I feel like LA might have taken themselves out of the eichel sweepstakes by giving danault a NMC plus kopitar have a NTC and also having Vilardi and byfield coming up at centre but I guess crazier things have happened

Sabres waited too long, Kings found their bridge between Kopitar and their young group of centers in Danault.

yeah i think you're both right. but i dont think they should be out. on a true cup contending team, wouldn't Danault be a great 3C? and i get that ideally Byfield is the 2C but they could definitely fit the $8M to compete in the west right now

True cup contending teams are balanced and apply spending equally in each area.

If the Kings rolled with:
Kopitar ($10M) - Eichel ($8M) - Danault ($5.5M) - Byfield (ELC)

Aside from putting an important piece all the way on the fourth line, you have taken away cap space which was meant to bolster scoring and LD (two rookies were minute leaders last season: Bjornfot & Andersson). You have stacked the team with play makers and not put much spending into wingers (Kaliyev as their best wing prospect / Turcotte is also anticipated to be a top-6 winger) By moving away those assets the Kings will need to look at the free agency with shallow pockets after signing Petersen and having Eichel on the books.

Danault would be so rattled if he ended up the 3C in his first year in the LA haha. But yes you are right that if he is your 3C your team is probably looking really solid down the middle