While forward Jeff Carter being dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins was the Los Angeles Kings’ only trade at the deadline, the team also signed Alex Iafallo to an extension.
As the deadline got closer and closer, there were concerns that the Kings may look to deal Iafallo, rather than losing him for nothing in free agency if the two sides couldn’t get a contract done. In the end, however, the forward agreed to a four-year contract, which carries an AAV of $4 million per year.
I think the price on the deal is a really fair amount for Iafallo. He’s a good piece to round out the top-six group and is likely to be good for about 50 points per 82 game going forward. He’s a hard worker, is good defensively and not to sound cliché, but he does the little things right. The price is also low enough that if he ends up being shifted down the lineup later in the contract, it wouldn’t be a ridiculous amount to pay for a third-line forward.
As for the term, earlier I had said three years would be ideal for an extension but I think four years is certainly reasonable. The deal will expire when Iafallo is 31 years old and the Kings shouldn’t need to worry about a potential decline before then. Additionally, it’ll be expiring right around the time when some other top prospects are likely to be coming off their entry-level contracts, which ensures a manageable cap situation.
I’m happy to see Iafallo sticking around with the Kings on this extension. I think it’s a really fair deal all around and signing him at a good price was likely a better option than flipping him for future assets. He’s still young enough to continue to be effective in the coming years and hopefully, he’ll play a part in Los Angeles rising back to contender status.
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Are you happy with Alex Iafallo's contract extension?
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