Dwight King, three others receive qualifying offers from Kings

The Kings tendered qualifying offers to four players, including winger Dwight King, before Monday’s deadline to tender offers to restricted free agents in order to retain negotiating rights to those players.

They also tendered qualifying offers to forward Andy Andreoff, goaltender J.F. Berube, and defenseman Brayden McNabb. They did not tender qualifying offers to forwards James Livingston, Jonathan Parker and Steve Quailer. Players who were not tendered qualifying offers will become unrestricted free agents Tuesday.

The free-agency period, which starts Tuesday, is expected to feature some prominent players throughout the NHL changing uniforms.

Among those likely to be in demand is defenseman Willie Mitchell, who was told last week by Kings executives that the club would not have the salary-cap room to retain him. As a two-time Stanley Cup champion and locker-room leader he reportedly drew considerable interest last week when the period to negotiate with potential free agents began.

Also likely to be on the move are former Buffalo and St. Louis goalie Ryan Miller, who reportedly has been courted by the Vancouver Canucks; former Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller, who was pushed out by the rapid development of youngster John Gibson; former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Matt Niskanen, who can command big dollars as a puck-moving defender; veteran winger Jarome Iginla, most recently with Boston; winger Thomas Vanek, who went to college in Minnesota and met with the Wild last week, and Colorado center Paul Stastny, whose agent was still negotiating with the Avalanche last weekend.

Defenseman Christian Ehrhoff, who became a free agent when he was bought out by the Buffalo Sabres, might also get some offers, as might veteran defenseman Brooks Orpik, who reportedly was not going to be re-signed by the Penguins.

The Ducks signed minor league goalie Igor Bobkov to a one-year contract Monday. Bobkov, 23, split last season with Norfolk of the American Hockey League and Utah of the ECHL.