The upcoming season will be his 20th in the NHL, all of which he has spent with the Kings after they drafted him in the first round (11th overall) in 2005.
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Kopitar, 38, ranks in the top three all-time on the team in major offensive categories and won Stanley Cup titles in 2012 and 2014. He has been captain since the 2016-17 season.
He made the announcement on the first day of practice at training camp.
"I want to get this out of the way now, where I'm not a distraction for the team," he said during a news conference with his family. "If we're in a fight down the stretch, the last thing I want to do is take attention from the team and put it on myself."
The first Slovenian to play in the NHL and to win the Stanley Cup is in the final year of a two-year, $14 million contract that he signed in 2023.
Forward Mitch Marner joined the Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade.
(John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images)
Forward Nikolaj Ehlers signed with the Hurricanes.
(Stephen R. Sylvanie, Imagn Images)
Mikael Granlund signed with the Ducks.
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
Defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov signed with the Rangers.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images)
Forward Pius Suter signed with the Blues.
(Simon Fearn, Imagn Images)
Defenseman Nate Schmidt signed with the Mammoth.
(Sam Navarro, Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
Forward Jonathan Drouin signed with the Islanders.
(Talia Sprague, Imagn Images)
Corey Perry signed with the Kings.
(Walter Tychnowicz, Imagn Images)
Defenseman Brent Burns signed with the Avalanche.
(David Kirouac, Imagn Images)
Connor Brown signed with the Devils.
(Perry Nelson, Imagn Images)
Forward Evgenii Dadonov signed with the Devils.
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
Forward Christian Dvorak signed with the Flyers.
(David Kirouac, Imagn Images)
Defenseman Ryan Lindgren signed with the Kraken.
(Sergei Belski, Imagn Images)
Forward Tanner Jeannot signed with the Bruins.
(Talia Sprague, Imagn Images)
Forward Gustav Nyquist signed with the Jets.
(Matt Blewett, Imagn Images)
Defenseman Cody Ceci signed with the Kings.
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
Defenseman Brian Dumoulin signed with the Kings.
(John Jones, Imagn Images)
Forward Nico Sturm signed with the Wild.
(Carmen Mandato, Getty Images)
Forward Jeff Skinner signed with the Sharks.
(Neville E. Guard, Imagn Images)
Forward Nathan Bastian signed with the Dallas Stars.
(Steve Roberts, Imagn Images)
Forward Victor Olofsson signed with the Colorado Avalanche.
(Stephen R. Sylvanie, Imagn Images)
Defenseman Travis Hamonic signed with the Red Wings.
(Marc DesRosiers, Imagn Images)
Goaltender Alexandar Georgiev signed with the Buffalo Sabres.
(Neville E. Guard, Imagn Images)
Forward Luke Kunin signed with the Florida Panthers.
(Russell LaBounty, Imagn Images)
Forward Hudson Fasching signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
(Robert Edwards, Imagn Images)
Defenseman Noah Dobson was traded to the Montreal Canadiens.
(John Jones, Imagn Images)
Defenseman Matt Dumba was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
(Sergei Belski, Imagn Images)
Defenseman K'Andre Miller was traded to the Hurricanes.
(Sam Navarro, Imagn Images)
Goalie Arturs Silovs was traded to the Penguins.
(Bob Frid, Imagn Images)
Forwards Miles Wood (28) and Charlie Coyle (10) were traded to the Blue Jackets.
(Jeff Curry, Imagn Images)
Forward Mason Marchment was traded to the Kraken.
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
Forward Viktor Arvidsson was traded to the Bruins.
(Robert Hanashiro, Imagn Images)
Goaltender John Gibson was traded to the Red Wings.
(Simon Fearn, Imagn Images)
Forward Chris Kreider was traded to the Ducks.
(James Guillory, USA TODAY Sports)
Goaltender Connor Ingram was traded to the Oilers.
(Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images)
Forward Ryan Reaves was traded to the Sharks for defenseman Heny Thrun.
(Dan Hamilton, Imagn Images)
Forward Evander Kane was traded to the Canucks.
(Stephen R. Sylvanie, Imagn Images)
Forward JJ Peterka was traded to the Mammoth. Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan went to the Sabres in the trade.
(David Kirouac, Imagn Images)
Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic was traded to the Sharks.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Images)
Forward Trevor Zegras was traded to the Flyers.
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
Goalie Ivan Fedotov was traded to the Blue Jackets.
(Marc DesRosiers, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Mitch Marner joined the Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade.
(John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Mitch Marner joined the Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade.
(John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Nikolaj Ehlers signed with the Hurricanes.
(Stephen R. Sylvanie, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Mikael Granlund signed with the Ducks.
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov signed with the Rangers.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Pius Suter signed with the Blues.
(Simon Fearn, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Defenseman Nate Schmidt signed with the Mammoth.
(Sam Navarro, Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Jonathan Drouin signed with the Islanders.
(Talia Sprague, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Corey Perry signed with the Kings.
