Anze Kopitar’s 20-year career comes to an end in Kings’ loss

After telling himself for years that next year would come, it didn’t happen until the last six minutes of his final game Ange Kopitar Realized there wasn’t going to be a next year.

Kopitar’s 20-year career ended on Sunday Los Angeles Kings Garland 5-1 till colorado avalanche In Game 4 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

The Avalanche will advance to the second round where they will face one of the dallas stars Or minnesota wild.

As for the Kings, they have failed to advance beyond the first round since winning their second Stanley Cup in 2014. They would be left with regrets about what went wrong after another first-round exit before the offseason, which included Kopitar not being included on their roster for the first time since his debut in the 2006–07 season.

“It’s hard to understand,” said Kopitar, 38, surrounded by his two children. “But at the same time, these are two reasons I’m going to really enjoy next year too. It’s definitely going to be very bittersweet. There will be some tears. But that’s the way life goes, right? It’s a cycle. It’s been a hell of a ride for 20 years.”

Kopitar’s final game begins nathan mackinnon Achieving first period goal and black capricorn Scoring in the second period to give the Avs a 2-0 lead. joel edmondson Scored the only goal for the Kings midway through the second period, before the Avs scored three unanswered goals in the third to take a 5–1 lead with 5:38 remaining.

Although the result was no longer in question, most of the crowd stayed to watch Kopitar’s final innings. He took the ice with less than three minutes left, before fans chanted “Kopi! Kopi! Kopi!” Started raising slogans. For the perfection of his second to last innings.

Another chant came with 90 seconds remaining as fans repeatedly shouted, “Thank you, Kopi!” before Kopitar returned to the ice to play a final inning that lasted one minute, 16 seconds.

He finished the game with a shot on goal, logging 18:30 in ice time.

“It was hard to put it together,” Kopitar said. “To be here for 20 years – more than half of my lifetime – it’s extremely special. It’s been home for us for 20 years, and I really appreciate the fans. They’ve been behind me personally. They’ve been behind the team for so many years. I can really say they’re probably one of the best fan bases in the entire league.”

Kopitar led the Kings’ handshake line in which he was hugged by Avs players Gabriel LandeskogMcKinnon and Capricorn. Kopitar also shared a hug with him Brent Burns41, who played 11 seasons with san jose sharks And there were many matchups against him in the regular season and playoffs.

Kopitar shook hands with Colorado coach Jared Bednar and his assistants before skating to the Avs bench, and did the same with every athletic trainer and equipment manager.

Kendra then raised his stick in the air and used his other hand to wave to the fans while Kendra skated on the ice. He was surrounded by Avalanche and Kings players who repeatedly tapped their sticks in respect.

Then, as he has done thousands of times, he skated to the bench in his famous “Kopitar 11” sweater for the last time as a defenseman. Drew Doughty They were chased into the tunnel before reaching the dressing room.

“I’m trying not to think about it right now,” an emotional Doughty told reporters after the game. “But he had an incredible career. It means a lot to this organization. It’s going to be tough without him.”

There was already speculation that Kopitar, the first Slovenian in NHL history, could be nearing the end of his career by July 2023 after he signed a two-year extension that was set to expire at the end of this season. He was signing the final season of an eight-year deal that would be his last contract.

Kopitar announced in September, before the start of the season, that this would be his final campaign. The veteran told ESPN at the time that his family members “probably need me as much, if not more, than the people on the ice.”

He reiterated his commitment to his family at the end of his 12-minute news conference on Sunday, after which he received a standing ovation.

“You guys know we’re away and you’re missing birthdays, and you’re missing tournaments and hockey games,” Kopitar said. “Thank God for new technology. … But now, they wake up in the morning and come into the room and see me there. That’s what they deserve. They’ve been there 11 years, nine years with being a part-time dad, and now they get to pay me full time.”

Selected with the No. 11 draft pick in 2005, he became one of the greatest players in franchise history.

Los Angeles drafted Kopitar as part of a plan that included fellow domestic talents dustin brown, jonathan quick And Doughty took the Kings from a struggling franchise to Stanley Cup champions in 2012 and 2014.

That was also the last time the Kings advanced beyond the first round. They reached the playoffs twice in their first four seasons, winning the Stanley Cup before a significant rebuild.

Kopitar and Doughty remain in place to groom talent like the club Adrian Kempe, Gabriel Vilardi, mickey anderson, quinton byfield And Brandt Clark.

Surrounding the center of the future with Kopitar and Doughty was meant to return the Kings to prominence in the Western Conference.

The new iteration of the Kings returned to the playoffs in 2021–22, when they lost seven games. edmonton oilers. This set the stage for the Kings to lose in the first round for five consecutive seasons, four of which were against the Oilers.

A five-time NHL All-Star Game selection, Kopitar provided consistency as a two-way player who was a nightly fixture. He had 15 seasons in which he played 75 or more games.

Kopitar reached the 20-goal mark 14 times in his career and in three seasons he scored more than 30 goals. He led the team in scoring 15 times.

He retired as the Kings’ all-time leader in assists, points, games played, season and game-winning goals, and he is the longest-serving player in club history. He is a two-time Selke Trophy winner for the NHL’s best defensive forward and a three-time recipient of the Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly play.

When Kopitar was asked how he wanted to be remembered, he said, “A good teammate.” “And a two-time Stanley Cup champion. That works, too.”