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OILERS MAKE DEAL WITH KINGS; ACQUIRE ANZE KOPITAR




Potential Superstar/Franchise Center Anze Kopitar is the newest Oiler

The Edmonton Oilers added a tremendous amount of potential,leadership and skill by making a deal with the Los Angeles Kings for Anze Kopitar. Kings GM Dean Lombardi felt that he wouldn't be able to re-sign Kopitar before seasons end, because the center had indicated that he wanted to see what teams were interested in him, come RFA time. GM Niko Baron instantly tendered a deal to try and acquire Kopitar, and forwarded it to Lombardi via text message. Andrew Cogliano and the Oilers 1st Round Draft pick are now property of the Los Angeles Kings. Cogliano has tremendous amounts of potential to, which helped make the decsicion easier for Lombardi, to send Kopitar to Edmonton. GM of the Oilers Niko Baron commented on the trade. "Anze adds so much skill, leadership, and potential looking towards the future. He has an endless amount of potential, and there is no telling how good he may be in the near future. Putting him on a line with vetran Teemu Selanne, and developing young star Ales Hemsky, gives Anze the tools necessary to hopefully become an extremely dominant player in the NHL. He can better learn how to play the game under the leadership of Teemu, and can develop into a powerful 1-2 punch scoring combo with Hemsky. I cannot believe we've added such a skilled player like Kopitar to our already deeply talented roster. This move certainly will help us reach the playoffs, and hopefully will allow us to play very, very deep on into the playoffs. A Stanley Cup is the main goal and dream for this dynasty, to try and return the team to its gloriful days of Gretzky, and the Stanley Cups.

TO LOS ANGELES

• Center Andrew Cogliano

• Edmonton's 2009 1st Round Pick

Anze Kopitar is expected to center Ales Hemsky and Teemu Selanne on the Oilers first line in the season opener @ the Pepsi Center against the Colorado Avalanche. He will also be centering the 1st powerplay unit, 1st penalty-kill unit, and will be Edmonton's 1st designated shooter in shootouts.