Kings Sign Free Agent Drew Bagnall

[Thrillhouse]

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have signed free agent defenseman Drew Bagnall to a multi-year entry-level contract, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced Thursday.

Bagnall, 23, a first-team All America, ECACHL Player of the Year, ECACHL Outstanding Defensive Defenseman award winner and Hobey Baker award finalist, recorded 25 points (6-19=25), a team-leading 74 penalty minutes and a plus-10 rating in 39 games with St. Lawrence University this past season. In addition, the 6-3, 220-pound native of Oakbank, Manitoba, led all club defensemen in goals, assists and points.

Bagnall served as captain of the Saints, who won the 2006-07 ECACHL regular season title and advanced to the NCAA Northeast Regional semifinals. He also closed his amateur career at St. Lawrence University by earning ECACHL All-Academic honors for the third straight season.

In 2005-06, Bagnall recorded 10 points (1-9=10) and 32 penalty minutes even though he appeared in only 24 games because of an injury. In 2004-05, he recorded 19 points – including seven goals to lead all team blue-liners – in 37 games and his 68 penalty minutes led the team. In 2003-04, he was named the Saints Rookie of the Year after compiling 18 points (5-13=18) and 61 penalty minutes in 40 games.

Prior to his four seasons with the Saints, Bagnall was named the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Top Defenseman in 2002-03 after recording 64 points (17-47=64) and 252 penalty minutes in 59 games with Battlefords North Stars.

Bagnall, a teammate of Kings forward John Zeiler for three seasons at St. Lawrence University (2003-06), was originally selected by Dallas in the sixth-round (195th overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. His rights were later traded to Florida during the 2003-04 season.