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Anze Kopitar Becomes Immortal in Los Angeles as Kings Retire No. 11 and Build His Statue
The Los Angeles Kings will retire Anze Kopitar’s No. 11 and unveil a bronze statue outside Crypto.com Arena, cementing the legacy of their all-time leader in games, assists and points.
Anze Kopitar spent 20 seasons building his place in Los Angeles Kings history. On February 24, 2027, the franchise will make that legacy permanent by retiring his No. 11 jersey and unveiling a bronze statue outside Crypto.com Arena before the Kings face the Montreal Canadiens.
Some players leave a franchise with statistics.
Some leave championships.
A much smaller group becomes part of the architecture.
Anze Kopitar is about to join that group.
The Los Angeles Kings announced Friday that Kopitar’s No. 11 will be raised permanently to the rafters during the 2026-27 season, while a bronze statue honoring the longtime captain will be unveiled outside Crypto.com Arena on the same day.
The ceremonies are scheduled for February 24, 2027, before Los Angeles hosts the Montreal Canadiens.
For Kopitar, who retired after the 2025-26 season, the announcement completes one of the most remarkable one-franchise careers of the modern NHL era.
Twenty seasons.
Two Stanley Cups.
1,521 regular-season games.
452 goals.
864 assists.
1,316 points.
And all of it in a Los Angeles Kings uniform.
Readers can follow continuing league news, history, player analysis and legacy debates through The Sports Encounter’s NHL coverage.
The Los Angeles Kings officially confirmed Kopitar’s jersey retirement and statue unveiling on August 7. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Anze Kopitar Tribute: Key Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Player | Anze Kopitar |
| Jersey number | No. 11 |
| Jersey retirement date | February 24, 2027 |
| Statue unveiling | February 24, 2027 |
| Venue | Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles |
| Opponent that night | Montreal Canadiens |
| NHL seasons | 20 |
| Career franchise | Los Angeles Kings only |
| Games played | 1,521 |
| Goals | 452 |
| Assists | 864 |
| Points | 1,316 |
| Stanley Cups | 2012, 2014 |
| Selke Trophies | 2016, 2018 |
| Lady Byng Trophies | 2016, 2023, 2025 |
TL;DR
- The Los Angeles Kings will retire Anze Kopitar’s No. 11 on February 24, 2027.
- The franchise will unveil a bronze statue of Kopitar outside Crypto.com Arena the same day.
- The ceremonies will take place before the Kings host the Montreal Canadiens.
- Kopitar retired after the 2025-26 season following 20 NHL seasons, all with Los Angeles.
- He finished as the Kings’ career leader in games played, assists and points.
- He ended his career with 452 goals, 864 assists and 1,316 points in 1,521 games.
- Kopitar won Stanley Cups with Los Angeles in 2012 and 2014.
- He won the Selke Trophy twice and the Lady Byng Trophy three times.
- No. 11 will become the eighth number retired by the Kings.
- Kopitar will become only the fourth Kings player honored with a statue outside Crypto.com Arena.
This Is More Than a Jersey Retirement
Hockey franchises retire numbers to preserve memory.
Statues do something different.
They place a player permanently into the physical identity of a building and a city.
Long after highlights disappear from nightly television and new generations replace the players who watched Kopitar compete, fans entering Crypto.com Arena will still walk past his image.
That is what makes the Kings’ decision especially significant.
Kopitar is receiving both honors together.
His number will exist above the ice.
His statue will exist outside the arena.
The franchise is effectively saying that its modern history cannot be told without him.
Kopitar Will Join a Tiny Group of Kings Immortals
No. 11 will become only the eighth retired number in Los Angeles Kings history.
Kopitar joins:
- Rob Blake, No. 4
- Marcel Dionne, No. 16
- Dave Taylor, No. 18
- Luc Robitaille, No. 20
- Dustin Brown, No. 23
- Rogie Vachon, No. 30
- Wayne Gretzky, No. 99
That company alone explains the magnitude of the decision.
The list includes Hall of Famers, franchise scoring icons, championship captains and the greatest scorer the sport has ever seen.
For broader historical context, The Sports Encounter recently ranked the 10 greatest NHL players ever, with Gretzky leading an all-era list built around peak dominance, production, playoff impact and longevity.
The Statue Places Kopitar in an Even Smaller Circle
Kopitar will become the fourth Kings figure honored with a statue outside Crypto.com Arena.
