NHL Rumors: Did the Los Angeles Kings Want More Cap Space and Quinton Byfield’s Sport?

Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman on the Jeff Marek Show talking about the Los Angeles Kings clearing some salary cap space by trading Pierre-Luc Dubois and how much Quinton Byfield in line for a big contract extension played a part in it.

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Marek: “Does LA need a goalkeeper? Yes. Did things work out for you with Dubois and the Los Angeles Kings? No. So it works in that sense. But I look at Elliott’s and say, this is about Quinton Byfield and making room and making room for Quinton Byfield.

Now, we don’t know whether Wasserman, who is the agent here, is looking for a deal for the Byfield bridge or whether they want to hit something big and go out the door I don’t know. But my first thought on it is, this deal is about making room for Byfield, financially and on the ice. Do you agree or disagree?”

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Friedman: “I would say, I don’t think he’s wrong, but I’d say he’s second.” I think, I, I had a chance to listen to Rob Blake yesterday when I came to Edmonton, and I thought it was really interesting that he, like Rob Blake took a little bit of Dubois yesterday. Since he said we have him, we had problems getting him together.

And, but he also didn’t blame, he didn’t really blame Dubois as much as he blamed himself or the situation. I thought that was really interesting. Because for me, the first thing, to admit, is that they couldn’t bring him back. That it wouldn’t work.

That they, yeah, I, obviously, you know, Byfield took a big step last year. I think everyone is really confident where they are going. But I would say that was the second time after Blake agreed that they had to leave Dubois and that he wasn’t going to work in LA.

And you know, like I have a bunch of people asking me, what, why is Washington doing this? You know, Ofeleba. you know, someone pointed it out to me, if you look at the Capitals, look at all the starters they have on their roster that didn’t work out?

Like, you know, (TJ) Oshie was a very successful player. But you know, St.

Marek: “Dylan Strome.”

Friedman: “Strome. Was (Sonny) Milano a first rounder? I don’t remember.”

Marek: “Who.”

Friedman: “Sonny Milano.”

Marek: “He was the first player.”

Friedman: “Yes, so they have, yes, they have a lot of guys on their list, who were the first players who didn’t work out the way they did, they exercised the way they wanted somewhere else. But they came to Washington, they found homes.

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And I think that’s another one, like you said, I saw your tweet yesterday about the big boys, yeah, that’s really true. But I think Washington is also looking at how they, how the first rounders find a home there on their second or third try. This will be a big challenge. I think that’s one of the reasons Washington wanted to do, or was willing to do this deal. “