Goaltender Fiset Traded to the Canadiens

The Kings were finally successful Tuesday in their season-long quest to unload goaltender Stephane Fiset.

Fiset, who had spent the entire season with the Kings’ American Hockey League team at Manchester, N.H., and has been hampered by knee injuries the last two years, was traded to the Montreal Canadiens for future considerations.

With a contract that pays him $2.7 million this season, with a club option for next season at $2.85 million, Fiset, 31, was at once expendable to the Kings and unattractive to other teams because of his salary and recent injury problems.

After playing in only seven games with the Kings last season because of a sprained left knee, an injury that led to the Kings’ late-season acquisition of Felix Potvin, Fiset played in 23 games for the Manchester Monarchs this season, compiling a 7-7-6 record and 3.13 goals-against average.

A one-time NHL regular who helped the Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup championship in 1996, Fiset is 164-152-44 with 16 shutouts in 388 NHL games. His numbers in 200 games with the Kings from the start of the 1996-97 season through last season included an 80-85-22 record, 2.83 GAA and 10 shutouts.

“Moving him now will save us some dollars between now and the end of the year on his salary,” King General Manager Dave Taylor said, “but it also gives him a chance to play on the NHL level.”

If the Canadiens do not exercise the option on Fiset’s contract for next season, a good possibility, the Kings will receive no compensation.

Craig Johnson, who left Monday night’s 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks after suffering a cut above his left eye, underwent surgery Tuesday to repair damage in his right eye. A first-period hit sent Johnson face-first into the glass, opening the cut over his left eye and tearing the retina in his right.

The veteran winger is expected to be sidelined at least 10 days.

Jerry Crowe