The Kings have signed defenseman Viatcheslav Voynov and forward Andrei Loktionov to three-year, entry-level contracts. Voynov was the Kings’ second-round selection (32nd overall), while Loktionov was the club’s fifth-round pick (123rd overall) in the June draft. The only remaining question is, how many alternative spellings of Voynov’s name will they come up with? This is number three, by my count.
Here’s the release from the Kings…
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KINGS SIGN VOYNOV AND LOKTIONOV TO MULTI-YEAR CONTRACTS
RECENT 2008 NHL ENTRY DRAFT PICKS AGREE TO ENTRY-LEVEL CONTRACTS WITH L.A.
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on three-year entry-level contracts with defenseman Viatcheslav Voynov and forward Andrei Loktionov, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced today. Per club policy, terms of the agreements were not announced.
Voynov was the Kings’ second-round selection (32nd overall), while Loktionov was the club’s fifth-round pick (123rd overall) in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
Voynov, 18, spent the last two seasons with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the Russian Hockey League. Last season the 6-0, 190-pound native of Chelyabinsk, Russia, had four points (1-3=4), 20 penalty minutes and a plus-3 rating in 36 games. Voynov was the youngest member of Team Russia at the 2007 World Junior Championships and competed again for Russia at the 2008 World Junior Championships. He was also a member of the silver medal-winning Team Russia at the 2008 Under-18 World Championships, tying for the team lead among defensemen with five points (1-4=5) in six games.
Loktionov, 18, made his debut in the Russian Super League last season and he recorded one assist in five games. The 5-11, 187-pound native of Voskresensk, Russia, was teammates with Voynov for silver medal-winning Team Russia at the 2008 Under-18 World Championships, recording eight points (3-5=8) and 29 penalty minutes in six games. Loktionov was also a member of Team Russia at the 2007 Under-18 World Championships, where he registered six points (2-4=6) and a plus-4 rating in seven games.
Both players recently participated in the Kings’ annual Development Camp in El Segundo.
