By the way, don’t forget, the season starts in about an hour…

Today’s signing of Anze Kopitar to a seven-year contract extension is arguably the Kings’ biggest and most notable transaction since a certain Great One came to town. Kopitar and the Kings have committed to each other well into the next decade, even in these uncertain times, with uncertainty surrounding the Kings’ building plan and uncertainty all around financially. It’s a bold move and one that should infuse the organization. What will it mean on the ice? Maybe nothing. We’ll see.

The reason this big deal is not a surprise is that the Kings love Kopitar. They consider him a great player, a great teammate and a hard worker, a respectful kid who represents himself and the organization well. If you’re a GM looking at the possibility of shelling out almost $50 million, you definitely want to feel good about those areas just mentioned.

My thanks to Jill for chatting with Kopitar, on a day when you already had another assignment. I’ll be blogging during the game, for anyone who needs updates or just wants to humor me…