Oct. 10--Normally, a veteran goalie joining a minor league team on a professional tryout would not merit much more than a passing glance.
Ray Emery, however, is different.
It is a needed depth move for the Kings' organization. Its minor league team in Ontario (Calif.) announced Saturday morning that Emery has agreed to a professional tryout. Emery, 33, has appeared in 287 NHL games, mostly recently with the Philadelphia Flyers last season and Chicago before that. The bulk of his career was played in Ottawa. He even had a short run (10 regular-season games) in Anaheim in 2010-11.
The Kings' farm system, once well-stocked with able goalies, suddenly has needs because of injuries and other factors. They lost goalie JF Berube to the New York Islanders on waivers before the start of the regular season, and talented prospect Patrik Bartosak is injured and expected to be out about a month.
Earlier this week, the organization signed veteran goalie Peter Budaj, who had been in Kings training camp on a tryout, to a one-year deal.
There has been a fascinating triangle of goalie moves. Emery had been in Tampa Bay's training camp on a pro tryout but was released Sept. 27 when the Lightning claimed goalie Kevin Poulin off waivers. That led the Islanders to grab Berube when he went on waivers, and the Kings' organization needed to fill a slot.
It all makes sense ... eventually.
