Confirmed with Link: Kings Sign Kopitar (2 Years/ $7m AAV)

[Surf Nutz]

Vegas wouldn't give him 7 Mill per year. They are not as dumb as Blake.

Vegas continually makes moves to make things happen.
Sucking in and blowing out players.
They blew a Stanley Cup Bubble this year.
I am sure they would pay Kopi close to 7 when Stone goes on his annual Academy Award wining LTIR sabbatical.
If they don't multiple other teams would.
Cap is set to ratchet up.

Shocking.. Kings fans not happy

90% of the unhappy ones are here only

 

[jgs]

Vegas continually makes moves to make things happen.
Sucking in and blowing out players.
They blew a Stanley Cup Bubble this year.
I am sure they would pay Kopi close to 7 when Stone goes on his annual Academy Award wining LTIR sabbatical.
If they don't multiple other teams would.
Cap is set to ratchet up.


90% of the unhappy ones are here only

Do you really think that Kopi can continue to play at the level he is playing. I think his performance will decline, He wasn't a fast skater in his prime and has slowed down from his prime and will continue to get slower. That comes with age. Basically Blake has paid him for what he has done and not for what he will be capable to do in those two years. Why do you think he demand a contract now instead of next year? Because he knows there is a real good chance his numbers will drop and won't be worth that 7 mill.

 

[bland]

Shocking.. Kings fans not happy

Shocking... Kings have been one of the least successful teams in the league for 9 straight years now.

 

[King'sPawn]

Do you like this KP? Or does it rub you the wrong way too that Byfield seems locked out of a spot.

I have mixed feelings - Kopitar has only started showing some signs of slowing down. I would have liked a little less, but I don't hate the deal.

As far as Byfield, I don't look at it as being locked out of a spot, since for all intents and purposes, players CAN in theory be switched. But even if not, if Byfield develops into a top-flight winger instead of a center, this deal means very little. I care more about good picks and putting players in a position to succeed. If he grows, cool. If not, well - the team would have so many issues, it won't matter at that point.

What I DON'T want to see is Byfield strapped to Kopitar's wing for three straight seasons, then when Kopitar retires, the Kings suddenly move him to center and expect him to take over as center.

So, long and short of it, there are ways this can be implemented where I won't hate it. But I am worried this is more likely to be mishandled.

 

[Telos]

Oh wow. It actually is a little shocking that this got done so immediately. I recently said that the biggest thing looming over the Kings right now is Kopitar's future. It's honestly nice to see them prioritize him. He is guaranteed to decline sooner or later, but man was he pivotal last season... It is a fair deal. Kopi deserves it. No one deserves it more in franchise history.

Having him on the books for three more years is intense, and we have to expect him to step down from #1C sooner or later throughout the deal, but if there is anyone I would count on to still be both healthy and useful down the stretch of their career it would be him...

 

[chris kontos]

Hey
Kopi's our 2 time lady byng award winner i'll remind you

 

[bouncesonly]

Do you really think that Kopi can continue to play at the level he is playing. I think his performance will decline, He wasn't a fast skater in his prime and has slowed down from his prime and will continue to get slower. That comes with age. Basically Blake has paid him for what he has done and not for what he will be capable to do in those two years. Why do you think he demand a contract now instead of next year? Because he knows there is a real good chance his numbers will drop and won't be worth that 7 mill.

Yes, expecting 65 pts from him the next 3 season is not really out of this world with the linemates he has. 65 pts is a median production for a 7 mil AAV contract.

 

[jgs]

Yes, expecting 65 pts from him the next 3 season is not really out of this world with the linemates he has. 65 pts is a median production for a 7 mil AAV contract.

Well we will find out in the nest 3 years.

 

[BringTheReign]

Maybe part of him getting $7M and not $5M plus bonuses is that he has to agree to gradually shift Byfield to center and him to wing.

