On the Los Angeles Kings …
John Hoven of Mayor’s Manor: Quotes from GM Rob Blake‘s press conference yesterday. Blake on a Marian Gaborik buyout.
“Will he get a buy out? No.”
Blake on if they’ve made any decisions about the expansion draft.
“No, not yet. It’s been talked about many times, and you try to analyze every team’s possibilities and different things. In the next month here for sure, we’ll kind of get it down. We haven’t really dove in, I would say, the last two weeks on that.”
Blake on if he foresees any contract issues with getting a Tyler Toffoli deal done.
“I don’t know, there are issues with everybody’s contracts. I’m probably one to speak. . I think you know, with what Pat , Luc and I experienced through Anze too, there’s a familiarity of what limits are – you know, ‘Hey listen, let’s get down and other stuff out and get this deal done.’ So yeah, Toffoli and Pearson they’re priorities right away here to get done.”
Blake on the possibility of re-signing Jarome Iginla.
“Yeah, I’m not sure. I’ve talked to Jarome and he’s kind of hinted at possibly playing. I think what happened was when he got traded here, I’m not so sure he was 100% that he wanted to play after this year.”
John Hoven: The Kings are wanting to get contract extensions for Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson done as soon as possible as they don’t want talks to drag on.
Jonathan Davis: “A good chance that with Toffoli’s down season and the relationship that his agent has with Rob Blake make it an easier negotiation”
Dennis Bernstein: GM Rob Blake will grant any team permission to speak with former Kings GM Dean Lombardi. As of yesterday afternoon no teams have contacted Blake looking for permission.
Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider: There had been some speculation that the Kings could buy out Marian Gaborik this offseason, but GM Rob Blake said that they won’t be buying him out. Gaborik will be having a procedure and he won’t be ready for the start of the season. Gaborik carries a $4.875 million cap hit through 2021. According to CapFriendly, had they been able to buy him out, it would have dropped his cap to $1.125M hit in 2017-18, a $1.625M hit in 2018-19, a $3.025M hit in 2019-20, a $3.125M hit in 2020-21, and a $1.325M hit from 2021-22 through 2024-25.