LA - TB

[Jets GM]

to the Los Angeles Kings: Brent Burns (77) and 4th TB 2012

to the Tampa Bay Lightning: Jonathan Huberdeau (78) and 1st LA 2012

[Jets GM]

Reasoning: After getting my hand caught in the cookie jar with my BUF trade, I went back to Dr. Hugo who displayed an excellent amount of patience throughout this whole process. Sucks losing Burns again, gave serious thought to keeping him, but from my little scouting of the "weak" 11 draft I really liked Huberdeau both irl and EHEC. Two way forwards are the life blood of any team imo, I'm hoping to over develop Huberdeau's CHK to develop him into a shutdown 3rd line C that matches up against opponents top line.

1st are like crack I think, you get two and its so cool. Then two isnt enough, you need three now. Then four, then you think five is a more equal number then four. Then you realize you dont have 5 1st's, you have 6. Realizing how much more lucky the number 7 is, I then decided 7 was needed. Making up the downgrade in Burns, even though this one is looking like 30th overall.

[Kings GM]

Accept.

Brent Burns is a big addition to my team, he is a very good player who can play both defense and top 6 forward. I don't like to give 1st pick, but i'll be between 25-30. Burns still young and will be a core player for years to come. The Stanley Cup is the Kings goal.

Thanks Justin and good luck with the rebuilding process.

[Virtual Jarmo]

This trade is approved.

I've heard some rumblings about the gap between Burns and Huberdeau and it actually being a 1st rounder and then the notion that Burns/Kassian was rejected.

Here's the thing, every trade is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. In this case, Los Angeles is a definite Stanley Cup contender where Buffalo is not. For Buffalo to trade Kassian, who will be as good as Burns, along with giving up some futures makes that deal very lopsided.

In this case, while Huberdeau and Burns are not light years apart, Burns is decidedly better, especially for what LA is attempting to do. That's what makes the value of this trade far more even than the Kassian deal was. Burns for Huberdeau + 1st is a win now move. A 1st '12 won't be ready til probably spring 2013. For LA, that's too long to wait with the Stanley Cup contending window they're operating in.