Anze Kopitar delivered a heartfelt and emotional farewell to fans at Crypto.com Arena following the Los Angeles Kings’ 1-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on April 11. The Kings captain addressed the crowd after the final regular-season home game of his 20-year NHL career, thanking fans and vowing to lead the team into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Kopitar took the ice with the microphone and began his speech by thanking the fans for their unwavering support. "First of all, on behalf of the whole team, the players, the whole organization, thank you guys for supporting us through the good, the bad, and the ugly," he said. "You guys have always been here. ... Thank you."
He then turned his attention to the team’s playoff chances. "Second of all, we’re going to do our absolute best to come home for a couple more games in the playoffs, that’s for sure," Kopitar said, drawing a loud response from the crowd.
The Kings currently sit in the second wild card position in the Western Conference with three games remaining in the regular season. They trail the first wild card by one point but have a favorable schedule ahead.
Kopitar’s speech became more emotional as he reflected on his career in Los Angeles. "And from the bottom of my heart, thank you very much. This has been my home for 20 years," he said, pausing to take in the cheers from the crowd. "Thank you to the organization. Thank you to my teammates, our trainers, coaches throughout the years. Thank you guys."
Kopitar, who has played all 20 seasons of his NHL career with the Kings, has been a cornerstone of the franchise. He has scored 1,342 points (474 goals, 868 assists) in 1,420 games and won two Stanley Cup championships with the team in 2012 and 2014.
The Kings will play three more games to close out the regular season, including a matchup against the Oilers again on April 14. The team must win at least two of those games to secure a playoff berth and return to Crypto.com Arena for the postseason.
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