In the 2020s decade, the Los Angeles Kings have made some very impactful signings in unrestricted free agency.
But not every free-agent signing for the Kings has worked out as well as Cam Talbot, Anton Forsberg, or even Phillip Danault. Whether it was because of disappointing production, questionable contract value, or an inability to fill the role the Kings envisioned, multiple free-agent signings have failed to live up to expectations.
Some of these free-agent signings also felt like the contracts were doomed from the start in this past few years. This is the other side of the equation after we ranked the best free-agent signings for the Kings so far in the 2020s.
These LA Kings free-agent signings haven't lived up to expectations
Here are the worst free-agent signings the Kings have made so far in the 2020s.
Andreas Athanasiou, F
Former Detroit Red Wings speedy forward Andreas Athanasiou was signed to a low-risk one-year contract by the Kings and ex-general manager Rob Blake in the 2020 offseason. While injuries kept him from playing the entire season for the Kings in 2020-21, Athanasiou was effective when he was healthy and in the lineup.
Athanasiou's biggest issue during his two seasons with the Kings was staying healthy. The Kings saw enough upside from his 10-goal and 23-point performance in 47 games played in the 2020-21 season to bring him back on another one-year contract, but injuries limited him to just 28 games played the following season.
He was injured and reinserted into the lineup six different times in the 2021-22 season. Former Kings head coach Todd McClellan even described him that season as one of the most naturally talented offensive players he ever coached.
Ultimately, his talent never translated into sustained production with the Kings because he couldn't stay on the ice. However, compared to other contracts on this list, his signing was a relatively small financial risk for the Kings.
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