LOS ANGELES — Squeezed by salary cap limitations but in need of trustworthy goaltending, the Kings signed veteran Cam Talbot to a one-year, $1 million contract soon after the NHL's free agency period began Saturday. Talbot's contract includes games-played bonuses potentially worth $1 million.
Talbot, who will be 36 on Wednesday, had a 17-14-2 record in 32 starts for Ottawa last season with a 2.93 goals-against average and .898 save percentage. He compiled a career-best 42 wins for the Edmonton Oilers in 2016-17 while being coached by Todd McLellan, now the Kings' coach. He will share goaltending duties with Pheonix Copley, who stepped up to help the Kings reach the playoffs after Cal Petersen and Jonathan Quick faltered.
Joonas Korpisalo, who became the Kings' No. 1 goalie after they acquired him from Columbus with defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and started every game of their first-round playoff loss to Edmonton, agreed to a five-year, $20 million contract with Ottawa.
Also on Saturday, the Kings signed free-agent forward Trevor Lewis — a member of their 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup championship teams — to a one-year deal worth $775,000. He had nine goals and 20 points for Calgary last season. In addition, they kept forward Jaret Anderson-Dolan by signing him to a one-year, $775,000 contract.
After acquiring center Pierre-Luc Dubois' eight-year contract last week with its $8.5 million annual cap hit, the Kings had no flexibility to sign or trade for a top-tier goalie. According to capfriendly.com, they're slightly over next season's salary cap limit of $83.5 million. Teams are permitted to exceed the cap by 10% during the offseason but must become compliant when the next season begins.
This will be the seventh NHL stop for Talbot, who has a career record of 218-156-36 with a 2.65 goals-against average and .914 save percentage. In a depth move later Saturday, the Kings signed goalie David Rittich, most recently of Winnipeg, to a one-year, contract worth $875,000.
The Kings began last season with a goaltending tandem of Petersen and Quick. However, both struggled, and Petersen spent most of the season in the minor leagues. The Kings later traded him and defenseman Sean Walker to Philadelphia. They traded Quick to Columbus, which quickly flipped him to Vegas, where he played a mostly backup role in the Golden Knights' Stanley Cup championship run. Quick agreed to a one-year contract with the New York Rangers on Saturday, and is expected to mentor Igor Shesterkin.
Young Ducks add experience
The Ducks, who will rely on their many talented young players to carry them back toward playoff contention, added experience by signing two-time Stanley Cup champion Alex Killorn for four years at an average annual value of $6.25 million and bruising defenseman Radko Gudas for $12 million over three years. Killorn and Gudas were roommates early in their careers with Tampa Bay, where current Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek helped build the franchise into a winner as the club's assistant GM.
"We're really excited to get both of these players. They were at the top of our list when we began this process," Verbeek said during a conference call. "I think there's instant credibility with these guys walking inside that locker room. It's a leadership that our team has certainly needed. ... I wanted to really support our young players with high-quality people, experienced veterans that know how to play, not only on the ice but off the ice. It's all part of the culture that we're trying to turn around, and they've come from places with great culture. I want our young players to be exposed to that."
Killorn played key roles in Tampa Bay's 2020 and 2021 Cup triumphs and was one of the Lightning's alternate captains the past four seasons. He hit career-best totals in goals (27) and points (64) last season in 82 games. Gudas spent last season with Stanley Cup runner-up Florida, and Verbeek said he hopes Gudas will provide "pushback" against aggressive opponents. That prospect delighted Killorn. "Everyone hates playing against him," Killorn said.
Killorn also said his history with Verbeek led him to believe Verbeek can turn the Ducks around. "I think he has the right vision going forward," Killorn said. "I'm really excited for the future of this team."
