The LA Kings have signed Quinton Byfield to a five-year extension worth an average annual value of $6.25 million. The 21-year-old restricted free agent had his breakout year in 2023-24, scoring 20 goals and 55 points.
Byfield was selected second overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, and after patience from the Kings organization, he made the jump to a full-time NHL player last season. Byfield played in parts of three seasons before making that transition, but it looks like it will pay off in his long-term development.
As a 6-foot-5 center, Byfield had an undeniable amount of talent, but mixing that together with his size and other abilities, taking an extra year or two is common for a player with his toolset.
Kings Could Get Bargain From This Deal
Inking Byfield to a five-year deal kept the price lower than it would have been on a maximum-term deal of eight years. Byfield, who grabbed ahold of a bigger role as the season progressed, is just scratching the surface of what he is capable of. His offensive skillset, whether it be his dangerous shot or creative playmaking, is bound to take another step as soon as the 2024-25 season.
Paying a young, talented forward $6.25 million with the realistic hopes of him being around a point-per-game player for all five years of the deal is fantastic value. As mentioned, the five-year term helped keep the cap hit lower than it could have been, and this contract buys one year of unrestricted free agent (UFA) rights.
Related: Predicting Quinton Byfield’s Next Contract With the Kings
When the contract expires, Byfield will be a 26-year-old UFA, which could be a bit of a red flag when analyzing the contract, but all signs point towards Byfield liking the Kings organization and that isn’t an issue to worry about for now.
Byfield is a natural center but is likely to end up as a winger on the top line alongside Anze Kopitar for the majority of his deal. The Kings’ center depth is some of the best in the league, and with Phillip Danault taking the shut-down role, Byfield would be more effective on the wing than deeper in the lineup at center.
Kopitar has two seasons left on his deal, bringing him to 38 years old. This will be a perfect transition time for Byfield to truly establish himself as a star and then take over the top center role for the Kings. A mid-term length deal wasn’t something many people speculated on, but there are a lot of positives to take from the five-year deal. A bridge deal to let him establish himself more could have cost the team upwards of $3 million on his next contract, while a long-term deal comes with more risk, but could have paid off.
Both the Kings and Byfield should be happy with this deal, as should the fanbase. Again, the only red flag is that it brings him to UFA status, but that isn’t something to be concerned about five years ahead of time.
