Rob Blake continues to make moves. This is not the Jakob Chychrun trade, but it does involve a defenceman. Los Angeles Kings Mikey Anderson has signed an eight-year contract extension to remain with the club. The deal sees him carry a cap hit of $4.1 million per season. Overall, this is a great deal for him and the club.
Mikey Anderson Signs Extension With Los Angeles
Mikey Anderson, signed to an 8x$4.1M extension by LA, is a top four all-defence stay-at-home defenceman. #GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/B2msX3ZOw7
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) February 15, 2023
This is a great deal for both sides. Los Angeles has the perfect blend of veteran leadership and youth. Rob Blake has done a good job of locking up the younger guys. Anderson is the perfect shutdown defenseman. He is not the flashiest when it comes to his offensive abilities, but he is as good as any being a shutdown guy in the top four. Having him remain in Los Angeles for the long haul gives them a good outlook for the foreseeable future. In addition, this is the best year for him offensively with two goals and 13 points.
How This Impacts Los Angeles
The contract extension for Los Angeles Kings Mikey Anderson is huge. It provides a great outlook for the team going forward. Aside from Alexander Edler being a pending UFA, Anderson is locked up like everyone else. Having a backend featuring Drew Doughty, Sean Durzi, Sean Walker, and Matt Roy signals the band remains together. In addition, the team is loaded up top with Anze Kopitar, Kevin Fiala, Trevor Moore, and Gabriel Vilardi.
For a team that was entering a potential rebuild, they have turned themselves into a solid contender in the Western Conference. As it currently stands, Los Angeles is in a tight race in the Pacific division. They sit one point behind Vegas for the lead and only one point ahead of Seattle. Great job by Rob Blake for putting a good team on the ice.
Photo Credit: Jason Mowry-USA TODAY Sports
