Los Angeles Kings decline to give Keaton Ellerby qualifying offer

The Keaton Ellerby era could be over after a mere 35 regular-season games with the Kings.

Qualifying offers were due Tuesday afternoon and the Kings opted not to make one to the 24-year-old defenseman, which means he will become an unrestricted free agent. In addition to Ellerby, defenseman David Kolomatis and winger Stefan Legein were not given qualifying offers.

Qualifying offers did go out, as expected, to a handful of Kings: defenseman Alec Martinez, forwards Kyle Clifford, Trevor Lewis and Jordan Nolan, defenseman Jake Muzzin, forward Brian O’Neill, defenseman Andrew Bodnarchuk and goalie Martin Jones.

Ellerby was something of an insurance policy last season after injuries to Willie Mitchell and Matt Greene decimated the Kings’ blue line. They acquired Ellerby, a former first-round pick (10th overall in 2007) from the Florida Panthers in February for a fifth-round draft choice. He had three assists in 35 games with the Kings and was a plus-five.

By the end of the playoffs, he was not in the lineup. Ellerby played in five playoff games but no games in the Western Conference finals against Chicago and only one game during the Sharks series.

He made $700,000 last season, and the website Capgeek.com calculated his qualifying offer at $735,000. Although the Kings did not make him a qualifying offer, it is not out of the question that they could re-sign him during the free-agency period.

Free agency starts July 5.

The Ducks also made qualifying offers to left wing Matt Beleskey, center Kyle Palmieri and defensemen Alex Grant and Mat Clark. They did not make offers to goalie Marco Cousineau left wing Josh Brittain and defensemen Matt Kennedy and Ryan Parent.

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