The Los Angeles Kings announced today that they have signed defenseman Jacob Moverare to a two-year contract extension that will run through the 2023-24 season. The deal is worth $1.525MM, carrying a $762.5K AAV, and will leave Moverare a RFA at its conclusion. The extension gives the young defenseman a chance to become a regular in the Kings lineup over the next two seasons after impressing in his NHL debut in 2021-22. In 19 career NHL games, Moverare tallied just two assists, but played quality defensive hockey on the backend.
Moverare was a fourth-round pick for the Kings back in 2016 coming out of the HV-71 program in his native Sweden, where he played two seasons at the junior level, making his SHL debut in his draft season for HV-71. After being drafted, the defenseman made the interesting choice to come to North America and play for the Mississauga Steelheads of the OHL, registering 53 points in 95 games for a pair of competitive Mississauga teams, serving as an assistant captain in his second season. Prior to 2018-19, Moverare would head back to Sweden, playing two seasons with Frolunda before spending part of 2020-21 with SaiPa Lappeenranta in the Finnish Liga. Moverare then returned to North America, debuting for the Ontario Reign of the AHL last season and again this season, where he of course also made his NHL debut.
With the extension, the Kings buy themselves two years at a favorable cost of a young defenseman who should push for regular ice-time on the up-and-coming club. For the player, he will have the opportunity to prove he can be a reliable contributor and a building block in a young and talented Los Angeles defense group that includes the likes of Michael Anderson, Sean Durzi, Tobias Bjornfot, and Jordan Spence, not to mention incumbent star and former Norris Trophy winner Drew Doughty.
A rare move.
Signing a guy to a contract extension is a rare move?
It’s a pun, Ok
The Kings half a nice mix of young and experienced defensemen but with that fact they also have quite a logjam at that position.