With training camp just a few days away, Sean Durzi signed a new two-year contract with the Kings that carries an average annual value of $1.7M to wear the Kings jersey.
A contract like this, which will leave Durzi a restricted free agent again at its expiry, comes with the potential for huge surplus value if he can continue to improve. A $1.7M cap hit is very affordable, and if Durzi steps into a regular top-four role with power-play time, he will almost certainly outperform the deal right away.
As with every bridge deal, however, the team may have to pay for that bargain later, if Durzi is deserving of a long-term contract down the road. His next deal will certainly be buying out UFA seasons, meaning the price tag will go higher. He will also have the benefit of arbitration rights, an important factor for defensemen who rack up points like the smooth-skating youngster.