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Kings News: Byfield signs 5 year, $6.25M per extension

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Classic case of getting your cake and wanting to eat it too. If the team has short and long term holes at center, why should QB take a bridge deal? His agent would be accused of malpractice in the scenario Rob Blake has constructed. For all the talk of leverage, Byfield risks far less by not signing his QO than the team going into the season with no clear 3C.

The alternatives would be Thomas, Turcotte, a Reign level player, an acquisition at further cost, a PTO, or a roster player who is a part time center. Again at further cost somewhere along the line.

So what are the options Rob Blake has left the team with. Just around $10M to sign Spence and QB. For a team that is going to need exactly those two guys to pop for real next season to be remotely worth giving a shit about.

Managements head is so far up their collective asses that they think they can just see the sun rising in china.
 
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DoktorJeep said:
Classic case of getting your cake and wanting to eat it too. If the team has short and long term holes at center, why should QB take a bridge deal? His agent would be accused of malpractice in the scenario Rob Blake has constructed. For all the talk of leverage, Byfield risks far less by not signing his QO than the team going into the season with no clear 3C.

The alternatives would be Thomas, Turcotte, a Reign level player, an acquisition at further cost, a PTO, or a roster player who is a part time center. Again at further cost somewhere along the line.

So what are the options Rob Blake has left the team with. Just around $10M to sign Spence and QB. For a team that is going to need exactly those two guys to pop for real next season to be remotely worth giving a shit about.

Managements head is so far up their collective asses that they think they can just see the sun rising in china.
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I'm not surprised that Kings management is being weird in handling a player again, but I am surprised that so many here continue to push for a bridge deal or say that a bridge deal is somehow in QB's best interests.
 
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Herby said:
I'm not surprised that Kings management is being weird in handling a player again, but I am surprised that so many here continue to push for a bridge deal or say that a bridge deal is somehow in QB's best interests.
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This fool of a GM is so busy wiping the shit off one of his sandals, that he fails to recognize he just stepped into a fresh pile with his other foot.

Some fans are so focused on getting one foot clean they ignore the mess down the road.
 
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Herby said:
I'm not surprised that Kings management is being weird in handling a player again, but I am surprised that so many here continue to push for a bridge deal or say that a bridge deal is somehow in QB's best interests.
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I can't help but think that there is this dues-paying mentality in this management group that has no problem whatsoever giving veterans more than the market rate to play here, but homegrown kids get undermarket deals.

Kempe should be furious. Kids have to ride out their ELCs in Ontario before getting two-way offers on their second deals. But established players get more years on their deals to come to LA than they should. It's just part of a terrible overall business model that hasn't worked since day 1.

I see the two-way years on Turcotte and Thomas' new deals not as incentives but as warnings. Neither will make it thru waivers, so it's a gains-or-gonzo type of thing that is too negative of an approach. If the Kings don't know right NOW that those two are on next year's roster, then... Never mind, we know the answer already.
 
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bland said:
I can't help but think that there is this dues-paying mentality in this management group that has no problem whatsoever giving veterans more than the market rate to play here, but homegrown kids get undermarket deals.

Kempe should be furious. Kids have to ride out their ELCs in Ontario before getting two-way offers on their second deals. But established players get more years on their deals to come to LA than they should. It's just part of a terrible overall business model that hasn't worked since day 1.

I see the two-way years on Turcotte and Thomas' new deals not as incentives but as warnings. Neither will make it thru waivers, so it's a gains-or-gonzo type of thing that is too negative of an approach. If the Kings don't know right NOW that those two are on next year's roster, then... Never mind, we know the answer already.
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I thought Turcotte's entire contract was 1 way?

So he signed a three year deal for the league minimum and didn't even get all those years on one-way? If that is true, that contract is more damning to the Brisson conspiracy people push here than any other one.
 
bland said:
I can't help but think that there is this dues-paying mentality in this management group that has no problem whatsoever giving veterans more than the market rate to play here, but homegrown kids get undermarket deals.

Kempe should be furious. Kids have to ride out their ELCs in Ontario before getting two-way offers on their second deals. But established players get more years on their deals to come to LA than they should. It's just part of a terrible overall business model that hasn't worked since day 1.

I see the two-way years on Turcotte and Thomas' new deals not as incentives but as warnings. Neither will make it thru waivers, so it's a gains-or-gonzo type of thing that is too negative of an approach. If the Kings don't know right NOW that those two are on next year's roster, then... Never mind, we know the answer already.
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Actually, I like the structure of Turcotte and Thomas deals. It's a way of hopefully protecting them from being lost on waivers if something happens like injuries or some other prospect takes a spot they are penciled into at the moment. It makes other teams have to think about paying an AHL player the full cap amount rather than the 50-70k they would make on a two-way deal.
 
Even though when asked in the exit interview "is this related to the illness last season?' He says no and talks about it...but if the true answer is 'yes', that means more questions about it. It was easier for QB to say no and talk about this time. If there is a true, ongoing kind of illness, he's not going to discuss it. He may just say no. So as no further questions will be asked. If he says yes, more questions are coming and he may not want to go down that road or further,
I'm not saying he's lying, but to deflect that and just talk some about what he's going through and that it was during the season and has to deal with it in the offseason, it can certainly be the same issue. I'm just saying if it was related, he may best be served to say no.

I hope it's nothing and ends. But no one knows. I cannot be called a conspiracy theorist, when there's history and statements following the Dec 22 illness "I could not get out of bed...and had no energy" his words. And now, 'a kind of illness I've been dealing with' again, this past season.
I think there is more, but I don't want to misquote. Most illnesses like viruses, flus can be knocked out in a week. Not a 3-4 week thing and lose 20 lbs. Esp with the best medical care.

