Ducks Sign LaCouture, King and Skinner

[Thrillhouse]

The Ducks announced today that they have signed left wing Jason King, free-agent left wing Dan LaCouture and defenseman Brett Skinner to one-year contracts.

King, 25, (9/14/81), played in 55 NHL games with Vancouver from 2002 to 2004, scoring 12-11=23 points. The 6-1, 195-pound forward played with Manitoba, Vancouver’s primary development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL), in parts of four seasons from 2002-2006.

A native of Corner Brook, Newfoundland, King played with Skelleftea AIK HK in the Swedish Elite league last season, scoring 15-4=19 points with 20 penalty minutes (PIM) in 55 games. He was acquired from Vancouver with a conditional third-round choice in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for Ryan Shannon on June 23, 2007. He was drafted by Vancouver in the seventh round (212th overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

LaCouture, 30 (4/18/77), played in six games with New Jersey last year, going scoreless with seven PIM. In addition, the Hyannis, Mass., native played in 39 games with Lowell in 2006-07 and scored 8-4=12 points with 33 PIM.

In 326 career NHL games with Edmonton, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, Boston and New Jersey, the 6-3, 215-pound LaCouture has scored 18-25=43 points with 338 PIM. He was originally drafted by the New York Islanders in the second round (29th overall) of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.

Skinner, 24, (6/28/83), split the 2006-07 season between Portland (AHL) and Omaha (AHL). With Portland, he scored 6-12=18 points with 24 PIM in 41 games played. In Omaha, Skinner scored 0-6=6 points with two PIM in 21 games. In five playoff games with Omaha, he scored 0-3=3 points. In addition to his time in Portland and Omaha, Skinner played in five games with Augusta of the ECHL and scored 1-3=4 points.

Skinner was acquired from Vancouver with a second-round choice in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for defenseman Keith Carney and defenseman Juha Alen on March 9, 2006. He was originally drafted by Vancouver in the third round (68th overall) of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.

[Podollan]

LaCotoure is not bad , most guys don't like him, but I do.
He is not a heavyweight, but will fight from time to time and stepped up for the Wings 1 or 2 years ago. I was impressed that he was willing to fight Erskine and Sugden I think.

I am not to happy about King.

But all 3 are minor signings.

[intricateproces]

thank god LaCoture is gone. I hate the guy and he was as useless as t1ts on a bull last year. Fought like 3 times year, 2 of them being him jumping a non fighter.

[Isles4life]

Maybe playing for a team like Anaheim that values guys who will play a physical, grinding style will bring out the best in LaCouture. He's been pretty worthless recently.

[Captain Crunch28]

Not sure if LaCouture will see much time in the NHL... He also didnt fight that much last season either.

[Purely_Purinton]

Good depth signing of LaC for the 4th line, probably will play the teams w/o an enforcer and Parros will play the others.

[Gtrain15]

Looks like the Ducks are making sure they get their repeat

[intricateproces]

Originally Posted by Purely_Purinton

Good depth signing of LaC for the 4th line, probably will play the teams w/o an enforcer and Parros will play the others.

no way in hell LaCoture makes this team out of camp. an AHL signing

[Flames_Suck44]

Ol' Danny sure lucked out in this one...

How long 'til he is a throw-in the Ducks' next trade?

Originally Posted by intricateproces

no way in hell LaCoture makes this team out of camp. an AHL signing

yesurr

[Kingdog819]

Originally Posted by Purely_Purinton

Good depth signing of LaC for the 4th line, probably will play the teams w/o an enforcer and Parros will play the others.

Originally Posted by intricateproces

no way in hell LaCoture makes this team out of camp. an AHL signing

With Portlands toughness kind of fading away, signing LaCouture makes sense to me. He can be called up in a pinch if the ducks catch the injury bug, and since he has NHL exp. He would be better to call up imo.

[BrianTheAdsFan]

Minors...Minors...and....Minors...

[DaveBrown69]

I agree minors for sure.

[airbreather765]

lacotoure will fight but he is not good at it, and i doubt he will make the ducks anyway

[MrFrost]

Hes a great minor sign though. plenty of NHL experience if injuries happen. Good to see him go somewhere. It couldve been a pansy euro.