Ponikarovsky

Fantasy Impact: The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to a deal with Alexei Ponikarovsky per TSN. The contract is for one year.

The Kings get: a 55-point player who can check a little and offers nice size. It was clear that all that Alexander Frolov would give them was 55 or 60 points (when he felt like it). So if the Kings were going to get that offense anyway, they may as well get it from a guy who is bigger and can backcheck.Adding Ponikarovsky gives the Kings six players in the Top 79 in hits last year (along with Dustin Brown, Matt Greene, Drew Doughty, Jarett Stoll and Jack Johnson). Keep your head up!

Fantasy Players Impacted: Any hope that Brad Richardson or Scott Parse had of getting into the top six have now been vanquished. Ditto for Oscar Moller. Ponikarovsky picked a good up-tempo team to join and yes, he’ll get some shifts with Anze Kopitar. Don’t expect him to top 60 points though – but at least his usual 50-55 range is secure. It was in jeopardy had he signed with a number of other teams. Other wingers like Ryan Smyth, Justin Williams and Dustin Brown, will not see any up or down movement in their production.

Fantasy Players this deal helps, in order:

1. Ponikarovsky

2. Michal Handzus/Stoll/Brayden Schenn

Fantasy Players this deal hurts, in order:

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1. Moller

2. Richardson

3. Parse