Kings Seek One-Two Punch With Signing of Schneider

Mathieu Schneider was looking for a fresh start, the Kings were looking for a defenseman who can score and the two made a match Sunday.

The result will be a different match for the Kings.

Schneider, a free agent whose last employer was the New York Rangers, signed a one-year contract with the Kings, who will pair him on defense with captain Rob Blake.

Mattias Norstrom, Blake’s partner for the past three seasons, will probably be paired with Jere Karalahti.

Schneider’s contract is worth $2 million and has bonuses that can bring his salary close to the $2.75 million he earned with the Rangers. There is an option for a second season that either side can trigger unless he has 35 points. Then the move is his.

“I had a condo in Santa Monica and just sold it last winter,” said Schneider, who has spent four off-seasons in Southern California, working out with several Kings under the tutelage of Venice fitness guru T.R. Goodman.

“Now, I have to find another one.”

It’s a search he’s happy to make.

“The most important thing for me was to get myself in a good situation, one in which I’d be happy,” said Schneider, 31, who was anything but in New York, playing for his hometown team for the past two seasons after stints with Toronto, the New York Islanders and Montreal.

“Some other teams, like the Islanders [who also were mentioned in the courtship of Schneider], they are rebuilding and that’s something I really just didn’t want at this point in my career.”

Schneider’s agent, Santa Monica-based Pat Brisson, talked with several teams, including Washington, Detroit and Dallas, but kept coming back to the Kings.

Schneider was ready to leave the Rangers, who did not try to re-sign him after getting free agent Vladamir Malakhov in July. Signing Malakhov and losing Schneider were moves designed to remake the Rangers under new General Manager Glen Sather.

That’s fine with Schneider.

“This is nothing against New York,” he said, “but it’s a hard city to play in when you’re not winning. . . .

“I needed a fresh start.”

Part of the allure of the Kings was that they are not coached by John Muckler, with whom Schneider clashed in one of the more public of several conflicts the former coach had with Ranger players.

When King Coach Andy Murray talked with Schneider about being paired with Blake, Schneider’s eyes lit up. The two have trained together under Goodman.

“Mathieu Schneider provides us with more options,” Murray said. “He gives us a No. 2 offensive defenseman [Blake being No. 1], and he certainly gives us some ability on the power play.”

Schneider, a left-handed shot who played on the right point with the Ranger power play, will probably move to the left in deference to Blake, perhaps the best offensive defenseman with a man advantage in the NHL.

With the loss of Garry Galley to free agency and Sean O’Donnell in the expansion draft, the Kings were looking for an experienced top-four defenseman. “He’s a very good fit for us,” said Dave Taylor, the Kings’ senior vice president and general manager. “He’s a veteran defenseman with a lot of experience in the league, and he’s only 31.

“He’s a good skater and is very good on the power play. And he plays with an edge.”

Schneider averages about 65 penalty minutes a season, and has seven seasons of 10 or more goals. Last season he scored 10 goals and 30 points to go along with his 78 penalty minutes.

Schneider also brings Stanley Cup experience to a team that has little.

He won a title while playing for the Canadiens in 1993, and he scored in Game 3 of the finals.

The victims?

The Kings, in what has been the apex of the franchise’s 33 years.