Anze Kopitar

Anže Kopitar
Kopitar with the Los Angeles Kings in December 2023
Born (1987-08-24) 24 August 1987
Jesenice, SR Slovenia, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 224 lb (102 kg; 16 st 0 lb)
Position Centre
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 Los Angeles Kings
National team  Slovenia
NHL draft 11th overall, 2005
Los Angeles Kings
Playing career 2002–present

Anže Kopitar (sl, born 24 August 1987) is a Slovenian professional ice hockey player who is a centre and captain for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). The 11th overall pick in the 2005 NHL entry draft, Kopitar became the first Slovenian to play in the NHL upon making his debut in 2006. Kopitar has spent his entire NHL career with the Kings, has led the team in scoring in all but four seasons and is first in franchise history in points, third in goals, and first in assists. He scored his 1,000th career point in 2021. He won the Stanley Cup with the Kings in 2012 and 2014. Following the 2015–16 season, he was named the Kings' captain. Noted for both his offensive and defensive play, Kopitar was awarded the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward in the NHL in 2016 and 2018 while also being a finalist in 2014 and 2015, as well as the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for gentlemanly play in 2016, 2023 and 2025 while also being a finalist in 2015. He was also a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2018.

Career

Before playing in the NHL, Kopitar played for the Slovenian Ice Hockey League from 2002–2004, and the Swedish Hockey League from 2004–2006.

Kopitar signed an entry-level contract with the Kings on 7 September 2005, but returned to play in Sweden for another season.[1] The next year, 2006, he accepted an invitation to Los Angeles' rookie camp.

Kopitar made his NHL debut on 6 October 2006, against the Anaheim Ducks, scoring two goals in the game.[2] In January 2007, he was named to the NHL YoungStars Game, an event included at the All-Star Game festivities; Kopitar recorded two goals and three assists.[3] Kopitar completed his first NHL season third among rookies in scoring, behind Evgeni Malkin and Paul Stastny, with 20 goals and 41 assists for 61 points.[4]

For the next four seasons, Kopitar's offensive play would improve, and he would become among the team's best players. He also helped the team return to playoff form in 2009–10. The following season, after 75 games, Kopitar fractured his ankle, and would miss the 2011 playoffs as a result.

In the 2011–12 season, Kopitar led the Kings in scoring with 76 points, (25 goals and a career-best 51 assists) in all 82 games played.[5] After defeating the back-to-back Presidents' Trophy-winning Vancouver Canucks in five games in the conference quarterfinals along with a conference semifinals sweep to the second-seeded St. Louis Blues and a five-game victory over the third-seeded Phoenix Coyotes in the conference finals of the 2012 playoffs, the Kings won the Stanley Cup as the playoff champions, by defeating the sixth-seeded New Jersey Devils in six games in the Stanley Cup Final for their first title in team history. Kopitar finished tied with Kings captain Dustin Brown to lead the team in playoff scoring, with each having 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) from all 20 games played.[6] Kopitar became the first Slovenian-born player to win the Stanley Cup.[7] In recognition of this, Kopitar was named as the 2012 Slovenian male Athlete of the Year.[8]

The 2013–14 season saw the Kings as a team finish the season as the sixth seed in the West and Kopitar play all 82 games and individually lead the team in scoring for the seventh consecutive season, with 70 points (29 goals, 41 assists), and was named both the team's most valuable player and best defensive player. He also was a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy as best defensive forward in the NHL for the first time, which was eventually awarded to Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins.[9] In the 2014 playoffs, Kopitar led the entire league in scoring, recording five goals and 21 assists for 26 points in all 26 games, as the Kings won their second Stanley Cup championship in three seasons and second in franchise history altogether after they defeated the third-seeded San Jose Sharks in seven games in the first round (after initially trailing 3–0 earlier in the series), the top-seeded Anaheim Ducks in the second round in seven games (after initially trailing 3–2 earlier in the series) and the defending Stanley Cup champion and fifth-seeded Chicago Blackhawks in the third round in seven games prior to defeating the fifth seed New York Rangers in five games in the Stanley Cup Final.[10] Kopitar's productivity throughout the 2014 playoffs led to him being a potential candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP (although the award eventually went to teammate Justin Williams).[11][12]

Kopitar's stats would continue to rise as he remained a consistent contributor to the team, culminating in him being awarded the Frank J. Selke Trophy and Lady Byng Memorial Trophy at the end of the 2015–16 season.

