Anze Kopitar will call it quits after this season.
The Kings captain will retire following the 2025-26 season — his twentieth of his profession — ending a run that included two Stanley Cup titles, three Lady Byng Trophies 3 times and two Selke Trophies.
Kopitar announced the determination at a news convention on Thursday after the Kings wrapped up their first day of coaching camp.
Anze Kopitar in motion during the Kings’ 6-4 street loss to the Oilers in the first spherical of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 1, 2025. Getty Images
The 28-year-old Slovenian famous that half of the reasoning was his need to be more current for his household.
“They deserve a husband and a dad to be home to be present for the moments that are going to be leading up, especially for these guys,” he said, pointing to his kids. “They’re quickly going to be youngsters, and we all know that that’s a very vital time of their lives, and I need to be as current as I can be.
“Why announce now? I just felt that, in a simple way to put it, I want to get this out of the way now, to where I’m not a distraction for the team. For example, if we’re in a fight coming down the stretch, the last thing I want to do is take any attention away from the team and put it on myself. I just felt that this is the best time.”
Ironically, Kopitar announced the news hours after fellow Los Angeles sports activities star, Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, revealed that he would be retiring at the finish of this MLB season.
Anze Kopitar carries the Stanley Cup after the Kings beat the Rangers at home in Game 5 on June 13, 2014. AP
The Kings heart even made mild of the timing.
“I guess some pretty big news broke when Kershaw retired, so thank you for coming here,” he said with a chuckle to the assembled press.
Kopitar has appeared in practically 1,500 NHL video games — all with the Kings — and has scored 440 objectives with 1,278 factors.
King star Anze Kopitar, accompanied by spouse, Ines, announces he will retire at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season during a press convention on Sept. 18, 2025. NHLI via Getty Images
Los Angeles drafted Kopitar with the eleventh total choose in the 2005 NHL Draft, kickstarting a profession that is probably to finish with his identify in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.
He was half of cup-winning groups in 2012 and 2014, coincidentally toppling two of the three metro-area groups — the Devils and Rangers — in the Stanley Cup Final.
Kopitar is already the Kings’ all-time chief in video games (1,454), assists (838) and game-winning objectives (78).
He’s 30 factors shy of taking management of the club document for most factors.
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