LA Kings: Trevor Lewis free agency ‘tough to think about’

The LA Kings are moving on from an unsung hero during their Stanley Cup runs in Trevor Lewis.

Despite the writing on the wall, finality is always difficult to stomach. On Saturday, Trevor Lewis was told that he would not be retained by the LA Kings. The 33-year-old played all 12 years of his career in LA after being selected 17th overall in the 2006 NHL Draft. Now he’s looking for a new home.

The Kings had a flurry of veteran roster moves during the regular season, trading away Kyle Clifford, Tyler Toffoli, and Alec Martinez. Lewis was an unrestricted free agent entering this offseason and tallied only six goals with six assists in 56 games.

There was an outside chance the Kings brought him back, likely on a one or two-year deal. Perhaps Rob Blake and the Kings’ front office felt that Lewis could still contribute on a contending team while potentially being signed to a contract that will continue to secure his financial future.

But with a wave of prospects expected to sniff the NHL this season, the Kings also had to be careful that they didn’t block anyone from seeing regular playing. Lewis would have been a solid veteran presence on a team with only five players left from the 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup runs.

But the 2020-2021 campaign will be one in which the Kings need to see what they have for the future.

Lewis was instrumental during the Kings’ Cup runs, scoring two goals in Game 6 of the 2012 Finals against the Devils. In 2014, he tallied four goals with an assist while blocking 12 shots and registering 77 hits in 26 games. “Thank you” doesn’t even begin to describe the gratitude owed to Trevor.