Kings, Kopitar finally settle 8-year extension

The Los Angeles Kings and Anze Kopitar have finally brought pen to paper on their eight-year pact worth a reported $80 million.

Kopitar's megadeal will kick in next season and stands to pay the premier two-way center the third-highest annual salary league wide behind only Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane's dueling $10.5-million contracts.

Terms were apparently agreed upon Wednesday, but the taxing negotiation process was stretched out a little further to iron out no-movement conditions.

Kopitar is protected immediately and throughout the first half of his frontloaded extension, which will see him earn $50 million across four seasons. In the latter portion of his contract, his protection is reduced to a limited no-trade clause, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.