Los Angeles Kings sign Alex Laferriere to entry-level contract

The Los Angeles Kings have signed forward Alex Laferriere to a three-year, entry-level contract, the club announced Sunday morning.

Laferriere, 21, recorded 21 goals and 42 points in 34 games as a sophomore at Harvard University during the 2022–23 collegiate season.

The six-foot-one right wing subsequently joined the American Hockey League’s Ontario Reign on an amateur tryout opportunity, picking up his first professional goal in four games with the team.

The Kings originally selected Laferriere in the third round (No. 83 overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft. Having now signed his entry-level deal, Laferriere is no longer eligible to play for the Reign for the rest of the 2022–23 season.

The first year of Laferriere’s ELC will immediately take effect, putting him one year closer to becoming a restricted free agent. His deal is set to expire on July 1, 2025.

The Kings currently rank third in the Pacific Division with a 45–25–10 record and 100 points through 80 games this season. If the 2022–23 campaign were to end today, the Kings would face the Edmonton Oilers in a rematch of the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Laferriere would be eligible to suit up for the Kings in the 2023 postseason, although it’s unclear at this point whether he’d have any realistic chance to do so. The Chatham, N.J. product racked up 35 goals and 73 points in 69 games over his two seasons at Harvard.

Harvard’s 2022–23 season ended on Mar. 24 with an ugly 8–1 loss to The Ohio State University in its first game of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Laferriere recorded no points and two shots on goal in that contest.

The Kings will return to action at 7:30 p.m. PT on Monday evening to take on the Vancouver Canucks at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.