 

[theMajor]

rough AAV

 

[FrozenKing18]

I mean I don’t hate it. Cap is going up right? Kopitar will still be a valuable bottom 6 center in the event that PLD and Byfield shows that they’re capable of carrying the top lines. Only thing to be worried about is if Kopitar hits a MASSIVE decline to the point where he’s useless, which I don’t see happening. I think the guy is way too talented and he’ll find a way to be useful.

 

[Schrute farms]

Makes you wonder why Lombardi didn't get the 2012/2014 SC winning good old boy until retirement stay that Kopi and DD basically are getting. It seems unfair. Not like Blake has gotten us any sniff of a SC during his tenure (& not likely to happen going forward).

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

So, is the NMC limited, or comprehensive?

 

[Surf Nutz]

Do you really think that Kopi can continue to play at the level he is playing. I think his performance will decline, He wasn't a fast skater in his prime and has slowed down from his prime and will continue to get slower. That comes with age. Basically Blake has paid him for what he has done and not for what he will be capable to do in those two years. Why do you think he demand a contract now instead of next year? Because he knows there is a real good chance his numbers will drop and won't be worth that 7 mill.

All that is possible and we will see.
I did not mention any of your conjecture, not sure why you feel you have to pin me down on the future.
Kopi has made a big commitment to the Kings and it helped greatly for our only 2 cups.
He asked for a commitment from the team now, not really a demand.
I feel the team handled it appropriately.
Much like Gavi its only 2 years.
Blake expires as well in 2 years so he is probably getting input from his chain of command on who he signs and for how long.
Coming off the books after the season:
Tmac
Arvi
Roy
all goalies
Lizzo
Grundy
Lewis
numerous RFA's
numerous depth UFA's
After 24/25
BLAKE
Gavi
Englund

But a few posters have loudly assured people that the Kings are the one AEG entity that has absolutely no plan!
They couldn't be wrong!!
Or..

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Love Kopitar, still one of the best players on LA,

Don't like this deal at all, didn't need to happen now, could have waited, etc, would have loved it much more if it was 1 year deals ala Bergeron etc

 

[Schmooley]

Shocking.. Kings fans not happy

Whats there to be happy about this move right now? They just signed a guy thats close to 40 for 7 million for two years and he isnt even done with his current contract.
Were you happy watching him get schooled by McDavid and Draisaitl in the playoffs?

 

[Octavian]

I'll start with my disclaimer: I love Kopitar as well.
However, there was no need to rush this deal particularly at the set price. Kopitar could have been honored for his past and present accomplishments with a more creative contract that hedged against the inevitable decline in production. I'm not ouraged or anything, but I think the team would certainly have benefitted from a more reasonable deal.

 

[Bandit]

Blake being Blake. No reason beyond that. Hilarious when you imagine Blake in Kopitar’s position.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Whats there to be happy about this move right now? They just signed a guy thats close to 40 for 7 million for two years and he isnt even done with his current contract.
Were you happy watching him get schooled by McDavid and Draisaitl in the playoffs?

Yes he won the Smelke award in the playoffs and I blame part of that on the savant behind the bench that doesnt realize that Danault is our top defender.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

f***ing lol. Does Blake even know what the salary cap is at this point?

So much for the narrative that he has faith in Byfield as the center of the future.

 

[Brownie to Pancakes]

The upshot of the shorter deals like this and Gavrikov's is they will light a fire under PLD

 

[DoktorJeep]

Pat Brisson is the winner of the offseason. Master class.

Anyone who believed in $5M are looking like a bunch of suckers.

 

[tigermask48]

I swear Blake must conduct these negotiations by handing the agent a signed blank check "Here, write down a figure you think is fair."
Then covers his eyes and looks away.

Awful, awful contract for all the reasons people have already pointed out. Just terrible.

 

[No Name The Nameless]

Yup, I bet you would...

Do you really think that Kopi would sign with Vegas over the Kings? 7 million? Come on.

Blake just wanted to give another marquee move this offseason because there wasn’t any more cap room left. It’s all bull shit publicity

 

[No Name The Nameless]

Fire that asshole before he gives the DD contract. I never dreamed someone could f*** shit up this bad. Zero rationale to any of his moves anymore.