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.
The 2010–11 season saw Kopitar play in his 325th consecutive NHL game, which set a new Kings team record, passing Marcel Dionne on 15 March 2011. However eleven days later, on 26 March, Kopitar's season and ironman streak came to an abrupt end at 330 games after he suffered a broken ankle in a 4–1 win game against the Colorado Avalanche as a result from a collision with Avalanche defenceman Ryan O'Byrne. Despite the late-season injury setback and missing the final seven regular season games and the playoffs, Kopitar led the team in scoring for the fourth straight season with 73 points (25 goals, 48 assists), and was named the team's most valuable player for the second time while the Kings as a team finished the season as the seventh seed in the Western Conference. In Kopitar's absence, the Kings would go on to lose in the opening round of the 2011 playoffs in six games to the second-seeded San Jose Sharks.
In the 2011–12 season, Kopitar led the Kings in scoring with 76 points, (25 goals and a career-best 51 assists) in all 82 games played. After defeating the back-to-back Presidents' Trophy-winning Vancouver Canucks in five games in the conference quarterfinals along with a conference semifinals sweep to the second-seeded St. Louis Blues and a five-game victory over the third-seeded Phoenix Coyotes in the conference finals of the 2012 playoffs, the Kings won the Stanley Cup as the playoff champions, by defeating the sixth-seeded New Jersey Devils in six games in the Stanley Cup Final for their first title in team history. Kopitar finished tied with Kings captain Dustin Brown to lead the team in playoff scoring, with each having 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) from all 20 games played. Kopitar became the first Slovenian-born player to win the Stanley Cup. In recognition of this, Kopitar was named as the 2012 Slovenian male Athlete of the Year.
The 2012–13 NHL season was delayed due to the NHL lockout, so Kopitar joined his younger brother Gašper on Mora IK of the Swedish second-tier league HockeyAllsvenskan, signing a contract with the team for the 2012–13 season. He played 31 games for Mora, scoring 34 points, before the NHL lockout ended in January 2013. A shortened, 48-game NHL season commenced, Kopitar recorded 10 goals, and 32 assists for 42 points in 47 games to once again lead the Kings in scoring, and was named the team's best defensive player. Kopitar and the Kings would go on another lengthy playoff run as the defending champions but unable to defend their title as they lost in five games to the Presidents' Trophy-winning and eventual Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks. Kopitar finished the 2013 playoffs by playing in all 18 games with three goals and six assists for nine points recorded.
The 2013–14 season saw the Kings as a team finish the season as the sixth seed in the West and Kopitar play all 82 games and individually lead the team in scoring for the seventh consecutive season, with 70 points (29 goals, 41 assists), and was named both the team's most valuable player and best defensive player. He also was a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy as best defensive forward in the NHL for the first time, which was eventually awarded to Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins. In the 2014 playoffs, Kopitar led the entire league in scoring, recording five goals and 21 assists for 26 points in all 26 games, as the Kings won their second Stanley Cup championship in three seasons and second in franchise history altogether after they defeated the third-seeded San Jose Sharks in seven games in the first round (after initially trailing 3–0 earlier in the series), the top-seeded Anaheim Ducks in the second round in seven games (after initially trailing 3–2 earlier in the series) and the defending Stanley Cup champion and fifth-seeded Chicago Blackhawks in the third round in seven games prior to defeating the fifth seed New York Rangers in five games in the Stanley Cup Final. Kopitar's productivity throughout the 2014 playoffs led to him being a potential candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP (although the award eventually went to teammate Justin Williams).
Despite the defending Stanley Cup champion Kings not qualifying for the 2015 playoffs, The 2014–15 campaign saw Kopitar continue his individual dominance and tie Marcel Dionne as he became the only player in Kings history to lead the team in scoring eight times, having scored 16 goals and 48 assists for 64 points in 79 games. Kopitar was a finalist for the Selke Trophy again (although it was eventually given to Patrice Bergeron again), and also for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, awarded for sportsmanship (which was eventually awarded Jiri Hudler of the Calgary Flames.
During the 2015–16 season Kopitar signed an eight-year contract extension with the Kings. It would pay him an average of $10 million per season until the end of the 2023–24 season. He finished the season with 25 goals, 49 assists and 74 points, setting a team record by leading the Kings in scoring for a ninth consecutive season and the Kings would get back into the playoffs where they would lose in five games in the first round to the San Jose Sharks. Kopitar also was awarded both the Lady Byng Trophy and Frank J. Selke Trophy, the first player from the Kings to win either award. He also won the Bill Libby Memorial Award as the most valuable player on the Kings for the fifth time.
On 16 June 2016, Kopitar was named the captain of the Kings, replacing Dustin Brown. In his first season as captain of the Kings, Kopitar saw his production drop, and he finished with 12 goals, 40 assists and 52 points in 76 contests, second on the team behind Jeff Carter's 66 points, and ending his nine-year streak of leading the team in scoring.
