The Los Angeles Kings have signed restricted free agents Nick Shore (two years), Jordan Weal (one year), Andrew Crescenzi (one year), Nic Dowd (one year) and Vincent LoVerde (two years) to new contracts, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced today.
The 23-year-old Shore (born on Sept. 26, 1992) is a 6-1, 194-pound forward from Denver, Colo. who appeared in 34 regular-season games last season with the Kings, tallying seven points (1-6=7), an even rating and 10 penalty minutes. He won 127-of-236 faceoffs (53.8 percent), which led the Kings in faceoff percentage in 2014-15.
A third round (82nd overall) selection of the Kings at the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Shore appeared in his first NHL game, Jan. 17 vs. Anaheim, and he recorded his first NHL point just four days later on Jan. 21 at San Jose. He scored his first goal on March 26 vs. the New York Islanders in the Kings last game at Nassau Coliseum. Shore spent the postseason with the Calder Cup Champion Manchester Monarchs, and he led the team in assists (14), finished fourth in points (18) and tied for fourth in plus/minus (plus-12).
The 23-year-old Weal (born April 15, 1992) is a 5-10, 179-pound forward from North Vancouver, B.C. who appeared in 73 games last season with Manchester, totaling 69 points (20-49=69), a plus-11 rating and 56 penalty minutes. Among league leaders he ranked third in the league in points and assists, and tied for fourth in game-winning goals (seven). Weal also appeared in all 19 postseason games during the Monarchs Calder Cup run, earning 22 points (10-12=22), a plus-12 rating and 16 penalty minutes. He was awarded the Jack A. Butterfield trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs after he tied for the league lead in points, tied for third in goals, ranked fifth in assists, and tied for second in game-winning goals (three).
A third round (70th overall) selection by the Kings at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Weal has appeared in 239 AHL games with Manchester, recording 173 points (58-115=173), a plus-47 rating and 136 penalty minutes. He has also appeared in 27 postseason games, totaling 27 points (10-17=27), a plus-10 rating and 22 penalty minutes.
The 22-year-old Crescenzi (born on July 29, 1992) is a 6-4, 199-pound forward from Thornhill, Ontario who appeared in 54 regular-season games last season with Manchester, registering 15 points (7-8=15) and 60 penalty minutes, setting career highs in games played, goals, assists, points and penalty minutes. He also appeared in 18 postseason games with the Calder Cup Champion Monarchs, totaling three points (0-3=3), a plus-1 rating and 19 penalty minutes.
Acquired from Toronto in exchange for Brandon Kozun on Jan. 22, 2014, Crescenzi has appeared in 117 AHL regular-season games between Toronto and Manchester, totaling 22 points (10-12=22) and 118 penalty minutes.
The 25-year-old Dowd (born May 27, 1990) is a 6-2, 197-pound forward from Huntsville, Ala. who appeared in 75 regular-season games during his first full professional season last season with Manchester (AHL), recording 41 points (9-32=41), a plus-17 rating and 44 penalty minutes. He appeared in all 19 postseason games with the Monarchs during their Calder Cup run, finishing with 13 points (7-6=13), a plus-6 rating and 10 penalty minutes.
A seventh round (198th overall) selection of the Kings at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Dowd has played in 82 regular-season AHL games with the Monarchs, registering 44 points (9-35=44), a plus-18 rating and 44 penalty minutes.
The 26-year-old LoVerde (born April 15, 1989) is a 5-11, 209-pound defenseman from Chicago, Ill. who appeared in 63 regular-season games last season with Manchester, scoring 20 points (9-11=20), a plus-11 rating and 63 penalty minutes. He also played in all 19 postseason games with the Monarchs, registering 10 points (2-8=10), a plus-13 rating and 27 minutes.
An undrafted free-agent signing by the Kings on May 14, 2014, Loverde has appeared in 184 AHL regular-season games with Manchester, totaling 53 points (13-40=53), a plus-65 rating and 139 penalty minutes.
