It had been rumored since last month, but Dwight King is now officially a member of Avtomobilist in the KHL. The former Los Angeles Kings forward has signed a two-year deal with the club. King actually ranked 49th in our list of the top free agents this summer, even after a dreadful finish to the season with Montreal. Acquired at the deadline, King recorded just one point through 23 games for the Canadiens (17 regular season and 6 playoff).
King had previously been a solid bottom-six contributor for the Kings, winning two Stanley Cups with the club. At 28, he’ll now try to revitalize his career in a foreign league, quite a distance from his hometown of Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan. The big-bodied forward could return in a few years should he find that secondary scoring touch again, but this departure could also provide another opportunity.
With Team Canada scouring the world for potential Olympic players, King’s experience and NHL pedigree may put him in consideration. He wouldn’t be an exciting add, but when players like Rob Klinkhammer are getting similar looks, he may just be one of the best options available.