The Los Angeles Kings have signed free agent Damir Sharipzyanov to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced this week.
The 19-year-old defenseman Sharipzyanov was an undrafted free agent who has spent the last two seasons playing for the Owen Sound Attack in the OHL. Last season he posted nine goals and 25 assists in 66 games for the Attack.
General Fanager reports that the deal is worth the maximum $925,000 on the entry-level deal.
While Sharipzyanov was not drafted in the NHL, he was drafted into the KHL in his home country. He was a 2013 3rd round draft pick by Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk and played for his country’s U18 team following that in the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament.
Sharipzyanov is likely to play this season in the OHL, but adds depth to the Kings’ organization as they deal with potential cap struggles (depending on how the Mike Richards situation is resolved) and the possibility of the team losing Slava Voynov altogether once he’s done serving his jail term for a misdemeanor count of corporal injury to his spouse.
