None of the eleven players mentioned were undrafted UFA signings, although Lombardi has gone that route several times, most notably with Matt Moulson and Teddy Purcell (since departed), Martin Jones, Kevin Westgarth and Davis Drewiske.
Here’s how the current Kings got here, in order of arrival:
SBN blog “In Lou We Trust” has a post up describing its case defending the legitimacy of the Kovalchuk contract. They are understandably pretty upset over there. However, there are a few points in his post that are inaccurate or misleading. The NHL-Rejected Ilya Kovalchuk Contract with the New Jersey Devils & Article 50 of…
Before you read this post, I want you to play the following thought experiment. We’ve all heard the various hypothetical/rumored long-term deals bandied about for Ilya Kovalchuk, everything from a (now considered shortish) seven years to an unimaginable 15 years. It’s generally assumed that any deal cap-friendly enough for the Kings (or Devils) would have to be in the…
The other team in town is big-game hunting. Islanders’ GM Garth Snow has checked in with the Thrashers about the availability of marquee all-star left wing Ilya Kovalchuk, leaving the message with Atlanta GM Don Waddell that the team intends to be in the mix if the impending unrestricted free agent is placed on the trade…
Spector: A source familiar with the talks suggested Thrashers’ ownership might be tying Waddell’s hands by an unwillingness to pay what it takes to commit to the franchise’s success. The Thrashers are owned by Atlanta Spirit, a group of nine businessmen which also own the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks as well as Phillips Arena, where both…
The Kings need a pure scorer who could make a difference in the one-goal games they’ve recently lost and solidify their playoff ambitions. Atlanta left wing Ilya Kovalchuk, a two-time 50-goal scorer who can become a free agent July 1, has a $6.4-million salary cap hit that would be prorated according to the number of…
From the Toronto Star: There’s no reason at all to feel sympathy for Ilya Kovalchuk. He’s a rich, talented hockey player who is going to get richer soon, and he might just show next month in Vancouver on the big Olympic stage that he’s even more talented than most believe. Last time we saw the…
Kovalchuk update I wrote last weekend that the Thrashers would have to enter into a new phase if there was no contract resolution with Ilya Kovalchuk, and that’s exactly what has transpired. While the team remains focused on trying sign the star captain to an extension, it has also started to quietly talk to teams…
Let the bidding war begin. With contract talks between Ilya Kovalchuk and the Atlanta Thrashers reportedly going nowhere, the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent is suddenly at the top of everyone’s wish list. The Los Angeles Kings reportedly sent general manager Dean Lombardi to Atlanta to scout the team and inquire about a potential trade. Is…
From the most-reliable Spector, emphases mine: The annual trade deadline is less than two months away but this season, business in the market could pick up earlier than usual due to the league’s mid-February shutdown for the 2010 Winter Olympics. A trade freeze will be implemented from Feb. 13-28, leaving only three days following the…