(Walter Tychnowicz, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Defenseman Brent Burns signed with the Avalanche.
(David Kirouac, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Connor Brown signed with the Devils.
(Perry Nelson, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Evgenii Dadonov signed with the Devils.
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Christian Dvorak signed with the Flyers.
(David Kirouac, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Defenseman Ryan Lindgren signed with the Kraken.
(Sergei Belski, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Tanner Jeannot signed with the Bruins.
(Talia Sprague, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Gustav Nyquist signed with the Jets.
(Matt Blewett, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Defenseman Cody Ceci signed with the Kings.
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Defenseman Brian Dumoulin signed with the Kings.
(John Jones, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Nico Sturm signed with the Wild.
(Carmen Mandato, Getty Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Jeff Skinner signed with the Sharks.
(Neville E. Guard, Imagn Images)
20/41
NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Nathan Bastian signed with the Dallas Stars.
(Steve Roberts, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Victor Olofsson signed with the Colorado Avalanche.
(Stephen R. Sylvanie, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Defenseman Travis Hamonic signed with the Red Wings.
(Marc DesRosiers, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Goaltender Alexandar Georgiev signed with the Buffalo Sabres.
(Neville E. Guard, Imagn Images)
24/41
NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Luke Kunin signed with the Florida Panthers.
(Russell LaBounty, Imagn Images)
25/41
NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Hudson Fasching signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
(Robert Edwards, Imagn Images)
26/41
NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Defenseman Noah Dobson was traded to the Montreal Canadiens.
(John Jones, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Defenseman Matt Dumba was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
(Sergei Belski, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Defenseman K'Andre Miller was traded to the Hurricanes.
(Sam Navarro, Imagn Images)
29/41
NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Goalie Arturs Silovs was traded to the Penguins.
(Bob Frid, Imagn Images)
30/41
NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forwards Miles Wood (28) and Charlie Coyle (10) were traded to the Blue Jackets.
(Jeff Curry, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Mason Marchment was traded to the Kraken.
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
32/41
NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Viktor Arvidsson was traded to the Bruins.
(Robert Hanashiro, Imagn Images)
33/41
NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Goaltender John Gibson was traded to the Red Wings.
(Simon Fearn, Imagn Images)
34/41
NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Chris Kreider was traded to the Ducks.
(James Guillory, USA TODAY Sports)
35/41
NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Goaltender Connor Ingram was traded to the Oilers.
(Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images)
36/41
NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Ryan Reaves was traded to the Sharks for defenseman Heny Thrun.
(Dan Hamilton, Imagn Images)
37/41
NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Evander Kane was traded to the Canucks.
(Stephen R. Sylvanie, Imagn Images)
38/41
NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward JJ Peterka was traded to the Mammoth. Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan went to the Sabres in the trade.
(David Kirouac, Imagn Images)
39/41
NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic was traded to the Sharks.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Images)
40/41
NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Forward Trevor Zegras was traded to the Flyers.
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
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NHL players on the move in the 2025 offseason
Goalie Ivan Fedotov was traded to the Blue Jackets.
(Marc DesRosiers, Imagn Images)
He was the secondLos Angelesathlete to announce a pending retirement on Thursday, followingDodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw. Kopitar said that news caught him by surprise.
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"It must have been something in the universe for us to decide (on the same day)," Kopitar said.
Where doesAnze Kopitarrank on Kings' scoring list?
Kopitar ranks second all-time on the Kings' regular-season scoring list with 1,278 points and could finish the season as No. 1. He trails Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne by 29 points heading into theOct. 7 opener.
He also leads the franchise in games played (1,454) and is first in assists (838) and game-winning goals (78) and third in goals (440). He's second to Dionne in even-strength and power-play points and could pass him in those categories this season.
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Kopitar leads Kings players in playoff games (103) and has 62 assists and 89 points and has the potential to pass leader Wayne Gretzky in those categories.
"Yes, the numbers are good, but the goal that I'm trying to achieve and we're trying to achieve is winning," he said. "The highs of winning surpass every high from your individual stats and individual numbers."
Why is Anze Kopitar retiring?
Kopitar said he will retire so he can spend more time with his wife, Ines, and two children, Neža and Jakob.
"We have a figure skater and a hockey player on our hands, so I want to be present for them," he said.
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The family plans to move back to Slovenia, where his parents and extended family live.
Though the timing of the announcement could set up a retirement tour, Kopitar said his focus will be on the season and trying to win a third championship.
"I'm looking extremely forward to this next season," he said. "I still have a lot of motivation. I've got a lot of energy and desire to compete at the very highest level."
Will Anze Kopitar be a Hall of Famer?
Yes and potentially on the first ballot. In addition to the two championships (as an alternate captain), he has won the Selke Trophy twice as top defensive forward and the Lady Byng Trophy (sportsmanship) three times, including in 2024-25. He also won the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award in 2021-22.
He was captain of Team Europe in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, which lost to Canada in the final.
