The Los Angeles Kings signed Quinton Byfield to a five-year, $31.25 million contract extension on July 15. After his first three professional seasons, Byfield started to look like a disappointing draft pick. The Kings had Byfield split his time between the AHL and NHL for his first three seasons. In 2023-24, it was time for Byfield to stay in Los Angeles for the season. Byfield rewarded the Kings by recording career highs in goals and points.
Byfield earned himself a lot of money with his performance last season. He had 20 goals and 35 assists, which could have been more if former head coach Todd McLellan had stuck with the successful line he had discovered. Byfield found a home on the wing with Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe, and the trio performed well together. However, McLellan inexplicably put Byfield on the fourth line at one point.
Interim head coach Jim Hiller returned to the line in the postseason against the Edmonton Oilers. The Kings struggled to contribute much offense against the Oilers, but Byfield tallied four assists over the five games. The output isn't adequate for a first-line, but it's one of many flaws the Kings must fix to get past the Oilers.
The Kings made the postseason for three consecutive seasons but had the task of facing Connor McDavid and the Oilers each time. The Kings have fallen to the Stanley Cup Final runner-ups each year, but they feel like Byfield is one of the pieces to get them over the top.
Quinton Byfield one of top young players in league
The Kings had to lock down Byfield, as he was one of the top under-23 players in the NHL last season. He ranked seventh in the league with 55 points, behind Lucas Raymond, Tim Stutzle, Seth Jarvis, Wyatt Johnston, Connor Bedard, and Alexis Lafreniere.
It was a career year for Raymond, who will be cashing in on his 72 points with his contract extension from the Detroit Red Wings. Raymond and Byfield entered the NHL in the same season, which makes him an easy comparison. Raymond will likely attempt to get an extension that eclipses Byfield's deal.
Stutzle had a down-year after recording 90 points in 2022-23. He received an eight-year extension last offseason, with an annual value of $8.35 million. The Byfield deal looks like a steal compared to Stutzle's contract.
Jarvis is also a restricted free agent this offseason but could make more than Byfield. Jarvis has been a more consistent player but may not have the same offensive potential as Byfield once they reach their primes.
Johnston and Bedard are still restricted free agents next season. However, there's a chance they will be the players next reaching the $10 million per year threshold, especially considering Johnston's performance for the Stars in the postseason. The Kings have the fortune of extending Byfield before he has a breakout postseason performance.
Lafreniere and Byfield will be players that fans and pundits compare for the rest of their careers. Lafreniere was a first-overall draft pick to the New York Rangers before the Kings took Byfield second-overall. The Rangers also have to extend Lafreniere this offseason after a breakout season.
Kings sacrifice term for money
When looking at the other contracts for the under-23 players, Byfield's deal begins to look like a steal. Juraj Slafkovsky also recently signed an eight-year extension with a $7.6 million cap hit with the Montreal Canadiens. However, Stutzle and Slafkovsky's deals are eight years compared to Byfield's five. The Canadiens' deal with Slafkovsky could look like a deal by the time it expires in 2033. Stutzle's deal will also expire in 2031 when the NHL's landscape could look different.
Commissioner Gary Bettman promised that the salary cap would soon rise after the 2018-19 season. It led teams to sign their young stars to expensive contracts, as they felt the players would take up a smaller percentage of the cap as it rose. The problem is that the COVID-19 pandemic began and stalled the cap's rise.
Teams who tried to take advantage of the rising cap were left with minimal room to make moves these past few seasons. The projections say the cap will rise again now that the league is back in the green for revenue. It's a good thing for the Kings for the next five seasons, but it's even better for teams who had their young stars sign for eight years.
Catch-22 for Quinton Byfield
Byfield can now demand more money when he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2029. Byfield can enter free agency before the other players and capitalize with a high annual value. If the Kings want to keep him after five years, they'll have to pay a substantial amount, instead of the security teams like Ottawa and Montreal have with their stars signed until the 2030s.
It's a risk for both parties, as the Kings need success in the next five years while they have a bargain, and Byfield must stay healthy to cash in on the gamble in 2029.
Quinton Byfield Grade: A-
Kings Grade: B
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