LA Kings’ Extend Jack Johnson’s Contract To 7 years

Added on Jan 09, 2011 by J Merrill in

NHL

The Los Angeles Kings have Extended the contract of Jack Johnson, and the details have been trickling out over the past few days. Reportedly Jack Johnson’s new contract with the Kings will be a seven-year deal, with a salary-cap hit of approximately $4.3 million. Johnson will make $3.5 million in each of the first three years, starting next season, and then $5 million per year in each of the final four seasons.

Many people raised questions about the 23 year old Johnson signing a deal that long. However, Johnson said he looked at several options, and is very comfortable where he is. He said “We had talked about numerous options and situations. I have no problem committing that long. We were just trying to find something that was reasonable and fair for both sides. I think we’re both very happy.”

LA Kings Coach Terry Maury was happy for his player, and said Johnson is more then deserving of such a contract and they don’t come around often. He said “”That’s great for Jack. He’s a young guy that is going to be a great player in this game for a long time, so it’s good to get him locked him. Those young defensemen are hard to find, those young guys with skill and talent and ability like that. We’re hoping that he and Drew Doughty can end up being the anchors of this blue-line corps for a long time.”

As far as the Kings front office is concerned, General Manager Dean Lombardi said commitment and development went into the decision to give Johnson such a contract. He spoke at length and was very revealing about the process. He said “You have to make a reasonable assumption that this player is going to continue to progress. If he does, you’re sitting there with a contract and you can fit in other guys. The only other way you can do it, as we’ve seen, is to put out those 20-year deals with bogus years. There are teams out there that have done it, which means they have a competitive advantage. The only way to beat that is to do it early, and keep that AAV down. That’s the second part. Number one is the commitment. Number two is the development. In Jack’s case, I don’t have any doubt that he’s not going to get complacent on us. That’s always your fear, when you step up for a young player, that he’s going to go, `Well, I’ve got it made,’ and stop trying to be the best he can. I have the utmost confidence, in terms of Jack, that this is not going to happen. If anything, it’s going to make him more confident, and drive harder. That’s the other thing that allows you to step up.”

Lombardi concluded by saying that they knew where Johnson stood, and it was just a matter of small details. He said “Jack was committed for seven or eight years, and never wavered from that. It was, ‘OK, let’s get this done, put it in the bank.”

The LA Kings (23-17-1,47pts), who are now 3rd in the Pacific Division will face the Toronto Maple Leafs (16-20-4, 36pts) at home on Monday night.