Left-shot defensemen
Lombardi indicated that his backup plan for a defenseman might be to sign a ``bridge'' player with a left shot. Well, there's only so many out there, so I decided to go through the free-agent list and find some available left-shot defensemen. Here they are, listed by last season's salary, with age in parenthesis. Let me know if I missed anyone...
Paul Mara (27), $3,000,000
Marek Malik (32), $2,500,000
Bret Hedican (36), $2,432,000
Dmitri Kalinin (26), $2,250,000
Keith Carney (37), $2,100,000
Dick Tarnstrom (32), $2,000,000 (signed in Sweden)
Jaroslav Modry (36), $1,200,000
Petteri Nummelin (34), $1,200,000 (signed in Switzerland)
Branislav Mezei (26), $850,000
Steve McCarthy (26), $725,000
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About the bloggers
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.
Yikes... That's a very underwhelming list...
Bring Dallman back and pair him with Preising. They were the Kings best pair at the end of the season. And check out Dallman's +/-, on a horrible team, he managed to stay in the possitve side!
hahaha - Modry's coming back for sure
Bring back Modry. :P
Slim pickins...
Just a correction, Jason Smith is a right hand shot. Hejda re-signed with Columbus. And Nummelin is headed back to Europe.
Out of that group, I'd take a chance at Mara or Jason Smith.
Let Hickey Play...Let Hickey Play...Let Hickey Play...Let Hickey Play...Let Hickey Play...Let Hickey Play...
A one-year contract for Modry or Hedican would be fine by me. Nothing long term. No Smith or Carney- they're too slow. Paul Mara is supposedly lazy. Kalinin... eh.
DALLMAN? Are you crazy? I'd rather have a 40 year old Modry.
Please no Tardstrom. I would take last years Modry, not 2-4 years ago Modry.
Honestly, I don't care what over the hill scrub the Kings sign between now and camp.
My only concern is that the "bridges" are willing and able to accept a lesser role when the kids are ready. This is my problem with Blake - he wants to be first unit PP and PK and captain on a rebuilding team. That isn't a very good mindset for a veteran. You should either still want to go somewhere and win, or you should see yourself in a mentor role. Not glom onto the Kings because you live in the south bay and don't want to retire yet. I'm actually pleased that they are taking their time signing him. Lombardi's comments about making sure Blake displays the proper enthusiasm were heartening, as were his comments about wanting someone who wants to win (even though we can't get one).
Yes, Kristi Y. says, sign Brett Hedican... She can give the Kings skating lessons.
Oh, just got back from court.
Lately, during the draft and free agency, the first words out of my mouth, to the judge has been CONTINUANCE PLEASE.
I wouldn't pay a quarter for all those players on the list.
Forget the bridge now.
Just let the kids play.
Its not like we're going to the playoffs next season.
Or in the near future.
So what has DL done wrong while I've been gone.
Everything.
Kalinin would be perfect for reasons I previously posted on another thread. Better than Orpik I think. But apparently DL doesn't think so or he wants too much $$$
Rich,
Tarnstrom signed to play in Europe.
Mara would be a good addition for the right amount. Malik was practically pitchforked out of NY. Hedican is old and slow and so is Modry. Kalinin is as hurt as often as Thornton was. Carney is decent and is a great locker room presence, I hear. McCarthy, I think, had the worst +/- of anyone in the league last season. Mezei is a guy I've followed a bit. He's a defensive defenseman. I wouldn't mind seeing what he could do. All things considered, I like Mezei the most.
You should make this a poll
Mara 27 big kid
Ugh. Ugly. On a related topic, Rich, next time you talk to Lombardi, could you inquire about a likely time frame for the return of Hickey? Tendons are notoriously slow healers. Achilles ruptures usually take a year. Will Hickey be ready to play at any point next year?
Pat...I can answer that. The expectation continues to be that Hickey will be ready for the start of training camp. We'll see how that progresses over the summer, but that's the thought right now.
When you're down to a list where people are signing in Europe, you know you're in trouble.
And whoever said Dallman, I agree. He'll play for nothing and he's better than the people on that list.
It's kinda funny, if you look up Branislav Mezei on TSN's "players" section, he's an L.A. King! Do they know somethin'??!
I vote for Oleg Teverdovsky...Seriously, I don't like anyone from this list...Since we are going to suck next season, might as well give guys like Martinez a chance to play
Mezei is a big strong, but very slow dude.
Rich,
You missed Zhitnik on the list
I wouldn't mind bringing Modry back as a bridge on a 1 year deal and reevaluate next summer.
"It's kinda funny, if you look up Branislav Mezei on TSN's "players" section, he's an L.A. King! "
It does? It still shows him as a UFA - Josh Meyers, directly BELOW him is listed with the Kings, but not Mezei.
LensCrafters
Thanks CBGB! I was looking at it wrong. Made my appointment for after work...
Zhitnik! (y)
Goon Squad:
You bring up an interesting point re Blake and the power play. I'm pretty sure the first and second unit right hand shots (playing on the left side) on the point will be Doughty and Stoll. Not Blake. Presumably the left shots will be Jack Johnson and... maybe that "bridge" D man we haven't signed yet. That's an argument for Modry, I'd have to say. If Hickey makes the team, then Hickey would be the other leftie on the point.
I hadn't considered Blake's ego re PP time, but that could be a pretty glaring problem.
rommel salviano...I was just kidding..However, the list is not that great either
Anthony
To answer your ? he has done nothing since you were gone. No signings or trades. Apparently AEG cut his
spending money since last season's brige-gap-scrub
signing. But expect your favorite King ol' #4 to be
signed for 5 or so million in the next couple of days.
If Dean can't get anyone in particular, just bring Modry back or even Norstrom.
Where is the defenseman we got from the Nordstrom Trade?
Is he ever going to play for the kigs?
Quisp,
I could be way off on this, but I've noticed the thing about Blake is that he is old school and still prefers to line up on the right side, even on the power play. He'll switch on the fly to get the one-timer, but that's about the extent of it. This is why Lubo had to play the left side, and why Johnson had to play the left side. Blake's not the only guy who has that preference, it's just that I don't think his comfort should be the priority now. However, I anticipate Blake will be 1st unit right side PP as long as he wants.
To me that's the crux of the mentor transition - being willing to move out of his comfort zone to accommodate the development of the young players. So maybe now he can play with Doughty, and Johnson can play the right side where he's comfortable with somebody else, and everyone can be happy.
Looks like it could be Frantisek Kaberle...the Hurricanes are trying to offload him right now...he and Niclas Wallin.
Johan Fransson became an UFA on July 01st.
Great R.O.I. on the Norstrom trade, eh?