The Los Angeles Kings decided against buying out Mike Richards, they signed Marian Gaborik to a seven-year deal and locked up Matt Greene.
All those moves were made in the interest of keeping the Kings’ Stanley Cup-winning team intact, but their cap situation would only allow for them to go so far. It looks like 37-year-old defenseman Willie Mitchell will be the odd man out as the team doesn’t feel they have the space left to sign him, per LA Kings Insider.
The Kings are close to the ceiling, but that likely wasn’t the only consideration. They already have six blueliners signed to one-way contracts now that Matt Greene is under contract and that doesn’t include restricted free agent Brayden McNabb, who might start the season with the team.
It’s also believed that Mitchell wants a two-year deal, which might have made the Kings nervous given his age. It would have also complicated matters next summer as Kyle Clifford, Tanner Pearson, and Tyler Toffoli will all need to be re-signed at that point.
