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Alex Iafallo

Jets Sign Alex Iafallo To Three-Year Extension

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12:16 p.m.: Iafallo’s deal pays him $4MM in base salary in 2025-26 and 2026-27 before dropping to $3MM in 2027-28, PuckPedia reports. There are no signing bonuses or trade protection in his contract.

9:02 a.m.: Pending unrestricted free agent winger Alex Iafallo is staying with the Jets on a three-year, $11MM extension, the team announced Wednesday. The deal carries a $3.67MM cap hit and will keep him in Winnipeg through the 2027-28 campaign.

The Jets acquired Iafallo in one of the 2023 offseason’s biggest trades. He was part of the haul the Kings sent to Winnipeg for Pierre-Luc Dubois, joining first-rounders Rasmus Kupari and Gabriel Vilardi and a second-round pick that turned into defenseman Alfons Freij. L.A. mostly needed to give him up for salary-balancing purposes – he was on an affordable deal with a $4MM cap hit, was coming off a career-high 0.61 points per game, and had routinely spent time on the Kings’ top line alongside Anže Kopitar.

After averaging north of 17 minutes per game across his first six NHL seasons in Los Angeles, Iafallo’s ice time has been slashed since arriving with the Jets. He was immediately bumped to the bottom-six with the younger Vilardi grabbing a first-line role alongside Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele, and his production has suffered as a result. He’s posted 26-32–58 in 163 games since the trade, an average of 29 points per 82 games. That’s a good bit south of his career average of 37.

Iafallo has still been among the first players to get elevated into a top-six role when injuries strike. Vilardi has missed much of the last few weeks of the campaign with an upper-body injury, and Iafallo has slotted into his place on the top line. He carries a four-game point streak into the final game of the regular season and has 15-16–31 in 81 games on the year overall, up from last year’s 27 points in 82 games. As such, he’s not missed a game for Winnipeg since his acquisition.

The 31-year-old has also brought sterling possession impacts, particularly this season. He leads Jets forwards with a +21 rating and ranks fifth on the team with a 51.2 CF% at even strength, the highest mark among Winnipeg skaters who have seen the majority of their deployment in the defensive zone. While he doesn’t shoot particularly often, he’s been an effective shooter when he does. He’s scoring at a 14.2% clip and is one of Winnipeg’s best players at turning shot attempts into shots on goal with a 57.3% through rate.

While he hasn’t seen much ice at even strength this year, Iafallo is still averaging north of 13 minutes per game and routinely features on Winnipeg’s second power-play unit and comprises their top penalty-killing forward duo with captain Adam Lowry. That special teams versatility, along with his ability to slide up and down the lineup with good defensive play, makes him a more valuable skater than just his point totals indicate.

The Jets thus retain him for the next three years at a slight discount from what they’re paying him now. It’s a good bit of business that still leaves Winnipeg with $32.7MM in cap space this summer and six roster spots to fill.

Photo courtesy of Terrence Lee-Imagn Images.

Los Angeles Kings To Acquire, Extend Pierre-Luc Dubois

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Perhaps the first true blockbuster deal of the offseason has finally materialized. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports the Los Angeles Kings are acquiring center Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Winnipeg Jets, who receive a significant return in Alex Iafallo, Gabriel Vilardi, Rasmus Kupari, and a second-round draft pick in 2024, originally belonging to the Montreal Canadiens. Per NorthStar Bets’ Chris Johnston, Dubois is signing an eight-year extension (technically with Winnipeg before the trade) worth $8.5MM per season.

Dubois arrived in Winnipeg over two years ago in a star-for-star trade that saw Patrik Laine head to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The two players were selected third and second overall, respectively, in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. It looked like a rather disappointing trade for both sides at the time – Dubois had just 20 points in 41 games down the stretch with the Jets in 2020-21 and played a decidedly middle-six role, barely averaging over 15 minutes per game.

Things took a dramatic turn for the better over the following two seasons, though. Fresh off back-to-back 60-point seasons for the first time in his career, Dubois is now entering his prime and much closer to the player everyone thought he could be. He won’t impress anyone defensively, but he’s a very high-end play driver and is a good weapon on the power play.

It’s a fresh start for Dubois on the West Coast. He’s long been posturing to get himself traded to a larger market, although most had assumed until recent weeks that it would be the Montreal Canadiens. With Winnipeg looking to retool on the fly, though, the Kings’ package of NHL-ready talent was a much more appealing return.

