Ex-Leaf signs with Kings
Sports
Posted By DAVE POLLARD, QMI AGENCY
Posted 1 month ago
The Poni Express is riding west, baggage and all.
Former Toronto Maple Leaf Alexei Ponikarovsky, an unrestricted free agent who has never scored more than 23 goals in a season and has carried the "underachiever" label for much of his career, agreed to terms on a one-year, $3 million contract with the Los Angeles Kings Tuesday. The deal also includes a $200,000 signing bonus.
Ponikarovsky, who was dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Luca Caputi and Martin Skoula at the trade deadline last season, combined for 21 goals and 29 assists in 77 games split between the two teams. The 30-year-old Ukrainian has scored 20 or more goals four times in six full NHL seasons but never really lived up to expectations in Toronto.
The Kings were expected to be players in the free agent market this summer but Ponikarovsky's signing is the first significant move general manager Dean Lombardi has made. There's still a chance Lombardi could take another run at Ilya Kovalchuk -- the Kings were in the mix before the Russian star signed a 17-year contract with the New Jersey Devils, a deal that has been rejected by the NHL and grived by the NHLPA -- if he's ruled a free agent by an arbitrator.
The Kings signed Ponikarovsky just hours after losing free agent Alexander Frolov to the New York Rangers.
Frolov signed a similar, one-year, $3 million contract with the Rangers earlier Tuesday. The 28-year-old Russian is coming off a sub-par season in which he scored just 19 goals, but the seven-year veteran has racked up 30 goals twice in his career. And that was enough for Rangers president and general manager Glen Sather, who has made a career out of questionable signings.
"Alex is a highly skilled player who we feel will play a key role in improving our offense and play in all situations," Sather said in a statement released by the team.
"He is strong competitor and has the ability to play either wing position."
Frolov set offensive career highs in 2006-07, recording 35 goals and 36 assists for 71 points. But he's coming off his lowest goal total since his rookie season of 2002-03.
MOULSON AVOIDS ARBITRATION
The New York Islanders managed to sign forward Matt Moulson to a new contract without going to arbitration.
The deal is reportedly for one year at $2.45 million. An arbitration hearing was scheduled for Tuesday.
Moulson, a 26-year-old former ninth-round pick of the Penguins, is coming off a breakout season that saw him score 30 goals. The Mississauga native finished with 48 points.
"Matt is one of our young core of players and we're excited to have him return this upcoming season," Islanders general manager Garth Snow said in a team press release.
"He was an integral part of our lineup last season, playing in all 82 games and hitting the 30-goal plateau for the first time in his career."
LONG-TIME PENS ANNOUNCER DIES
The voice of the Pittsburgh Penguins has been silenced.
The team's longtime public address announcer, John Barbero, died Tuesday after battling a brain tumour for more than a year.
Barbero worked the PA for the Pens for 36 seasons, starting in 1972-73. His last game was Game 6 of the 2009 Stanley Cup final.
"John was one of a kind, a true professional, and he always will be remembered as a member of the Penguins family," owner Mario Lemieux said. "He will be missed."
QUICK HITS
The Blackhawks have reportedly signed top prospect Nick Liddy to an entry-level contract ... Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman has reportedly contacted the agent for RFA forward Steve Downie. "Rick Curran and I have had initial talks," Yzerman told theSt. Petersburg Times.
dave.pollard@canoe.ca
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