Manor REPORT: Kings Not Expected to Qualify Three of Their Seven RFAs

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We’re in the thick of the NHL off-season now, where the news never seems to end.

Up next on the summer hockey calendar are Qualifying Offers (QOs), which are due later today.

In simplistic terms, this process does not guarantee that a player is signing with his current team. However, it is a necessary step for a team to retain said player’s rights.

Before we get into LA ‘s list of 2024 restricted free agents, first a quick recap for those unfamiliar with the overall process. From an article last summer, we broke the contract process down into the four most basic stages:

Entry Level Contract – These are typically three years in nature and come with a largely predetermined salary. Players on these deals earn around $70K per season while in the AHL/ECHL and just under $1M if they’re in the NHL. Depending on the age of the player when they sign the contract, an ELC is sometimes only for one or two years; this usually happens with older players coming out of college and/or coming over from Europe.

Restricted Free Agent – Coming off a player’s ELC, they typically have several years of restricted free agency. During this period, teams can ‘qualify’ them for the following year (assuming a player doesn’t already have a contract), which again, happens at a predetermined rate that has already been negotiated in the CBA. For most RFAs, this is a 5 or 10% increase in their base salary. If a player has any type of leverage, they can try and negotiate a multi-year deal that may be more beneficial to them. Those contracts are often referred to as ‘bridge deals.’

Restricted Free Agent with Arbitration Rights – Just like an RFA, teams have the ability to qualify these players with a slight bump in pay for the following season. However, when a player has arbitration rights, they can file to have an arbitrator hear their case and decide their contract for the next season. Teams also have the right to file for arbitration if they feel the mandated qualifying amount (increase) for the following season is too high, given the players performance. The latter is a bit more rare, although it is happening in New Jersey this summer with Timo Meier. Most teams and players try to avoid the arbitration process, as it’s often contentious and leaves bitter feelings on both sides. In the case of the Kings, their only player with arbitration rights this summer is Gabe Vilardi (more on him below).

Unrestricted Free Agents – Players can reach this status a variety of ways. However, as a UFA, a player is free to sign with any club he wants for any length of time. The only real restriction is that the dollar amount can’t be lower than the league minimum. As an example, the league minimum last season was $750,000.

One other footnote to all of this contract talk is the number 50. That is the maximum allowable contracts an NHL team can have at any one time. This limit includes all players, period – including guys in the NHL, AHL, ECHL, and even prospects that are playing in junior hockey. Typically, a team will only have around 48 players under contract, leaving a little wiggle room should a trade or other need arise.

LA Kings 2024 Restricted Free Agents​

After checking in with various team sources over the last 48 hours, this is how things are expected to shake out later today, barring a last minute curveball:

Quinton Byfield

Qualified

Drafted as an 18-year old in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft as the second overall pick, Quinton Byfield is coming off a breakout season where he scored a career-high 30 goals and 55 points. In the 2023-24 season, the 21-year old forward was playing on the final year of his entry-level contract. In total, Byfield has scored 88 points in his 179 NHL games played. Management in Los Angeles will be making a decision this summer to sign Byfield to either a short-term bridge contract to save money over the next couple season or lock him up at a longer-termed agreement. Either can be done later in the summer; however, a qualifying offer will be necessary to buy more time to come to an agreement.

We looked at the Byfield situation in greater detail, including our prediction for his next contract here:

Predicting Quinton Byfield’s Upcoming Contract with LA Kings

Jacob Ingham

Not Qualified

One of the most talented goaltenders the Kings have had in the pipeline in quite some time. In fact, it was just a few years ago when he was ranked number one on their depth chart of young netminders. Despite an impressive season this year, it’s sounding more and more like the two sides will go their separate ways this summer. His situation is just the latest example of timing with prospects. There can often be a very narrow window of opportunity. When it’s there, you have to seize it. If not, other guys come behind you and can snag that slot.

Arthur Kaliyev

Qualified

The promising forward was originally drafted by the Kings in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. After completion of his rookie season where he played in 80 NHL games, Arthur Kaliyev has seen stretches of time over the past two seasons serving as a scratched substitute for various lengths of time. He finished the prior two seasons with 56 games and 51 games, respectively, all while playing on his entry-level contract. Coming off a 15-point campaign (7G, 8A), the 23-year old forward now requires a qualifying offer to maintain his rights before the team determines what to do next.

Blake Lizotte

Not Qualified

His situation has been covered extensively on several recent Kings Of The Podcast episodes. Given other factors in play with the Kings 23-man roster, qualifying him and going to arbitration just didn’t seem like a logical move from the onset. Depending on his contract, ask and potential interest from other teams, his next move is very much in question at this point could he even return to LA on a $1M. We’d put the odds at less than 50%, but never say never.

Tyler Madden

Not Qualified

He also did not receive a qualifying offer last summer, yet did return after signing a contract during free agency in July. Coming off his best statistical season in the AHL, things may eventually pmay play out in a similar manner this summer.

Jordan Spence

Qualified

Spence just completed his first full season in the NHL with the Kings, playing 71 games and accruing 24 points (2G, 22A). The Australian-born blueliner was originally drafted by LA in the 4th round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Since then, he’s dressed for the Kings in spurts throughout the past three seasons. Having completed the final year of his entry-level contract, Spence will require a qualifying offer and a contract for next season. We’re expecting a 2-year deal to eventually be announced, likelihood in the neighborhood of $1.5M AAV.

Erik Portillo

Qualified

Originally drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the third round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Erik Portillo found his way to LA via a trade on March 1st, 2023 when the Kings sent a 2023 third round pick for the lumbering goaltender. Directly after the trade, the Kings signed Portillo to a two-year, entry-level contract that expires this summer. The Swedish goalie had his breakout AHL season in the 2023-24 campaign and emerged as the team’s starter among a trial of four while led the team with 39 starts, along with all eight playoff games.

For more information on how the Kings salary cap situation is all coming together, be sure to check out the article linked below.

RELATED CONTENT:

FRESH LOOK: LA Kings Salary Cap, 2024-25 Lineup, and Trade Rumors

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