Quinton Byfield recently signed a five-year, $6.25M contract extension with the Los Angeles Kings and it could have ramifications for the Seattle Kraken and Matty Beniers.
Quinton Byfield recently signed a five-year, $6.25M contract extension with the Los Angeles Kings and it could have ramifications for the Seattle Kraken and Matty Beniers.
Byfield's contract follows a similar formula to what Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews signed when his entry-level contract was set to expire. He signed a five-year contract that made him a UFA at 26 years old. Byfield will also be 26 when his new deal finishes.
The advantage of signing a contract like this is you become a UFA in the middle of your prime. You can then sign a long extension that will expire when they are either still in their prime or at the tail end.
Byfield and Beniers have many similarities. Both are second-overall picks, born in 2002 and are centres. Beniers' success in the NHL came quicker than Byfield's but Byfield had a breakout year during the 2023-24 season showing lots of promise. His 6'5 frame, speed and offensive talent are all starting to come together and the Kings are banking on him to continue to develop on the path he's on.
Byfield scored 20 goals and 55 points in 80 games compared to Benier's 15 goals and 37 points in 77 games. For their careers, the story is a bit different. Beniers has 42 goals and 103 points in 167 games to Byfield's 28 goals and 88 points in 179 games.
With so many similarities it's easy to see why the comparisons can be made but it ultimately comes down to what GM Ron Francis and Matty Beniers and his camp want to do. The three options are Byfield's route, a bridge deal that keeps him as an RFA after his contract or a long-term extension.
With just over $7M in cap space, the Kraken have the cap space to facilitate any one of the possible contract extensions.
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