Kopitar Chases Record, Kings Fight for Playoffs

0:00Anzai Kopitar has been the backbone of the Los Angeles Kings for two decades, captaining the team and leading and scoring 15 seasons running. And what he's called his final year before retirement, he's chasing the franchise's all-time points record, held by Marcel Dionne at a 13, 107 points. Kopitar sits at 1,302, just five away, with every one of his points coming in a king's jersey. Earlier this season, he hit his 1,300th career point in a loss to Vegas, putting him alongside legends like Dionne for single team loyalty. He's already the king's assist king and third in goals with 446. On March 5th against the New York Islanders, he'll lace up for his 1,500th regular season game, joining an elite club of just 25 players. Fans in the franchise see Kopitar as the steady force after Dionne's explosive era in the 70s and 80s when the guy lit up the league with a quick shot and 1.31 points per game pace.

1:01Dionne's records stood untouched for decades, but Kopitar's durability and leadership are flipping the script without ever leaving town. The Kings are 60 games in, scraping for a wild card spot against San Jose and Nashville with a coaching shake of adding drama. Kopitar's push for the record comes amid this fight, turning routine gains into historic moments. As the season winds down, passing Dionne will cap one legend's flash and ushering Kopitar's era of grid, but the real test is rallying for one last. Playoff run to send their captain outright. From your city, powered by AI, this is California News Today.