FROM LA KINGS PRESS RELEASE

Ed note: 4 years, $13.6M ($3.4M per season)

KINGS SIGN FREE AGENT DEFENSEMAN ROB SCUDERI TO A FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT

THE 2009 STANLEY CUP WINNER SIGNS WITH THE KINGS THROUGH THE 2012-13 SEASON

JULY 2, 2009 -- LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on a four-year contract with free agent defenseman and 2009 Stanley Cup Champion Rob Scuderi, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced today. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.

Scuderi, 30, led the Pittsburgh Penguins with a plus-23 rating, while tallying a career-high 16 points (1-15=16) and 18 penalty minutes. He also logged a career-high 81 regular season games played this past season. The blue-liner also led his team with 164 blocked shots and an average of 3:47 of short-handed ice time for the Penguins, who finished eighth in the NHL on the penalty kill (82.7 percent). During the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs, Scuderi added five points (1-4=5) and six penalty minutes in 24 postseason games while logging an average of 20:29 of ice time per game (second among D-men, fourth overall). He also assisted on the game-winning goal in Game 7 against Detroit, helping the Penguins win the Stanley Cup.

The 6-0, 218-pound defenseman played parts of five seasons with Pittsburgh, collecting 39 points (3-36=39) and 112 penalty minutes in 300 career NHL games. Scuderi has also recorded eight points (1-7=8) and 10 penalty minutes in 49 playoff appearances – all with Pittsburgh - including 13 games during two Stanley Cup Finals appearances (2009 and 2008).

Kings fans can meet Scuderi for the first time and the rest of the 2009-10 Kings at LA Kings Hockey Fest ’09, to be held August 28-30 at LA Live.

Scuderi also played parts of five seasons with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL), recording 88 points (8-80=88) and 206 penalty minutes in 305 regular season games. He also recorded seven points (2-5=7) in 41 playoff games with the Baby Penguins, including a trip to the Calder Cup Finals during the 2003-04 season.

Prior to entering the pro ranks in 2001, Scuderi completed four seasons at Boston College (H-East) where he finished as the school’s all-time games played leader (168 career games played). He helped lead Boston College to a NCAA Championship during the 2000-01 season and was named to the All-Tournament Team.

The Syosset, New York native, who earlier this week was invited to attend the 2009 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Orientation Camp (August 17-19 in Woodbridge, Illinois), was originally selected by Pittsburgh in the fifth round (134th overall) in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.

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