Los Angeles Kings to Retire Anze Kopitar’s No. 11 in February

The Los Angeles Kings are officially raising No. 11 to the rafters. On Friday, the organization announced that it will retire franchise icon Anze Kopitar’s jersey and unveil a bronze statue in his honor on February 24, 2027, ahead of a game against the Montreal Canadiens.

When Kopitar announced his retirement following the 2025-26 campaign, the jersey retirement became a matter of when, not if. Kopitar stepped away from the game holding nearly every major offensive record in Kings history. He is the franchise's all-time leader in games played (1,521), assists (864), and total points (1,316).

“To have my number retired and a statue unveiled by the LA Kings is an incredible honor, and one that is difficult to put into words,” Kopitar said in a team release. “When I arrived in Los Angeles 21 years ago, I simply hoped to earn the opportunity to play in the NHL. I never imagined something like this.”

Kopitar will become just the eighth player in franchise history to have his number retired, joining legendary company: Rogie Vachon, Marcel Dionne, Dave Taylor, Wayne Gretzky, Luc Robitaille, Rob Blake, and former teammate Dustin Brown. 

Furthermore, the new bronze monument outside Crypto.com Arena will be just the fourth player statue commissioned by the team, immortalizing Kopitar alongside Gretzky, Robitaille, and Brown. It is a fitting tribute for the first Slovenian-born player in NHL history.

“Anze Kopitar has defined what it means to be a Los Angeles King for the past two decades,” said Kings President Luc Robitaille. “His leadership, consistency and commitment to excellence have helped shape the identity of our franchise, both on and off the ice.”