NHL

Kings’ Kopitar Counting Down to Retirement After 20 NHL Seasons

Los Angeles Kings’ forward Anze Kopitar, 38, just finished his 20th NHL season with the team, and will be retiring after the postseason.
Kings’ Kopitar Counting Down to Retirement After 20 NHL Seasons
Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings salutes the crowd after their NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on April 14, 2026. Derek Cain/Getty Images
Donald Laible
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Anze Kopitar is hoping to still be skating in the NHL Stanley Cup postseason next month, and into June.

Hockey has been kind to Kopitar. But, there is still work to tackle. As long as the Los Angeles Kings keep winning, Kopitar’s career remains ongoing. Keep winning, keep skating. It’s that simple. But, the inevitable is right around the rink for the Slovenian. On Tuesday is Game 2 of the postseason’s Round 1 in Denver. On Sunday, the heavily favored Colorado Avalanche took Game 1 at Ball Arena, 2–1.

Donald Laible
Donald Laible
Author
Don has covered pro baseball for several decades, beginning in the minor leagues as a radio broadcaster in the NY Mets organization. His Ice Chips & Diamond Dust blog ran from 2012-2020 at uticaod.com. His baseball passion surrounds anything concerning the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and writing features on the players and staff of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Don currently resides in southwest Florida.