TORONTO — Drew Doughty wanted to have a conversation about the future. The Los Angeles Kings defenceman was looking to convince his captain to shelve talk of calling it a career.
Anze Kopitar was having none of it.
“I did this summer,” Doughty said with a smile when asked if he tried to change his teammate’s mind. “And then he announced it. I’m leaving him alone now.”
Kopitar dropped his retirement news in September, letting the NHL and wider hockey world know that the 2025-26 season would be his last. The veteran centre is now doing his best to soak up this final twirl around the league.
“I told myself I was going to try to enjoy it,” said the 38-year-old Slovenian. “Take it all in.”
Kopitar — a two-time Selke Trophy winner as the NHL’s top defensive forward — helped the Kings to the franchise’s only two Stanley Cup victories in 2012 and 2014.
A dominant force down the middle with an imposing six-foot-three, 225-pound frame across 20 NHL seasons, Kopitar has put up at least 25 goals in 10 separate campaigns after getting selected 11th overall at the 2005 draft. His 1,470 games and 845 assists are the most in franchise history, while his 443 goals rank third.
Doughty, who has been by Kopitar’s side since 2008, said the swansong hasn’t negatively impacted the group, other than getting a brief glimpse of what the roster will look like after this spring.
“When he was injured there for a couple games, it’s like, ‘Oh (crap), without him next year we’re going to be in one,'” joked the 35-year-old blueliner. “We’re just trying to play our best for him. We want to make his last season the best we can possibly make it.
“We’re just going business as usual, and we’re not even thinking about him retiring.”
Kopitar, who has three goals and seven assists in 16 games this season, remains a calming presence for L.A. — as he’s been across two decades — for a team that has lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the playoffs four straight springs and is off to a solid 10-6-4 start.
“The only guy I’ve ever played with … he’s exactly like this the whole way through,” said the fiery Doughty. “No matter if he’s playing like (crap) or he’s playing great, he stays like this the whole way through. And I wish I had that quality.
“That’s one thing that he’s always been amazing at. He stays even-keel the whole way through.”
A three-time Lady Byng Trophy winner as the NHL’s most gentlemanly player, Kopitar said just because he hasn’t shown as much outward passion doesn’t mean it isn’t there under the surface.
“All competitors show emotion in different ways,” he said. “Maybe I don’t show it on the outside as much as he does. I think it’s probably a nice combination of both characters playing in the same team.”
A team they won’t be part of — at least on a day-to-day basis — much longer.
So why did Kopitar announce he would be calling time on his career before the season, when many players wait?
“Because I didn’t want to re-answer the question all the time,” he quipped. “Now it’s out there and everybody knows.”
FAMILIAR FOE
The Kings added Corey Perry in a move that would have been hard for Kopitar to envision a decade ago.
The veteran winger was a mainstay in L.A.’s bitter rivalry with the Anaheim Ducks before eventually joining the Oilers for the last two playoff runs.
“It took me a little bit of time to get used to him in a Kings jersey,” Kopitar said. “We had good battles over the course of the years, but once he signed with us, we knew he was going to be a great addition.”
Perry was injured to start the schedule, but the 40-year-old has 12 points (seven goals, five assists) through 14 games.
“He proved us all right with the start,” Kopitar added. “Having younger guys looking up to him, what he does on and off the ice, it’s a big positive.”
CREASE QUESTIONS
Canada’s goaltending was a big question mark heading into February’s 4 Nations Face-Off.
The numbers weren’t encouraging across the board, but St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington stepped up in a big moment — similar to Game 7 of the 2019 Cup final against the Boston Bruins — to help secure a memorable overtime victory against the United States in the final.
There’s similar crease angst with the NHL’s Olympic return just around the corner. Binnington’s save percentage stands at an ugly .872 to rank ninth among Canadian netminders heading into Wednesday’s action.
There are no doubt better statistical options right now — with Logan Thompson of the Washington Capitals topping the list — but Blues captain Brayden Schenn is certain Binnington will once again rise to the occasion.
“When the pressure’s on and people doubt him, I find that’s actually when he’s at his best,” said Schenn, who added the goaltender’s numbers have a lot to do with poor defensive play in front of him. “He’s a gamer. He shows up in big moments.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 19, 2025.
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
