Anže Kopitar (pronounced [anˈʒɛ kɔˈpiːtaɾ], born 24 August 1987) is a Slovenian former professional ice hockey player. Kopitar played as a centre and spent his entire 20-season NHL career with the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). The 11th overall pick in the 2005 NHL entry draft, Kopitar became the first Slovenian to play in the NHL upon making his debut in 2006. Kopitar led the Kings team in scoring in all but four seasons and is first in franchise history in points, third in goals, and first in assists. He scored his 1,000th career point in 2021. Following the 2015–16 season, he was named the Kings' captain. Noted for both his offensive and defensive play, Kopitar was awarded the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward in the NHL in 2016 and 2018 while also being a finalist in 2014 and 2015, as well as the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for gentlemanly play in 2016, 2023 and 2025 while also being a finalist in 2015 and 2026. He was also a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2018.
Kopitar played junior hockey for his hometown team HK Acroni Jesenice before moving to Sweden at age 16 to play in a more competitive league. He spent one season with the junior teams of the Södertälje SK organization, and then with the senior team of the top-level Elitserien. He moved to North America to join the Kings in 2006, one year after he was drafted, and finished fourth in the Calder Memorial Trophy voting for the league's top rookie. Kopitar's offensive talent was immediately apparent while his defensive style developed in later seasons and he has become recognized for his two-way play. Praised as one of the best players in the NHL, Kopitar won the Stanley Cup with the Kings in 2012 and 2014, leading the playoffs in points on both occasions (tied with teammate Dustin Brown in 2012). Internationally, Kopitar represented the Slovenian national team in several junior and senior tournaments, as well as at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. He also played for Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
Contents
Playing career
European career (2002–2006)
In 2002, Kopitar began playing for the youth team of his hometown, HK Acroni Jesenice. He split the year between the team's under-18 and junior clubs, and also appeared in 11 games for the senior team HK Kranjska Gora of the Slovenian Ice Hockey League. Kopitar had four goals and four assists in the senior league, and recorded 76 points in 14 games for the Jesenice under-18 team and 27 points in 20 games for the junior club. He led the Slovenian Ice Hockey League in scoring at the age of 16, and Swedish scout Lars Söder recruited Kopitar for the Elitserien in 2004 (Söder had originally discovered Kopitar when he was 13 at the 2001 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Vuokatti, Finland).
The Slovenian Ice Hockey League did not have a high enough skill level, so Kopitar decided that if he wanted to improve his career prospects, he would have to leave the country. He was offered a chance to play in Sweden for Södertälje SK, eventually joining their junior team where he led the League in scoring, with 49 points (28 goals, 21 assists) in 30 games. At 17, prior to the 2005 NHL entry draft, Kopitar was ranked the top European skater by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau. After his first season in Sweden, he was chosen 11th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2005 Draft. Unlike most top-ranked prospects, Kopitar was not at the draft, but in Sweden playing in preseason games. Some members of the team had a party for the draft, including Niclas Bergfors, who was selected 23rd overall by the New Jersey Devils. Prior to the NHL Draft, Kopitar was also selected in the CHL Import Draft by the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League (WHL). At 18 years of age, he declined to move to North America, however, hoping to further his development by continuing to play against professionals in the Elitserien, rather than against major junior players in the WHL.
Los Angeles Kings (2006–2026)
Kopitar signed an entry-level contract with the Kings on 7 September 2005, but returned to play in Sweden for another season. The next year, 2006, he accepted an invitation to Los Angeles' rookie camp.
Kopitar made his NHL debut on 6 October 2006, against the Anaheim Ducks, scoring two goals in the game. In January 2007, he was named to the NHL YoungStars Game, an event included at the All-Star Game festivities; Kopitar recorded two goals and three assists. Kopitar completed his first NHL season third among rookies in scoring, behind Evgeni Malkin and Paul Šťastný, with 20 goals and 41 assists for 61 points. It marked the fifth-highest point total by a Kings rookie, and the highest since Luc Robitaille in 1986–87. He finished fourth in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year. Kopitar was awarded the Mark Bavis Memorial Award as the best first-year member of the Kings and was also named the Kings' Most Popular Player.
The following season, Kopitar was selected to represent the Western Conference at the 2008 NHL All-Star Game in Atlanta, his first All-Star game appearance. He was the youngest player in the game, nearly two years younger than the second-youngest player, Paul Stastny (Sidney Crosby was younger, but had to withdraw prior to the game due to injury). Kopitar finished the regular season with 32 goals and 45 assists for 77 points; he led the Kings in assists and points and was second in goals. Kopitar won the Bill Libby Memorial Award as the most valuable player on the Kings.
Early in the 2008–09 season, on 11 October 2008, Kopitar signed a seven-year contract extension with the Kings worth $47.6 million. The contract would keep Kopitar with the team until the conclusion of the 2015–16 season. He finished the season with 27 goals and 39 assists for 66 points in all 82 games, leading the Kings in both assists and points, while again finishing second in goals scored.
The following season, Kopitar scored his first career NHL hat-trick (three goals in one game) on 22 October 2009 against the Dallas Stars. He finished the 2009–10 season with a career-high 34 goals, 47 assists and 81 points in all 82 contests played. For the second time in his career, Kopitar won the Bill Libby Memorial Award as the Kings' most valuable player, and led the team in scoring for the third-straight year. as the Kings qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2002 having finished the season as the sixth seed in the West. Kopitar made his Stanley Cup playoff debut on 15 April 2010, in the first game of the opening round against the third-seeded Vancouver Canucks where the Kings lost the game 3–2 and recorded his first career playoff assist and point on a goal by Jarret Stoll. Two days later in game two of the series, Kopitar recorded his first career playoff goal against Canucks' goaltender Roberto Luongo as the Kings would go on to win the game 3–2 to even the series at 1–1. The Kings would go on to lose in the Western Conference quarterfinals in six games to the Canucks and Kopitar finished tied for third on the team with five points in six games.
