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.
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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.”
Kopitar will be the eighth Kings player to have his number retired. The others:
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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
