Kings waste no time giving Anze Kopitar the honor he deserves

Anze Kopitar did everything for the Kings

Kopitar spent 20 seasons in Los Angeles and played 1,521 games. Both are franchise records.

He also finished with 1,316 points, passing Marcel Dionne during his final season to become the leading scorer in Kings history. His 864 assists are another team record, while his 452 goals rank third.

That would be enough to justify retiring his number. Kopitar’s case goes well beyond a pile of statistics.

He helped the Kings win their first Stanley Cup in 2012 and another in 2014. During those runs, he produced offensively while facing many of the best forwards on the other side.

Plenty of players can score. Plenty can defend. Kopitar made a 20-year career out of doing both without drawing much attention to himself.

Maybe that worked against him nationally. He played on the West Coast, rarely said anything controversial and never appeared interested in becoming a celebrity. Apparently, quietly controlling hockey games does not fill many debate-show segments.

Los Angeles knew what it had.

Kopitar won two Selke Trophies and led the Kings in scoring 15 times. He eventually became captain and held the position for the final 10 seasons of his career.

The statue is more than an extra honor

Retiring No. 11 was automatic. A statue says something different.

It places Kopitar among the people who shaped the franchise rather than simply playing well for it. Gretzky brought worldwide attention to hockey in Los Angeles. Brown captained the two championship teams. Robitaille became one of the most recognizable players in team history.

Kopitar helped turn the Kings into winners.

He was there before the championships, stayed through the celebration and remained after the roster around him began to change. There was no late-career tour with another contender and no awkward season in a different uniform.

Twenty years. One team. Two Stanley Cups.

The Kings did not need to overthink this one. Thankfully, they didn’t.