INSIDER: A Bittersweet Franchise Record, The Epitome of Why Anze Kopitar is the King of Kings

Anze Kopitar’s first quote after last night’s game said it all.

Kopitar was asked about setting one of the most prestigious franchise records in LA Kings history, as he collected the 1,308th point of his NHL career. In doing so, he surpassed Hockey Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne, one of the greatest players to ever wear a Kings jersey, for the most points in Kings history. There are 32 NHL franchises, so only 32 players can boast the honor of leading an active franchise in scoring. It's pretty rare. 

So. How did all that feel?

“I mean, quite honestly, feels pretty [crappy], losing the game. I can imagine it would feel a lot better if we finished it off and won the game.”

That’s Anze Kopitar for you.

For Kopitar, as he winds down his final regular season in the NHL, moments like last night would’ve been more special if the Kings found a way to win the game. With the way the Kings have played for the bulk of the season, there’s no guarantee that Kopitar’s final dance ends where he deserves it to, in the postseason. In time, this Saturday evening in Newark will mean a lot to him. In the moment, though, it was a missed opportunity for the team to advance closer to playing meaningful hockey in April, which is ultimately why Kopitar is still lacing up the skates. 

It wasn’t a knockout blow or the end of the line, by any stretch. But it was a game the Kings led in the third period and had multiple chances to earn at least a point in. To not be able to get that over the line on Kopitar’s special night was a tough one, certainly.

It’s quotes like that, Kopitar’s dedication to the team first, that have defined who he is for so many years.

There’s an alternative timeline of Kopitar's career where 1,308 is long in the past. 

Goes without saying that the Kings have played a defensive-first system for the bulk of Kopitar’s time with the organization. It’s a commitment that helped to drive two Stanley Cup Championships and Kopitar’s reputation as one of the best two-way players in NHL history. The way that Kopitar has played the game for so many years is admirable. One of the best to do it his way, hands down.

It's probably come at the expense of some individual accolades along the way. Certainly some points. I don’t think it’s all that hard to see how Kopitar is a 1,500-point player without his commitment to all 200 feet of the ice over the years. He’s the 38th leading scorer in NHL history and is perhaps a Top-20 player in that area if he was asked to play differently, in a different system. The fact that he’s done what he has offensively alongside the Selke Trophies, alongside the shutdown assignments, alongside the penalty-killing responsibilities, alongside the commitment to closing out 3-2 hockey games……man. What a special player. Few can claim to have led the way for a franchise the way that Kopitar has, succeeding in so many ways throughout his journey.

While the moment came for Kopitar in the third period, it nearly came sooner. Twice, actually. 

After Kopitar scored the first Kings goal to pull level with Dionne, he nearly got his stick on a puck behind the net, which continued along the boards to linemate Artemi Panarin. Panarin did the rest himself, carrying the puck from low-to-high and burying his third goal with the Kings to tie the game at two, A close look showed exactly that for Kopitar – close. Frankly, it's a good thing that wasn't the milestone moment. A deflected assist, not exactly how you draw it up. 

Close is perhaps an understatement to describe what was nearly a dazzling record-setting moment later in the second period. Kopitar outletted the puck up to Panarin, starting a 2-on-1 rush in transition, with Panarin leading the way down the left wing. A perfectly weighted return pass from Panarin found Kopitar in the wheelhouse and he got everything on the shot. You hear the ping of the iron and it can go one of two directions. Up or down. He unfortunately knew, right away, it was up.

"I connected really good on it, but when I heard the sound, I figured it was bar and up, not bar and down."

The way he finally got it, after a couple of close calls, felt poetic in the moment. 

The Kings saw a 2-0 deficit become a 3-2 lead, back into a 4-3 deficit. Then came a power play, where Kopitar had already cashed in once. He helped get things started as he worked the puck to forward Alex Laferriere in transition, helping to gain the offensive zone with possession. Then he moved into the slot, where he found himself the recipient once again of a pass from Panarin, who had just gotten it himself from defenseman Brandt Clarke. It wasn’t as smooth as the first one and the finish didn’t have nearly as much. Didn’t much matter, though. 

Kopitar got his shot to go, between the wickets on New Jersey goaltender Jake Allen, to both tie the score at four and secure the record. 

“I think everyone on this team will remember that moment, regardless of where they were on the ice,” Clarke said of the play. “That was awesome, just so happy for him. We knew it was coming and he’s just a special person, so it’s a good feeling for all of us to see him accomplish that.”

Poetic……almost. 

Kopitar scoring to force overtime, or to set the stage for a late game-winning goal, would have been special. To get the milestone goal in a victory, or at least a comeback point, would’ve certainly made the moment sweeter. For Kopitar, that’s the trouble in really appreciating it right now.

When Dustin Brown retired, the season was similar in that the playoff fate of the team was unknown as he came down the stretch. The Kings didn’t clinch until they had played 80 games. Brown didn’t know, as he wound down on his final season in the league, whether his last game would be Game 82 or Game 7. When it came down to it, the opportunity to play in one final playoff series meant the world to Brown, to go out playing for a chance at the ultimate prize. It would mean the same to Kopitar, who certainly deserves to go out in the postseason, regardless of in what capacity. 

That's why the coverage of such a special moment is, indeed, bittersweet. Last night was a bad loss for the Kings. A loss that saw them fall out of the final playoff berth in the Western Conference, which they had just secured with a 3-2 win against the Islanders on Friday evening. They were outside the playoff field for six weeks and back in it for one day. It was a win they should've gotten and really could've used. Milestone or no, that one stings. 

However, players like Anze Kopitar transcend wins and losses. It's not all about his accomplishments, but whether the Kings make the playoffs or not, Kopitar deserves to be celebrated down the stretch of his career. April 2 will be that day, with the Kings honoring Kopitar with a pre-game ceremony in honor of this record and so many more throughout a career of excellence.