That being said, this is a lot to give up (and an awfully rich extension) for Dubois, who’s a good top-six center but not a bonafide first-line pivot. Vilardi, the 11th overall pick in 2017, finally broke out this season in a big way after multiple serious injuries derailed his development. The 23-year-old notched 41 points in 63 games, played a great possession game, and could very well replace Dubois’ role in the Jets lineup on his own. With the addition of Iafallo, who’s a very strong middle-six two-way winger, it seems those two on their own might have been enough value to land Dubois. He had 36 points in 59 games last year, on pace for a career-high of 50 in a full season.

Add in Kupari, who doesn’t have a terribly high ceiling but is an established NHLer who appeared in 66 regular-season games and six playoff games this year, and Winnipeg’s got three fresh pieces to help kickstart a significant retool. The 2024 second-round pick is also a very nice addition for the Jets – it finds its way to them via the Canadiens and Coyotes, switching hands in the Christian Dvorak and Sean Durzi trades.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

The Athletic’s Murat Ates was first to report the package was in place.

Latest On Pierre-Luc Dubois

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The pendulum for Pierre-Luc Dubois’ next team has continuously swung back and forth between the Los Angeles Kings and Montreal Canadiens over the past several weeks. Today, it’s swung back toward the Kings’ side.

TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that the Winnipeg Jets prefer the proposed trade package coming from the Kings, wanting more NHL-ready talent instead of the futures Montreal can offer. Additionally, it appears Dubois personally would prefer a long-term commitment with the Kings, something not many expected after years of publically speculated posturing to end up in a Canadiens jersey.

Reported elements of a return have included forwards Alex Iafallo and Gabriel Vilardi, both of whom could immediately step into top-six roles on the Jets. It’s clear the team is trying to opt for more of a retool than a full-scale rebuild, an ambitious task given the impending departures of Blake Wheeler, Connor Hellebuyck, and potentially number-one center Mark Scheifele.

This doesn’t mean the Canadiens will be silent on the trade market, though. Dreger suggests the team is still looking to add a younger forward to their group and will leverage draft picks and defense prospects to do so.

If he does end up in LA, it’s fair to wonder if Dubois will actually be a center. Anze Kopitar, Phillip Danault, and Quinton Byfield currently occupy the top three spots down the middle, and none of them would appear to be included in the swap with Winnipeg when the trade goes through. Could Dubois shift to wing alongside Danault, giving him some more freedom offensively alongside a world-class shutdown center?

Los Angeles Kings Activate Alex Iafallo

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The Los Angeles Kings will have some added scoring punch in the lineup when they take on the Ottawa Senators tonight, after activating Alex Iafallo from injured reserve.

It’s been nearly two months since we last saw Iafallo in a game for the Kings, and he was red hot when he did go down to a lower-body injury. The 28-year-old had five points in the first four games of the year and looked like he might be on his way to setting career-high scoring totals.

Now, after missing 23 games, he’ll slide back into a Kings’ lineup that has somehow managed to stay in a playoff position despite going 13-10-4 on the year. Los Angeles has posted a 3-4-3 record in their last ten but remain in third place in the Pacific for the time being.

Getting Iafallo back won’t fix all of the things that have ailed the club this year, but his speed should give them a different look against the Senators tonight. The first of a six-game road trip, it’s perfect timing for the Kings, who will travel to Toronto, Montreal, Columbus, Buffalo, and Boston before finally returning home for a game on the 17th.

West Notes: Iafallo, Dumba, Mrazek

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The Kings are expected to welcome back winger Alex Iafallo to the lineup on their upcoming road trip, reports Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider.  The 28-year-old suffered a lower-body injury back in mid-October after a strong start that saw him pick up at least a point per game in each of his first four contests and has been out since then.  Last season, Iafallo was tied for fifth on the team in goals (17) while finishing sixth in points with 37 and his return will give Los Angeles another proven forward in the middle six to bolster what has already been a strong offense this season with the team averaging just over 3.4 goals per game so far.  He skated on the third line in practice today and could be available as soon as Tuesday’s contest against Ottawa.

More from the West:

  • Matt Dumba’s future with the Wild has seemingly been in question for years now as trade speculation has been plentiful but he has always stuck around. However, Michael Russo and Joe Smith of The Athletic feel (subscription link) that it will be different this time around and that Minnesota is likely to move the 28-year-old by the trade deadline in March.  Dumba has struggled this season and has just seven points in 24 games and with prospect Brock Faber not far away from being NHL-ready (he’s expected to turn pro after his college season ends), it’s possible that they’d eye him for Dumba’s spot, allowing them to reallocate his $6MM elsewhere.  Even with him struggling, Dumba would be an interesting addition to the trade block over the next few months.
  • Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek will be out at least a week after suffering a groin injury in last night’s contest against the Rangers, relays Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link). The veteran is no stranger to dealing with groin trouble over his career although fortunately for him, this one appears to be a shorter-term issue.  The fact he’ll be out for at least a week will make him eligible to be placed on IR which would give Chicago an extra roster spot.  They had one available yesterday but used that to bring up goalie Jaxson Stauber earlier today.

