Yesterday, Nick Shore inked a one-year, $925,000 contract. Well, at least he's back to making his 2014-15 salary.
That was the last year of Shore's entry-level agreement, which saw him collect $925K at the NHL level. Following that, he was paid $600,000 per over the next two seasons, before earning his current raise.
The 24-year-old has developed into a solid fourth-line centerman: He's reliable defensively, can keep up with the pace, and will win more draws than he loses.
Last season, he was also tasked with the most SH TOI/Game (1:17) of his career.
Shore has suppressed shot attempts with aplomb on the PK. His -6.06 Fenwick Against/60 Relative to Team is best among Kings forwards from 2014-17 (150+ 4v5 minutes). Granted, he doesn't shoulder the toughest PK minutes, but regardless, he's acquitted himself well.
Interestingly, he averaged the least Hits/Game (0.8) of his career too -- a dramatic drop from the previous year's 1.4. This figure could just be the result of some tracking inconsistencies -- or maybe it's the case of a more experienced player learning to pick his spots? In this category, it was the most notable year-to-year decrease among Los Angeles forwards.
The University of Denver product is also a fine example of being careful --
looking at myself -- before declaring any skater to be a "play driver." After his team-leading +7.3 5v5 Corsi For % Relative to Team in 2015-16, he followed with a -1.1. Obviously, this disparity can be partly attributed to his teammates, but it's safe to say that Shore isn't Joe Thornton, in terms of driving play.
After three seasons, we are getting a better sense of Shore's offensive upside -- it hasn't been significant so far -- but he's young enough to add another gear to his game. At the moment, and really, since 2014, LA has been missing a true two-way third-line pivot.
As for the Kings' cap situation next year, the team now has about $7.4 million (assuming they "bury" Jeff Zatkoff's $900,000) to sign -- naming the skaters most likely to play up in Los Angeles -- Kevin Gravel, Paul LaDue, and Jonny Brodzinski. There appears to be space to add a decent UFA or two, but who's left?
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Everybody knew that Los Angeles would be looking for a goaltender in the Draft, but for some, picking Matt Villalta in the third round was a bit of a shocker. Central Scouting tabbed the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds keeper as their 16th-best North American goalie, but Villalta ended up being the fourth netminder overall taken off the board.
To gain more insight about LA's surprising pick, I e-mailed
Greg Balloch of
In Goal Magazine:
HockeyBuzz: I saw that you were high on Matt Villalta, calling him one of your favorite Day 2 picks. Why? And what are some things that he has to work on to reach the NHL?
Greg Balloch: I really liked the Villalta pick because he was one of the names that kept coming up when I asked around about certain goalies that could be steals early on in the season. He had a major growth spurt recently, and is now 6-foot-3. He's still learning how to use his newfound size effectively, but when he does -- look out. Another really strong thing about him is his skating foundation. He is able to pick up new techniques really quickly because of his ability to use his edges, so goalie coaches that have done their research love that about him. Dusty Imoo, the goalie development coach for LA, is one of the best in the business -- so this move doesn't surprise me at all.
HB: Why do you think LA "reached" for him?
GB: I don't think LA "reached" necessarily for him. His stock was rising considerably leading up to the draft, so a lot of outdated lists may have had him further down than he should have been. Generally, when you see a team jump up like that and grab a guy, it's because they have knowledge that another team wanted to get him. I am genuinely shocked that he was taken before Keith Petruzzelli, though.
HB: What's his NHL ceiling? Does he remind you of anybody?
GB: I don't know if he necessarily reminds me of a certain goaltender. Especially with guys that are still developing, they usually look quite different by the time they reach the professional ranks. Obviously Los Angeles sees him as a future front-of-the-line starter, but it really comes down to the development system that the team has in place. Villalta is a longer-term project, so they can take their time.
HB: Anything else to add?
GB: One of the biggest things I've heard out of the Soo is about the impact that Joseph Raaymakers had on Villalta. Raaymakers was the starter there, and really helped groom Villalta into what he is today. It's very rare to see a goaltending partner take that kind of responsibility in junior.
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Stats as of 6/28/17, courtesy of Behind the Net, Corsica, Hockey Analysis, Hockey Reference, Natural Stat Trick, NHL.com, Puckalytics, and Sporting Charts.
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