The Capitals opted not to give a qualifying offer to Michael Latta, but the pugnacious six-foot forward didn’t linger in free agency long. Elliotte Friedman has announced that Latta has been signed to a one-year deal by the Los Angeles Kings.
https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/748940766697979904
We do not know the salary of the deal yet. Update: Latta will reportedly earn $600k.
Latta's AAV is $600K. One-way contract, via team source.
— LA Kings Insider (@lakingsinsider) July 1, 2016
Latta should be a good fit in LA. The Kings play a bit faster than Latta’s tempo, but stylistically they’re a match: defensively stout, quick in transition, aggressive on forecheck.
Speaking with RMNB’s Ian Oland earlier this week, Latta said he hoped for more regular assignments on his next deal. “When I’m only playing six minutes a night and kind of sitting on the bench not getting really into a game,” Latta said,” it kind of takes away my emotions.”
Latta said he wants to play for “a team that’s going to give me an opportunity and a chance to play and prove that I can play, put up offense, be more than just a guy that likes to mix it up and drop the gloves.”
In LA, he can do exactly that.
Best wishes, Michael!
