The Los Angeles Kings have waived defenseman Christian Ehrhoff, according to multiple sources Wednesday.
The 33-year-old German is on a one-year deal that pays him just $1.5 million.
It looked like a great signing in the summer, but Ehrhoff’s numbers have dropped off some again this season and he’s found himself a regular healthy scratch lately.
With a 0.47 points per 60 minutes of even strength play (P/60), he’s got the lowest mark of team defensemen this side of Jamie McBain. He’s provided some offense on the power play, contributing seven assists, but he still has just two goals and nine assists on the season.
More troubling is his -2.38% CF%Rel despite getting the second best relative zone starts on the team. He hasn’t been the offensive boost on the blue line that the team probably hoped he’d be. Though his 46.74 shot attempts against per 60 minutes of even strength play (CA60) has been ok, and it falls in the middle of team defensemen, above Jake Muzzin, Luke Schenn and Alec Martinez.
The raw numbers and his rank may be worth looking at there though. L.A. is a very good defensive team. All things considered, Ehrhoff isn’t at the top of his game and it’d be tough for him to be posting top relative marks when that’s comparing him to guys like Muzzin and Drew Doughty.
With just a year left on his deal, he may not be much use as a claim to an ailing team that might like him on the roster next year, but he should nonetheless find his way to another home.
UPDATE:
Ehrhoff has cleared waivers.