It’s not necessarily bad news for LA. If Lucic’s asking price was $6 million plus, re-signing him would have hamstrung the Kings’ salary cap freedom even more than it had been previously. It gives LA room to pursue a free agent and allows them to hold on to their young forwards, including Tyler Toffoli, who will command a major raise after next year. Having said that, Lucic’s departure leaves a major hole next to Anze Kopitar, and there are plenty of questions about where the scoring will come from next season beyond Kopitar, Toffoli, and Jeff Carter.

 

He compares favorably with some of the players in the 6-7 (million) range, and I’d take him over guys like Vanek, Marleau, and Seabrook based on age, fit, and ability. Only eight wingers make more than $7 million, though. You can nitpick about whether Lucic is a better value than Bobby Ryan or Rick Nash right now, but it’s hard to argue that Lucic belongs in that group with career highs of 30 goals and 62 points.