The Los Angeles Kings have announced that they have signed free-agent forward Andreas Athanasiou to a one-year deal. It will carry a $1.2 million cap hit. Athanasiou split last season between the Edmonton Oilers and Detroit Red Wings.
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Kings Sign Andreas Athanasiou
Athanasiou was dealt to the Oilers prior to the 2019-20 trade deadline. In nine games with the Oilers, Athanasiou scored one goal and one assist. He failed to register a point in four playoff games.
Over the course of the season between the Oilers and Red Wings, Athanasiou scored 11 goals and 15 assists for 26 points in 55 games.
Originally drafted by the Red Wings in the fourth round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Athanasiou has appeared in 303 games. In those games, Athanasiou has accumulated 84 goals and 72 assists for 156 points.
What This Means for the Future
With the signing of Athanasiou, the club has added a solid depth piece to their roster. Athanasiou has some scoring punch which was proven during the 2018-19 season when he scored 30 goals for the Red Wings. While he may not hit the 30 goal mark again, Athanasiou has hit double digits in goals every season since entering the NHL. So he should at the very least be able to score between 10 to 20 goals with the potential for more.
Athanasiou is an outstanding skater and is capable of moving up and down the lineup as needed. He has shown during his time with the Red Wings that he is capable in playing in a team’s top six, however, he’s more of a middle-six forward. Athanasiou will also provide the club with some versatility as he is capable of playing all three forward positions as well as on both special teams. At just 26 years old, Athanasiou is only just entering his prime and could prove to be a very underrated signing for the club moving forward.
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