Player evaluation: Calder
KYLE CALDER
This season: 65 games, 7 goals, 13 assists, minus-11 rating.
Positives: Gone are the days when Calder was considered a potential 30-goal scorer. He's now known as an energy-line winger, a guy who can mix it up and contribute some offense. To that end, the Kings pretty much got what they expected. Calder played 65 games and totaled only 18 penalty minutes.
Negatives: It's quite a stretch to say the Kings got their money's worth. There are a lot of players out there who can score 20 points and play on the energy line who DON'T earn almost $3 million per season. The Kings were hoping for a rebound from last season, when Calder totaled 35 points in 78 games. That was considered a down year, but he went even lower this year.
Looking ahead: Calder is a serviceable winger, but the Kings overpaid for him and they've got him for one more season. Perhaps being a contract year will spark him to put up bigger numbers, but he seems unlikely to ever approach his career high of 26 goals. Calder has a defined role as an energy-line winger, if he can stay healthy.
Contract situation: Signed through 2008-09 (cap number of $2.7 million next season).
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Rich Hammond has covered the Kings, on a full-time or part-time basis, since the 2000-01 season. He was the beat writer for the entire John Torchetti era and has witnessed Bob Miller singing country music in a Nashville honky-tonk bar. A native of Los Angeles, Rich has worked at the Daily News since 1999 and also serves as the paper's deputy sports editor. E-mail Rich at rich.hammond@dailynews.com.
Jill Painter joined the Daily News in 2000 and during the last eight years she's covered the Dodgers, Cal State Northridge, UCLA, Kings, golf and everything in between. Even though she's from Colorado, she still freezes in the Staples Center press box but always manages to thaw her fingers in time to make deadline. E-mail Jill at jill.painter@dailynews.com.
can you say bad FA signing?
Thanks for these player evals Rich! So far I think your assessments have been right on.
It's going to be a long off season but thanks to you and your diligence keeping us long suffering Kings fans informed and entertained.
Even when the Kings are doing well the local media barely covers them so it's nice to know I can always check out ITK for good team info!
Keep rockin!!
Calder was exactly what the 2nd PP unit needed until he broke his finger. I would like to see what kind of influence he has had on Brown if not most of the young wingers
Calder went through a year with 2 injuries that hurt his productivity. But he served as a presence in front of the net effectively screening goalies and redirecting shots. Hopefully he'll be healthier next season.
Calder played well when he was healthy, some of his games he was a real force. Unfortunately those games were few and far between, he played injured most of the season. Can't do much with a broken thumb, ever try to shoot or stick handle with one?? I believe we'll see more of Kyle next season, otherwise he'll be cut loose.
Before he broke his finger - he was on fire. I think he came back too soon and never let it fully heal. I think he can come back next season and put up some numbers
I thought he played well at times, especially on the PP when he was in front of the net, but his lack of playing due to injury made him a complete waste.
I agree Rich 100%; maybe since its his walk year, he'll put up some decent numbers. He's a guy if you can package and get something for him, I wouldn't hesitate to do it. That seems unlikely though due to his poor production and high salary.
he was coming on until the injury... not a great signing, but not one of the disasters we experienced from a couple other signings.
He had a strong start and never recovered that form after he came back. I don't think this is a bad signing, as he'll take the punishment in front of the net, which almost no other King will do. I hope he bounces back next season, but I can see him being shipped at the trade deadline or sooner if we need players for a packaged deal.
I wish they would have had him out on the PP in front of the net instead of Armstrong on the second unit. I think with fro and sully on the walls and him in front they could have done some damage.
Not a great signing but I like the guys play and I think in the right circumstance he can still do well.