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Report: Kings interested in acquiring Gagner

Ryan O'Byrne

Colorado Avalanche’s Ryan O’Byrne, left, falls behind Edmonton Oilers’ Sam Gagner during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, on Friday, Dec. 9, 2011. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, John Ulan)

AP

The offensively-starved Los Angeles Kings have reportedly spoken to Edmonton about the availability of forward Sam Gagner, according to CBC’s Elliotte Friedman.

“The one move that has been talked about to some degree and looked close at one point -- although I don’t know what happened -- is Sam Gagner, and I think L.A. has some interest in him.” Friedman told Calgary’s FAN 960 Radio. “I think there are a couple of moving parts there, including are the Oilers willing to take a key part of the salary to make that work from a cap point of view?

“But I do think the Kings have some legitimate interest in Gagner and I think those two teams have talked very seriously.”

Gagner, 24, is in the first of a three-year, $14 million deal with a $4.8M annual cap hit. He missed extensive time at the start of the season with a broken jaw and has just 23 points through 44 games, but did finish second on the Oilers in scoring during the lockout-shortened ’13 campaign, scoring 38 points in 48 games.

As for the Kings, they’ve scored just three goals in their last six games -- all of them by Anze Kopitar -- and sit 29th in the NHL in goals per game. Only Buffalo scores less. Getting Gagner would be a boon as he can play wing (right wing, specifically) and could inject some offense, much like Jeff Cater did upon being acquired from Columbus at the ’12 trade deadline.

The Oilers and Kings do have a history of deadline dealing. L.A. acquired Dustin Penner from Edmonton at the ’11 deadline.