More details will become available as the afternoon progresses, but the Kings made some pre-trade deadline waves today:
Sekera to LA
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) February 25, 2015
Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada and Aaron Ward of TSN.com were the first to report the transaction.
UPDATE: I just spoke to hockey operations, who told me that the Kings are “finalizing [the] deal as we speak.”
Via Friedman, the Kings will part with a first rounder:
LA is giving up a first rounder and a prospect
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) February 25, 2015
Sekera, 28, is a 6-foot, 201-pound left-shooting defenseman who has two goals, 19 points and a minus-seven rating in 57 games with the Hurricanes this season. A 2004 third round pick of the Buffalo Sabres, he has 155 points (30-125=155) and a plus-three rating in 470 career games. Sekera has shown the ability to drive play towards the attacking end throughout his professional career. In his seven full NHL seasons, only in 2012-13 did his team have worse possession rates when he was off the ice compared to when he was on the ice.
The Bojnice, Slovakia native set career highs last season with 11 goals and 44 points. He carries a 2.75M cap hit this season and is due for unrestricted free agency on July 1.
UPDATE: Bob McKenzie reports that defenseman Roland McKeown, acquired last year at the NHL draft after the Kings acquired his slot in the draft for Linden Vey, will be the defenseman heading to the Hurricanes.
UPDATE, 3:20 PM: The trade is yet to be finalized. We’re expecting to be a part of a conference call in the next 90 minutes or so, once everything goes through.
UPDATE, 3:40 PM: The trade is now press release-official. As reported, it is indeed for Roland McKeown and a first round draft pick. The pick included is conditional; if the Kings make the playoffs, it is a first round draft pick in 2015. If they don’t make the playoffs, it’s a first round pick in 2016. A media conference call is set for 4:30 p.m.
More to come throughout the day.
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