Emerson Glad to Stay in L.A.

Nelson Emerson was disappointed Friday when he went unclaimed in the NHL waiver draft.

But he was also delighted.

A part of him wished that another team would have found him attractive enough to grab up for the $40,000 waiver price, but the veteran winger didn’t want to leave the Kings and uproot his wife June and their four children.

The Kings left him unprotected because they believed that no other team would take Emerson, 34, because of his age and his contract. He is guaranteed $1.9 million this season and $2 million next season, a steep price for a forward who had 22 points in 78 games last season. The Kings had also left him unprotected in last year’s expansion draft.

Only nine players changed teams Friday, the most notable being goaltender Chris Osgood, who went from Detroit to the New York Islanders. No Kings were taken, nor did the Kings claim anybody.

“It took me until I was 34 to be put on the waiver list,” Emerson said, “so I guess you can take pride and encouragement out of that.”

*

Adam Deadmarsh, who has sat out all four exhibition games and has not participated in contact drills, will sit out tonight’s game against the Colorado Avalanche at Staples Center because of a groin injury.

The winger hopes to play in Monday night’s exhibition finale against the Avalanche at Denver.