The Nashville Predators have claimed winger Samuel Fagemo off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports Monday. All other players placed on waivers yesterday, aside from new Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jansen Harkins, cleared.
While he may only have 13 NHL games to his name, this is a bit of a tough loss for the Kings. The team’s 50th overall pick in 2019, Fagemo has yet to crack the NHL full-time but looked good in a nine-game call-up last season, recording two goals and an assist despite receiving a paltry 7:51 per game. He tore things up in the minors in the goal-scoring department for a second straight season, too, posting 23 goals in 56 games with the AHL’s Ontario Reign to finish second on the team in goals.
The Kings have a lot of forward prospects, but it’s a pool that’s quickly evaporating as players like Quinton Byfield and Arthur Kaliyev are now full-time NHLers. Los Angeles had signed Fagemo to a one-year, two-way contract paying him $775K in the NHL and $100K in the AHL in July after his entry-level contract expired.
Fagemo, 23, now battles for a bottom-six spot with the Predators just over a week before the start of the regular season. His addition to the roster puts a fire under veterans like Kiefer Sherwood and Cole Smith to hang onto their fourth-line roles, while a youngster like Philip Tomasino also needs to step things up as he hasn’t quite secured a top-nine role throughout camp thus far. Given Tomasino still does not require waivers for assignment to the AHL, he could very well start the season with AHL Milwaukee after the Fagemo claim despite recording 18 points in 31 NHL contests last season.
Fagemo is a solid add.
Great payroll management by Blake. Had to trade away a lot of the prospects to get PLD. Now just giving them away because of no cap space to carry a 23 man roster!
PLD trade is one of the most overreacted deals I have ever seen. Kupari stinks. Iafallo is an expensive Trevor Moore who Kings needed off the books. Vilardi is made of glass. A 2nd round pick is whatever.
I agree. I didn’t like the price or the contract when it happened and it keeps getting worse. I hope on the long run people see this as connected to the PLD trade.
How is it connected if it OPENED roster spots by moving out 3 for 1? Going to be hilarious when Dubois is helping bring the Kings to the next level
You’ve heard of the salary cap, right? See the OP for clarity.
They had no cap room at the time of the trade. Money out had to = money in. Now what?
Now they signed him to that ridiculous contract and have to carry a shortened squad and are losing players to waivers… honestly have you read the OP? It’s like you are writing in a vacuum.
If he doesn’t trade 3 players for 1 he then has cap room but is now short so it’s likely Fagemo is still lost.
He overpaid a little for everyone he signed from Danault, to Fiala, to Gabrikov. It might be the travel or the CA taxes or just the NHL guys think CA is a non Hockey place.
Besides if he was that great it would have been JAD being waived. One assumes JAD was kept to show the teams appreciation for his willingness to play any role since Fagemo’s upside is so much higher.
What would a good young 50-70 point with upside center get on the open market? 7 million at minimum. Oh wow they overpaid him by a whole million for his entire prime. Anything else?
Thank you for a sensible reply Weasel – possibly true though also avoidable if they sign him to a 7.5 mil contract rather than the overpay which was the thrust of the OP.
AMK, its clear you either don’t understand the cap or roster makeup or the market for annually dramatic trade requesting, 2nd line centers, or all of the above. I’m done talking to a wall. Enjoy life.
LMAO we just watched Jonathan Huberdeau get paid 10 million cap hit for his 30s but PLD from his age 25-32 season is just too expensive at 8 mil. I’m done talking to the haters. Will let the play do the talking
Exactly. The problem is that “we” have three guys that are slightly overpaid by a half mil each.
But a risk worth taking.
Still could have traded Petersen, Iafallo, Walker without bring in PLD. Then keep Villardi and sign a decent goaltender. Would still have plenty of space to field a roster of 23 and keep some prospects instead of waiving them.
The Kings didn’t need Dubois, I think there the best team in the West IF they can get a goaltender which is what Blake should have focused on all summer!!!!!
Fagemo did nothing to stay in the lineup… Not a loss of any measure as the Kings will move forward just fine without him.
Happy trails, Samuel…
Sad part is, he could actually crack the Preds lineup. :/
he actually can score Gbear… give the kid a chance
Well, he did crack the lineup. ;)