The Los Angeles Kings’ second July 1st signing was less intriguing than their first, but given the Kings’ current lack of NHL defensive depth, we should definitely get to know Christian Folin. Folin was signed today by the Kings to a one-year contract worth $850,000. From the press release:
The 26-year-old Folin (born Feb. 9, 1991) is a 6-3, 204-pound native of Gothenburg, Sweden who appeared in 51 games last season with the Minnesota Wild, recording eight points (2-6=8), a plus-10 rating and 26 penalty minutes.
Folin has appeared in 118 games, all with Minnesota, where he has registered 23 points (4-19=23), a plus-15 rating and 50 penalty minutes.
Some rapid-fire notes on Folin:
- He would be the first Swedish defenseman to appear in an NHL game for the Kings since Mattias Norstrom, more than a decade ago.
- He scores like Norstrom, too; Folin has 23 points in 118 career games, including four goals.
- Folin has averaged around 15 minutes a game in his career, which included occasional shifts on Minnesota’s power play and penalty kill.
- He battled injuries last season, suffering an MCL sprain in his left knee in November and a tear to the labrum of his right shoulder in March. He had injury for the second after Minnesota was eliminated in the first round.
- If the Kings were looking for a Brayden McNabb or a Matt Greene replacement, Folin checks some of the boxes. His 69 hits in 51 games don’t match McNabb’s two-hits-a-game pace, but he’s physical and for better or for worse takes a lot of penalties like Greene. He also moved up to facing tougher zone starts this year and started to get used as a shutdown guy by Bruce Boudreau.
- However, his possession numbers were slightly below-average, on a team (Minnesota) which did not play a very possession-oriented game. LA’s system might allow him to improve, but he’ll have some catching up to do./
Folin should be ready for training camp and should contend for a spot as the 6/7 D.