The Los Angeles Kings have locked down one of their key young guns, inking forward Alex Laferriere to a three-year contract extension worth $12.3 million ($4.1 million average annual value). For a player who just completed a stellar sophomore campaign (19 goals and 42 points), this deal is a solid vote of confidence from general manager (GM) Ken Holland and the Kings’ front office, signalling that they see him as a crucial part of their core moving forward.
Laferriere, who just turned 23, made the jump to the show in 2023-24 and didn’t look out of place for a single shift. Putting up 12 goals and 23 points in 81 games might not jump off the page, but anyone who watched the Kings knows his value goes far beyond the scoresheet. The kid is an absolute workhorse, a puck hound on the forecheck who finishes every check and isn’t afraid to get his nose dirty in the corners. He quickly earned the trust of the coaching staff, seeing time on both special teams units and demonstrating a defensive responsibility that’s rare in a first-year player. His underlying numbers were impressive, consistently driving play and tilting the ice in the Kings’ favor whenever he hopped over the boards. This contract isn’t just a reward for two solid seasons; it’s a bet on his upward trajectory.
The Swiss Army Knife Every Contender Needs
So, what does this signing mean for the Kings’ bigger picture? For starters, it provides cost certainty for a valuable middle-six asset for the next three seasons. In a league with a flat or slowly rising salary cap, getting a player with Laferriere’s versatility and tenacity locked into a team-friendly deal is a massive win. He’s the type of player every Stanley Cup contender needs in their lineup – a guy who can slide up and down the roster, kill penalties, provide a spark on the power play, and chip in with timely secondary scoring.
His journey from being a third-round pick in 2020 out of the prestigious Harvard University program to a bona fide NHL regular is a testament to both his development and the Kings’ drafting acumen. He plays a heavy, north-south game that is tailor-made for playoff hockey. While the Kings are still looking to exorcise some recent postseason demons, having a player like Laferriere in the fold is a step in the right direction. He brings the sandpaper and tenacity that complements the high-end skill of players like Kevin Fiala and Adrian Kempe. Securing him now, before he potentially has a breakout offensive season, is just smart business by Holland. Kings fans should be thrilled to know that No. 14 will be a fixture in black and silver for the foreseeable future.
Created with the aid of Gemini AI