KINGS SIGN FREE AGENT CENTER MICHAL HANDZUS TO A FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT

JULY 2, 2007 -- LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have signed free agent center Michal Handzus to a four-year contract, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced today. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.

Handzus, 30, has played eight NHL seasons including one this past season with the Chicago Blackhawks - three with the Philadelphia Flyers (2002-03 to 2003-04 and 2005-06), two with the Phoenix Coyotes (2000-01 and 2001-02) and three with the St. Louis Blues (1998-99 to 2000-01). In 517 career regular season games, he has 300 points (115-185=300), 313 penalty minutes and a plus-51 rating. In 60 career playoff games, he has 25 points (7-18=25), 34 penalty minutes and a plus-4 rating.

This past season, Handzus appeared in eight games with Chicago and collected eight points (3-5=8), six penalty minutes and a plus-4 rating. He collected his 300th NHL point versus St. Louis on October 21, 2006. He also matched a career high with three assists in a game versus the Columbus Blue Jackets on October 7, 2006.

Handzus, a former teammate of center Ladislav Nagy in both St. Louis and Phoenix, finished second on Philadelphia in scoring in 2003-04 with a career high 58 points (20-38=58), and he helped the Flyers win an Atlantic Division title and reach the Eastern Conference Finals that year. In addition, he finished second in voting for the Frank J. Selke Trophy (given to the NHL’s best defensive forward) after scoring a career high 25 goals and finishing with a career high plus-19 in 1999-00. Handzus has scored 44 or more points five times and 20 or more goals three times during his NHL career.

Handzus, a 6-5, 217-pound native of Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, was originally selected by St. Louis in the fourth-round (101st overall) in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft.

Internationally, Handzus has represented Slovakia at the 2002 Winter Olympics Games, the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, and at the World Championships in 2005, 2002 (gold medal) and 2000 (silver medal). He has also represented Slovakia at the World Junior Championships in 1996 and 1997.

JULY 2, 2007 -- LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have signed free agent left wing Ladislav Nagy to a one-year contract, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced today. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.

Nagy, 28, has played seven NHL seasons with the Dallas Stars, the Phoenix Coyotes and the St. Louis Blues. In 397 career regular season games, he has 285 points (106-179=285), 340 penalty minutes and a plus-37 rating. In 18 career playoff games, he has four points (2-2=4) and 23 penalty minutes.

This past season, Nagy played with both Dallas and Phoenix, and he recorded a career high 43 assists, 55 points (12-43=55) and 54 penalty minutes while matching a career high with 80 games played. Nagy had 41 points (8-33=41) and 48 penalty minutes in 55 games with Phoenix before he was traded to Dallas in exchange for left wing Mathias Tjarnqvist and a first-round selection in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft on February 12, 2007. In 25 games with Dallas, Nagy recorded 14 points (4-10=14) and six penalty minutes.

Nagy also recorded two points (1-1=2), two penalty minutes and a plus-1 rating in seven Stanley Cup playoff games with Dallas this past postseason.

Nagy, who has recorded 52 or more points in each of his last four NHL seasons and is a three-time 20-goal scorer in the league, began his NHL career with the Blues in 1999-00. The 5-11, 192-pound native of Saca, Slovakia, was originally selected by the Blues in the seventh-round (177th overall) in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. In addition, he was a teammate of center Michal Handzus in both St. Louis and Phoenix.

Internationally, Nagy was named to Team Slovakia for the 2006 Winter Olympics Games but missed the tournament because of injury. He did skate for Slovakia at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, and at the World Championships in 2003 (bronze medal), 2002 (gold medal) and 2001. He also represented his country at the World Junior Championships in 1999 (bronze medal).

KINGS SIGN FREE AGENT
LEFT WING KYLE CALDER

TO A TWO-YEAR CONTRACT

JULY 2, 2007 -- LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have signed free agent left wing Kyle Calder to a two-year contract, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced today. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.

Calder, 28, has played seven NHL seasons – six with the Chicago Blackhawks (1999-06) – and this past season with both the Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit Red Wings. In 397 career regular season games, he has 245 points (99-146=245) and 242 penalty minutes. In 18 career playoff games, he has three points (2-1=3), 10 penalty minutes and a plus-1 rating.

This past season, Calder recorded 21 points (9-12=21) and 36 penalty minutes in 59 games with Philadelphia. He was acquired by Detroit in a three-team deal that also included Chicago on February 27, 2006, and in 19 games with the Red Wings, he recorded 14 points (5-9=14), 22 penalty minutes and a plus-6 rating.

Calder also recorded one assist, eight penalty minutes and a plus-1 rating in 13 playoff games as he helped lead the Red Wings to the Western Conference Finals this past postseason.

Calder, who established new career highs for goals (26) and points (59) with Chicago in 2005-06, is a two-time 20-goal scorer in the NHL who has averaged 77 games played over his last five NHL seasons. The 5-11, 180-pound native of Mannville, Alberta, was originally selected by Chicago in the fifth-round (130th overall) in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft.

Internationally, Calder has played for his native Canada at the World Championships in 2006, 2003 (gold medal) and 2002, and at the World Junior Championships in 1999 (silver medal).

Prior to turning pro, Calder played with both Kamloops and Regina in the Western Hockey League (WHL) from 1995-99.

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