LOS ANGELES — Rob Blake’s first big move as the new general manager of the Los Angeles Kings was to make signing of one of his key potential restricted free agents quick and easy instead of a long, drawn out process.
Indeed, after trading goaltender Ben Bishop, who would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1, to the Dallas Stars in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2017 National Hockey League Draft, Blake signed left wing Tanner Pearson to a contract extension earlier today.