It’s a bit puzzling why Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar has never fully received adequate praise during his remarkable 19-year career.
He’s always been the NHL’s least talked-about great player. That needs to change in his farewell season. On Thursday, the 38-year-old center announced that his 20th NHL season would be his last.
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Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) skates during the second period against the Washington Capitals at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ryan Sun-Imagn ImagesRyan Sun-Imagn Images
“I want to get this out of the way now, to where I’m not a distraction for the team,” he told reporters. “If we’re in a fight coming down the stretch, the last thing I want to do is take attention away from the team.”
Fans across the league should shower Kopitar with the appreciation that the eternally underrated, yet surefire Hall of Famer deserves.
Former Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron was often called “The Gold Standard” for two-way excellence, having won six Selke Trophies throughout his outstanding 19-year career.
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Kopitar is right there with Bergeron’s defensive prowess. He could do everything that Bergeron could – aside from winning as many draws, but with a measure of extra offensive flourish.
Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) warms up before a game.Talia Sprague-Imagn Images
His 1,278 points in 1,454 regular season games are impressive, but box score stats don’t tell the full story of Kopitar’s greatness.
The Slovenian performed like a Swiss army knife for the Kings teams that captured two Stanley Cups in three years under head coach Darryl Sutter. He did it all for 20 minutes a night – using his speed to create offense, killing penalties with aplomb, shutting down the opponent’s top centers and being dependable in the final minutes.
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When you think of Kopitar, you think of him being leaned on by Sutter to handle the top assignments in pressured moments. More often than not, he won those key duels.
Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) skates during the warmup period against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome. Sergei Belski-Imagn ImagesSergei Belski-Imagn Images
You think of him winning countless puck battles with his size, his strength and his stick. On top of all this, he does it clean. Kopitar averages 19.6 penalty minutes per 82 regular season games and he’s won three Lady Byng Trophies.
He’s always been “Mr. Do It All.” It’s hard to name a player who does more across three zones, who does it simple and makes it look as easy as Kopitar.
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His all-around, complete game is deserving of all the plaudits. Maybe he’ll finally get some overdue love in his final season.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Sep 20, 2025, where it first appeared in the NHL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.