Kopitar retiring after 2025-26 season

The 20th season of Anze Kopitar's storied career will be his last in the NHL.

The Los Angeles Kings captain will retire at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, he announced Thursday.

Kopitar, 38, helped the Kings capture Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014. He ranks first in franchise history in games played (1,454) and second in points (1,278). He sits 29 points behind Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne on the Kings' all-time list.

He enters his final season ranking 40th on the NHL's all-time list in points and 29th in assists.

Kopitar didn't win the Conn Smythe either time L.A. won the Cup, but he led the playoffs in points (or tied for the lead) both years, notching 20 in as many games in 2012 and 26 in as many games in 2014. Overall, he's registered 89 points in 103 postseason appearances.

Dustin Brown wore the captain's "C" during both Stanley Cups, but Kopitar's leadership presence was strongly felt. Kopitar eventually earned the captaincy ahead of the 2016-17 campaign.

Kopitar has blended his imposing 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame with incredible grace on and off the ice. He's won two Selke Trophies, three Lady Byng Trophies, and a Mark Messier Leadership Award while establishing himself as one of the best two-way forwards of his generation. Kopitar was a finalist for the Hart Trophy in 2017-18, when he set career highs of 35 goals and 92 points. He's finished top 10 in Selke voting 12 times.

The Kings drafted Kopitar 11th overall in 2005. Only Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, and Patrick Kane have registered more points in the salary-cap era.

Kopitar, one of only three NHLers ever to hail from Slovenia, has also been highly durable in his career, never missing more than 12 games in a season.