International play
Kopitar first played in an international tournament when he participated in the Division I (second level) tournament of the 2003 World U18 Championships for the Slovenian national junior team. He appeared in five games and recorded three points. The following year he appeared in the 2004 World U18 Championships and the 2004 World Junior Championships. Slovenia competed in Division I at both tournaments, one level below the top division. Kopitar scored six goals and eight points in five games during the under-18 tournament and finished second overall for goals scored and third for points, leading Slovenia in both categories; at the World Juniors he had one goal and one assist in five games.
In 2005, Kopitar appeared in three international tournaments for Slovenia; he took part in the World U18 Championship, World Juniors, and the senior World Championship, his first tournament with the Slovenian national team. Slovenia competed at the Division I level for both junior tournaments, but at the top level for the senior championship. He would play his last junior tournament in 2006 at the Division I level, with six points in five games. At the 2006 World Championship he played for Slovenia at the top level and recorded three goals and nine points in six games, tying for fifth among scoring leaders. Slovenia was relegated to Division I for 2007, where Kopitar had 13 assists and 14 points, leading the tournament in both categories. Back in the top division for the 2008 World Championship, Kopitar appeared in five games and had four points to lead his team, though Slovenia was once again relegated.
Slovenia qualified for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi; as the qualifying games were held during the NHL season Kopitar was unable to participate, though his father Matjaž coached the team and Gašper played in the matches. Though Gašper was part of the team that secured qualification for Slovenia, he was not named to the Olympic roster. Kopitar helped Slovenia reach the quarterfinals of the tournament by scoring two goals and one assist.
Kopitar was also named to play in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey for Team Europe, which includes players from most of Europe (the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, and Sweden have their own teams). Prior to the announcement Kopitar had expressed excitement towards the concept, which was to be introduced during the tournament, noting that as a Slovenian he had few opportunities to play in tournaments like this.
Playing style
Kopitar was known in the NHL as one of the most effective two-way forwards, excelling in both offense and defense, for which he won the Frank J. Selke Trophy in 2016 and 2018, after being a finalist for the award in both 2014 and 2015. In addition to his defensive play, Kopitar has one of the highest career averages for winning faceoffs, and led the Kings in team scoring 14 times in his career.
"He combines size, strength and intelligence, he's as difficult to play against as any player in the league. He's very responsible defensively and checks very well, especially with his stick. He's one of the best in the league at anticipating where the puck is going and jumping in to cut off cycles."
Personal life
Kopitar was born in Jesenice, SR Slovenia, SFR Yugoslavia, to Matjaž and Mateja Kopitar. Matjaž played ice hockey for HK Acroni Jesenice, winning the league title three times, and was a member of the Yugoslav and Slovenian national teams. He also coached HK Acroni Jesenice of the Austrian Hockey League during the 2006–07 season and the Slovenian national team from 2010 until 2015. Mateja worked at the family restaurant in Hrušica, a village about five kilometres from Jesenice.
When Kopitar was four, his father first taught him how to skate; Matjaž built an ice rink in their backyard in Hrušica, and Kopitar would play there whenever he could. Kopitar has a brother, Gašper, who is five years younger and also plays ice hockey. When the Kopitar family moved to Los Angeles, Gašper joined a junior team sponsored by the Kings. He then played for the Portland Winterhawks of the major junior Western Hockey League (WHL) and the Des Moines Buccaneers of the United States Hockey League (USHL), before turning professional with Mora IK in Sweden. Kopitar's grandmother taught English at a local high school, and both Kopitar and his brother learned to speak English from her. Kopitar speaks five languages: Slovenian, Serbian, German, Swedish, and English. He enjoys playing soccer and is a declared supporter of Slovenian soccer club NK Maribor.
Kopitar is renowned in Slovenia due to his hockey exploits, with a government-sponsored website declaring that after he won the Stanley Cup in 2012 he was "the most recognised Slovenian sportsman." As a youth, he played in the 2000 and 2001 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with a team from Slovenia. He also hosts an annual charity golf tournament that benefits various groups, mainly youths.
Kopitar lived with his parents until moving to Sweden, where he lived alone in an apartment. After his first season in the NHL, the rest of Kopitar's family joined him in Los Angeles; Kopitar bought a home in Manhattan Beach in 2014. Kopitar met Ines Dominc in Slovenia in 2005; they married in July 2013. Their first child, a daughter named Neža, was born on 14 March 2015. Their second child, son Jakob, was born 5 October 2016.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
Bold indicates led league
All-Star Games
All statistics are taken from NHL.com.
Records
NHL
First Slovenian player in league history
Most career points by a Slovenian player (1,316)
Most career assists by a Slovenian player (864)
Most career goals by a Slovenian player (452)
Most points in a season by a Slovenian player (92 in 2017–18)
Most goals in a season by a Slovenian player (35, in 2017–18)
Most assists in a season by a Slovenian player (57, in 2017–18)
Los Angeles Kings
Most seasons played (20)
Most games played (1,521)
Most points (1,316)
Most assists (864)
Most game-winning goals (79)
Longest tenured captain (10 seasons, from 2016–17 to 2025–26)