The Los Angeles Kings' roster is nearly set, with 11 forwards and eight defensemen currently on the roster, they have just two more contracts to pen.
Jordan Spence and Quinton Byfield.
Spence is likely looking at a similar contract to the one Sean Durzi signed two summers ago, somewhere around two years and $1.7 million.
Byfield is where things get very interesting. The former second-overall pick had his breakout season last year and is looking at a move back to center in the upcoming season.
The question of a bridge deal or a long-term one for Byfield has been raging in Kings circles now for a while, and with the departure of Pierre-Luc Dubois earlier this summer, the answer is obvious.
Byfield should be given a long-term, eight-year contract by the Kings this summer.
It's not uncommon for teams to lock down young starts to long-term deals just before they explode into superstars. The New Jersey Devils did it with Jack Hughes, the Ottawa Senators did it with Tim Stutzle, and recently, the Montreal Canadiens did it with Juraj Slafkovsky.
That Slafkovsky contract will likely be the one Byfield's camp uses as a measuring stick. An eight-year deal, carrying a cap hit of $7.6 million per year.
The comparables are easy, Slafkovsky is a few years younger but they put up similar numbers last season. Slafkovsky finished with 20 goals and 50 points to Byfields 20 and 55.
With Byfield moving back to center, he can probably squeeze out a little more money too. Playing a premium position always carries a little more value.
That would bring Byfield to around the 8x8 mark.
There are a few reasons this makes sense for LA. First, and most importantly, the cap is going up. Within a few seasons, if Byfield becomes the true 1C many think he can, $8 million will be highway robbery from the Kings.
Even without the cap going up, $8 million would put Byfield around players like Josh Norris, Logan Couture, Ryan Johansen, Pierre-Luc Dubois, etc. Many of those aren't good value contracts, but it puts into perspective who gets $8 million deals.
Byfield is as good, if not better than many of the players who make that much already.
Give him a few more seasons of development and Byfield could look more like a player who deserves a contract in the double digits.
The second reason it makes sense, the Kings' future is tied to Byfield already. If he underperforms an $8 million contract over eight years, the Kings are looking at rebuilding anyway.
The worst-case scenario of this deal doesn't change LA's future and the best-case scenario sets them up to be a true contender once again.
For Byfield, this deal makes sense too. He could try a bridge deal that takes him to the end of Anze Kopitar's contract, and potentially his career, setting himself up for a monster contract after the cap has gone up.
But an 8x8 now takes him to 30 where he can sign another big ticket. He also gets the certainty of an eight-year deal early in his career, one that likely comes with trade protection, allowing him to determine his future.
There also shouldn't be much fear of an overpay. Byfield proved he could be one of the Kings' best forwards last season and played at a $7.4 million value according to The Athletic's models.
With a move back to center and further development in his game, there's a high possibility he is already an $8 million player. Locking him down at that number long-term is a bargain for LA.
With just shy of $10 million in cap right now, it would leave them little wiggle room, especially after re-signing Spence. However, they'll likely waive one of Andreas Englund or Kyle Burroughs, giving them a bit of flexibility.
Next season should be a transition year anyway, and the process of turning the team over to Byfield should start now, beginning with an 8x8 extension.