Forward Notes: Iafallo, Howden, Balcers

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Some good news is coming in the future for the Los Angeles Kings. LA Kings Insider’s Zach Dooley reports that Alex Iafallo has resumed skating on his own, although head coach Todd McLellan said he “won’t be in the lineup for a little while.”

Iafallo has missed 19 games so far this year with a lower-body injury. He remains week-to-week, and it’s likely another week or two at least before he returns. When he does, though, it’ll be a huge boost for a Kings team still in the playoff mix. The 28-year-old had five points through his first four games and remains a valuable top-nine piece in LA.

  • Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden is out tonight against the Vancouver Canucks after sustaining a lower-body injury in Thursday’s contest against Ottawa. Head coach Bruce Cassidy still isn’t sure about his return, but he said Howden likely won’t travel on the team’s upcoming road trip. That would put him out for at least four games, potentially returning on December 7 against his former team, the New York Rangers.
  • A recent pickup by the Tampa Bay Lightning is set to miss a few games. Forward Rudolfs Balcers, claimed on waivers from Florida earlier in the season, is unlikely to play on the team’s upcoming road trip, according to head coach Jon Cooper. The Bolts’ upcoming three-game swing sees them take on the Sabres, Bruins, and Flyers. Balcers has averaged under seven minutes per game in Tampa and has a goal in his first three Lightning appearances.

Alex Iafallo Moved To LTIR, Austin Wagner Shuttled

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October 24: The Kings have now loaned Wagner back to the Reign, according to the team. The Kings did not have a game yesterday, and Wagner’s recall was likely just a paper transaction to optimize LTIR relief.

October 23: The Los Angeles Kings announced a series of roster moves this afternoon, headlined by forward Alex Iafallo, who has been moved from regular IR to LTIR. In addition to Iafallo, the Kings have loaned defenseman Jacob Moverare to the Ontario Reign of the AHL and recalled forward Austin Wagner. The move gives Los Angeles 14 forwards to go along with seven defensemen on its active roster.

Iafallo had already been out and on IR since October 18th with a lower-body injury which he suffered in a game on October 17th against the Detroit Red Wings, but placing him on LTIR will create additional cap space that allows the Kings to call up Wagner, who carries a $1.133MM cap hit while sending down Moverare and his $762.5K cap hit. Prior to the transaction, Los Angeles had $521K in cap space. Of note, due to Iafallo’s $4MM cap hit, his trip to LTIR will give the organization more than enough room to work with on the salary cap front while he’s out. Despite the injury, Iafallo has had a tremendous start to the season, contributing two goals and three assists in four games.

Sending Moverare down simply gives the Kings more flexibility when setting a lineup by subtracting their eighth defenseman for another forward, flexibility they’ll continue to need in Iafallo’s absence. The defenseman had yet to play a game this season in the NHL, but does have a pair of AHL contests under his belt in 2022-23, prior to his call-up on October 18th. Wagner on the other hand, is receiving his first call-up of the season after starting the year with Ontario. There, he has two points in three games to start.

Alex Iafallo Placed On Injured Reserve

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The Los Angeles Kings have lost a key player for the next little while, as Alex Iafallo has been placed on injured reserve. The speedy forward suffered a lower-body injury last night against the Detroit Red Wings after delivering a hit in the third period. He limped off the ice and now will be sidelined for at least the next several games. Jon Rosen of NHL Network tweets that Iafallo is out “week-to-week” and is headed back to Los Angeles for further evaluation.

In his roster spot, the team has recalled defenseman Jacob Moverare from the AHL. The 24-year-old played 19 games for the team last season but failed to make the NHL roster out of camp. He gives the team an additional defender as they deal with a less serious injury for Alex Edler, who got hit in the face with a puck in warmup last night.

It is unfortunate news for Iafallo, who was off to a brilliant start this season with five points while registering at least one in all four games. The 28-year-old is in the second season of a four-year, $16MM contract he signed in 2021 and is one of the many talented wingers that make the Kings lineup so deep. He plays a strong two-way game without taking any penalties (he has just 14 minutes since the start of 2020-21) and offers a solid amount of secondary scoring.