On 16 June 2016, Kopitar was named the captain of the Kings, replacing Dustin Brown.[13] In his first season as captain of the Kings, Kopitar saw his production drop, and he finished with 12 goals, 40 assists and 52 points in 76 contests, second on the team behind Jeff Carter's 66 points, and ending his nine-year streak of leading the team in scoring.[14]

Kopitar returned to form in the 2017–18 season scoring a career-high 35 goals and 57 assists for 92 points in all 82 games played, helping the Kings get back to the playoffs. He scored his fourth career hat-trick with four goals on 22 March 2018, against the Colorado Avalanche.[15] After the season, Kopitar was a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy (as the regular season MVP) for the first time and was awarded the Frank J. Selke Trophy for the second time in his career.[16] Kopitar and the Kings would return to the playoffs after missing the year prior. In the 2018 playoffs, Kopitar recorded a goal and an assist as the Kings would be swept in the opening round to the Vegas Golden Knights.[17]

Beginning in 2018–19, Kopitar would start recording milestones for the Kings, in assists, points, and games played, becoming the team's most decorated player by 2024–25.

On 18 September 2025, Kopitar announced that he would retire after the 2025–26 season.[18] During that season, Kopitar became the 25th player in NHL history to play 1,500 regular season games.[19] On 14 March 2026, Kopitar scored twice to get points 1307 and 1308, tying and breaking Marcel Dionne's record for the most career points in franchise history.[20]

References

  1. ↑ Los Angeles Kings (7 September 2005). "Kings Agree to Terms with Anze Kopitar". LosAngelesKings.com. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  2. ↑ Cite error: The named reference KopitarLATimes was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).
  3. ↑ LaRocca, Thomas (26 January 2008). "From Afar to YoungStars to All-Star". LAKings.com. Retrieved 19 January 2011.
  4. ↑ Podnieks, Andrew (17 November 2009). "NHL top scorer not in Vancouver". IIHF.com. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  5. ↑ "Kings' Anze Kopitar tests knee, still unlikely for opener". CBC.ca. Associated Press. 14 January 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  6. ↑ "Anze Kopitar replaces Dustin Brown as Kings' captain". USAToday.com. Associated Press. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  7. ↑ Cite error: The named reference King of Slovenia was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).
  8. ↑ Sta, T.M. (23 December 2012). "NHL Star Kopitar, Judoka Žolnir Athletes of The Year". Slovenia Times. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  9. ↑ Cite error: The named reference Angeles Kings Media Guide p. 69 was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).
  10. ↑ Masisak, Cory (14 June 2014). "Kings center Kopitar proves to be elite player". NHL.com. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  11. ↑ Chris Boyle (13 June 2014). "Stats say Kopitar deserves Conn Smythe". sportsnet.ca. Sportsnet. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  12. ↑ Tyler Brooke (10 June 2014). "NHL Playoffs 2014: Breaking Down Top Conn Smythe Trophy Contenders". bleacherreport.com. Bleacher Report. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  13. ↑ Staff Writer (16 June 2016). "Anze Kopitar Named Kings' New Team Captain". NHL.com. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  14. ↑ Teaford, Elliott (10 April 2017). "How the LA Kings performed and why their season is over". Dailynews.com. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  15. ↑ "Kopitar scores 4 times, Kings cruise to 7-1 win over Avs". ESPN. 22 March 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  16. ↑ "Anze Kopitar wins Frank J. Selke Trophy as top defensive forward". Sportsnet.ca. 20 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  17. ↑ "Hitting the jackpot: Knights sweep Kings with 1-0 win". ESPN. ESPN. Associated Press. 18 April 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  18. ↑ Kaplan, Emily (18 September 2025). "Kings captain Anze Kopitar retiring after 2025-26 season". ESPN.com. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  19. ↑ Len, Samuel (5 March 2026). "Anze Kopitar Closing in on Kings Legend's Points Record". Break Away ON SI. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  20. ↑ "Kopitar scores to become Kings' all-time points leader". Sportsnet.ca. 14 March 2026. Retrieved 14 March 2026.

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