean Lombardi to Kings fans. He is worried about having a lack of defensemen that can keep the puck out of the back of the net. Lombardi said that in an ideal world, he would take 3 strong young defensemen over 3 young strong forwards any day. He also talked about the goaltending issue and about the possibility of signed a free agent goalie or making a trade, and in the end there wasn’t a good fit for the team without giving up too much in return. For a Vokoun trade they would have had to give up 1st round pick and Bernier, and for the Pronger deal they would have had to give up Kopitar.

Overall, as a King’s fan, I am very happy with what Lombardi has done for the Kings so far, and I like the direction they are headed in the future. I completely agree with Lombardi in that a successful team is built from the bottom up with home grown talent. Having the players train and play together for years, develop friendships, and learn how to win an battle as teammates will make the Kings a very strong team in the future.

Everyone can make fun of the Kings as much as they want, but the Kings are in a rebuilding phase, and have been since Lombardi took over and made Crawford the new head coach. The Kings have a hell of a stockpile of young forwards, a great goalie, a couple of potentially dominant defenseman, and still there is no respect. Everyone says that if we don’t draft a defenseman this year, the Kings are screwed forever. All I say to those people are …. at least the Kings aren’t as bad as the Maple Leafs.

If you recall, just a couple of years ago, the Penguins were in a similar rebuilding phase, with many of the same pieces as the Kings. Now look where the Penguins are, sitting in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference. Yes, the Kings are rebuilding, and yes they do have a history of not winning … but at least the Kings aren’t as bad as the Maple Leafs.

All right all of you hockey fans. When was the last time the Maple Leafs won a Stanley Cup? That’s right, in 1966-67, when there were only 6 teams in the NHL. Probably isn’t too difficult to win with a 1 in 6 shot, eh? The Kings came into the league the next year, and since 1967, neither the Kings nor the Maple Leafs have won a Stanley Cup. In fact if I recall correctly (by the way, I know I recall correctly) . . . have the Maple Leaf’s even made it to the Stanley Cup finals since 1967? Nope, that’s because the LA Kings beat the Maple Leafs in the 1992-93 playoffs to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Now fast forward to 2007-2008. The Kings are sitting in dead last place, mired in a rebuilding year, but also on the verge of making a splash next year as their players mature and learn to win, and play as a team. Now look at the Maple Leafs, an aging team, who have now missed the playoffs for the 3rd year in a row, not in a rebuilding phase until next year (maybe) … and people say the Kings are lowly …. but the Kings aren’t as pathetic as the Maple Leafs.

The Maple Leafs will act like they are trying, win a couple of games here an there, feign like the actually have heart, before they succumb to the fact that they are an overrated franchise with fans that are better than the team itself. So, in conclusion, Tsn.ca, go pick on the Maple Leafs instead of the Kings …. because at least the Kings aren’t as bad as the Maple Leafs.

The Kings trailed 3-1 after two periods of play and 2 goals from Henrik Zetterberg. The Kings stormed back in the 3rd period with 4 goals. O’Sullivan, Frolov, Stuart and Kopitar scored 3rd period goals and put the Kings on top in Detroit.

Alexander Frolov and Brad Stuart each had a goal and 2 assists in the game and Kyle Calder and Derek Armstrong each had 2 points as well. The Kings are in the midst of an 8 game road trip and are 3-1-1 so far and they will visit Pittsburgh on Saturday.

The Rob Blake rumors will continue to fly up until the trade deadline.  He is a valuable commodity and has played much better since the start of the season.  At 38 years old I doubt he has much left in the tank and this could be his last year in the NHL.

The Maple Leafs did put up an impressive 50 shots, but most of them came in the last half of the games when the score was already out of hand.  After losing 5-0 to the Ducks the night before, Toronto leaves southern California feeling pretty dejected.

Dustin Brown, the NHL hits leader had 2 power play goals on the night to lead the way for the Kings.  Rob Blake and Alexander Frolov each had a goal and an assist.  Kyle Calder had the first goal of the game, one of four King’s goals in the 1st period.

Jason LaBarbara stood on his head tonight turning away 48 of 50 shots for the Kings, including 11 shots from Mats Sundin.

The Los Angeles Kings have 34 points which is dead last in the NHL.  The Maple Leafs have 40 points and are trying to catch up to the Kings.