Kings buy out contract of defenseman Dion Phaneuf

Bill Marx

Kings buy out contract of defenseman Dion Phaneuf image

The Kings have bought out the final two years of defenseman Dion Phaneuf's contract, the team announced Saturday.

At one time a premier defenseman in the NHL, Phaneuf, 34, appeared in 67 games for Los Angeles this past season and set personal lows in plus-minus (minus-21) and time on ice (15:00). He was acquired by the Kings from the Senators late in the 2017-18 season. He had four goals and 12 assists in 93 games with the Kings. He has 137 goals and 357 assists over his 14-year NHL career.

The buyout will save the Kings $2.8 million and will open up $4 million of cap space next year, according to nbcsports.com.

Phaneuf was a first-round pick of the Flames (ninth overall) in the 2003 NHL Draft. He is a three-time All-Star and finished second in the voting for the Norris Trophy for the league's top defenseman in 2007-08, his third season in the league.

Bill Marx