The others are Dustin Brown, Luc Robitaille and Wayne Gretzky.
That distinction may carry even greater emotional weight than the retired number.
Numbers disappear into the rafters.
Statues become part of the city’s sporting landscape.
Every concert crowd, basketball fan, hockey supporter and tourist passing through the arena district can encounter them.
Kopitar’s statue therefore transforms his legacy from an internal Kings honor into a permanent Los Angeles landmark.
Twenty Seasons With One Team Is Almost an Anachronism
Kopitar’s career is extraordinary partly because careers like his are becoming increasingly rare.
Salary caps, free agency, rebuilds, trades and changing competitive windows make it difficult for a star to remain with one organization for two decades.
Kopitar did.
The Kings selected him 11th overall in the 2005 NHL Draft.
He arrived from Slovenia as one of the most intriguing prospects in European hockey and made his NHL debut during the 2006-07 season.
He never left.
Across 20 seasons, Kopitar lived through multiple versions of the Kings.
Rebuilding teams.
Contenders.
Champions.
Declining championship cores.
Another rebuild.
Another playoff cycle.
He remained the constant.
His Career Ended With 1,316 Points
The final statistical line is enormous even before the franchise context is added.
Kopitar retired with 1,316 points in 1,521 regular-season games.
Those points came from 452 goals and 864 assists.
The NHL confirmed that he finished as Los Angeles’ all-time scoring leader after passing Marcel Dionne late in his final season. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
His 864 assists are also a franchise record.
So are his 1,521 games.
That combination matters.
Plenty of stars produce an extraordinary peak.
Kopitar combined high-end performance with two decades of availability and usefulness.
Passing Marcel Dionne Completed the Statistical Legacy
One of the final major milestones of Kopitar’s career arrived on March 14, 2026.
He passed Marcel Dionne to become the Kings’ all-time points leader.
Dionne had held the record at 1,307 points.
Kopitar ultimately finished nine points beyond that mark at 1,316. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
The timing could hardly have been more fitting.
Kopitar had already announced that the 2025-26 season would be his last.
Instead of spending the final months merely collecting farewell ceremonies, he was still rewriting the franchise record book.
Two Stanley Cups Changed Everything
Kopitar’s legacy would be impressive without championships.
The two Stanley Cups turn it into something foundational.
Los Angeles won the first Stanley Cup in franchise history in 2012.
The Kings repeated the achievement in 2014.
Kopitar stood near the center of both runs.
Those teams changed how the Kings were perceived around the NHL.
Before 2012, Los Angeles had spent decades searching for the championship that repeatedly escaped it.
After 2014, the organization had become one of the defining teams of that era.
Kopitar’s place in both championships makes him inseparable from that transformation.
He Was Never Only an Offensive Star
The statistics tell one part of Kopitar’s value.
The Selke Trophies tell another.
He won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward in 2016 and again in 2018.
That award is central to understanding the player he became.
Kopitar could lead an offense while also handling difficult defensive assignments.
He played against elite opposing centers.
He killed penalties.
He took crucial faceoffs.
He controlled possession.
He became the type of center coaches trusted late in games whether Los Angeles needed a goal or needed to protect one.
That complete profile is why his legacy cannot be reduced to 1,316 points.
The Lady Byng Trophies Show Another Side of His Game
Kopitar won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy three times, in 2016, 2023 and 2025.
The trophy recognizes high-level play combined with sportsmanship and disciplined conduct.
Winning both the Selke and Lady Byng in the same season in 2016 says something unusual about Kopitar’s game.
He could defend aggressively without becoming reckless.
He could play difficult minutes without spending excessive time in the penalty box.
That balance became one of the defining traits of his career.
He remained a Lady Byng finalist again in his final season, although Montreal’s Cole Caufield ultimately won the 2026 award. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
Leadership Eventually Became Part of His Identity
Kopitar became Kings captain in 2016.
He then held the position for ten seasons.
The leadership style matched his playing style.
He rarely needed spectacle.
Consistency carried the message.
He played.
He defended.
He produced.
He prepared.
He remained available.
That type of leadership often looks less dramatic than a fiery speech, but over two decades it can shape an organization more deeply.
Luc Robitaille’s Tribute Explains Why the Statue Is Happening
Kings president Luc Robitaille described Kopitar as a player who defined what it meant to be a Los Angeles King for two decades.