Without him, the teams will have to shuffle things around a bit and perhaps give a bit more opportunity to a young player. Arthur Kaliyev (who didn’t play yesterday) is the most likely fit, though there has been a lack of trust for the 21-year-old early this year. He is averaging just over nine minutes of ice time in the three games he has played, though that has still resulted in a goal and assist for the talented young forward. An opportunity like this could be just what he needs to build on a strong rookie season, where he scored 14 goals and 27 points in 80 games.

Los Angeles Kings Extend Alex Iafallo

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12:45pm: Iafallo is now off the market, officially signing a four-year extension. The contract will be worth $4MM per season, totaling $16MM for the Kings’ winger.

10:08am: One of the more intriguing names that has been involved in trade speculation as of late is Kings forward Alex Iafallo.  A few days ago, it looked as if the two sides weren’t going to be able to agree on a contract extension but that may be changing as Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that the two sides have closed the gap and are making progress on getting a new deal done.

The 27-year-old has largely gone under the radar but has been one of the top college free agent signings in recent memory.  After spending his first two seasons in a middle-six role, Iafallo spent most of 2019-20 on the top line and that has continued this year.  As a result, he’s averaging over 20 minutes a night for the first time in his career while picking up 11 goals and 14 assists in 39 games to be tied for third in team scoring.

Iafallo is in the final season of a two-year, $4.85MM contract and is eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer which has made today somewhat of a deadline to get a deal done as if it doesn’t happen, Los Angeles may be inclined to turn around and trade him.  With his emergence as a key cog for the Kings, he’s certainly well-positioned to land a considerable raise on his $2.425MM AAV.

Trade Rumors: Florida, Chicago, Toronto, Hall, Iafallo

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The Florida Panthers’ trade of Brett Connolly earlier today was seemingly a precursor to something more, perhaps even a lot more. The trade opens up even more cap room for a Panthers’ team that already had substantial space, seemingly allowing them to do whatever they want at the trade deadline. With an estimated $16.4MM in full-season cap space per CapFriendly, no one is off limits to the Cats, who are looking to make the most of their firm playoff position in the Central Division. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports during the latest edition of “Insider Trading” that Florida is seeking both a top-six forward and top-four defenseman and with this additional space, there is no reason why they can’t address both if they can find reasonable trades. LeBrun notes that the Panthers were one of the teams discussing Kyle Palmieri with the New Jersey Devils prior to yesterday’s deal and will have to look elsewhere for help up front. On the blue line, LeBrun believes that rookie GM Bill Zito could look to reunite with David Savard, one of his former players in Columbus and a player heavily expected to be dealt before the deadline. One way or another, the Panthers are absolutely a buyer and a team to watch as Monday’s deadline approaches.

  • As for the other side of this morning’s trade, the Chicago Blackhawks are expected to continue to use their cap room in hopes of adding other assets, LeBrun reports. Today’s deal not only landed a serviceable forward in Connolly, but also two nice young assets in Riley Stillman and Henrik Borgstrom. GM Stan Bowman would like to make as many of these types of deals as he can before the deadline. With so many teams across the league struggling with cap space, the Blackhawks could net several other pieces by offering up their financial flexibility. Specifically, LeBrun notes that Bowman has been talking to the Maple Leafs about a trade that would free up some space in Toronto.
  • The Maple Leafs have been searching for a forward for some time, but it has not been going well. Not only are the Leafs dealing with a cap crunch, but their targets keep disappearing from the market too. Frank Seravalli reports that Toronto had previously shown strong interest in both Palmieri and Nashville’s Mikael Granlund; Palmieri is now an Islander and the Predators are in playoff position. The team will have to look elsewhere, but don’t expect them to turn to Taylor Hall. While Darren Dreger notes that interest in Hall is picking up with Palmieri off the market, Seravalli notes that the Leafs are not a suitor. Both Hall’s cap cost and the asking price to acquire him are thought to be too much for GM Kyle Dubas. That could change if Toronto finds a way to open up cap space and the bidding war for Hall fizzles out, but it seems unlikely that a deal will come together by Monday if the Leafs have shown no interest thus far.
  • Tanner Pearson has finally signed a new contract with the Vancouver Canucks, but don’t worry a new extension-or-trade drama has already rose up to take it’s place. Seravalli reports that the Los Angeles Kings have been working hard to re-sign impending UFA forward Alex Iafallo and have previously turned away trade offers. However, the two sides have not been able to reach an agreement and time is running out. L.A. is now finally listening to offers for Iafallo, though extension talks continue. The Kings still hope to re-sign the 27-year-old scorer, but will have no choice but to trade him if a deal is not in place by Monday. L.A. is too far outside of a playoff spot right now to justify keeping Iafallo only to watch him walk for nothing as a free agent.

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