The Los Angeles Kings have signed prospect forward Alex Laferriere to a three-year entry-level contract, per a team announcement. The former Harvard star is currently playing with the Kings’ AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, on an amateur tryout agreement, and recently tallied his first professional goal.
The 21-year-old’s contract carries an $875k average annual value for its three-year runtime and will expire in the summer of 2025. Laferriere earns this deal after an exceptional collegiate career, one where he scored a total of 73 points in 69 games.
While Laferriere’s 2022-23 season saw him score at a higher rate (42 points in 34 games compared to 31 points in 35 games as a freshman) it was his freshman year that saw him fill his trophy cabinet. The 2020 third-round pick won the ECAC title and landed the individual honors of conference Rookie of the Year and Third-Team All-Star.
Now playing on the first line of the Kings’ AHL affiliate next to T.J. Tynan and Lias Andersson, Laferriere will look to help the Reign go on a deep run in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
While it’s unknown whether the plan is to give Laferriere a chance in one of the Kings’ remaining games, the signing of this entry-level deal at least gives the Kings the option to call him up if they so desire. If anything, the main benefit to Laferriere is less the possibility of getting an NHL game or two, and more the fact that he’ll be eligible to hit restricted free agency in the summer of 2025, despite spending most of the season playing college hockey.
Can’t wait for the Kings to play the Rangers. The poor play-by-play announcers!