Kings Acquire Denis Gauthier, Second Round Pick From Flyers

[ScottRasner]

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have acquired defenseman Denis Gauthier and a second round selection in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenseman Patrik Hersley and forward Ned Lukacevic, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced Tuesday.

Gauthier, 31, notched 18 points (3-15=18) and 80 penalty minutes in 78 games with the Philadelphia Phantoms of the American Hockey League (AHL) this past season. The 6-3, 224-pound native of Montreal, Quebec, also had one point (an assist) and 17 penalty minutes in 11 postseason games with the Phantoms.

Gauthier is a veteran of nine NHL seasons. He has played in 489 career NHL regular season games with the Flyers, Phoenix Coyotes and Calgary Flames, and has 73 points (15-58=73) and 658 penalty minutes. He appeared in 43 games with the Flyers in 2006-07 and collected four points (all assists) and 45 penalty minutes while in 2005-06 he recorded 11 points (2-9=11) and 98 penalty minutes in 62 games with the Coyotes and Flames. Gauthier was originally selected by Calgary in the first round (20th overall) in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft.

Hersley, 22, played in 42 games this past season with the Manchester Monarchs (AHL), where he recorded nine points (1-8=9) and 27 penalty minutes. Hersley also played in 20 regular season games with the Reading Royals (ECHL), where he recorded 18 points (3-15=18) and 18 penalty minutes, while also accumulating nine points (3-6=9) and 10 penalty minutes in 13 Reading playoff games. The 6-3, 205-pound native of Malmo, Sweden, was originally selected by the Kings in the fifth-round (139th overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

Lukacevic, 22, played in 61 games this past season with the Royals, where he recorded 36 points (17-19=36) and 52 penalty minutes. He also played in eight playoff games for Reading and recorded two points (both assists) and two penalty minutes. The 6-0, 185-pound native of Podgorica, Serbia, was originally selected by the Kings in the fourth-round (110th overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

[blackngold]

They're getting a little nasty on their blue line. Matt Greene and now Gauthier.

[Isles4life]

Originally Posted by blackngold

They're getting a little nasty on their blue line. Matt Greene and now Gauthier.

Yeah. Even if the Kings are still rebuilding, they'll be less fun to play against this year with the way the team is shaping up.

[LAKINGSNUT]

i had a feeling this might happen when i read Philly was waiving him. i'm glad we picked up, "that visor wearing french-canadian"!!!!!

was it visor wearing or shield wearing?

[Jensen]

Why would Philly give up Gauthier and a 2nd round pick for basically 2 ECHL'ers?

[Philly Fan 27]

Originally Posted by Jensen

Why would Philly give up Gauthier and a 2nd round pick for basically 2 ECHL'ers?

cap space. philly owes him nothing now.

[canuckfan]

Good luck with Gauthier - just pray you can keep him healthy enough to play more than 60 games. I'm wondering if we'll ever see this reckless pansy play an NHL game ever again.

But, I can't help but think that this reeks of a minor league deal - I mean, what are the odds he'll crack the team in Septemeber with all these young d-men the Kings have piled up? I guess if Hickey, Doughty, or Teubert can't make the team or stumle down the stretch, then Gauthier can step in as the fifth or sixth d-man.

[bupz91]

Neither of those players seem very good to me. But I only kinda liked Gauthier anyway, and he is a very expensive player for not very much talent.

[R.Middleton]

Gauthier is fun to watch but his positioning sucks.

[NickDoh]

still waiting for the kings to make a decent move... bye bye cammy, fired coach months too late, and little nothing deals like this... wont take much to do better than last season, but nothing to get excited about yet.

[blackngold]

Originally Posted by NickDoh

still waiting for the kings to make a decent move... bye bye cammy, fired coach months too late, and little nothing deals like this... wont take much to do better than last season, but nothing to get excited about yet.

I'd say the deal for Stoll and Greene was pretty good.

[Grittzkey]

If anything else, the kings will be fun as hell to watch this year

[DARCY T]

what a stupid trade.another one.la should look for a new GM.

[LAKINGSNUT]

Originally Posted by DARCY T

what a stupid trade.another one.la should look for a new GM.

they trade two minor leaguers who don't fit with the teams program for a defenseman who might be able to make the team and fill in a physical role that LA has desperately needed on defense for the past 2-3 seasons and its a bad trade? i hope he and Greene both make the team to give us something other teams have to watch out for when they play LA. i'm also hoping Johnson is able to play the game as physical as we'd all hoped he would. that would give us 3 physical d-men more than we've had in a some time. Gleason being the exception of course.

[Blouin]

La gets the nod on this trade as long as Gauthier stays healthy