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The word was that the new contract extension would be announced on Friday, but I ain't mad. Because it's done now, and guess what? Today, we get to celebrate the same way we've celebrated for the last eight-plus years: by watching Anze Kopitar play hockey for the Los Angeles Kings.
From the press release:
The extension begins at the start of the 2016-17 season and culminates at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.
Kopitar, 28, has spent his entire NHL career with the Kings after the club selected him in the first-round (11th overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. In 725 regular season games he has 645 points (230-415=645), a plus-62 rating and 194 penalty minutes, while in 70 postseason games he has 60 points (18-42=60), a plus-22 rating and 37 penalty minutes en route to two Stanley Cups.
Vote in the poll and tell us what you think of the deal. Recall that the contract is for eight years at $80 million, meaning Kopitar will be a King until 2024. Exact terms, for the curious:
Kopitar year by year: $14 mil, $13 mil, $12 mil, $11mil, $8mil, $8mil,$7mil,$7 mil. No move clause immediately and first 4 yrs.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) January 16, 2016
Last 4 yrs of Kopitar extension protected by limited no trade clause.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) January 16, 2016
Can't wait for the standing ovation he gets in about an hour.