The Los Angeles Kings have locked up young star Alex Laferriere on a 3-year deal worth $12.3 million.
This move comforts Laferriere, knowing he will be in a Los Angeles sweater during a critical time for the Kings organization.
He played extremely well during his second NHL season, and the potential is there for him to surpass career highs this season.
Laferriere quickly established himself during his 2023-24 rookie season, showing versatility and the ability to throw himself in the dirty areas. He would go on to have a solid rookie season, giving the Kings hope they had found a key piece to their middle six.
This past season, Laferriere had his best season to date.
Often playing on various lines, he would play a solid role on the top line with captain Anze Kopitar and sniper Adrian Kempe. Although he did not produce a ton of offense, he showed the Kings he can play with the best on the team. He displayed a physical style that was shown on virtually every line last season and allowed head coach Jim HIller to place him anywhere among the forward groups.
A third-round pick by Los Angeles in the 2020 NHL Draft, he set career-highs last season with 19 goals and 24 assists for 42 points in 77 games. He now has 31 goals and 34 assists for 65 points in 158 NHL games. He was also solid in the NHL playoffs last season, notching three assists.
He is a shoot-first player who plays with tenacity. He is in line to play a bigger role with the Kings this season, and with the depth added, could push him into a permanent top-six role. The Kings need a young body that can play in all three zones and add some scrappy play to the lineup, and Laferriere fits that mold. He is more than capable of holding his own and producing, giving them a player under 25 years old who can do the same things as a veteran of many NHL seasons.
This is a great signing for the Kings; they now have him locked up for the next few seasons as he continues to develop.
This contract, both in terms and in dollars, is great for both sides.
Laferriere can now play his brand of hockey for the next three years without worrying about a new deal.
The Kings have a special player in Laferriere, one they should not let get away.
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