With free agency looming, it appears as though the Colorado Avalanche and team captain Gabriel Landeskog could be headed for a split.
Landeskog has spent his entire career with the Avalanche, where he became team captain after just one NHL season. This year, he scored 20 goals and 52 points in 54 games, a pace of 32 goals and 79 points per 82 games.
While it seems as though Landeskog would prefer to stay in Colorado and we can’t be sure he’ll actually even hit free agency, if he does, he'll be one of the biggest names available and there’s a good chance the Kings will be looking to make an offer. It's been speculated that the Kings could have interest in him and given that Los Angeles is looking to improve this offseason and are still reportedly seeking out another top-six forward, Landeskog could be a potential fit.
He plays with intensity and can be used either at center or on the wing, though given the Kings’ prospect depth at center, he’d likely be used on the wing in a top-line role if he joined Los Angeles. If Landeskog does hit the market though, he wouldn't come cheap, with Andy Strickland reporting that his ask could be $9 to $10 million per year.
That’s a lot of money to give out with a flat cap but if Landeskog does command that much money, the Kings realistically have the cap space to make it work right now. The issue with signing Landeskog wouldn’t be about the immediate implications though, it would be about what happens down the road.
While the Kings have that cap space now, they could be in a different spot in a few years from now, after key prospects have time to develop in the NHL and find themselves in need of new contracts. At that point, Los Angeles may not have as favourable of a cap situation as they do now.
Additionally, Landeskog will be 29 years old in November and while it would make sense for a contender to add a player around that age on a long-term deal in order to contend right away, it’s questionable as to whether it’s the right move for the Kings. Los Angeles is likely still a few years away from truly contending, which would mean Landeskog is past 30 years old by that point. While Landeskog is a great player, the Kings’ contending window likely opens as key prospects like Quinton Byfield, Alex Turcotte and others start to hit their prime. Landeskog could be nearing the back half of his contract by then and could even be facing a decline in performance.
I’m a fan of Landeskog as a player, I’m just not sure the timeline matches up for the Kings. To me, it might make more sense to avoid rushing into a long-term contract and to instead wait a couple years and assess the team at a later stage. The Kings are still a few years off from being a real contender and adding a player whose best remaining years may come before that point might not be the right move.
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Should the Kings attempt to sign Gabriel Landeskog, if he hits free agency?
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