I've never been bullish on Iafallo but I can't argue with the counting stats but I still come back to he's doing it while getting primo minutes/opportunity on basically a last place team that only has one line/PP unit that can score. You can't just put Grundstrom up there instead and expect the same production so I'm not crapping on him but I agree with the idea of him not being a Top 6 winger on a contender unless you are pretty stacked in the rest of the Top 6. I'd love him in a 3rd line role but the Kings haven't been able to replace him on the top line yet so there he stays.
This is a tough one because the player does have value but does he get a four year deal and is on the 3rd line by Year 3? On the other hand, what are you doing with a late 1st round pick if you don't use it in a package for someone that can help immediately? Hope that the late first round pick is at least as good as Iafallo in three-to-four years?
Kings currently have two seconds and two thirds in this draft. Adding another first is enticing when you think about the amount of picks, prospects and cap Blake would have to work with when looking to make an impact trade.
I don't really disagree, ideally he's pushed down, but literally every contender has a player like Iafallo in their top six, both by style and counting stats. The 'problem' as mentioned isn't Iafallo but that we don't have another elite winger to take the heat off him. Iafallo's stats are the same or better than anyone that's stuck in our top six over the last decade--better than Pearson, all but one year of Toffoli, roughly equal to Jdub, only lesser than 'good' Brown. And I'm not trying to get into that part of it again, I'm only pointing it out because of this--every one of those guys gets a similar contract. It's not a 'problem.' You don't get to underpay him just because you don't 'feel' he belongs there, I'd love to be on the other side of that arbitration.
4 years, $20 million.
And that is perfectly reasonable.
That's fine if it is just counting stats but the only guy I'm going to compare him to is Pearson. Toffoli plays with Kopitar and pots 31 goals. Iafallo's TOI is pretty insane (19 minutes last season and 20 this year!!!) so that is a huge help to his counting stats. Now that I've seen that, I might have to walk it back a bit that Grundstrom couldn't replicate similar production at 20 minutes a night with Kopitar. The Kings would be a last place team if Grundstrom was in that spot instead but that is kind of my point: they are pretty much a last place team with Iafallo eating those minutes.
Iafallo has 20 hits in 37 games this year. 49 in 70 last season. God this team is so soft. Kopitar and Iafallo are skating for an entire period a game and average less than one hit per game. Like, how the f*** can you skate around for twenty minutes a game and not throw one body check hahaha.
4 years, $20 million.
And that is perfectly reasonable.
The problem is, what would Iafallo do without Kopitar and without first line powerplay minutes.
You might need that $5M in 4 years when Byfield and co get their 2nd deals.
4 years, $20 million.
And that is perfectly reasonable.
I really hate you for pointing that out.That's fine if it is just counting stats but the only guy I'm going to compare him to is Pearson. Toffoli plays with Kopitar and pots 31 goals. Iafallo's TOI is pretty insane (19 minutes last season and 20 this year!!!) so that is a huge help to his counting stats. Now that I've seen that, I might have to walk it back a bit that Grundstrom couldn't replicate similar production at 20 minutes a night with Kopitar. The Kings would be a last place team if Grundstrom was in that spot instead but that is kind of my point: they are pretty much a last place team with Iafallo eating those minutes.
Iafallo has 20 hits in 37 games this year. 49 in 70 last season. God this team is so soft. Kopitar and Iafallo are skating for an entire period a game and average less than one hit per game. Like, how the f*** can you skate around for twenty minutes a game and not throw one body check hahaha.
Yeah, I'm not a fan of the 5mil mark for this guy.This is so cray - AI has never scored more than 17 goals and people are asking for 5 million? He's 27 already, how much upside is left?
Toffoli has scord 30 goals and 20 a few times - even Pearson cracked 20.
Three red flags.
1) Where would Iafallo's production be on Line 2 or Line 3 and the second PP unit. Do you want to paying him $5M a year in 2-3 years when Byfield/Turcotte/Kaliyev etc are on the team, taking those top unit, top PP minutes?
2) 24-43 point guy who's taking advantage of 20 minutes a night in a contract year.
3) Term. By year 4 of that deal, guys like Byfield, Turcotte and company good need big contracts.
Iafallo reminds me of a less physical, less skilled Tyler Bertuzzi.
He's valuable because he can play up and down the lineup.
He plays the game right.
But if you're not careful, you end up with Justin Abdelkader.
1) It doesn't really matter since he IS a first liner and has been for three years
2) His production has been at a steady 50 point level for 2 seasons, putting him within the top 30 in a position that historically and currently is the lowest scoring spot of the three forward positions
3) The deal would end as his prime ends, no non-prime years included at that rate
I listed all the true comparables in another thread a few weeks ago. There are a good 15 left wingers of the same age and production, none of which are making less than $4.75 mil as a cap hit.
Who the hell is Wolanin?