Kings Sign Defenseman Willie Mitchell

[lakingsfan19]

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on a two-year contract with unrestricted free agent defenseman Willie Mitchell, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced today.

Mitchell, 32, recorded 12 points (4-8=12), 48 penalty minutes and a plus-13 plus/minus rating in 48 regular season games this past season with Vancouver. Known as a stay-at-home defenseman, he had a time-on-ice average of 22:36 per game which ranked third on the Canucks, and his short-handed time-on-ice average of 4:04 per game led the team. Including this past season, Mitchell has logged 22-plus minutes of ice per game over the last four seasons. He’s also logged 20-plus minutes of ice time in each of his last eight seasons.

Mitchell, who only missed a total of 10 regular season games due to injury in the previous two seasons (2008-09 and 2007-08), was sidelined for 34 regular season games this past season after suffering a concussion vs. Pittsburgh on Jan. 16, 2010. The 6-3, 208-pound native of Port McNeil, British Columbia, also missed the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs because of his injury.

Mitchell, who was named one of Vancouver’s alternate captains prior to the start of the 2008-09 season, set career-highs for games played (82), assists (20), points (23) and plus/minus rating (plus-29) while also collecting 59 penalty minutes for Vancouver in the 2008-09 campaign, and his plus-29 rating and short-handed time-on-ice average of 4:15 per game led the team. In addition, his time-on-ice average of 22:54 per game ranked second overall on the team, as did his 125 blocked shots. For his efforts, he was named the Canucks “Best Defenseman” for a second consecutive season. Mitchell also skated in 10 postseason games (10 GP, 0-2=2, 22 PIM) during the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs while helping Vancouver advance to the Western Conference Semifinals. His average time-on-ice of 24:12 during the playoffs led the Canucks.

In 2007-08, Mitchell’s second season with the Canucks, the blueliner was voted Vancouver’s “Best Defenseman” after recording 12 points (2-10=12), 81 penalty minutes and a plus-6 rating in 72 regular season games while logging career highs for time-on-ice average per game (23:11) and short-handed time-on-ice average per game (4:24; led the team). That same season, Mitchell led the team with 109 blocked shots.

Mitchell signed with Vancouver as a free agent in July of 2006, and he totaled 11 points (1-10=11), 45 penalty minutes and a plus-1 rating in 62 regular season games during the 2006-07 season. He also led the team with 121 blocked shots and a short-handed time-on-ice average of 4:57 per game (third in the league). In the playoffs that year, Mitchell had one assist and 12 penalty minutes in 12 games to go along with a time-on-ice average of 27:13 per game and a short-handed time-on-ice average of 5:19 per game (led the team).

In 2005-06, Mitchell suited up for both Dallas and Minnesota, totaling 10 points (2-8=10), a career-high 113 penalty minutes and a plus-19 rating in 80 regular season games. He had eight points (2-6=8), 87 penalty minutes and a plus-15 rating in 64 regular season games with Minnesota – and in December of 2005 he was named captain as the Wild (Minnesota had a monthly rotating captaincy. He later was traded to Dallas along with Minnesota’s second-round choice in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft (Nico Saccheti) for Martin Skoula and Shawn Belle on March 9, 2006. In 16 regular season games with Dallas, Mitchell collected two assists, 26 penalty minutes and a plus-4 rating. In five postseason games with the Stars, he went scoreless with two penalty minutes.

Mitchell spent three full seasons with the Wild after being traded to Minnesota from New Jersey for Sean O’Donnell on March 4, 2001. In 2003-04, he totaled 14 points (1-13=14), 83 penalty minutes and a plus-12 rating in 70 regular season games while logging an average of 22:35 of ice time per game (second on the team). In 2002-03, he totaled 14 points (2-12=14), 84 penalty minutes and a plus-13 rating in 69 regular season games before he and the Wild advanced to the Western Conference Finals. During the 2003 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Mitchell collected four points (1-3=4), 14 penalty minutes and a plus-5 rating in 18 postseason games. In 2001-02, he recorded 13 points (3-10=13) and 68 penalty minutes in 68 regular season games with the Wild.

During the 2000-01 season, Mitchell began play with the Devils (16 GP, 0-2=2, 29 PIM) before he was acquired by the Wild (17 GP, 1-7=8, 11 PIM, Plus-4) and the Devils (16 GP, 0-2=2, 29 PIM). His totals that season included 10 points (1-9=10), 40 penalty minutes and a plus-4 rating in 33 regular season games. Mitchell made his NHL debut with the Devils in 1999-00, going scoreless with zero penalty minutes in two regular season games.

Mitchell, who was originally selected by New Jersey in the eighth-round (199th overall) in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, has 19 goals, 100 assists, 119 points (19-100=119), 621 penalty minutes and a plus-82 rating in 586 career NHL regular season games with the Canucks, Stars, Wild and Devils. He also has appeared in 45 career postseason games, recording seven points (1-6=7), 50 penalty minutes and a plus-1 rating.

