Kopitar Sets the Bar

by David Driscoll-Carignan on Oct 12, 2008 12:39 PM MDT Comment 21 comments

On Saturday, it was announced that the Kings have signed Anze Kopitar to a 7-year, $47.6 million extension. That averages to $6.8 million a year, through the end of the 2015-2016 season.

Why do you care? Because Kopitar is probably the best barometer for the contract extension that Paul Statny will sign sometime this fall. Kopitar would have been a restricted free agent next year and the Kings opened their royal coffers to avoid having to match an even more lavish offer sheet next summer. Paul Stastny is scheduled to become an RFA next summer too, and you can expect him to have his own long-term deal long before that. It will likely be in the ballpark of the Kopitar deal.

Both Stastny and Kopitar are products of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft (along with Sydney Crosby and Carey Price). Both players made their debut in the 2006-2007 season, and both almost immediately became known as key players with their respective franchises. And they haven't looked back since. Here's their career stats through Saturday's games (per hockey-reference.com):

Age		GP	G	A	PT	+/-	PiM	PPG	SHG	ATOI
22	Stastny	149	52	98	150	+27	68	14	0	19:28
19	Kopitar	155	52	86	138	-29	46	19	4	20:37

Statistically, the pair is about as close as you're going to get. And you can even say they have similar intangibles - even though both are young, they are already counted on to take a key role in all situations - PP, SH, late-game...these guys do it all. They have different syles on the ice, but the end results are comparable. Heck, check out the quote about Kopitar from Kings GM Dean Lombardi when announcing the extension: ''Anze is a special player, but he has also shown a strong work ethic and the type character we believe is necessary to help shape the core of our team." Note to Francois Giguere: when you sign Stastny, you can just recycle this quote, because all that applies to him as well.

As a frame of reference, according hockey zone plus, Joe Sakic made $351,000 in his 4th year with the Nordiques (and had 2 100-point seasons under his belt).

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Richards

Another comparable is the contract signed by the Flyers Mike Richards ($5.75 million @ 12 years).

I’m not a fan of the “new” second contract for the RFAs. It’s one of the few instances I actually agree with Brian Burke. It’s why I appreciate the contract Wolski signed his summer. I realize things have changed as to how RFAs are treated coming off their entry-level contracts under the new CBA, but these deals are becoming a bit rediculous. However, when it comes to Stastny, he is in the Richards and Kopitar class and will likey be paid accordingly.

by Angélique C. Murray on Oct 12, 2008 1:34 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Richards is a good comparison. Maybe Eric Staal too. But I really liked how Kopitar’s numbers just lined up so well with Stastny. And, I have a tough time seeing the Avs give a 12-year deal to anyone.

and yes, these contracts are a wee bit nuts.

by David Driscoll-Carignan on Oct 12, 2008 2:05 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

There’s no question Stastny will command similar money to Kopitar. The one thing going for the Avs, however, is that while Stastny is of course a critical member of the team, he’s not leaned on as hard as Kopitar has been in Los Angeles. L.A. has Kopitar and not much else. Handzus is okay, but the loss of Mike Cammalleri to the Flames makes the Kings even weaker up front. Kopitar is it, pretty much.

The Avs don’t have that problem, at least not yet. And that may lower Stastny’s potential paycheck. But probably by not a lot.

Go Avs! Let's get some goals!

by Joe @ MHH on Oct 12, 2008 1:52 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Great job finding a pic of them together, by the way.

Go Avs! Let's get some goals!

by Joe @ MHH on Oct 12, 2008 1:53 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I’m glad I did, because otherwise I was going to have to waste one of these

by David Driscoll-Carignan on Oct 12, 2008 2:01 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

What a sex machine.

Go Avs! Let's get some goals!

by Joe @ MHH on Oct 12, 2008 2:21 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, there are a few differences between the 2:
Kopitar played 3195.58 minutes (.58 is % of a full minute) in which he had 138 points.
This results in 2.59 points per 60 minutes.

