Los Angeles Kings general manager Dean Lombardi hoped to land a quality veteran forward via this summer's unrestricted free agent market but when he came up short opted to go the trade route. 

Having missed out on signing Marian Hossa and Mike Knuble, Lombardi on Friday dealt defensemen Tom Preissing and Kyle Quincey plus a fifth round pick in 2010 to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for forward Ryan Smyth. 

It's a surprising move by Lombardi considering what he was trying to land via free agency and an interesting one. 

Smyth, 33, is coming off a 26-goal, 59 point performance in 77 games with the woeful Avalanche last season. The fourteen year veteran is respected for his gritty two-way play and his leadership, which should make him a good addition to a young Kings team trying to build itself into a playoff contender. 

He comes with a downside however, as he's approaching his mid-thirties and his best seasons are behind him. His aggressive style makes him a fan favorite and an invaluable asset but also leads to injuries. The last time he played a full 82-games in a season was 2003-04. 

Smyth's salary is also expensive, as he earns $6.25 million per season on a contract that runs through the 2012/13 season. 

Dealing away Quincey and Preissing freed up about $3.2 million which helps but puts the Kings payroll at around $49 million for next season. Giving up Quincey, who was a pleasant surprise for the Kings last season after coming over from Detroit in an early season trade, seemed a bit much.  

Still, it's a move Lombardi felt he had to make. His team lacked a player with the lead-by-example qualities of Smyth and his presence could be what finally puts the Kings over the top. 

As for the Avalanche, this move is part of their rebuilding process, landing two quality defensemen who will bolster their blueline depth and also possess the puckhandling skills to improve their offensive game. 

It's also possible shedding Smyth's salary might be the prelude to signing long-time captain Joe Sakic for one more year. Sakic has said he's made a decision on his future but has yet to reveal it. Speculation has him returning for one more season not just to help the Avalanche but to qualify for Team Canada at the Winter Olympic in Vancouver. Sakic grew up in the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby.