The Kings made it official today that 25-year old defenseman Jake Muzzin has signed a 5-year contract extension worth $20M dollars.If you are struggling on the math that's $4M a season up until 2020-21 when he will become a UFA.
Muzzin was slated to be an RFA this coming offseason but has side stepped what would have probably been arbitration for what is a pretty healthy contract given his NHL tenure. Despite having the experience of just two full seasons and 132 games, Muzzin has been a revelation for the Kings blueline.
He along with Drew Doughty and Slava Voynov now make up a 1-3 trio that are aged 24, 24, and 25. Voynov and Doughty are signed up until 2019-20, with Muzzin being up for contract a year later.
Little realization on those numbers.
#LAKings will spend $8.16 million on their No. 2/3 defensemen for the next 4 seasons while they're in their primes. $15.16 for Nos. 1/2/3.
— Cörey Masisak (@cmasisak22) October 15, 2014For what the trio have meant to the team that is incredible value. Not to mention the incredibly serviceable play of Alec Martinez and Matt Greene to go along with that. Oh yea, and that Brayden McNabb kid who has looked pretty solid through his first few games.
Apparently negotiations were fairly smooth, and that leads you to believe that Muzzin wants to be in L.A. and is very happy in L.A.
Muzzin said negotiations with the team took about three weeks; relatively short
— Jon Rosen (@lakingsinsider) October 15, 2014Muzzin had an interesting path to the NHL. He was drafted by the Penguins in 2007 but went unsigned by the team after needing serious back surgery. He was eligible to re-enter the 2009 NHL Entry draft but went unselected. He was then signed to an ELC with the Kings in 2010 and has since become an analytics champion last season. He was among the tops in terms of possession stats, and settled into the top pairing nicely. While he originally struggled to keep up with the pace at the start of last year when he was assigned the duty of being Doughty's partner, the two quickly melded and became a stalwart pairing. Also, if you think it was all Drew Doughty's doing that he had such good possession stats... think again.
The Kings now have three of their premier members of the blue line signed all the way up to their 30's or close to it. Lombardi continues to be a master when it comes to roster projection and intelligent contract lengths and figures.
Meanwhile, another young duo are off to a rip roaring start and are also RFAs to be.
If you don't know who I'm talking about...
— Steph (@myregularface) October 15, 2014
This has to be getting a little scary for other teams to think about considering the Kings already have two cups, a great salary structure, and a lot of young talent still to hit their peak.
Also, if anyone doesn't think Dean Lombardi pays attention to advanced stats, this Muzzin contract should put it to rest. Was he really going to let one of the best possession driving defenseman in the league slip away to another team or free agency? Doubtful.
Solid contract, solid term, and another A+ move for Lombardi and crew.
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