Penner signs; Kings can return intact

Dustin Penner has re-signed with the Kings on a one-year contract worth $3.25 million, meaning the Kings have the ability to return every piece of their Stanley Cup championship team. The re-signing of Penner, who made $4.25 million last season, still leaves the Kings some salary-cap room next season — more than $8 million — to make an addition, and the one-year contract leaves them flexibility in the following years.

As noted in the previous post, the Kings did lose goalie prospect Jeff Zatkoff, who signed a two-year, two-way contract with Pittsburgh. That wasn’t unexpected, as the Kings have been higher on Martin Jones as a possible future NHL goalie. Zatkoff, a goalie drafted in the third round by the Kings in 2006, spent the last three seasons in Manchester of the AHL and never played a game for the Kings. The Kings’ other unrestricted free agents today are Scott Parse, Patrick Mullen, Trent Hunter and Ray Kaunisto. It wouldn’t be surprising to see a team pick up Parse or Mullen, who is an under-the-radar defensive prospect.