Kings Gameday: Walk

The Kings are a team designed to win now. Because of this mindset and window of opportunity I understand dealing lower tier prospects and draft picks, being buyers on the trade market, and spending up to the salary cap. But ten million dollars a year for Anze Kopitar is terrible.

L.A.'s cap situation is already horrendous thanks to splurging every dollar on non-Norris winner Drew Doughty while skimping on the superior Jake Muzzin, and now things are even worse. Wayne Gretzky never made ten million dollars ever. Just try that on for perspective.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Toews is making over ten million a year, and, yes, both he and Kopitar have very similar statistics. Except the Chicago Blackhawks are paying 3.5 million a year per Stanley Cup, whereas the Kings are paying 5 million a year per Stanley Cup. However, it is still better than Patrice Bergeron getting nearly seven million a year per Cup. That's a hell of a rip off there.

Now I am not saying Anze Kopitar is replaceable, but he totally is. Instead, his heir apparent, Jordan Weal, got traded. I was wondering if Vincent Lecavalier was going to be Kopitar's replacement, but it was not to be despite his 33 goals per season rate he is scoring at with Los Angeles. There were plenty of other options available too. Just look at the waiver wire! Veterans like Sam Gagner and Jarret Stoll! Another familiar face with Linden Vey! NHL legend Mark Arcobello! If the Kings wanted another two time Stanley Cup winner, Andrew Shaw is set to be a free agent.

Instead the Kings threw down their cap space on a guy who didn't even make the All-Star team this year. He's only ever been nominated for the Selke twice AND NEVER WON. He hasn't even been the best Kings' defensive player, winning that cherished award only twice, and the last time was in 2013. Kopitar's popularity has been on the decline too, what with not winning the L.A. Kings' "Most Popular Player" award since 2011. He's never even won a game in the Olympics whereas Captain Dustin Brown has won several.

Over on the Dallas Stars, they got their priorities in order. Tyler Seguin is making a very reasonable 5.75 million a year and scoring all the damn time and riding around on Zambonis buck naked while eating Popsicles. Jason Spezza is making only 7.5 million a year and-

wait

Holy fuck. For how long? Til 2020? Okay. Good thing Dallas has two goalies locked up until 2019 making a combined 10.4 million a year so they don't have to worry about that position at least. Nearly four million on Cody Eakin makes sense too. Having defense is overrated, and I'm sure John Klingberg can play forty minutes a game. Also, Alex Goligoski is 30? Eesh.

Anyways, the Kings are so screwed for the 2019 season, ugh.

Prediction: Jason Spezza hat trick and the Kings lose 3-2.