Kings lock up Kopitar for 7 more years
SAN JOSE -- No matter what happens in the Kings' season opener tonight against the Sharks, they have already recorded a huge gain.
General Manager Dean Lombardi announced this morning that he has signed center Anze Kopitar (pictured above) to a seven-year, $47.6-million* contract extension.
Including the season that's left on Kopitar's current contract, he is bound to the Kings for eight seasons, through the 2015-16 season. The Kings take a cap hit of $6.8 million with the deal.
The signing continues Lombardi's strategy of securing franchise-caliber players to long-term deals. He signed Dustin Brown to a six-year contract last season and would like to add young defenseman Jack Johnson to that list.
More from Lombardi and Kopitar after the morning skate, but for now, you can read the Kings' press release here.
-- Helene Elliott
* Updated at 11 a.m. to include financial terms of the deal.
Photo credit: Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times
Excellent News! this guy is going to be a perennial all star for his career. The future is looking bright, too bad the current never is.
Posted by: d | October 11, 2008 at 11:42 AM