Throughout franchise history, the Los Angeles Kings have made several major free-agent signings that produced very different results for the organization.
Regardless of the results, the Kings have consistently prioritized adding proven veterans and established winners through free agency. Some signings helped the Kings remain competitive around their veteran core, while others quickly became expensive disappointments that failed to live up to expectations.
Several high-profile veteran signings failed to deliver the long-term impact the Los Angeles Kings expected
During the Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty era, Los Angeles consistently attempted to supplement its veteran core through free agency and major trades in hopes of extending the organization’s championship window.
With free agency approaching once again this offseason, it’s worth revisiting some of the most disappointing free-agent signings in franchise history. We will also soon focus on the other side of this equation and look at the best free agent signings in the Kings' franchise history.
Here are the three worst free agent signings in franchise history for the Kings.
Simon Gagne, W
Winger Simon Gagne developed into one of the Flyers’ top offensive players during the 2000s and played a major role in helping Philadelphia reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2010. Following a productive run in Philadelphia, the Kings signed Gagne to a two-year deal in free agency during the 2011 offseason worth roughly $3.5 million annually.
I don't think Gagne should be considered the overall worst free agent signing in Kings' franchise history. Since he was signed to a pretty low-risk contract deal in free agency in the 2011 offseason, the contract never became a major long-term cap burden for Los Angeles. Injuries ultimately prevented Gagne from becoming the type of secondary scoring addition the Kings hoped for.
But the fact that Gagne only played 45 regular season games over the course of two seasons in Los Angeles shows that he didn't contribute much to the Kings in the early 2010s decade. He also only played four postseason games in two years with the Kings, failing to record a point. and registering a -1 plus/minus rating.
While the financial risk was relatively limited, the Kings never received the level of offensive production or lineup impact they hoped for when signing Gagne in free agency.
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