Ben Shelley: What can the Kings expect from Anze Kopitar going forward?

I don't agree, especially if he's given halfway decent players to play with. Brown has been significantly better than he was in the last half of the Darryl Sutter era, but at 35, if he's your top line wing, your team has problems.

Draft a player like Lafreniere and Perfetti to play on his left, and get Kaliyev to play on his right, and I think we see Kopitar get 30g and 80-90p for at least another 4 seasons.

I don't agree, especially if he's given halfway decent players to play with. Brown has been significantly better than he was in the last half of the Darryl Sutter era, but at 35, if he's your top line wing, your team has problems.

Draft a player like Lafreniere and Perfetti to play on his left, and get Kaliyev to play on his right, and I think we see Kopitar get 30g and 80-90p for at least another 4 seasons.
- tkecanuck341

Thanks for reading!

That's a fair argument that he doesn't have players to play with, but I wouldn't necessarily bank on getting that quality winger for next season. If the Kings don't get a top-three pick and end up picking at #6 or 7 instead, for instance, I'm not sold that whoever they draft will make an immediate impact (or a large enough one to boost Kopitar's production).

Then considering his age, it'd be pretty shocking if he didn't decline in two years from now, as at that point he'd be 35 and even if he has players to work with, he'll be slowing down.

Why not trade Kopitar and retain significant salary?

I would imagine a team like Philly or Colorado could give up quite a haul for a player they’d consider the “final piece.”

Kopitar is pretty much a King for the next four years. His salary is absurd and his age is against him, nobody would trade for him especially my Flyers who would never consider him the final piece and at what cost, lol. Sorry mate it ain't happening.

^ and they shouldnt trade him

Kopitar is pretty much a King for the next four years. His salary is absurd and his age is against him, nobody would trade for him especially my Flyers who would never consider him the final piece and at what cost, lol. Sorry mate it ain't happening.
- joegreif17

Why not? You understand that salary retention is a thing that exists, right?

What value does Kopitar’s remaining good years have to the Kings, who aren’t likely to sniff the playoffs until the end of it?

This is just basic asset management.

Why not? You understand that salary retention is a thing that exists, right?

What value does Kopitar’s remaining good years have to the Kings, who aren’t likely to sniff the playoffs until the end of it?

This is just basic asset management.
- Za Warudo

Because they still have to sell tickets during the basement years.

Kopitar has been one of the best players in franchise history, and will challenge Marcel Dionne as the greatest King ever once his career is over. The Kings aren't going to move him, else they risk alienating their fan base and decreasing attendance by 20-30%.

They're not going to pay $20M to a player to not play for the team. The only way Kopitar ever wears another team's jersey is if he asks the team for a trade, or if he signs a new contract in 4 years when his current one expires.