Making a good first impression is always important, that’s exactly what Alex Iafallo has the opportunity to do with his new club in the 2023-24 season.
Iafallo was acquired by the Winnipeg Jets from the Los Angeles Kings last month alongside Gabriel Vilardi, Rasmus Kupari and a 2024 second-round pick in exchange for star forward Pierre-Luc Dubois.
The 29-year-old has played six NHL seasons in Los Angeles, posting five seasons with at least 13 goals and 30 points, totaling 85 goals and 204 points in 420 regular season games. He’s been just as productive in the playoffs with five goals and nine points in 16 games.
Iafallo is a productive two-way forward with grit in his game and isn’t afraid to get into the dirty areas. He makes contributions on both ends of the ice and is a factor on the power play, as well as penalty kill unit.
In 2022-23, Iafallo had a clutch touch, finishing third on the Kings in game-winning goals with five, adding one more in the playoffs. He recorded seven goals on the power play last season, which would have made him tied with Blake Wheeler for fourth on the Jets.
The former King has two years left on his four-year, $16 million contract extension signed with Los Angeles ahead of the 2021-22 season. He carries a cap hit of $4 million in each of the next two seasons before becoming an unrestricted agent in 2025-26.
Alex Iafallo will get the opportunity to make a first impression with the Jets when the regular season opens on October 11 against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome. He won’t have to wait long to face off against his former team as the Kings visit Canada Life Centre in the third game of the season on October 17.
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