Kings Teammates Driven to Give Kopitar One Last Playoff Run

Veteran center Anze Kopitar's final NHL season has inspired his teammates to make a deep postseason push.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 9:32pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game or match, with overlapping planes of black, white, and silver representing the dynamic action on the ice.The Kings' teammates are united in their mission to give captain Anze Kopitar one final shot at Stanley Cup glory before his retirement.Los Angeles Today

As the Los Angeles Kings clinched a playoff berth, the team's players have expressed a strong desire to give their longtime captain Anze Kopitar one last chance at winning the Stanley Cup before he retires. Kopitar, the franchise's all-time leading scorer, is in his final NHL season, and his teammates are determined to make a deep playoff run in his honor.

Why it matters

Kopitar has been the face of the Kings franchise for nearly two decades, leading the team to two Stanley Cup championships. His impending retirement has galvanized the current roster, who want to send him off as a champion one last time.

The details

The Kings formally clinched their playoff spot on Monday, giving Kopitar the opportunity to compete in meaningful postseason games in his final season. Teammates like Trevor Moore, Alex Laferriere, Mikey Anderson, and Quinton Byfield have all spoken about their motivation to 'give Kopi another shot' at the Cup and leave everything on the ice for their legendary captain.

  • The Kings clinched their playoff berth on Monday, April 15, 2026.
  • The Kings will play their final regular season game on Thursday, April 17, 2026 in Calgary.

The players

Anze Kopitar

The longtime captain of the Los Angeles Kings, Kopitar is the franchise's all-time leading scorer and a two-time Stanley Cup champion who is playing in his final NHL season.

Trevor Moore

A forward for the Los Angeles Kings who has expressed the team's desire to make a deep playoff run for Kopitar in his final season.

Alex Laferriere

A forward for the Los Angeles Kings who has praised Kopitar's character and leadership, saying the team wants to see him win another championship.

Mikey Anderson

A defenseman for the Los Angeles Kings who believes the team owes it to Kopitar to give everything they have in the playoffs.

Quinton Byfield

A forward for the Los Angeles Kings who says the team has been motivated to step up their game in order to give Kopitar one more shot at the Stanley Cup.

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What they’re saying

“He deserves to go out of Stanley Cup champion and we want to strive to make that happen for him.”

— Alex Laferriere, Forward

“I think that we have a lot of competitive guys in here who wanted to make it, but it's definitely a bump, we want to send Kopi off with a playoff run. We owe him that much and the organization owes him that much. We're happy we were able to [get in].”

— Trevor Moore, Forward

“He's been such an incredible person for me to learn from, from my first game, getting to walk in with him before my first NHL game and just getting to sit on it next to him on the plane now, kind of picking his brain and stuff. He's just been such an unbelievable player for so many years but he's just been an unbelievable guy, too. He deserves the world and he deserves to go out a Stanley Cup Champion.”

— Alex Laferriere, Forward

“That's what it's about. You obviously want to do it for one another, but at the beginning of the year, we talked about it, we wanted to give Kopi another shot. What he's done for the organization, it's the least we can do. We're always playing for each other, but obviously for him as well. He's our leader. I feel like we really stepped up our game because of that.”

— Quinton Byfield, Forward

What’s next

The Kings will play their final regular season game on Thursday, April 17, 2026 in Calgary. The result of that game, along with other games around the league, will determine the Kings' first-round playoff opponent and series schedule.

The takeaway

Anze Kopitar's impending retirement has inspired his Los Angeles Kings teammates to make a deep playoff push in his final NHL season, as they are determined to give their legendary captain one last chance at winning the Stanley Cup before he hangs up his skates.