Kings re-sign winger Lemieux
The Kings re-signed winger Brendan Lemieux to a one-year contract worth $1.35 million on the first day of NHL free agency Wednesday.
Lemieux arrived in Los Angeles via trade during the 2021 season, posting four points and 14 penalty minutes as that campaign careened toward a merciful end. Last season, Lemieux notched eight goals, 13 points and a team-high 97 penalty minutes, including eight fighting majors, providing protection to a young roster that lacked the size and grit of the Darryl Sutter-era Kings.
“As a player, it’s so freeing. I don’t have to worry about anything out there other than just playing my game,” linemate Blake Lizotte said of Lemieux’s presence.
While retaining his muscle was no doubt a major draw in reopening negotiations after the Kings opted not to tender Lemieux his $1.65 million qualifying offer Monday, Lemieux brings more than a big body and a heavy punch to the table. He possesses above average speed and some finishing ability as well.
Last season, the Kings finished with 99 points, but they were 3014-6 in games in which Lemieux competed. Had they extrapolated that points percentage over a full 82 games, they would have finished with 108 points. That would have been the highest single-season point total in franchise history.
Lemieux also found himself at the center of controversy when he
bit Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk during a scrum. Lemieux was suspended five games, echoing memories of his father Claude. Known for his clutch play as well as his antics, the elder Lemieux bit Jim Peplinski during the 1986 Stanley Cup Final and, 10 years later, fought Tkachuk’s father Keith at the World Cup of Hockey.
“Brendan adds so much to our team. There’s been a few feuds in the media with players calling him out, and that’s just not true,” said Lizotte, who skated with Lemieux and Arthur Kaliyev regularly. “He has your back all the time, he’s the
life of the party at the rink, he’s a joy to be around, and I just want to smash any negative connotation around who he is as a person because he’s one of the best teammates.”
The Kings also made a pair of low-profile signings, likely in order to deepen their top minor-league affiliate, the Ontario Reign. They agreed to terms on one-year pacts with goalie Pheonix Copley and defenseman Tobie Paquette-Bisson.
Copley’s is a one-way deal with an annual average value of $825,000, while Paquette-Bison’s two-way contract could be worth
up to $750,000. Copley, 30, has 31 games of NHL experience, while Paquette-Bisson, 25, played most recently for the Montreal Canadiens’ AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket.
The opening of the free-agent market Wednesday also signified the departures of three Kings, all of whom signed one-year contracts with other clubs. Winger Andreas Athanasiou headed for the Chicago Blackhawks, defenseman Olli Maatta joined the Detroit Red Wings and defenseman Troy Stecher will ply his trade for the Arizona Coyotes.