Overview

• The 38-year-old Kings captain announced his decision at training camp in El Segundo with his wife and children beside him.
• Kopitar will play the final year of the two-year, $14 million extension he signed in 2023.
• The two-time Stanley Cup winner leads Los Angeles in games played and assists and begins the season within 30 points of Marcel Dionne’s franchise scoring record.
• A two-time Selke and three-time Lady Byng recipient, he said he revealed his plans now to avoid becoming a distraction during the season.
• His news arrived hours after Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw also revealed plans to retire at season’s end, drawing a rare paired farewell for two Los Angeles stars.