Anze Kopitar is a unicorn in hockey and sports in general
Kopitar leads the Kings in points after 20 games this year. In fact, he has led them in scoring in almost every season he has been a King. He continues to play the same way while producing consistently, rivaling many legends who played the sport late in their careers. With 21 points this season, Kopitar is having a renaissance year compared to individuals who have played in this league at a similar age.
Here is Kopitar’s point production and playing time since turning 30:
2017-18: 92p in 81gp, 22:05 average TOI
2018-19: 60p in 81gp, 22:18 average TOI
2019-20: 62p in 70gp, 21:01 average TOI
2020-21: 50p in 56gp, 21:11 average TOI
2021-22: 67p in 81gp, 20:46 average TOI
2022-23: 74p in 82gp, 20:18 average TOI
2023-24: 70p in 81gp, 19:39 average TOI
I didn’t compare apples to oranges here, but I did bring in two very well-known Hall of Fame players to see where their stats stacked up next to Kopitar in their 30+ year old seasons.
Former division rivals Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau played into their 40s, but their statistics declined as they got older.
Thornton and Marleau both turned 30 in 2009-10 and produced respectable seasons. Thornton scored 69 points in 79 games and Marleau had 83 points in 82 games.
Both have legendary careers, but both declined significantly after the age of 30. Marleau scored 70 points in his age-34 season, but couldn’t break the 60 mark after that. After turning 30, his time on the ice decreased year by year and was greatly depreciated when he went to Toronto in the twilight of his career.
Credit: © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn
Thornton, who had an 82-point season at age 37, is the fairest comp player in Kopitar’s late career game. A tale of caution for those who followed Thornton’s career is that he hasn’t broken more than 52 points after 37 points. He chased Cup aspirations and his time on the ice suffered
For Kopitar to do this in his age-37 season is nothing short of amazing. But it also raises questions as Kopitar battles father time year after year.
Kevin Fiala and Adrian Kempe are top talents in the league, and while it would be a stretch to categorize them as superstars (Connor McDavid, Nikita Kucherov, Nathan Mackinnon, Auston Matthews), they are elite talents.
But even then, they are led by a 37-year-old player with two years left on his contract, which could be his career.
Additionally, the organization has plans for young Quinton Byfield to take over some of Kopitar’s workload, but those plans have not gained the desired traction and it has affected the team’s strategy in certain areas.
The area that has seen improvement is Kopitar’s time on ice, which is as low as his career (19:02). It has declined marginally annually since his age-30 season. You would expect that Byfield’s eventual rise to the center would permanently lower that number.
The story that this is “Kopitar’s team” has validity, but it is also a story of caution. In terms of scoring, the Kings currently have no one who has shown they are ready to replace Kopitar’s production.
The team is staring at a potential scoring disaster once their legendary center depreciates (if that ever happens) or retires. That probability is expanding rapidly.