Stastny played 2900.53 minutes in which he had 155 points,
which results in 3.21 points per 60 minutes.

Which is quite a difference!
Then again, I don’t know if it is good or bad for Kopitar’s point production that he plays on a awful team, but Stastny doesn’t play on the first line. Kopitar does.

26 Card Jet

by Tommelot on Oct 12, 2008 2:23 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I think the low overall quality of the Kings’ offense is definitely holding Kopitar back. The kid is seriously an amazing player, and every bit “the full package” people claim he is. And by “full package,” I also mean that he’s hung like a horse. Ladies…

Go Avs! Let's get some goals!

by Joe @ MHH on Oct 12, 2008 2:27 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Haha

Joe, tell us how you really feel…

Red Wings Suck

by texacogirl on Oct 12, 2008 4:41 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I could see

SOS taking a hometown discount, I’m sure it would be pretty special for him to start and finish his career for the same franchise as his dad and uncles, Plus they made him pretty welcome when he started, especially Liles giving his number 26 to Stazz without being asked.

"To have arrived on this Earth as a product of a biological accident, only to depart through human arrogance, would be the ultimate irony"
R. Leakey, Origins; 1977
"Two roads divurged in a wood, and I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference"
R. Frost

by Savage33 on Oct 13, 2008 3:33 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Just another day in the life of a male model.

Go Avs! Let's get some goals!

by Joe @ MHH on Oct 13, 2008 8:09 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Side bar

Isn’t Zetterberg insanely underpaid right now? Hopefully he’ll get max (as he should), and the Wangs won’t be able to afford a bunch of other guys. They have to be dreaming if they think that can keep Zetterberg, Datsyuk and Hossa long-term, don’t you think?

MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.

by Bob in Boulder on Oct 13, 2008 9:25 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Zetterberg already was underpaid last season (I think something like a 2.5M cap hit).
I would love to see him leave the deadwings, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they signed him with a HUGE discount, as he was a late pick, only served under them, loyalty blablablabla.

I would be sad though…

26 Card Jet

by Tommelot on Oct 13, 2008 9:52 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hope he has zero loyalty and tons of money-lust. All he needs to do is talk to his new friend Hossa.

Go Avs! Let's get some goals!

by Joe @ MHH on Oct 13, 2008 9:57 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

You mean Ho$$a…

Colorado Avalanche: Gellin' and Propellin'!!!

by Mike @ MHH on Oct 13, 2008 1:59 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Very sad

I think I’ll bring a sign to the RW game at the Can that says something like “Zetterberg, you are WAY underpaid! And how much is Ho$$a making again?”

Maybe we must divide them from within.

MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.

by Bob in Boulder on Oct 13, 2008 4:40 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

That would be GOOD!!!

I think we (the MHH community) should buy your ticket then :P
Joe is gonna be receiving bags of money by the boatload anyways in a couple of years…

26 Card Jet

by Tommelot on Oct 13, 2008 4:52 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don’t assume that just because I’m in law school I’m actually a good student.

Go Avs! Let's get some goals!

by Joe @ MHH on Oct 14, 2008 6:30 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t think anybody is saying that. I think we’re saying that no matter how pathetic you are as a student, someone will still hire you to be their lawyer. It is Kentucky after all.

Colorado Avalanche: Gellin' and Propellin'!!!

by Mike @ MHH on Oct 14, 2008 12:16 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m pretty much banking on that at this point.

Go Avs! Let's get some goals!

by Joe @ MHH on Oct 14, 2008 2:13 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

There is sort of an unwritten rule that no Wings player will be paid more then Lidstrom. There is no doubt in my mind that they’ll keep Zetterberg. Franzen is the one to watch. Regarding Hossa, it’s pretty much a one year, Cup or Bust, for him. He’ll be with another team next season.

Colorado Avalanche Prospects (www.avsprospects.blogspot.com)

by Angélique C. Murray on Oct 13, 2008 4:54 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs