NHL's Los Angeles Kings Captain Anze Kopitar Announces Retirement After the 2025-26 Season
In a surprising turn of events, Anze Kopitar, the captain of the Los Angeles Kings, has announced that he will retire after the 2025-26 NHL season. Kopitar, a Slovenian native and a three-time NHL representative from his country, made this decision due to a desire to be more present for his family, as his children are approaching their teenage years.
Kopitar's career with the Kings has been nothing short of legendary. Drafted 11th overall in 2005, he has played his entire NHL career with the same organization, a rarity that is becoming less common as franchise icons like Steven Stamkos and Mitch Marner change teams. Kopitar leads his draft class in games played (1,454) and is second to Sidney Crosby in points (1,278).
Kopitar has been an anchor for the Kings' only two Stanley Cup wins, in 2012 and 2014. He is the all-time games-played leader for the Kings and is 29 points behind Marcel Dionne in second place on the team's all-time points list. His contributions to the team have earned him several individual awards, including the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2022, two Selke trophies, and three Lady Byng Trophies.
As the Kings' roster transitions to a next-generation core led by Adrian Kempe and Kevin Fiala, with young players like Quinton Byfield, Brandt Clarke, and Alex Laferriere on the rise, Kopitar is looking to close this chapter of his life on a high note. He is motivated to compete at the highest level in his final season, which will begin when the Los Angeles Kings host the Colorado Avalanche at Crypto.com Arena as part of ESPN’s opening-night triple-header on Tuesday, Oct. 7.
Kopitar's retirement comes on the same day as another Los Angeles sports legend, Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers, also announced his retirement. This double retirement marks a significant change in the sports landscape of Los Angeles.
Despite this decision, Kopitar's bond with his long-time teammate, Drew Doughty, remains strong. Doughty, who has played his entire career with Kopitar since entering the NHL in 2008, had hoped Kopitar would change his mind about retiring. They still have time to play together and spend time together before Kopitar's retirement.
As for the future of the Los Angeles Kings, it remains to be seen who will step up to fill the void left by Kopitar. One potential player who could have a long career with the Kings alongside Kopitar is not mentioned explicitly in the provided search results; no detailed information on other Kings players with long franchise careers was found. However, with the new general manager, Ken Holland, and coach, Jim Hiller, at the helm, the Kings are poised for an exciting future.
Kopitar has headed into the second season of a two-year contract extension with the Los Angeles Kings, carrying a cap hit of $7 million. He announced his retirement intentions ahead of time to avoid discussions about his future plans with the media and to not be a distraction to his teammates.
In conclusion, Anze Kopitar's retirement marks the end of an era for the Los Angeles Kings. His contributions to the team and the sport will not be forgotten, and he will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest players to come from Slovenia and the Los Angeles Kings.
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