Both sides probably would have preferred an eight-year deal, but it was going to cost a lot more. This deal will have the young forward in camp on Day 1, where he belongs.
Nice to see a deal get consummated between a player and a team with no drama or histrionics, isn't it?
That definitely could have been the case with Quinton Byfield of the Los Angeles Kings, who signed a five-year extension worth $31.25 million two months before the start of training camp.
The Kings probably would have preferred a longer deal, but buying any years of Byfield's unrestricted free agency would have cost them more. A lot more.
This way, Byfield gets to develop over the next five seasons and set himself up for a monster contract as a UFA in the summer of 2029. And, just as importantly, it guarantees Byfield will be in camp and a happy camper when the Kings hit the ice in the fall.
The Kings got their player, and the player got the security and a good chunk of change in a contract that might be a bit of an overpay early, then team-friendly toward the end. Good for all sides.
Here's more:
Get the latest news and trending stories right to your inbox by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here.