The Los Angeles Kings are in a battle to make the playoffs this season, as they sit in the second wild card position with three teams behind them within two points. It'd be a shame for the franchise legend, Anze Kopitar, to miss out on the playoffs in his final season, but breaking a 45-year record would be a good consolation to make the 2025-26 campaign a memorable one. The captain is about to do just that, according to Dan Rosen via NHL.com.
“Kopitar's goal in a 3-2 win against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on Friday got him to within one point of tying Dionne's Kings' record of 1,307 points,” Rosen wrote. “He could tie or break it as soon as Saturday, when the Kings play the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.”
Kopitar might already be the greatest player in the team's history, leading the franchise's all-time marks of games played, assists, and game-winning goals. He also has two Stanley Cups, two Selke Trophies as the league's best two-way forward, and three Lady Byng Trophies, given to the league's most gentlemanly and sportsmanlike player. Wayne Gretzky is the best player ever to wear the uniform, but in terms of significance to the organization, it's hard to beat Kopitar's resume.
There will be a massive hole to fill once Anze Kopitar leaves. The Kings are lacking star power, and while acquiring Artemi Panarin helped with that, Ken Holland understands he might need to make a big splash over the next couple of seasons to get the team back on the right track. But first, Los Angeles must find a way to get their captain one more playoff experience.
