The Los Angeles Kings were among the busiest teams in free agency early this summer, addressing several key roster needs by signing veteran players in an effort to become a more complete contender in the Western Conference.
While the Kings and general manager Ken Holland addressed a number of needs this summer, there were still a handful of notable free agents who could've made plenty of sense but ultimately signed with other teams.
We've already looked at the three free agents that the Kings would be wise to avoid signing in free agency this summer. Now, we're breaking down the free agents that would've made sense for the Kings to sign this offseason, given various positional and roster needs this summer.
The Los Angeles Kings still left a few intriguing free-agent fits on the table
Here are three players the Kings let get away in free agency this offseason.
Claude Giroux, C
It was a common theme for Holland and the Kings this offseason to sign free agents who could make an immediate impact in key areas of the roster this upcoming season who are veteran experienced players. The proven experience and top-six versatility that Ottawa Senators center Claude Giroux brings to the table could've checked a lot of boxes for what the Kings were looking to do in free agency this summer.
Giroux is a veteran two-way forward who has the ability to handle difficult defensive assignments, win clutch faceoffs late in games in the third period, and he still is a proven offensive producer up front.
There is also the connection between Giroux and new Kings' head coach Peter Laviolette from their time together with the Philadelphia Flyers earlier in his NHL career. Giroux was a key playmaker on those Flyers teams that Laviolette coached in the early 2010s.
Giroux would have theoretically been an easy fit with Holland's roster-building philosophy and Laviolette's system this offseason.
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