The Los Angeles Kings were eliminated in the first round of the 2024 Playoffs by the Edmonton Oilers, signaling a need for changes. Following the promotion of interim head coach Jim Hiller to a permanent role, the team expressed the necessity to bolster their forward core, particularly enhancing goal-scoring from around the net. This push for improvement began with the departure of
Pierre-Luc Dubois and is likely to continue. With limited options, could the Kings target Seattle Kraken forward Oliver Bjorkstrand?
Bjorkstrand joined the Kraken via a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2022 offseason, with Columbus receiving a third and fourth-round draft pick in return. This move was widely regarded as a steal for Seattle, and Bjorkstrand's performance has reinforced that view. He has delivered back-to-back 20-goal seasons and provided above-average defense. Although not known for his physicality, Bjorkstrand is willing to do the necessary work to get into scoring positions. He finished second in scoring for the Kraken with 59 points, a total that could improve on many other NHL teams.
While Bjorkstrand had a minus-20 plus/minus rating, his defensive contributions go beyond this statistic. He recorded 63 takeaways and 24 giveaways during the 2023-24 season, according to Moneypuck. Additionally, he had a 54.2 on-ice goals percentage, the second-highest among Kraken forwards, and a 60.5 on-ice expected goals percentage (xG%), the third-highest among Kraken forwards. The xG% metric compares a player's expected goals to the average player, with anything over 50% indicating a higher-than-average expected goal total.
