Top 10 LA Kings Forwards of All-Time

4 – Anze Kopitar – 2006 to present

(photo credit to nhl. com)

When everything is said and done, I can see Anze Kopitar as the greatest Kings’ forward of all-time. Drafted by the Kings at 11th overall of the 2005 NHL entry draft, (becoming the first Slovenian born player to do so), Kopitar went on to lead the Kings’ in points for nine straight seasons, as well as in the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs (along with Dustin Brown with 20), and in 2014 with 26 points. One of the hockey’s best two-way centers/players in the world today, this generational franchise player won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the leagues’ best defensive forward in 2016. He was the first ever Kings’ player to do so. As a cherry on top, Kopitar also won that year’s Lady Byng Trophy. Though “Kopi” has never scored more then 34 goals in a regular season, (and that was way back in 2010), many hockey journalists and analysts have agreed that if Kopitar decided to drop his acclaimed and award-winning defensive responsibilities, he would indeed be a 50 goal scorer in the NHL, (just ask any goalie that had to face “Kopi” during the 2012 playoffs like Martin Brodeur, Mike Smith and Brian Elliott. Kopitar was pretty much scoring at will against them, especially when on a breakaway). “The Great One’ Wayne Gretzky himself has publically stated that he feels that Kopitar is the 3rd best center in the world today, just behind Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews. That is some very high praise indeed.  Achieving 50 goals would be spectacular, but stats like that have never interested the “King of Slovenia”, as he prefers to play selflessly by attacking as a playmaker and setting up scoring opportunities for his teammates. In 2016, Kopitar became the Captain of the Kings (though controversially) and as well as for the Slovenian Olympic team, who he helped qualify for the 2018 South Korean Winter Olympics and for Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, where he led his team to the final to face off against Team Canada, that included this Kings’ teammates Drew Doughty and Jake Muzzin. A natural goal scorer, an even more natural playmaker, a strong skater, a defensive force of nature, a beast in the faceoff circle and a leader on and off the ice, the next three Kings’ players on my list better not get too comfortable in their seats, because Kopitar is climbing up the ranks and he’s closing in fast.

(photo credit to the Hockey News)

Best Regular Season with the Kings – 2015-16 (There was so many to choose from!)

• 81 games, 25 goals, 49 assists, 74 points, plus-34, 8 game-winning goals and a 53.5% faceoff winning percentage

Best Playoffs with the Kings – 2014

• 26 games, 5 goals, 21 assists, 26 points and a 53.1% faceoff winning percentage

Career Total with the Kings (not including this season)

• Regular Season –  840 games, 255 goals, 481 assists, 736 points, plus-69 and 39 game-winning goals
• Playoffs – 75 games, 20 goals, 44 assists, 64 points and a plus-24

Awards and Achievements with the Kings

• 2012, 2014 Stanley Cup
• 2016 Frank J. Selke Trophy winner
• 2016 Lady Byng Trophy winner
• Leader with Most Points in the Stanley Cup playoffs with 20 (along with Brown) in 2012 and with 26 in 2014
• 2008, 2011, 2015 NHL All-Star Game
• Qualified for 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games with Team Slovenia (as Captain and as a member of the Kings)
• 2016 World Cup of Hockey Finals with Team Europe (as Captain and as a member of the Kings)