Anže Kopitar
Anže Kopitar (pronounced [anˈʒɛ kɔˈpiːtaɾ], born 24 August 1987) is a Slovenian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). The 11th overall pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Kopitar became the first Slovene to play in the NHL upon making his debut in 2006. Kopitar has spent his entire NHL career with the Kings, has led the team in scoring in all but two seasons and is fourth in franchise history in points, goals, and assists, scoring 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, as well as the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for gentlemanly play the same year. He won the Selke Trophy a second time in 2018 and the Lady Byng Trophy in 2023.
| Anže Kopitar | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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Kopitar with the Los Angeles Kings in December 2023 | |||
| Born |
24 August 1987 Jesenice, SR Slovenia, SFR Yugoslavia | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | ||
| Weight | 224 lb (102 kg; 16 st 0 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team Former teams |
Los Angeles Kings
| ||
| National team | Slovenia | ||
| NHL Draft |
11th overall, 2005 Los Angeles Kings | ||
| Playing career | 2002–present | ||
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 when he joined the Kings, while his defensive style developed in later seasons and he has become recognized for his two-way play, being a finalist for the Selke Trophy three times and winning twice. In 2018, he was a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy. 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 has 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.