Robitaille emphasized leadership, consistency, excellence and Kopitar’s influence on the Southern California community.
That framing matters because Robitaille understands the weight of both honors personally.
His own No. 20 is retired.
His statue already stands outside the arena.
He knows exactly what the organization is saying by giving Kopitar the same distinction.
Dustin Brown and Kopitar Defined the Championship Era Together
There is also powerful symbolism in Kopitar joining Dustin Brown outside Crypto.com Arena.
Brown captained the two Stanley Cup-winning teams.
Kopitar served as one of their most complete and important players.
They represented different kinds of leadership.
Brown brought physical force and emotional edge.
Kopitar brought control, intelligence and consistency.
Together, they became pillars of the most successful era in Kings history.
The statues will now preserve that connection permanently.
Wayne Gretzky Represents a Different Type of Kings Greatness
Gretzky’s presence outside the arena represents the era when Los Angeles became globally relevant in hockey.
His 1988 trade from Edmonton transformed the Kings and accelerated the sport’s growth in Southern California.
Kopitar’s significance is different.
Gretzky helped make Los Angeles matter.
Kopitar helped make Los Angeles a champion.
Those two legacies are not interchangeable.
They are complementary.
The Sports Encounter’s all-time NHL ranking placed Gretzky first because his statistical separation remains unmatched, but franchise mythology also depends on players who define what happens after the spotlight arrives.
Kopitar’s Slovenian Background Made His Rise Even More Unusual
Kopitar’s career also carries enormous significance outside Los Angeles.
He became the first Slovenian player to establish himself as an NHL star.
Slovenia is not one of hockey’s traditional global superpowers.
The country does not produce NHL players in the volume of Canada, the United States, Sweden, Finland, Russia or Czechia.
Kopitar therefore became both a franchise icon and an international symbol.
Young Slovenian players had proof that the path existed.
His success expanded what seemed possible for hockey players from smaller European nations.
The 2005 Draft Became One of the Most Important Nights in Kings History
Los Angeles selected Kopitar with the 11th overall pick in 2005.
Every franchise spends decades accumulating draft decisions.
Very few become transformational.
Kopitar’s selection did.
The Kings found a first-line center.
Then a franchise scoring leader.
Then a defensive award winner.
Then a Stanley Cup champion.
Then a captain.
Now they have a retired number and a statue.
That is the maximum possible return from a draft pick.
His Career Was Built on Consistency More Than Spectacle
Kopitar was rarely the loudest NHL superstar.
That may be part of why his career can be underappreciated outside Los Angeles.
He never built his identity around viral moments.
He built it around repeated excellence.
Season after season, the Kings knew what they were getting.
Strong possession.
Responsible defense.
Playmaking.
Faceoff value.
Penalty killing.
Leadership.
Top-line minutes.
In hockey, that reliability is enormously valuable.
His 2017-18 Season Showed How High His Offensive Ceiling Was
Kopitar’s career-high scoring season came in 2017-18.
He recorded 35 goals, 57 assists and 92 points.
That season demonstrated that his reputation as a defensive center never meant limited offensive ability.
He could drive elite production when the Kings’ attack required it.
That combination separated Kopitar from players who fit comfortably into only one category.
He was not simply a scorer.
He was not simply a shutdown center.
He was both.
The Modern Kings Identity Grew Around Him
Every successful franchise eventually develops an internal definition of what one of its players should look like.
For the modern Kings, Kopitar became part of that definition.
Smart.
Reliable.
Heavy enough to survive playoff hockey.
Skilled enough to create offense.
Responsible enough to protect a lead.
Professional enough to remain productive deep into a career.
Those characteristics became part of Los Angeles’ championship identity.
His Final Season Became a Farewell Without Becoming a Victory Lap
Kopitar announced before the 2025-26 season that it would be his last.
That allowed every arena and every Kings fan to understand what they were watching.
Yet the season never became purely ceremonial.
He still contributed.
He still chased franchise history.
He still helped Los Angeles reach the playoffs.
And he still finished as a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy.
The Kings’ postseason ended against Colorado in April, closing his NHL career after 1,521 regular-season games and another four playoff appearances. The NHL confirmed his final totals at 452 goals, 864 assists and 1,316 points, plus 89 postseason points in 107 playoff games. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
107 Playoff Games Matter to the Legacy
Regular-season production establishes longevity.
