More information on the small Stars/Kings trade

From Rich Hammond of the L.A. Daily News:

Clune, 21, was selected by Dallas in the third round (71st overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. He played in 38 games with the Iowa Stars of the American Hockey League (AHL) this past season and recorded eight points (3-5=8) while finishing second on the club with 137 penalty minutes. Clune, a 6-0, 195-pound native of Toronto, also skated in 19 games with the ECHL's Idaho Steelheads this past season and registered 10 points (1-9=10) and 41 penalty minutes.

Clune finished third on his team in goals (32), assists (46) and points (78) and led his club in penalty minutes (151) while skating with the Ontario Hockey League's (OHL) Barrie Colts during the 2006-07 season. He also led the Colts in postseason scoring with seven points (3-4=7) and eight penalty minutes in eight playoff games that year. In addition, Clune appeared in one game with the Iowa Stars that same season, recording two penalty minutes.

Read more about Clune from Inside the Kings here.

Clune seems to have some potential. When two teams trade prospects like the Kings and Stars did last night, it always take a couple years to see who came out ahead.

Stars acquire Lauri Tukonen

From Todd Davis of the Dallas Morning News:

The Stars traded left wing Richard Clune to the Los Angeles Kings for right wing Lauri Tukonen, a 2004 first-round draft pick and yet another Fin.

Clune, a third-round pick in 2005, didn't make it to the big club in Dallas, bouncing between Iowa and Idaho last season.

Update from Mike Heika: This move seems to have Dave Taylor's fingerprints on it. The Stars' director of player personnel was with the Kings when they drafted Tukonen, and would obviously have the most information on the Finnish winger.

Read the short post here.

Tukonen put up 35 points in the AHL last season, so I guess the Kings didn't see him cracking their fairly deep forward lines. He is only 21 years old, so the Stars must figure they can crack some of that untapped potential.