LA Kings captain Anze Kopitar says he will retire after his upcoming 20th season
Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar says he will retire from his 20-year NHL career after the upcoming season
FILE - Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar, of Slovenia, carries the Stanley Cup after beating the New York Rangers in double in Game 5 of the NHL Stanley Cup Final series, June 13, 2014, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar says he will retire from his 20-year NHL career after the upcoming season.
The 38-year-old Kopitar made the announcement Thursday at a news conference with his family following the first practice of training camp.
“My mind is made up,” Kopitar said. “It was a hard decision, and I will put 100% of my energy into this season. I know I’m going to give it all and leave the game with a positive mindset.”
The Slovenian center has spent his entire hockey career and adult life with the Kings since he made his NHL debut in October 2006. He is a five-time NHL All-Star, a two-time winner of the Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive forward and a three-time winner of the Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanlike play.
Most prominently, he was a star on both of the Kings' Stanley Cup-winning teams in 2012 and 2014.
Kopitar has been Los Angeles' captain since 2016, and his 1,278 career points are 29 behind Marcel Dionne, the leading scorer in Kings franchise history. He is the Kings' franchise leader in games played with 1,454, and he was their leading scorer in 15 of his first 19 seasons.
Kopitar is still playing at an elite level after recording 21 goals and 46 assists last season, but he said he wants to have more time with his wife and children. He also plans to move his family back to Slovenia.
“We have a figure skater and a hockey player on our hands, so I want to be present with them for our competitions and our games,” he said, indicating his children.
Kopitar made his announcement a few hours after the Los Angeles Dodgers announced that left-hander Clayton Kershaw also will end his lengthy career this season. Kershaw joined the Dodgers in 2008, two years after Kopitar began his Kings career.
“Must have been something in the universe for us to decide to do it on the same day,” a laughing Kopitar said of his friend.
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