Kings' Adrian Kempe Praises Captain's Consistent Dominance

The 2025–26 season carries a quiet weight in Los Angeles. If this truly is Anže Kopitar’s final run, it marks the closing chapter of one of the most complete careers the Kings have ever seen. Two Stanley Cups, two Selke Trophies, three Lady Byngs — those are the obvious lines on the resume.

The less flashy ones matter just as much: over 1,480 games played, close to 1,300 points (currently 39th on the NHL’s all-time scoring list), and over 100 playoff games where he was asked to do everything and usually did it well.

Still, there’s a selfish part of many Kings fans that hope this isn’t the end. One more year would make sense. The young talent is arriving. The structure is solid. And Kopitar is still climbing all-time leaderboards that few players ever touch. Walking away now feels logical, but staying feels tempting.

That tension mirrors Los Angeles’ season so far.

The Kings have been, for lack of a better word, mid. They are tied for fourth in the Pacific while holding a Wild Card spot, and are held together by structure, discipline, and defensive buy-in rather than firepower. Their power play ranks second-to-last at 14.3 percent. Their shooting percentage sits 31st at 9.2, and they sit near the bottom of the league in goals scored.

The Kings Prefer Structure Over Flash

Los Angeles covers its offensive flaws with elite team defense. The Kings allow just 2.53 goals per game, which is tied for second-best in the NHL. They also sit in the upper quartile in shots on goal allowed and penalty minutes per game, rarely beating themselves. It’s not pretty hockey, but it’s honest, organized, and effective.

That identity showed again in a 4–2 win over the Utah Mammoth, a game that quietly added another footnote to Kopitar’s career. Before that night, he had never tallied a goal at the Delta Center, but in the third period he scored to give the Kings a 3–1 lead (video below), with his mom in attendance on the team’s Moms Trip.

MATEJA KOPITAR'S SON!!! pic.twitter.com/oQfgEJKGST
— LA Kings (@LAKings) December 9, 2025

The Mammoth were the final NHL team Kopi hadnt scored against except his own. After the game, Kings leading scorer Adrian Kempe spoke to reporters and revealed he didn’t even know the milestone existed. Kopitar mentioned it to him after the final horn, almost in passing.

Why Kopitar Still Tilts the Ice

That moment led to a broader question about Kopitar’s presence, particularly in the faceoff circle.

“He’s one of the best in the league, has been for the last 20 years,” Kempe said. “So it’s pretty nice to be out there with him whether it’s in the d-zone or the o-zone. You pretty much expect him to win every faceoff. He’s so good at it and it’s a great asset to have.”

That quote said a lot about Kopitar’s quiet greatness and why it’s often taken for granted. Faceoffs don’t show up in highlight packages, but they shape games. A clean win in the defensive zone prevents chaos. A win in the offensive zone creates instant pressure. Kopitar does both, night after night, without drama.

Despite getting blown out 6-0, the Blackhawks stay on the ice postgame to shake hands with Anze Kopitar 🤝 pic.twitter.com/WeUiRH0eQ0
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) December 7, 2025

For wingers like Kempe, that reliability is freedom. You can cheat a step. You can anticipate possession. You can trust that the puck will be where it’s supposed to be. That trust is earned over decades, not seasons.

If this is the final chapter, it’s fitting that Kopitar’s value still shows up in subtle ways. He may not lead scoring races anymore, but he anchors winning hockey. The Kings are competitive because he demands structure simply by being on the ice.

And if he decides to come back for one more run? Few would be surprised. Dominance like this doesn’t fade loudly — it just keeps showing up, until one day it doesn’t.

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