Kings sign forward Trevor Lewis (AAV: $800,000) & goaltender Pheonix Copley (AAV: $825,000) to one-year contracts

The LA Kings have re-signed forward Trevor Lewis and goaltender Pheonix Copley to one-year contracts. The deal for Lewis is a one-way contract, carrying an AAV of $800,000, while the deal for Copley is also a one-way contract, with an AAV of $825,000 at the NHL level.

Lewis returned to Los Angeles on a one-year contract last summer, for the NHL league minimum. He earns himself a modest raise here this summer, signing a very similar contract today that he signed 365 days ago. Lewis is a signing who fills a spot, with a contract that does not block younger players from coming up. He’s a fourth-line winger who kills penalties and plays low-event hockey, rarely giving much up when he’s on the ice. He’s been fine when used in that role.

Copley is the veteran, third goaltender we all knew the Kings would add. I just didn’t expect it to be Copley, even if it makes sense that it is. Copley signed a one-year contract with the Kings in the summer of 2022, to serve as the veteran third goaltender in Ontario. He was recalled in November and never returned to the AHL, providing solid goaltending at the NHL level during the 2022-23 season to help right the ship, stablize the team and help ensure the playoffs. He made the NHL roster out of training camp in 2023 but suffered a serious knee injury in December, which cost him the rest of the season. He’s already back on the ice this summer and will now likely fill the same role he signed to fill back in 2022, as insurance behind the Darcy Kuemper / David Rittich tandem.

More on both players below.

Instant Analysis
On Lewis, the Kings know exactly what they’re getting. It’s not a signing that is going to spark inspiration amongst the fanbase, but it’s a signing that fills a depth position on the team. You have to look at the role he’s signing for. That role is the 12th or 13th forward on the roster. Lewis was used in that role last season, ranking 12th in 5-on-5 icetime amongst lineup regulars up front on a per-game basis. He killed penalties, which helped to spell others and he was one of the league’s best at not being on the ice for power-play goals against, ranking fourth in the NHL in terms of fewest PPG against, among forwards who played at least 100 minutes on the PK. He approached 10 goals while averaging less than 10 minutes at 5-on-5 per game and produced solid splits. He is not a gamebreaker and he’s not a dynamic offensive player. He is, however, a responsible player, a character guy, a good personality in the room and a good example for younger players to learn from, as many have said about the example he sets. You might disagree, but those are the types of players I want on the fourth line. For the role he’s being signed to fill, at the level he’s signing for, no issues here.

On Copley, the Kings were always going to add a veteran goaltender into the mix today. They have Erik Portillo who is ready to assume a full-time, starting role in the AHL in net, but the Kings wanted to pair him with an older goaltender both for mentorship and potential short-term callups. Copley checks those boxes. The injury last season is the biggest reason to have worry with regards to Copley, who has proven he is one of the best 2/3 goaltenders around for an NHL organization. He earned the right to be an NHL backup for a full season but had that taken from him after just eight NHL games with a serious injury. He’s on a low-dollar contract here, at just over the league minimum, and is comfortable here in Los Angeles. The Kings know him and he knows the Kings. Assuming the Kings are comfortable with his health situation, this deal makes a lot of sense. Being that he did the bulk of his rehab here in Los Angeles, no team would have better insight into where Copley is at than the Kings do. I didn’t necessarily think this deal would happen, but it’s not all that surprising it did. Again, no issues with this contract for the role he is being signed to fill.

From the team’s official release –