On the International stage, Mitchell suited up for his native Canada at the 2004 World Championships where he was a member of the gold-medal winning team (9 GP, 0-0=0, 0 PIM).

Prior to embarking on his NHL career, Mitchell, an avid fisherman, played two seasons with Clarkson University (NCAA) where he was named to the NCAA East Second All-American Team in 1999 and ECAC Rookie of the year in 1998 (co-winner with Eric Cole). He also appeared on the roster of the Albany River Rats (AHL) in 1998-99, 1999-00 and 2000-01 before becoming a full-timer in the NHL.

[thepolishkid88]

Decent signing. Hope he stays healthy.

[NickDoh]

i approve!

[lakingsfan19]

Originally Posted by NickDoh

i approve!

Damn man... You called it... Now take your fame and go bag Heidi Androl

[NickDoh]

hammond says 2yr 3.5 each.

[Nightshade88]

Doughty - Mitchell
is looking real scary.

[lakingsfan19]

Originally Posted by Nightshade88

Doughty - Mitchell
is looking real scary.

add Scud, Johnson and Greene???


The "D" is looking real good....

[GIANTSFAN]

LA is looking ready to compete for the Cup.

[NickDoh]

another piece of the puzzle. a little pricey but with him passing all tests with flying colors, if thats what it took to get him, im fine with it. and its just 2yrs not 3yrs he was rumored to have wanted.

[JKidd]

Not sure how or why this is a good deal, at 3.5 per.

He's coming off of a year where he just missed something like 50 games with his latest concussion which is or should be becoming a huge concern for him, and the style he plays.

When healthy, he's a marquee shut down guy, but at 3.5 per when you don't really know how many games you're getting him for is kind of risky and stupid to me.

[NickDoh]

Originally Posted by jkidd

Not sure how or why this is a good deal, at 3.5 per.

He's coming off of a year where he just missed something like 50 games with his latest concussion which is or should be becoming a huge concern for him, and the style he plays.

When healthy, he's a marquee shut down guy, but at 3.5 per when you don't really know how many games you're getting him for is kind of risky and stupid to me.

well its the reasons i said.

he was looking for three years, kings wanted him for two.

he wouldve been cheap, but he did well on all physicals and teams got interested. four teams wanted him over the last 2 weeks.

thats the price it took for the kings to get him. and on paper hes good to go. eh, as a kings fan. im happy.

a shutdown defensive minded dman was big on my offseason wishlist.

[lakingsfan19]

Originally Posted by jkidd

Not sure how or why this is a good deal, at 3.5 per.

He's coming off of a year where he just missed something like 50 games with his latest concussion which is or should be becoming a huge concern for him, and the style he plays.

When healthy, he's a marquee shut down guy, but at 3.5 per when you don't really know how many games you're getting him for is kind of risky and stupid to me.

I agree.. I think it's a little too much.. But The Kings have the cash to spend and I think Lombardi was feeling pressure from the fans to not let another player fall through the cracks. With that and Greene out for a couple weeks of the regular season, I think he felt he had to take the chance.

I might not agree with it all. How can Lombardi justifty over paying Mitchell and under bidding on Kovalchuk?

If Mitchell returns to his true form it will work out for the Kings.. Still a little much, but I think they could afford to take the gamble...

Oh yeah and just to compare.. Randy Jones made 4 mil last season.. Good luck with that one Shark fans if you decide to sign him.

[LAKINGSNUT]

Originally Posted by jkidd

Not sure how or why this is a good deal, at 3.5 per.

He's coming off of a year where he just missed something like 50 games with his latest concussion which is or should be becoming a huge concern for him, and the style he plays.

When healthy, he's a marquee shut down guy, but at 3.5 per when you don't really know how many games you're getting him for is kind of risky and stupid to me.

the Kings really had no options with how fast everyone they targeted bolted to other teams. it is a bit steep to pay for a stay at home defenseman, but the Kings set the price when they paid Scuderi his money last year. i like the signing in that it gives the Kings 3 very solid stay at home defenseman to go along Johnson and Doughty. the 6th spot will be fought for by the prospects in the Kings system.

[dumby]

Originally Posted by LAKINGSNUT

the Kings really had no options with how fast everyone they targeted bolted to other teams. it is a bit steep to pay for a stay at home defenseman, but the Kings set the price when they paid Scuderi his money last year. i like the signing in that it gives the Kings 3 very solid stay at home defenseman to go along Johnson and Doughty. the 6th spot will be fought for by the prospects in the Kings system.

Good point, The Greene injury left them vulnerable, and other than mitchell pickings were slim, who's left out there ? paul mara...

[Isles4life]

Yes, this contract does seem a bit pricey, but it does strengthen a Kings blueline that already had a very strong nucleus. I think Mitchell will end up being a very good addition for LA if he can manage to stay healthy.