Anze Kopitar is the leading team in points again: Celebratory or Cautionary?

Anze Kopitar is a unicorn in hockey, and sports in general

Kopitar leads the Kings in points this year after twenty games. In fact, he’s led them in scoring in almost every season he’s been a King. He continues to play the same way while producing consistently, which rivals many legends who played the sport late into their careers. With 21 points this season, Kopitar is having a renaissance year compared to individuals who have played in this league at the same age.

Here’s Kopitar’s point production and playing time since turning 30:

2017-18: 92p in 81gp, 22:05 avg TOI

2018-19: 60p in 81gp, 22:18 avg TOI

2019-20: 62p in 70gp, 21:01 avg TOI

2020-21: 50p in 56gp, 21:11 avg TOI

2021-22: 67p in 81gp, 20:46 avg TOI

2022-23: 74p in 82gp, 20:18 avg TOI

2023-24: 70p in 81gp, 19:39 avg TOI

I did not compare apples to oranges here, but I pulled two very familiar Hall of Fame-pedigree players to see how their stats lined up next to Kopitar in their 30+ year old seasons.

Former division rivals Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau played into their 40s, but their stats suffered as they aged.

Thornton and Marleau both turned 30 in 2009-10, producing respectable seasons. Thornton scored 69 points in 79 games, and Marleau had 83 points in 82 games.

Both have legendary careers, but they both dropped off significantly after 30. Marleau hit 70 points in his 34-year season but couldn’t break 60 posthence. After turning 30, his time on ice dropped year after year and vastly depreciated when going to Toronto in the twilight of his career.

Thornton, who had an 82-point season at 37-years old, is the fairest comp player to Kopitar’s late career play. A tale of caution for those who followed Thornton’s career is that he didn’t break 52+ points post-37. He chased cup aspirations and his time on ice suffered

For Kopitar to do this in his 37-year-old season is nothing shy of marvelous. But it also raises the questions while Kopitar battles father time year after year.

Kevin Fiala and Adrian Kempe are premiere 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 being led by a 37-year-old player with a two-year contract left, which could be his career.

Furthermore, the organization has plans for young Quinton Byfield to take over some of Kopitar’s workload, but those plans haven’t taken the foothold they’ve wanted, and it’s 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 it’s been in his career (19:02). It’s dropped marginally yearly since his 30-year-old season. One would expect Byfield’s eventual ascension to center would permanently lower that number.

The narrative of this being “Kopitar’s team” has validity, but it is also a tale of caution. In terms of scoring, the Kings currently don’t have anyone who has shown that they are ready to replace Kopitar’s production.

The team is staring at a potential scoring disaster once their legendary center depreciates (if ever) or retires. That probability is rapidly expanding.

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