Kings sign forward Trevor Lewis to one-year contract (AAV: $775,000)

The LA Kings have signed forward Trevor Lewis to a one-year contract carrying an AAV of $775,000 at the NHL level.

Now there’s a familiar face! Lewis returns to the Kings organization after three seasons away, the most recent two with the Calgary Flames from 2021-23. Lewis also spent the 2020-21 campaign with the Winnipeg Jets, where he was a teammate of new teammate Pierre-Luc Dubois. Lewis had nine goals and 20 points during the 2022-23 season, playing in a bottom-six role with the Flames, under a familiar coach with some familiar teammates. More on his signing below.

Instant Analysis –
When looking at the direction the Kings might look to go during free agency, this is exactly the kind of move that I had in mind. When you’re as tight against the cap as the Kings are right now, you need to find trusted players to round out the roster. In Trevor Lewis, the Kings get a player that they are extremely familiar with and a player who is very familiar with the Kings. You guys don’t need me to sell Trevor Lewis – you know exactly who he is as a player and as a person – but he’s played under Todd McLellan, he’s been teammates with Drew Doughty, Anze Kopitar, Adrian Kempe and others and he’s well-versed with the management group. The Kings added him back for the grand total of $775,000, which is a terrific value for the role he will have.

Last season, Lewis played the third most penalty-kill time of any Calgary forward, the most he’s ever played in a single season, and he did so playing on the NHL’s fifth-best penalty-kill unit in Calgary. Despite finishing the season at 36 years of age, Lewis appeared in all 82 games with the Flames, averaging just over 10 minutes per game at 5-on-5. With Lewis on the ice, the Flames controlled more than 55 percent of shot attempts and right around 50 percent of scoring chances and high-danger chances. Though he filled a fourth-line role, Lewis was also pretty productive – his 1.21 points per/60 was his highest rate since the 2017-18 season, as he amassed 20 points in total. While he’s not being signed for his production, his point rates are right in line with where he was when he was a King during his original tenure.

Off the ice, Lewis was a well-liked teammate during his first stint with the Kings. Our personal interaction was limited, as I was with Ontario for his final two seasons with the organization, but limited conversations I had were extremely positive and professional. Lewis was one of Doughty’s former teammates who recorded a video for the Kings blueliner when he reached 1,000 games played last season, a video which showcased a sense of humor and the type of person he is. While many of his former teammates have since moved on, there are undoubtedly no lack of character references for Trevor Lewis and adding a player like that into your locker room is never a bad thing for an organization to do.

It’s not exactly hard to forecast Lewis’ likely position in the lineup. The Kings will have some battles during training camp to sort out who exactly the final member of the Top 9 is, but they undoubtedly have openings on the fourth line. Lewis is more than capable of effectively filling that role and he fits within the salary structure the Kings are currently playing within. Trevor Lewis will never hurt you on the ice and he’s of a more traditional bottom-six player than the Kings had a season ago, when they iced several talented younger players in those spots, though players who are more accustomed to top-six roles and responsibilities. Lewis understands his role quite well and is capable of playing it effectively for the Kings this season, with the ability to move up in the lineup if needed.

Looking ahead, the name of the game continues to be the salary cap. Lewis gives the Kings 13 forwards under contract who are presumably NHL players. In keeping with the consistency spelled out this morning, the Kings have 13 forwards, four defensemen and one goaltender under contract, with S1,986,666 in salary-cap space to fill out the remainder of the roster. Again, will look more deeply at these numbers once everything comes in and settles down.

From the team’s official release –

Lewis, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Kings (2012, 2014), returns to the organization where he spent the first 12 seasons of his NHL career. The 6-1, 201-pound forward spent last season with the Calgary Flames, registering 20 points (9-11=20) in 82 games.

Originally selected by the Kings 17th overall in the 2006 NHL Draft, Lewis is a veteran of 892 NHL games, earning 209 points (90-119=209) and adding 28 points (13-15=28) in 99 career Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Kings (2008-20), Flames (2021-23) and Winnipeg Jets (2020-21). During the club’s first championship in 2012, Lewis appeared in all 20 postseason games and registered nine points (3-6=9), including a two-goal performance (2-0=2) in the Kings 6-1 Stanley Cup-clinching Game Six on home ice. Two years later in 2014, he added five points (4-1=5) in 26 playoff games to help secure the Kings second Stanley Cup championship.

The 36-year-old began his professional hockey career in 2006-07 with the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League (AHL), accumulating 92 points (41-51=92) in 182 career AHL games. Prior to turning pro, he spent one season with the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) where he notched 73 points (29-44=73) in 62 games and played two seasons with the Des Moines Buccaneers of the United States Hockey League (USHL), accumulating 97 points (45-52=97) in 108 regular season games while helping the club to the 2006 Clark Cup championship as USHL champions.

A native of Salt Lake City, Utah, Lewis has represented the United States at two International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) events, earning bronze medals at the 2015 IIHF World Championship and 2007 IIHF Men’s World Junior Championship. In 17 games, he posted 11 points (4-7=11).