Kings Kopitar Era is Near its End: What is the Game plan?

With a career boasting two Cups, Selke, and Lady Byng Trophies, Anze Kopitar's NHL journey is remarkable. His potential first-ballot entry into the Hall of Fame is a testament to his prowess. As the Los Angeles Kings face the possibility of a regression next season, it's crucial to understand the implications of not having his replacement ready to go.

Kopitar has been a deployable all-around 1C during his time in LA. He is the model of consistency, and while he had his career anomaly season in 2017-18 when he posted an absurd 92-point campaign, he is practically a lock to be in the 70-75-point range year after year during his 18-year career. Even in the later stages of his career, Kopitar has produced 67, 74, and 70-point campaigns in the last three seasons, respectively. The last one is coming in his 36-year-old season.

The captain has had back-to-back seasons of nipping the heels at a 30-goal season, with 28 and 26 in the last two years. This was helped by a 16.6% and 19.5% shooting percentage. Overall, under the captain, the Kings have been reinvigorated from some rebuilding years.

Kopitar has captained the team to four postseason berths, but the Kings are 6-14-2 in that span. It is not entirely on the captain to produce results at playoff time, but the record and means of playoff dispatch concern the organization from top to bottom.

Kopitar's next role would be passing the torch. "He's terrific, he continually leads our team with his actions and off the ice, all of the things he does. When we can bring different players in and surround them with players like Anze, it's definitely a benefit for our organization." Rob Blake on Anze Kopitar.

The Kings drafted the heir apparent, Quinton Byfield, second overall in 2020. Byfield has produced well in his most recent season, with 80 GP: 20 G, 35 A, for 55 points and a +19. He will get his bridge contract knocked out this Summer to set himself up for a massive payday in two years.

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Byfield has spent most of the last two seasons playing on the top line as a wing next to Kopitar and "do it all winger" Adrian Kempe. That line has been formidable, as it stands, with underlying analytics as one of the best in hockey. Byfield has yet to see consistent time at center, and while the franchise legend in Kopitar ages, it is high time that Byfield gets thrown into the role of 1C.

Kopitar averaged under 20 minutes of ice time for the second time in his lengthy NHL career. The only other time was the disappointing 2014-15 season post-championship. The decrease in ice time is undoubtedly due to the acquisition of Pierre-Luc Dubois and his configuration at the center. Kopitar should continue to see a decrease in TOI with a Byfield move to center.

A look at the Dallas Stars model and mirroring is still possible. Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin were once their go-to, top-end guys. Now, they play more of a complementary role, providing a punch down the roster that most NHL teams can't handle. It's a major reason why they are so elite and a reason why I have them winning it all this year.

For the Kings, it starts with Kopitar. He will be 37 years old next year. If a season of regression is upon the franchise, then Byfield should be playing 1C all year, if not taking full-time duties on the penalty kill. Byfield is the franchise's future, and with him licking his chops, primed to further expand on what he accomplished this last season, he has to be inserted into the 1C role.

The difficulties will come with playing as a 1C in this league. He has to learn at some point. He is now entering his fourth season in the league, and towards the middle of the year, he will eclipse 200 career NHL games. Surround him with the proper wingers, Kempe or Fiala, and advance him towards that next stage in his career as the franchise 1C.

While not elite, Kopitar can still play at the caliber of 1C, but it shouldn't be relied upon as a 1C moving forward for this franchise to turn the page. He can devour matchups as a lower center on the roster and provide the defensive matchups that the Kings desperately need if they want to pursue a winning season next year.

Undoubtedly, number 11 will be in the rafters within the next five years. But his time has come to pass many of his duties to the man you drafted to do so four seasons ago.