All Hail King Kopitar!

[charlio lemieux]

Sure Dusitn Brown was just named Captain, but this is the guy who is going to be in that group of players, like Toews, that are one step below Crosby, Ovechkin and Malkin. Anze Kopitar (http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8471685) is one of the bright young stars of the NHL, and is the first player from Slovenia to play in the league. Like Peter Stastny and Jarri Kurri(both pioneering NHL stars from their countries) he maybe forever a few points behind the Lemieux and Gretzky's of the modern era, but he will nonetheless become one of the league's greats.



More on a topic of discussion. Just when are the Kings supposed to get good?

With all the young talent they should be making the playoffs any year now.
The biggest question is goaltending. They look absolutly scary in 4-5 years with the players they have, but they should atleast be making some noise right now.

[charlio lemieux]

Just sign an extension for 7 Years 47.6 Million (http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2008/10/11/Kings-Kopitar-0/)

7 years for 6.8M per.

What a steal! If he improves on last season the Kings would have been paying him 7.5 or more to retain his services.

IMO this is a guy we will be talking about being in the same group as Zetterberg, Thorton and LeCavalier by the end of the year.

I've been a fan of his since before his draft in 2005. My avatar is actual Graffiti that was being sprayed around Los Angeles when he was battling Malkin(20yrs) and Stasny(22yrs) for the Calder trophy in 2006-07 as a 19yr old.

Good for him on the new deal.

[rustybadcock]

Just sign an extension for 7 Years 47.6 Million (http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2008/10/11/Kings-Kopitar-0/)

7 years for 6.8M per.

What a steal! If he improves on last season the Kings would have been paying him 7.5 or more to retain his services.

IMO this is a guy we will be talking about being in the same group as Zetterberg, Thorton and LeCavalier by the end of the year.

I've been a fan of his since before his draft in 2005. My avatar is actual Graffiti that was being sprayed around Los Angeles when he was battling Malkin(20yrs) and Stasny(22yrs) for the Calder trophy in 2006-07 as a 19yr old.

Good for him on the new deal.

I didn't know that about your avatar. That's cool.

I agree, pretty good money for his talent. And yeah, when are the Kings gonna get better?! :eek:

RB

[KB in Kelowna]

I often wonder how things would have turned out had Nonis took Kopitar when he had the chance.

He is an exciting player, but the question is when will the Kings assemble the supporting cast he needs to go to higher levels of success.

[charlio lemieux]

I often wonder how things would have turned out had Nonis took Kopitar when he had the chance.

He is an exciting player, but the question is when will the Kings assemble the supporting cast he needs to go to higher levels of success.

8 other teams passed on him too. Imagine a Getzlaf - Kopitar 1-2 punch in Anaheim, or Spezza - Kopitar in Ottawa.

The Kings have signed a decent core to move forward with. Brown, Frolov, O'Sullivan, Kopitar and if they can keep Johnson and Doughty longterm they just need some goaltending(bernier?) and some role players to fill out the roster.