Playoff hockey determines how franchise legends are remembered.
Kopitar appeared in 107 postseason games.
He scored 27 goals and added 62 assists for 89 points. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
Those numbers include two championship runs.
The context gives them greater weight.
Los Angeles did not simply qualify during Kopitar’s peak years.
The Kings survived four playoff rounds twice and lifted the Stanley Cup both times.
The 2012 Run Changed the Franchise Forever
The 2012 Kings remain one of the NHL’s unforgettable championship teams.
Los Angeles entered the playoffs as the eighth seed in the Western Conference.
Then the Kings tore through the postseason.
Kopitar’s ability to play in every situation became essential in a tournament where matchups grew harder every round.
Winning that championship erased decades of franchise frustration.
The second title in 2014 proved the first was not an accident.
The February Ceremony Will Connect Three Generations
The choice of Montreal as the opponent provides an interesting historical backdrop.
The Canadiens represent the NHL’s deepest championship tradition.
Los Angeles represents one of the league’s great expansion-era markets.
Kopitar’s career sits inside the story of how hockey’s geography changed.
A Slovenian star became a two-time champion in Southern California.
His statue will stand outside an arena thousands of miles from hockey’s traditional Canadian heartland.
That is a powerful picture of the modern NHL.
The Kings Are Building a Physical Hall of Memory Outside Their Arena
Sports arenas increasingly function as museums before fans even enter them.
Statues turn public plazas into historical spaces.
For the Kings, the collection outside Crypto.com Arena is becoming a map of franchise identity.
Gretzky.
Robitaille.
Brown.
Now Kopitar.
Each represents a different chapter.
Gretzky brought global attention.
Robitaille became one of the franchise’s great scorers and ambassadors.
Brown captained the championship era.
Kopitar became its longest-running constant.
How Does Kopitar Rank Among Kings Legends?
This is where the discussion becomes interesting.
Gretzky is the greatest hockey player ever.
Dionne produced enormous offensive numbers in Los Angeles.
Robitaille became one of the greatest left wings in league history.
Brown captained both Cup winners.
Yet Kopitar’s total Kings résumé may be the most complete.
He owns the franchise record for games.
He owns the points record.
He owns the assists record.
He won two Cups.
He won two Selkes.
He won three Lady Byng Trophies.
He captained the team for a decade.
And he never played anywhere else.
That combination gives him a legitimate argument as the defining Los Angeles King.
Could Kopitar Be the Greatest King Ever?
There is no objective answer because the criteria change the result.
If pure talent matters most, Gretzky wins easily.
If goals matter most, Dionne remains extraordinary.
If championship captaincy matters most, Brown has an unmatched claim.
If longevity, two-way excellence, franchise production, championships and one-team identity are combined, Kopitar becomes extremely difficult to beat.
The statue and jersey retirement tell us the Kings themselves recognize that scale.
Kopitar’s Career Fits the Type of Legacy Hockey Often Values Most
Hockey culture has always placed enormous value on complete players.
Scoring matters.
So does defense.
So does durability.
So does playoff performance.
So does leadership.
Kopitar scored highly in every category.
This is also why career comparisons need more than point totals, a principle we used in The Sports Encounter’s ranking of hockey’s greatest players.
A Different Kind of NHL Legacy From Patrick Kane
Kopitar’s farewell also arrives during a period when another star from his era is writing a very different final chapter.
Patrick Kane has returned to Chicago, reconnecting with the franchise where he won three Stanley Cups.
The Sports Encounter examined that reunion in Patrick Kane Comes Home as Jet Greaves Earns His NHL Future.
Kane left Chicago, played elsewhere and returned.
Kopitar never needed the return.
He never left.
Both careers show how many different forms franchise legacy can take.
Modern NHL Economics Make a Kopitar Career Harder to Reproduce
Today’s biggest stars operate inside increasingly complicated salary structures.
Record contracts reshape roster construction rapidly.
The Sports Encounter recently examined that changing market in our ranking of the highest-paid NHL players in history and our analysis of the record-setting Leo Carlsson offer-sheet saga.
Those economics make it increasingly difficult for a star to remain with one franchise for 20 seasons.
Kopitar’s career may therefore become even more distinctive with time.
The Kings Are Honoring the Person as Much as the Player
Kopitar’s statement after the announcement focused heavily on people.
Teammates.
