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Anze Kopitar Signs 8-Year, $80 Million Contract Extension

By Matt Pelkey

Jun 13, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) hoists the Stanley Cup after defeating the New York Rangers in double overtime in game five of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 13, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) hoists the Stanley Cup after defeating the New York Rangers in double overtime in game five of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Anze Kopitar
Dec 19, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) jumps over the boards and onto the ice to begin his shift as does right wing Marian Gaborik (12) against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. The Maple Leafs beat the Kings 5-0. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /

The Los Angeles Kings have signed Anze Kopitar to an 8-year, $80 million contract extension.

It’s official. Anze Kopitar will be a Los Angeles King for the next eight years.

The Kings announced on Saturday that the team signed their star center to an eight-year, $80 million contract extension.

The deal is a front-loaded contract with an annual average of $10 million.

Here’s how the contract will play out over the eight years:

Anze Kopitar Contract
A year-by-year breakdown of Anze Kopitar’s contract extension. /

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the deal includes a $9 million bonus next July 1 with an additional $9 million bonus in the summer of 2017. That means that Kopitar will make $5 million in Year 1 with a $9 million signing bonus and $4 million in Year 2 with a $9 million signing bonus, bringing his totals to $14 million and $13 million in Years 1 and 2, respectively.

The deal includes a no-trade clause effective immediately and for the first four years of the contract. Elliotte Friedman also noted that Kopitar will receive some no-trade clause protection in the last four years.

L.A. Kings Insider Jon Rosen pointed out that the Kings now have $61.2 million committed to 16 players for the 2016-17 season with Milan Lucic, Luke Schenn, Trevor Lewis, Christian Ehrhoff and Jamie McBain all set to become unrestricted free agents on July 1 if not re-signed.

Next: Anze Kopitar Contract Almost Complete

Kopitar has led the Kings in scoring for the past eight seasons and is in good position to do it again this season. Kopitar currently has 35 points in 42 games played this season with a +17 rating while averaging 21:20 minutes per game this season. The two-time Stanley Cup Champion also has 60 points (18g, 42a) in 70 career playoff games.

Drafted 11th overall by the Kings in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Kopitar leads all players from that draft in games played (725) and trails only Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (886 points) in points, with 645.

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