2 illnesses in 2 years, or 1 ongoing illness, (and still dealing with) may certainly be a contract that will have extra contract clauses, beyond the norm...even if they are not dire and more like how care is handled.

There are so many things fans are never privy to. During my research, I found this. Did anyone know that QB had a sprained wrist in game 2 of 22-23 season? Then dealt with 2 sprained wrists all year? And he says it was a factor in having 3 goals. Geez...no wonder he was mostly passing and didn't see too many shots...especially long range. This is in a hockey news story. I don't think this was mentioned in Kings media or his 22-23 exit interview. He's dealt with so much! Broken ankle, sprained wrists, some kind of ongoing illness. I hope this all gets behind him and he's 100% healthy soon! AND SIGNED!

byfield.jpg
 
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KingsOfCali25 said:
Actually, I like the structure of Turcotte and Thomas deals. It's a way of hopefully protecting them from being lost on waivers if something happens like injuries or some other prospect takes a spot they are penciled into at the moment. It makes other teams have to think about paying an AHL player the full cap amount rather than the 50-70k they would make on a two-way deal.
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I think that the cap hit means it’s a guarantee they get claimed. They are still young and have shown they are NHL players. If you can get Turcotte on that cap hit for 3 years, even as a 4th line regular it’s a bargain. It’d be a no brainier to claim him… Thomas more so because he’s shown he can chip in with goals.

It’s why I think both are on the opening night roster unless they are injured or completely crap the bed.
 
Herby said:
I am surprised that so many here continue to push for a bridge deal or say that a bridge deal is somehow in QB's best interests.
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Why is that surprising??

From the team's perspective
  • a bridge deal allows them to sign QB for a smaller cap hit, thus giving them more cap space to work with to try to make the team as strong as possible (whether or not it's a lost cause trying to improve this team is besides the point here)
  • Sure, it might create a bigger problem down the road but they've clearly been trying to 'win now' with Doughty and Kopitar, signing Byfield to a bridge deal allows them to maximize cap space while trying to do that
    • Then they can pay Byfield the big bucks in 2-3 years when Kopitar's contract is off the books (assuming Byfield is ready for a big pay day)

From Byfield's perspective
  • it basically all just comes down to how much you believe in the player / how much Byfield believes in himself
  • Right now, he's probably a $5-6m player in terms of market value... So if he's signed long term he'd probably end up signing for around $7-8m AAV over an 8 year term (the contract would be slightly above market value to account for additional player growth)
  • If Byfield believes (as many other in the hockey world believe) that last season was just him scratching the surface and he's going to continue to improve over the next couple years and end up being a legit 1st line player - Then a bridge deal probably makes a lot more sense
    • Bridge deal for Byfield essentially means he's betting on himself to improve significantly

If Byfield signs a 3 year bridge deal at let's just say $5m a year, he'll be an RFA when he's 25 years old and could set himself up for an 8 year contract that pays him $10m a year or more if he's really turned into the player many hope he can be.

Personally, I believe QB is going to be a $10m player in 2-3 years.... So I'm more in favor of signing him to a long term deal (something like an $8m x 8 year deal) - Because I believe that will end up being a team friendly deal for many many years. But ultimately its not hard to see why a bridge deal could certainly make sense for both team and player.
 
Statto said:
I think that the cap hit means it’s a guarantee they get claimed. They are still young and have shown they are NHL players. If you can get Turcotte on that cap hit for 3 years, even as a 4th line regular it’s a bargain. It’d be a no brainier to claim him… Thomas more so because he’s shown he can chip in with goals.

It’s why I think both are on the opening night roster unless they are injured or completely crap the bed.
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I think both make it this year (baring an injury in camp). I just think even at the low cap hits other teams won't want to take on those extra years with 1-way contracts attached (Thomas for 1yr and Turcotte for 2yrs) for "AHL players". Paying "AHL" guys $775k to sit in the AHL is a big hurdle to get past when picking up a waiver guy.
 
Well, one area Rob Blake and his group have excelled at is locking up their own players to reasonable deals.

It's going to be a steal quickly when Byfield takes another step forward and becomes the #1 center this season.
 
bland said:
Are you kidding me? This is awful.

This deal takes him right to UFA status. You either go shorter to retain the rights for the next deal or you buy UFA years. You NEVER walk a prized possession to UFA as early as possible.
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That part is baffling. He's going to be 26 when this contract expires! I hate that Rob made this just about the worst possible term.
 
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I think this is a very good deal. Not too expensive and not too long either. Better learn to play C to get that big boy contract Q.
 
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bland said:
Are you kidding me? This is awful.

This deal takes him right to UFA status. You either go shorter to retain the rights for the next deal or you buy UFA years. You NEVER walk a prized possession to UFA as early as possible.
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I thought this would have been the first response.

Byfield will be hitting UFA before his age 27 season, on a team that traded and/or whiffed on almost everyone taken around his age that was supposed to come up with him (Clarke will likely be the only win).

Kopitar, Doughty and Danault will be gone
Kempe will be 32
Fiala will be 32

Seems like a prime situation for a player to walk away from what will likely be bad situation.

But give Blake credit, the contract hit is very small, it helps the Kings in this near impossible task if winning in the next two years, and if Blake wants to move him before the end of the deal (after the "contending" window closes) the return would be very nice.
 
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