With three minutes remaining in regulation, the crowd at Crypto.com arena rose as one to deliver a deafening, tear-filled standing ovation for the greatest player to ever wear the Kings' crown, Anze Kopitar.
A standing ovation for Anze Kopitar as he hit the ice in the final minutes of regulation 👑 #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/59CLR2vCdl
— NHL (@NHL) April 26, 2026
The 38-year-old captain, who announced his retirement back in September, took one final lap around the ice, waving to a fanbase that has seen him grow from a rookie sensation into a two-time Stanley Cup champion and a first-ballot Hall of Fame.
Kopitar did not record a point in four games in the 2026 playoffs. He amassed 38 points (12 goals, 26 assists) in 67 games during the 2025-26 regular season.
Kopitar retires as the most decorated player in Los Angeles Kings history. Having played his entire career in L.A., he leaves the game holding nearly every significant franchise record. In 1,521 career games over his two decades with the Kings, Kopitar collected 452 goals, 1,316 points, and just 358 penalty minutes. He added 27 goals and 89 points in 107 playoff games and captured two Stanley Cup championships. He represented Slovenia at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. He subsequently won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward in 2016 and 2018, having previously been named a finalist twice, and was also named a finalist for the Hart Trophy in 2018.
With the Kings now eliminated from Stanley Cup contention, the Avalanche will advance to face either the Dallas Stars or the Minnesota Wild in the Western Conference semifinal.