Kopitar returned to form in the 2017–18 season scoring a career-high 35 goals and 57 assists for 92 points in all 82 games played, helping the Kings get back to the playoffs. He scored his fourth career hat-trick with four goals on 22 March 2018, against the Colorado Avalanche. After the season, Kopitar was a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy (as the regular season MVP) for the first time (which was awarded to New Jersey Devils forward Taylor Hall) and was awarded the Frank J. Selke Trophy for the second time in his career. Kopitar and the Kings would return to the playoffs after missing the year prior. In the 2018 playoffs, Kopitar recorded a goal and an assist as the Kings would be swept in the opening round to the Vegas Golden Knights.
On 5 January 2019, Kopitar recorded his 300th NHL goal in a 4–0 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Oilers' goaltender Cam Talbot. Towards the end of the 2018–19 season, on 1 April, in a 7–2 loss against the Calgary Flames, Kopitar played his 1,000th NHL game.
On 5 May 2021, towards the end of the pandemic-shortened 2020–21 season, Kopitar recorded his 1,000th career point against the Arizona Coyotes on a Sean Walker goal, becoming the 91st player to reach the mark.
On 14 October 2021, Kopitar scored three goals and two assists against the Vegas Golden Knights, setting a franchise record for most points in a home opening game since Jari Kurri did it back in 1991–92. However, Kopitar missed the 20-goal mark for the first time since the 2016–17 season (excluding the shortened 2020–21 season). He recorded his 700th career assist on a goal by Adrian Kempe in the Kings' final home game of the season on 23 April 2022, a 4–2 win against the Anaheim Ducks. Kopitar finished the 2021–22 season playing in 81 games with 67 points (19 goals, 48 assists) recorded as the Kings qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2018 where the Kings lost in the first round in seven games to the Edmonton Oilers, surrendering a 3–2 series lead along the way. He was eventually awarded the Mark Messier Leadership Award, becoming the second Kings player to win it after teammate Dustin Brown in 2014.
On 9 January 2023, Kopitar recorded his 1,100th NHL point in a 6–3 win over the Edmonton Oilers with an assist on a Kevin Fiala goal, becoming the third player in Kings history to reach the mark. Kopitar recorded his sixth career hat-trick on 28 February, scoring four goals in a 6–5 shootout victory against the Winnipeg Jets. At the season's end, he would win his second Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, becoming the first Kings player since Wayne Gretzky to win the award more than once.
The Kings re-signed Kopitar to a two-year contract extension on 6 July 2023. On 21 October, in a 4–2 loss to the Boston Bruins, Kopitar passed Dustin Brown as leader of games played in the Kings franchise history. Having an impressive start in the 2023–24 season, on 8 November, he scored his 400th NHL goal, which was also the game-winning goal, against the Vegas Golden Knights. On 3 December, Kopitar passed Marcel Dionne to become the all-time assists leader in Kings franchise history. On 20 March 2024, Kopitar recorded his 1,200th NHL point with an assist on a goal scored by Kevin Fiala in a 6–0 win over the Minnesota Wild. He finished the 2023–24 season with 26 goals and 44 assists for 70 points in 81 games along with one goal, two assists and three points in all five games in the 2024 playoffs as the Kings were defeated by the Edmonton Oilers in the opening round for a third consecutive year, this time in five games.
On 30 October 2024, Kopitar recorded his 800th career assist on a goal by Kevin Fiala in a 6–3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights, becoming the 35th player in league history to hit the mark. The 2024–25 season saw him record 21 goals and 46 assists for 67 points in 81 games, while taking only two minor penalties. As the Kings lost in the opening round of the 2025 playoffs to the Edmonton Oilers once more, this time in six games, he recorded two goals and seven assists for nine points in all six games. Kopitar was named a finalist for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for the fourth time. On 12 June 2025, Kopitar was announced as the winner of the Lady Byng Trophy, his third time earning the award.
On 18 September 2025, Kopitar announced that he would retire after the 2025–26 season. During that season, Kopitar became the 25th player in NHL history to play 1,500 regular season games. On 14 March 2026, Kopitar scored twice to get points 1307 and 1308, tying and breaking Marcel Dionne's record for the most career points in franchise history. Kopitar ended the season with 12 goals and 26 assists for 38 points in 67 games played as the Kings narrowly made the playoffs as the eight seed in the Western Conference. Having only taken five minor penalties all season, he was for the fifth time named a Lady Byng Memorial Trophy finalist, which was given to Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield. The Kings were swept in the first round of the 2026 playoffs by the Presidents' Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche. Kopitar played all four games and was held scoreless. He played his final game on 26 April, in front of the home crowd in Los Angeles. During the final minutes of the game, the crowd chanted "Thank you, Kopi!" and gave him a standing ovation after the final whistle. On February 24, 2027, Kopitar will have his jersey retired as well as a bronze statue of him unveiled outside Crypto.com Arena.
