Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
A nice coincidence will bring Anze Kopitar and the Montreal Canadiens together.
The Kings will retire their legend’s jersey during a game against the Canadiens in February 2027.
The official announcement just dropped.
The Los Angeles Kings have announced that the team will honor No. 11 and unveil a bronze statue of the franchise’s all-time leading scorer on February 24, 2027.
The opponent chosen for that night is no small detail.
Kopitar will see his number raised to the rafters in Los Angeles against the Montreal Canadiens.
And that detail carries some special meaning.
We called it a coincidence earlier, but when you think about it, maybe it isn’t a coincidence at all.
Marco D’Amico pointed out that Kopitar has a special connection with Montreal.
During his final game at the Bell Centre, he said Montreal was his favorite hockey market outside Los Angeles.
If he had ever signed elsewhere or changed teams, there’s a good chance he would have chosen the Montreal Canadiens.
Seeing his banner raised with the Canadiens in town is a fitting touch.
Anze Kopitar’s No. 11 retirement and statue cement his place in Kings history
The honor is fully deserved.
Kopitar left a huge mark on Kings history.
His No. 11 will join the franchise’s biggest legends.
His jersey will hang alongside those of legends such as Wayne Gretzky, Marcel Dionne, Luc Robitaille and Rob Blake.
Becoming the all-time leading scorer in franchise history deserves to be celebrated.
The bronze statue adds another level of prestige.
Very few athletes receive that kind of honor, one reserved for figures who truly left a lasting mark on their organization.
For Montreal Canadiens fans, it will also be a special moment to watch from afar.
February 24, 2027 promises to be an emotional night.
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LA Kings make special Anze Kopitar announcement involving the Montreal Canadiens
Do you think the Canadiens were one Anze Kopitar away from winning a Stanley Cup at any point in the last 20 years?