The Los Angeles Kings will retire Anze Kopitar’s No. 11 and unveil a bronze statue of him at Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 24, 2027, as they honor the franchise’s all-time leading scorer.
Kopitar, 38, retired after the 2025-26 season, his 20th in the NHL, all spent with the Kings after they drafted him 11th overall in 2005.
Advertisement
The ceremony will give Kings fans another chance to celebrate the Slovenia native after they shouted “Kopi” and gave him a standing ovation following a Game 4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the playoffs. The Kings are playing the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 24.
Kopitar won Stanley Cup titles in 2012 and 2014, was team captain from 2016-17 through last season and passed Marcel Dionne on March 14, 2026, to become the franchise’s leading scorer.
He finished his career with 452 goals and 1,316 points in 1,521 regular-season games, plus 89 points in 107 playoff games. He also won two Selke trophies, three Lady Byng trophies and the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award.
“To have my number retired and a statue unveiled by the LA Kings is an incredible honor, and one that is difficult to put into words,” Kopitar said in a statement. “When I arrived in Los Angeles 21 years ago, I simply hoped to earn the opportunity to play in the NHL. I never imagined something like this.”
1 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Brady Tkachuk was traded to the Florida Panthers, where he will join brother Matthews.
(James Guillory, Imagn Images)
1 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Brady Tkachuk was traded to the Florida Panthers, where he will join brother Matthews.
(James Guillory, Imagn Images)
2 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Pavel Dorofeyev was traded to the New York Rangers.
(Bruce Bennett, Getty Images)
3 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Defenseman Darnell Nurse was traded to the San Jose Sharks.
(David Gonzales, Imagn Images)
4 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Defenseman Simon Nemec was traded to the Calgary Flames.
(Ed Mulholland, Imagn Images)
5 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Vincent Trocheck was traded to the Utah Mammoth.
(Sam Navarro, Imagn Images)
6 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward JJ Peterka was traded to the Boston Bruins.
(Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images)
7 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Mason McTavish was traded to the St. Louis Blues.
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
8 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Mavrik Bourque was traded to the Nashville Predators.
(Steve Roberts, Imagn Images)
9 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Defenseman Bowen Byram was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks.
(Timothy T. Ludwig, Imagn Images)
10 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Alex Tuch joined the Washington Capitals in a sign-and-trade.
(Winslow Townson, Imagn Images)
11 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Jordan Kyrou was traded to the Washington Capitals.
(Isaiah J. Downing, Imagn Images)
12 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Goalie Jacob Markstrom was traded to the Florida Panthers.
(David Kirouac, Imagn Images)
13 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Blake Coleman was traded to the Minnesota Wild.
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
14 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Keegan Kolesar was traded to the Detroit Red Wings.
(James Guillory-Imagn Images)
15 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Nick Paul was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Images)
16 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward William Eklund was traded to the Ottawa Senators.
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
17 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Defenseman Darren Raddysh joined the Toronto Maple Leafs in a sign-and-trade deal.
(Darren Yamashita, Imagn Images)
18 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Nick Paul was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
(Keito Newman, IMAGN IMAGES)
19 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Defenseman Marcus Pettersson was traded to the New York Rangers.
(Stan Szeto, Imagn Images)
20 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo was traded to the New York Rangers.
(James Guillory, Imagn Images)
21 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
(Dennis Schneidler, Imagn Images)
22 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Goaltender Frederik Andersen signed with the Edmonton Oilers.
(Stephen R. Sylvanie, Imagn Images)
23 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Viktor Arvidsson signed with the Detroit Red Wings.
(Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images)
24 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Mason Marchment signed with the San Jose Sharks.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)
25 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Defenseman John Carlson was signed by the Tampa Bay Lightning.
(Stephen R. Sylvanie, Imagn Images)
26 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Jack Roslovic signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
(Perry Nelson, Perry Nelson-Imagn Images)
27 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Jaden Schwartz signed with the Colorado Avalanche.
(Stephen Brashear, Imagn Images)
28 / 28
NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Defenseman Ian Cole signed with the Chicago Blackhawks.
(Stephen R. Sylvanie, Imagn Images)
Kopitar will be the eighth Kings player to have his number retired. The others:
Advertisement
Statues at Crypto.com Arena
Kopitar’s statue is being created by sculptors Julie Rotblatt Amrany and Omri Amrany.
It will join statues honoring Gretzky, Robitaille, Brown, Bob Miller, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Oscar De La Hoya, Chick Hearn, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, Elgin Baylor, Kobe and Gigi Bryant, and Pat Riley in Crypto.com Arena’s Star Plaza along Chick Hearn Court.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Los Angeles Kings to honor Anze Kopitar with retired number, statue
