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From HockeyBuzz.com – Matthew Barry: Enough Draft Talk – It’s FREE AGENT Time!!!

With my unsolicited comments:

I still say Travis Moen is a King July 1st –

That would complete the Handzus/Simmonds line. Okay, that would be interesting.

I also think Samuelsson comes over to play with Simmonds and Handzus – –

Oh, wait. So, Moen would be … LW on the Stoll/Brown line? I think it would have to be one of those guys or the other. But what do I know?

— that is unless Dertoit DOESN’T sign Hossa or Cammalleri and DOES re-sign all of the players that actually GOT them to the finals.

Cammalleri wants Hossa-esque money, though, right? So that’s not going to work out. I still have my money on Hossa going elsewhere. Previously, I thought he might go for the $1MM Kariya contract, but now it sounds like, no, he wants more than 4 or 5. Therefore, I think Detroit keeps Hudler and Samuelsson and lets Hossa walk. And locks Cammy out.

The Kings will try and move Brad Richardson, who failed to make an impression and whom assistant GM Ron Hextall said “didn’t fit in”.

I missed that. But it’s not surprising.

They also have to try and find a sucker…er… taker for Manchester bound Tom Preissing who was impressive in Ottawa, but miserable in L.A. and surpassed by guys like Peter Harrold and Davis Drewiskie. Good luck getting rid of THAT contract.

Buy out? Or he just spends the year in the AHL…

The Kings need a veteran presence (other than Sean O’D) in the back, so look for a 2 year “bridge” player with some grit – I think Ohlund will be asking for too many years and the way Komisarek acted in the playoffs I’m sure turned off Lombardi for good.

Johnson-Doughty

Quincey-Greene

(Hickey or Voynov)-SOD

Drewiske

I don’t think there’s room for another defenseman, unless they think neither Hickey nor Voynov are ready. Which would make me sad. Of course, if one of these Johnson rumors turns out to be true, there will be a top-four hole that needs to be filled.

They also need scoring, but Lombardi has already stated “it has to be the right fit” – Could Lehtonen be the answer as a “filler”? Not for 4 million, but maybe if he wants 2 years at 6. It’s not Fedotenko. Trust me on that one.

That’s a lot of money for a back-up-plan UFA.

via HockeyBuzz.com – Matthew Barry – Enough Draft Talk – It’s FREE AGENT Time!!!.

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