Coaches.
Staff.
Fans.
His family.
That response matches the way Los Angeles has described him for years.
The player accomplished extraordinary things.
The organization also valued the way he represented it.
That combination is what usually produces statues.
What February 24 Will Feel Like
There will be highlights.
The Stanley Cup lifts.
The goals.
The assists.
The Selke moments.
The captaincy.
The record-breaking point.
Former teammates will return.
Fans will wear No. 11.
The statue will be revealed.
Then the jersey will rise.
And after all of that, the Kings will play hockey.
That final detail is fitting.
Kopitar’s career was never built around ceremony.
It was built around showing up and playing.
His Number Will Never Be Worn by Another King
That is what jersey retirement ultimately means.
No future Kings prospect will arrive and select No. 11.
No free-agent star will inherit it.
The number now belongs permanently to Kopitar’s era.
Future players will look up and see it.
Young fans will ask why it is there.
The answer will lead them back through two Stanley Cups, 1,316 points and 20 seasons.
The Statue Makes Sure the Story Starts Before Fans Enter the Building
The jersey explains history once fans are inside the arena.
The statue does it outside.
This is where the combination becomes so powerful.
Kopitar will occupy both spaces.
His career will become part of the building itself.
Final Verdict: No. 11 Has Become Part of Los Angeles
Anze Kopitar arrived in Los Angeles hoping to prove he belonged in the NHL.
Twenty-one years later, the franchise is preparing to place his likeness permanently outside its arena.
There may be no clearer measure of what happened in between.
He became the Kings’ all-time leader in games played.
He became their all-time leader in assists.
He became their all-time leader in points.
He scored 452 goals.
He won two Stanley Cups.
He won two Selke Trophies.
He won three Lady Byng Trophies.
He captained the franchise for ten seasons.
He played his entire 20-year NHL career in Los Angeles.
The records justify the jersey.
The championships justify the statue.
The loyalty explains why both honors feel inevitable.
On February 24, 2027, No. 11 will rise above the ice while a bronze Kopitar stands outside Crypto.com Arena.
One will preserve the number.
The other will preserve the man.
Together, they will make official what Kings fans have understood for years.
Anze Kopitar is part of Los Angeles hockey forever.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the Los Angeles Kings retire Anze Kopitar’s No. 11?
The Kings will retire Kopitar’s No. 11 on February 24, 2027, before their game against the Montreal Canadiens. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
Will Anze Kopitar get a statue?
Yes. The Kings will unveil a bronze statue honoring Kopitar outside Crypto.com Arena on the same day as his jersey retirement. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
How many seasons did Anze Kopitar play in the NHL?
Kopitar played 20 NHL seasons, all with the Los Angeles Kings.
How many games did Anze Kopitar play?
He retired after appearing in 1,521 regular-season games.
How many career points did Anze Kopitar score?
Kopitar finished with 1,316 regular-season points, consisting of 452 goals and 864 assists. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}
Is Anze Kopitar the Kings’ all-time leading scorer?
Yes. Kopitar passed Marcel Dionne during the 2025-26 season and retired as Los Angeles’ all-time points leader with 1,316. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}
How many Stanley Cups did Anze Kopitar win?
Kopitar won two Stanley Cups with the Kings, in 2012 and 2014.
How many Selke Trophies did Kopitar win?
He won the Frank J. Selke Trophy twice, in 2016 and 2018.
How many Lady Byng Trophies did Kopitar win?
Kopitar won three Lady Byng Memorial Trophies, in 2016, 2023 and 2025.
How many Kings players have had their numbers retired?
Kopitar will become the eighth Kings player to receive a jersey retirement.
Which Kings players have statues outside Crypto.com Arena?
Kopitar will join Wayne Gretzky, Luc Robitaille and Dustin Brown as Kings players honored with statues outside the arena.
Did Anze Kopitar ever play for another NHL team?
No. Kopitar spent his entire 20-season NHL career with the Los Angeles Kings.
When did Anze Kopitar retire?
He retired after the conclusion of the Kings’ 2025-26 season. His NHL career ended in April 2026 after Los Angeles was eliminated from the playoffs. :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}
Where does Anze Kopitar rank among Kings legends?
There is no official ranking, but his franchise records in games, assists and points, combined with two Stanley Cups, major defensive awards and 20 seasons with one organization, give him one of the strongest overall résumés in Kings history.