News of LA Kings’ captain Anze Kopitar’s retirement at the end of this season has been met with mixed emotions. On the one hand, it wasn’t a surprise to see the 38-year-old future Hall of Famer decide to call it quits.
His current two-year deal is this summer. So, it’s not shocking to hear that Kopitar is done in the NHL.
On the other hand, Kopitar’s retirement marks the end of an era for the LA Kings. His retirement will leave Drew Doughty as the only remaining player from the Kings’ two Stanley Cup-winning clubs. As such, the book is essentially closed on the greatest period in team history.
Yes, Doughty could well take over as team captain and keep that historic tradition alive. But the fact is that Doughty may only be a placeholder until a new leadership group is firmly in place. A younger core will need to take over to usher in a new era of winning in Tinseltown.
Kopitar will likely pass the torch this season. He’ll take his victory lap and get the praise he deserves before calling a marvelous career. But for the Kings, this is a watershed moment. The club will never be the same following Kopitar’s departure.
While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, the team will need to figure out how to regroup moving forward. Whoever takes over from Kopitar will have some of the biggest shoes in team history to fill.
Kopitar to leave as LA Kings' all-time leading scorer
Anze Kopitar will likely end his career as the LA Kings’ all-time leading scorer. He’s entering this season with 440 goals and 1,278 points. His point total is greater than Luc Robitaille, Dave Taylor, and Wayne Gretzky.
His number place Kopitar second behind Marcel Dionne by just 29 points. Barring any major injury concerns, Kopitar should pass Dionne before season’s end. When he does, it will mark a fitting end to the Kings’ best player in history.
Of course, cases can be made for Dionne, Robitaille, and Gretzky. But none of these players won a Stanley Cup with the Kings. Gretzky came close in 1993, but ultimately fell short.
Over the last four seasons, Kopitar has consistently been in the 67 to 74-point range. With 29 points to catch Dionne, it’s reasonable to assume that Kopitar could catch and pass Dionne before the end of the 2025 calendar year.
Perhaps Kings fans will get one heck of a Christmas present. Fans should rest assured that when it does happen, it will be one of the most memorable moments in team history.