LA Kings Are Banking On Brayden McNabb Being A Ready For Prime Time Player In 2014-15

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LA KINGS PROSPECT WATCH: Throughout the summer, Frozen Royalty will be taking a look at several of the Los Angeles Kings’ young prospects. In this installment, the focus is on defenseman Brayden McNabb, who was acquired last March at the trade deadline. Audio interviews with McNabb and Kings assistant general manager Rob Blake are also included.

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LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Kings had barely begun their summer-long celebration after winning the 2014 Stanley Cup Championship when it was learned that veteran defenseman Willie Mitchell would not be re-signed because the Kings would not be able to fit him in under the salary cap.

While Mitchell was moving across the country to Florida, the Kings signed veteran defenseman Matt Greene to a four-year contract extension on June 24, 2014. They also signed Jeff Schultz to a two-year deal on June 30—their top six defenseman positions would appear to be set.

But wait…there’s more.

Down on the farm, a little over 3,000 miles away, defenseman prospect Brayden McNabb was playing for the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League after the Kings acquired him on March 5, 2014, along with a second round pick, in the 2014 and 2015 National Hockey League Drafts, from the Buffalo Sabres, in exchange for left wing/defenseman Nicolas Deslauriers and right wing prospect Hudson Fasching.

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