The Kings signed defenseman Jacob Moverare to a two-year contract extension Wednesday, per a team release. The deal carries the league minimum salary of $775K in both seasons, making him a UFA upon expiry in 2026.
While the timing of such an extension may seem random, it’s likely a calculated move by the Kings’ front office. The team placed Moverare on waivers earlier Wednesday in an attempt to assign him to the AHL’s Ontario Reign, and attaching an additional two seasons to his term is likely to dissuade teams from placing a claim for short-term help.
Moverare, 25, was selected by Los Angeles in the fourth round of the 2016 draft. Despite signing his entry-level contract just a few days after the draft, it took him a while to join the Kings. He spent two seasons in major junior hockey with the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads and another two seasons with Frölunda HC in the Swedish Hockey League before making his North American professional debut with the Reign in 2021.
He’s since played in 31 games for the Kings, recording two assists and a +1 rating while averaging 15:50 per outing over the last three years. 10 of those showings have come this season, during which time he’s been held without a point but has decent possession impacts with a +0.9 expected rating and a sparkling 65.3% expected goals share through 75 minutes partnered with Matt Roy, per MoneyPuck.
A decent two-way presence at the minor-league level, Moverare also has 18 points and a +16 rating in 34 games with the Reign this year. He doesn’t grade out as much more than a seventh defender on a contending team. Still, he’s shown the ability this season to be inserted into the lineup without being a liability.
Moverare was to be a Group VI UFA this summer after completing a two-year, $1.525MM extension signed with the Kings in June 2022. While his cap hit increases slightly from $762.5K to $775K, he isn’t getting a pay raise – the second year of his extension was structured as a one-way deal with a $775K salary, the same as what he’ll earn for the next two years.
So, does that mean that this is a rare move by signing Moverare to an ?