Anze Kopitar will remain a King for the long-term after Los Angeles announced the signing of its star centre to an eight-year contract on Saturday.
The financial terms have not yet been announced, although it was rumoured late last week that Kopitar was nearing an $80 million US extension.
The 28-year-old, who had been negotiating a new contract for more than six months, is in the final season of a seven-year pact worth $47.6 million.
A two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Kings, Kopitar has 12 goals and 35 points in 42 games this season.
Kopitar is considered one of the more dominant two-way players in the NHL and the numbers back it up. He has reached 70 points and was a plus player in five of eight seasons previous to this campaign.
And the six-foot-three, 225-pound Slovenian is durable, having played a full 82-game schedule in five seasons and missing only 21 games in his NHL career.
Through Dec. 28, according to ESPN.com, Kopitar led the league in Corsi for percentage at 59.9 since 2012-13, meaning when he's on the ice at even strength, they are averaging nearly six of every 10 shot attempts in a given game.
Los Angeles also has averaged a plus-10 shots on goal differential (34-24) per 60 minutes of even-strength hockey over that time, which means they control the puck much more than the opposition when Kopitar is on the ice.
He is also strong in the faceoff circle, winning more than 52 per cent of his draws since 2011-12. This season, Kopitar boasts a 53.3 per cent success rate through Jan. 16.
The Kings forward also doesn't disappear in the post-season, with 18 goals and 60 points in 70 NHL playoff contests.
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