Blake to Return to the Kings

Defensemen dominated a busy first day of NHL free agency, receiving contracts that were surprisingly long and lucrative for the new salary cap era. Zdeno Chara and Ed Jovanovski, prized for their muscle and mobility, went to Boston and Phoenix, respectively, while Rob Blake returned to the Kings, where he began his career.

The Kings, in contention for Chara until he chose to stay in the East, gave a two-year, $12-million deal to Blake, whom they’d traded to Colorado in 2001 after a contract stalemate. Blake, still effective at 36 though not as feared as in his prime, got one of the biggest deals made Saturday. Chara left Ottawa for a five-year, $37.5-million deal with the Bruins and Jovanovski left Vancouver for a five-year, $32.5-million deal with the Coyotes, topping a list of more than a dozen defensemen who moved to new teams.

Two sources said the Kings had also made a serious offer to Patrik Elias, the top free-agent forward. However, Elias remained in New Jersey with a seven-year, $42-million contract.

Blake was traded to Colorado after Dave Taylor, then the Kings’ general manager, was told to deal him rather than meet his request of a $9.6-million salary or lose him to free agency. Taylor dealt Blake and Steven Reinprecht for Adam Deadmarsh, Aaron Miller, two first-round draft picks and Jared Aulin, a prospect who didn’t pan out.

Booed relentlessly at Staples Center since then -- especially after Colorado won the Stanley Cup four months later -- Blake said he hoped fans will warm to his return.

“The process going forward was something that intrigued me,” said Blake, whose wife, Brandy, is from the South Bay, where the couple has a home.

He became interested in returning after he chatted with Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi and “understanding the program he wants to put forward and the level he wants this team playing at and where he wants to take it.”

The Kings also committed $3 million over two years to left wing Scott Thornton, who had 10 goals and 84 penalty minutes in 71 games with San Jose last season. Lombardi said Blake and Thornton are veterans who can “establish a culture and the way we expect athletes to show up at the rink and perform.”

However, the Kings lost defenseman Joe Corvo, who signed a four-year, $10.5-million contract with Ottawa. Corvo’s agent, Justin Duberman, said Ottawa saw Corvo as an offensive catalyst and replacement for Chara and another departed free agent, Brian Pothier, while the Kings told him they were going in a different direction.

“It was certainly Dean Lombardi’s right to do that, to start anew,” Duberman said. “You know what, Dean Lombardi is going to do a great job there. Joe is completely grateful to the Kings’ organization.”

The Kings also lost right wing Mark Parrish, who signed a five-year deal worth $2.65 million a year with the Wild in his native Minnesota. Parrish had five goals and eight points in 19 games after he was acquired with Brent Sopel for Jeff Tambellini, Denis Grebeshkov and a third-round draft pick, Taylor’s final trade.

In other notable moves, the Carolina Hurricanes retained two restricted free agents who played key roles in their Cup triumph, signing 100-point scorer Eric Staal to a three-year, $13.5-million contract and defenseman Mike Commodore for $2.5 million over two years.

The team also signed goaltender John Grahame, formerly of Tampa Bay, for $2.8 million over two years.

That gave the Lightning depth when Martin Gerber signed with Ottawa, making Dominik Hasek expendable. The Hurricanes also lost unrestricted free-agent center Matt Cullen to the New York Rangers.

The Cup runner-up Oilers signed goalie Dwayne Roloson to a three-year, $11-million deal. They’re still trying to trade defenseman Chris Pronger, who requested a move because of unspecified family concerns.