The winds of change were blowing in sunny Los Angeles this past summer as General Manager Rob Blake decided to retool a roster that had been considered a Stanley Cup contender just a year prior. Blake recognized the need for change and identified depth as a key area for improvement. Now, with the season’s first quarter behind us,, let’s take a closer look at how six former Kings players are performing in their new environments.
Cam Talbot, G, Detroit Red Wings
11 GP, 5-3-2, 2.67 GAA, .920 SV%
After a successful season with the Kings, Talbot expressed his desire to sign a multi-year contract on July 1st. The Kings had other plans, but more on that later. The Detroit Red Wings signed Talbot to a two-year, $5 million contract–likely the final one in the veteran netminder’s career. In 11 appearances with the Red Wings, Talbot has been a bright spot for the struggling Red Wings. His 5-3-2 record and his .920 SV% have solidified him as Detroit’s number-one option in net. Talbot had a similar start last season with the Kings but slowed down considerably in December and January. It remains to be seen if he can sustain his strong play on a Red Wings team still searching for consistency.
Viktor Arvidsson, RW, Edmonton Oilers
16 GP, 2G, 3A, +2
Arvidsson was another unrestricted free agent that the Kings moved on from in July. From all indications, there was little dialogue between Rob Blake and Arvidsson’s camp. The oft-injured 31-year-old Swede signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the defending Western Conference Champion Edmonton Oilers. Arvidsson went into training camp at full health and looked primed for a big season skating alongside Leon Draisaitl on the Oilers’ second line. Unfortunately, it has yet to click on that level. Arvidsson started the season going pointless in his first seven games and has registered only five points. To make matters worse, he has missed Edmonton’s last three games with an undisclosed injury.
Blake Lizotte, C, Pittsburgh Penguins
7 GP, 2G, 0A, +1
A beloved player in Los Angeles, Lizotte was a salary cap casualty in June. The Kings did not tender the centerman a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent. He signed a two-year, $3.7 million contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 1st. Unfortunately, Lizotte suffered a concussion in a pre-season game against Ottawa, forcing him to miss the first 11 games of the Penguins’ season. He returned on Halloween and scored twice in his first four games. On November 13th, he took a puck to the face in a game against Detroit and was diagnosed with another concussion. He was put on injured reserve and is yet to be activated.
Carl Grundstrom, RW, San Jose Sharks
17GP, 0G, 4A, -1
On June 27th, the Kings traded Grundstrom to the Sharks in exchange for defenseman Kyle Burroughs. He has appeared in all but two games for San Jose, spending most of his time on the fourth line.
Pierre-Luc Dubois, C, Washington Capitals
18GP, 1G, 11A, +2
Where to begin? Unpacking the Dubois saga in LA is akin to beating a dead horse. His acquisition will likely go down as one of the most costly missteps in Kings history. Rob Blake likely agrees with that assessment to some degree because he hastily traded Dubois to the Washington Capitals for Darcy Kuemper before the centerman’s no-move clause kicked in on July 1st. For Dubois, things have gone better in D.C. He has 12 points in 18 games, putting him at 55-point pace. That would be 15 points better than his output in LA, but he’s sitting at one goal on the season. He is shooting a dismal 3.7% and has -4.6 goals above expected. The Capitals as a team are outperforming their analytics, so it will be interesting to see if they and Dubois see some regression soon.
Matt Roy, D, Washington Capitals
8GP, 0G, 3A, +2
If there’s one player on this list that the Kings certainly tried to retain, it’s Matt Roy. How hard did they try? That may remain unanswered, but Roy himself confirmed he had an offer on the table from Los Angeles. Ultimately, he signed with Washington, reuniting with Dubois to the tune of $34.5 million over six years. It’s difficult to imagine that the Kings’ offer matched the Capitals’ in length and AAV. Roy was injured in his Capitals debut and didn’t play again until November 6th. In the seven games since, he has collected three assists and has regularly been north of 20 minutes in TOI. To no surprise, Roy is a fixture on the Washington penalty kill, operating at 87.7%, the third-highest percentage in the NHL.
