All We Want For Christmas For The LA Kings/Ducks

Jeff Duarte

All I want for Christmas for the LA Kings … isn’t anything big or any anything fancy-schmancy or too much to ask for … really all I want is … FOR DEAN LOMBARDI TO RE-SIGN ANZE KOPITAR TO A CONTRACT EXTENSION!!!

Do I even need to explain why?  We are almost at the mid-way point of the NHL regular season and “Kopi” has still not re-signed with the Kings.  Now I’m not trying to panic or anything as the recent word from the street is that Kopitar and the Kings’ general manager have a deal in place. Until the I’s are dotted and the T’s are crossed, I will not rest. I wish that this extension becomes official before “Kopi” is an unrestricted free agent and dangerously available in the open market.

The Kings have had some complex salary cap complications the last few years but a player of “Kopi’s” caliber is not to be messed around with or taken lightly.  Once touted by “The Great One” himself, Wayne Gretzky as the third best player in the NHL (and who am I to argue with the “Great One” and his opinion…but I would rank Kopitar higher than that), “Kopi” is a generational franchise player that most teams can only dream of attaining.  A player who can dominate with a 200 foot game, both offensively and defensively, and one who is “clutch” in big game situations (*cough* 2 Stanley Cups *cough*), no team in their right mind would let someone like him go, regardless of how much room and space will be available on the cap with his departure. Besides who could stomach the heartbreaking sight of seeing the well-loved Gustl, cheering and wearing a jersey of an opposing team?

So Dean, Deano, Dean’o’rama, we all know you’re reading this right now so don’t be a grinching Scrooge and be more like good ‘ol Saint Nick (not Shore) and grant my (and the Kingdom’s) Christmas wish by signing Kopitar to something along the lines of an 8 year, $9.5 million per season contract extension so he can stay where he belongs, here at home in Los Angeles and then we all can finally get back to business of regaining Lord Stanley’s Cup back!

It has been said so therefore, it shall be written.  Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Chrismukkah (for you O.C. fans out there and you know who you are) and Happy Holidays everyone! … and make sure to check out the GREATEST CHRISTMAS MOVIE OF ALL TIME … GREMLINS!!! JUST LIKE RE-SIGNING KOPITAR, YOU WON’T BE SORRY!!!