On Monday, the 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings did an unnoticed, unreported, but ever-important move: they re-signed defenseman Jamie McBain.
Now I know what you're thinking: Who on earth is Jamie McBain? It's true, the 27-year-old defenseman is not a household name. Nor did he get much playing time last season with the Kings, but the move could pay dividends for a team that has been thrown into turmoil and scandal this offseason.
McBain scored nine points in 26 games for the Kings last season after the team gave the Minnesota native a tryout contract after playing with the Kings' AHL affiliate team.
McBain replaced Slava Voynov as a back end bruiser after Voynov was arrested for domestic violence early in the season. Earlier this week, Voynov was sentenced to 90 days in jail after he pled "no contest" to charges of "corporal injury to a spouse," a misdemeanor in California.
Voynov's tenure with the Kings is most likely over as the Russian player has been suspended indefinitely by the NHL and by the LA Kings themselves for lying about an injury suffered during a recreational activity. That is why the McBain signing is all the more important.
McBain is young, hard working and relatively cheap compared to the defenseman options available to them via free agency. McBain has scored 28 career goals in the NHL and provides viable experience for many of the young players on the team. McBain previously played with Carolina and Buffalo, and will provide much needed depth at the defenseman position.
The Kings have made it a priority to sign their core young players to long-term contracts including Alec Martinez, Bradyden McNabb, Dwight King, Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson. Keeping the gang together, and providing valuable depth at a position that was clearly a problem last season definitely is a smart decision for the Kings front office.
