The Los Angeles Kings haven’t had exactly the season they hoped for after last year’s playoff performance, but one continued bright spot has been the play of Trevor Moore. In his latest 32 Thoughts column for Sportsnet, Elliotte Friedman writes that he thinks an extension is “getting closer” for the pending free agent.
Moore, 27, has always been one of the hardest-working players on the ice, using his speed to chase down and steal pucks from opponents or be first in on the forecheck. In a breakout season last year, he scored 17 goals and 48 points during the regular season and then was a real difference-maker in the playoffs, scoring five points in seven games to push Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers to the brink.
This year, he’s been scoring at an even better clip and is on pace to hit the 20-goal mark for the first time. The Kings’ coaching staff obviously trusts him, as Moore is averaging nearly 18 minutes a night, including time on both the powerplay and penalty kill.
In September, Eric Stephens of The Athletic suggested that a multi-year deal of around $3MM per season might be in order, but after another good start, it could climb even higher than that. Complementary, two-way wingers are somewhat unique in that their compensation can vary wildly in free agency.
Blake Coleman turned two outstanding playoff performances into a six-year, $29.4MM contract, for instance, despite never coming close to Moore’s 48-point mark. Ilya Mikheyev landed a four-year, $19MM deal after setting a career-high with 32 points in 53 games. Evan Rodrigues, though, settled for a one-year, $2MM deal after his 43-point breakout last year that was considered by some as a product of playing with Sidney Crosby.
What Moore could get on the open market is a mystery, but if Friedman is right, it may not matter. The Kings have plenty of time to reach an agreement with him that will keep him away from other teams.
4 x 4 sounds about right.