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Kings hand Garon paid try-out

mathieugarongetty

Ben Scrivens has quietly been a solid backup during his brief NHL career and he’s becoming a solid Twitter humorist to boot. He might have competition in his new home in Los Angeles, though.

Mayor’s Manor’s John Hoven reports (and the team confirms) that the Kings invited Mathieu Garon to training camp on a paid try-out.

Garon, 35, has plenty of experience tending net in Los Angeles. He played 95 regular season games for the Kings between 2005-06 and 2006-07. He didn’t put up outstanding stats, but he did manage 31 wins in 2005-06.

The veteran goalie bounced around the league since then, making his last stop in Tampa Bay, playing two seasons for the Lightning. The 2013 campaign didn’t go particularly well, as he went 5-9-2 with a .897 save percentage and 2.90 GAA in 18 games.

For the sake of comparison, Scrivens, 26, has had a better go of things lately. While his 7-9 record from 2013 isn’t anything special, he generated a nice .915 save percentage, 2.69 GAA and two shutouts in 20 games for the Maple Leafs.

Overall, the Kings are wise to give themselves options behind much-touted starter Jonathan Quick, as Scrivens gives them a younger look and Garon brings a veteran presence.

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins