Your Thoughts on Kopi's Extension

kingsholygrail

Almost there.. 38-22-11
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Dec 21, 2006
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Wasn't really a choice for DL. I won't be bothered by the contract for a few years, but once the production drops I'll hate it like Brown's.
 

Basilisk

Registered User
Aug 5, 2012
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Wasn't really a choice for DL. I won't be bothered by the contract for a few years, but once the production drops I'll hate it like Brown's.


And speaking of Brown, if we couldn't afford him before Kopi's deal, we REALLY can't afford him now!!! :amazed:


I'm hoping he goes at the deadline & Kopi is named new captain.
 

Basilisk

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Aug 5, 2012
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DL didn't negotiate hard enough. He should have made it clear to Kopi that current team members would have to be traded to support $10m per year long-term. Also that 3 more Cups can be won in this current window, but not if everybody has to be traded away 'cuz of one player's contract.
 

Raccoon Jesus

Todd McLellan is an inside agent
Oct 30, 2008
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Thrilled. Love Kopi. He need to retire a King. I love that Sutter said his best years are ahead of him today. I think he has 3 years performing at this peak before tailing off but I think he'll age well like Sundin. I realize I'm in the minority there. I would have liked it to be lower for further roster flexibility but if you're going to open the bank it's for Kopi, Doughty, Quick. Everyone else is secondary in my humble opinion. And I realize full well it COULD be bad on the back end but it shouldn't be repeated as gospel that Kopitar at age 34 will be terrible/not worth it. Risky, not certainly though.
 

Basilisk

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Aug 5, 2012
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BTW, anything over $8.5m per year is basically robbery. Is it really fair that Carter, who produces approximately as much as Kopitar, now is paid almost half as much as Kopitar?
 

Raccoon Jesus

Todd McLellan is an inside agent
Oct 30, 2008
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BTW, anything over $8.5m per year is basically robbery. Is it really fair that Carter, who produces approximately as much as Kopitar, now is paid almost half as much as Kopitar?

Not 'fair' in a vacuum but it's a completely different market than when Carter signed his contract in 2011. He's also a completely different player now.

Is it fair that Brown makes over twice as much as Toffoli?

These things don't equal out in the end which is what makes discussion fun but context has to be considered.
 

KINGS17

Smartest in the Room
Apr 6, 2006
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DL didn't negotiate hard enough. He should have made it clear to Kopi that current team members would have to be traded to support $10m per year long-term. Also that 3 more Cups can be won in this current window, but not if everybody has to be traded away 'cuz of one player's contract.

Unfortunately, I think Dean did this. I guess we may not find out until we get to read the book he is supposed to be working on right now.

If Dean's interviews are to be believed, in the end you have to believe that this argument didn't sway Kopitar in the least.
 

bob77

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Nov 19, 2014
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Its the one move he has to make. The others are where he has to back off. Like signing Greene to four years at 2.5 each? There are others available, especially the younger kids at low cost. But, DS wants vets. That is about to end now. Of course the age of vets can keep going up!! Hey we will get the point where DS will suit up himself!!!
 

Raccoon Jesus

Todd McLellan is an inside agent
Oct 30, 2008
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Unfortunately, I think Dean did this. I guess we may not find out until we get to read the book he is supposed to be working on right now.

If Dean's interviews are to be believed, in the end you have to believe that this argument didn't sway Kopitar in the least.

I too look forward to DL's book, haha.

And I agree with the boldfaced. He made it sound like near Brad-Richards-presentation levels of convincing.
 

KingsFan7824

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Dec 4, 2003
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If not Kopitar, then who? That's the problem. Lombardi had no options, and Kopitar owes it to nobody to take less. To the Kings? They're just his employer. His teammates? When Kopitar retires, probably back home in Slovenia, he'll barely ever see them again. Guys have already left from the tight group that's won 2 Cups. Fans? Please, that's silly. Maybe he takes less, if he doesn't already have 2 Cups. Maybe, and maybe is pushing it.

The contract will make everything that much more difficult, but I don't know what else Lombardi was supposed to do.
 

DocWest

Rock Bottom
Oct 21, 2010
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It needed to be done. If Kopi walked this team would be in trouble. By the time the deal gets ugly we should be rebuilding anyway, so I'm fine with what was offered. You have to pay for top end talent.
 

Ron*

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I chose other, because I have other thoughts besides the two only that gave us as a choice.
 

onlyalad

New rule: no goalies.
Jan 13, 2008
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As I say with every contract " too much, too long" but I will also include " too bad there is a NMC"

Eight years is a very long time for things to go wrong. Not that I think Kopitar will turn into Brown but there is no knowing the future. Brown was underpaid for before his current deal. Now he is not worth his old deal.

I get the Kings had no choice. I was hoping during the last lockout the league would have won the 5 year max length on contracts. I know it is not my money, but all these deals will make it harder on my favorite team in the future and I plan to be a Kings fans for a while.
 

KopitarFAN

Reno Sucks!
Oct 14, 2008
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San Pedro, CA
I chose other, because I have other thoughts besides the two only that gave us as a choice.

This.

For me, it's good because for the years that this team should still be contending, the next 3 (at most) or so, he'll be here. However, the term at that dollar amount obviously isn't great, and they will pay for it 2020 and beyond, but I don't expect this team to still be contending by 2020-21 (if their is a season).
 

kingsfan

President of the Todd McLellan fan club by default
Mar 18, 2002
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My option is other.

I wish we didn't have to spend $10 million per year on anyone, but letting Kopitar go means we let go of any chance at a cup in the future. We simply aren't replacing Kopitar from within the system and how often are Kopitar-esque players available on the trade market and free agency? Sorry, in my opinion Johansen isn't Kopitar level either.

We hear a lot of people posting that if your team has a shot at the cup you mortgage the future and trade everything you have to try and get a cup when you have a chance. The same applies to cap space. You give up the future to go for a cup today when you are the Kings. The fact the deal doesn't include a NTC/NMC from what I have seen (not sure that's accurate) is the part that benefits the Kings because it gives them options come year seven or eight if Kopitar's game starts to fall off.

Frankly, I see him playing similar to how Joe Thornton has and Thornton is only now really starting to slip at 36. That would be the second last year of Kopitar's deal if I'm not mistaken.

Kings need the cap to keep going up though.
 

Reclamation Project

Cut It All Right In Two
Jul 6, 2011
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My option is other.

I wish we didn't have to spend $10 million per year on anyone, but letting Kopitar go means we let go of any chance at a cup in the future. We simply aren't replacing Kopitar from within the system and how often are Kopitar-esque players available on the trade market and free agency? Sorry, in my opinion Johansen isn't Kopitar level either.

We hear a lot of people posting that if your team has a shot at the cup you mortgage the future and trade everything you have to try and get a cup when you have a chance. The same applies to cap space. You give up the future to go for a cup today when you are the Kings. The fact the deal doesn't include a NTC/NMC from what I have seen (not sure that's accurate) is the part that benefits the Kings because it gives them options come year seven or eight if Kopitar's game starts to fall off.

Frankly, I see him playing similar to how Joe Thornton has and Thornton is only now really starting to slip at 36. That would be the second last year of Kopitar's deal if I'm not mistaken.

Kings need the cap to keep going up though.

"Last 4 yrs of Kopitar extension protected by limited no trade clause."
 

KingPurpleDinosaur

Bandwagon Kings Fan
Dec 17, 2002
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Kopitar is an elite #1C. A premium player at a premium position. DL had to pay Kopitar whatever he wanted. The only thing he could hope for was convincing Kopitar to lower his demands, he didn't, so that leaves 2 options....

Trade him or sign him. I think DL could have traded him for a treasure chest of gold, but it would have left a huge hole in our lineup and closed the short Stanley Cup window we have. So DL went for what was best for the team at the current state. We're going to have a ton of problems later, but there's a time to cash in now, and cash in later.

i understand that it's a business, but I don't know if players fully understand the responsibilities of a big salary. look at gaborik, he took a huge paycut and people still are yelling to trade him. Had he taken the market contract he could have gotten and performed like this, the pitchforks would be out. I think it's better to be underpaid (Quick) than overpaid.
 

King'sPawn

Enjoy the chaos
Jul 1, 2003
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BTW, anything over $8.5m per year is basically robbery. Is it really fair that Carter, who produces approximately as much as Kopitar, now is paid almost half as much as Kopitar?

Kopitar has outscored Carter the past several seasons combined by 60+ points. This is while playing more PK time and getting the top defenders on him.

Carter has more goals than Kopitar. That's it.

And Carter signed an 11 year, $55 million contract when the cap was lower.

But Kopitar consistently leads his team in scoring every year for the past 8 years, while being the top defensive forward on the team, and has only missed 27 regular season games in his career. That's tremendous consistency.

As for the deal, I don't like the cap hit and term combination. But it had to be done. The depth lost to retain him will be easier to replace than trying to replace him if he walked.
 

Butch 19

Go cart Mozart
May 12, 2006
16,526
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If not Kopitar, then who? That's the problem. Lombardi had no options, and Kopitar owes it to nobody to take less. To the Kings? They're just his employer. His teammates? When Kopitar retires, probably back home in Slovenia, he'll barely ever see them again. Guys have already left from the tight group that's won 2 Cups. Fans? Please, that's silly. Maybe he takes less, if he doesn't already have 2 Cups. Maybe, and maybe is pushing it.

The contract will make everything that much more difficult, but I don't know what else Lombardi was supposed to do.

just be glad there's a cap.
 

HYORI 1963

Grit & Character
Jan 20, 2009
14,444
0
Orange County CA
Kopitar has outscored Carter the past several seasons combined by 60+ points. This is while playing more PK time and getting the top defenders on him.

Carter has more goals than Kopitar. That's it.

And Carter signed an 11 year, $55 million contract when the cap was lower.

But Kopitar consistently leads his team in scoring every year for the past 8 years, while being the top defensive forward on the team, and has only missed 27 regular season games in his career. That's tremendous consistency.

As for the deal, I don't like the cap hit and term combination. But it had to be done. The depth lost to retain him will be easier to replace than trying to replace him if he walked.

Meh, if Carter were given the 1C linemates, responsibilities, and TOI, he MAY do just as well. Carter's a very good two way forward, who often gets overlooked, because of Kopi. To me, Carter is just as important to the kings as Kopi is. Who knows, with almost 50% less cap hit, he MAY be more valuable than Kopi.
 

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