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This Los Angeles Kings stud should be getting more praise

By Vincent Parise

Apr 13, 2023; Anaheim, California, USA; LA Kings center Quinton Byfield (55), LA Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (9) and LA Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) celebrate after a goal against the Anaheim Ducks in the first period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 13, 2023; Anaheim, California, USA; LA Kings center Quinton Byfield (55), LA Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (9) and LA Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) celebrate after a goal against the Anaheim Ducks in the first period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Los Angeles Kings are a phenomenal team. They did a lot of things that few teams in the league would be able to pull off.

Although some of the years were tough, they pulled off a successful rebuild without ever trading Drew Doughty or Anze Kopitar.

Sure, Jeff Carter, Jake Muzzin, and Dustin Brown all left in different ways, but the two greatest players of their run in the early 2010s are still there. Over the years, they got younger and better which has allowed them to return to the postseason.

They may or may not still be a piece or two away from being Stanley Cup-good, but there is no doubt that they are a treat to watch right now. Doughty is still good, but Kopitar is still one of the best two-way centers in the league.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar deserves tons of praise right now.

In game one of their playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers, the Kings got exactly what they needed from Kopitar. He scored a goal and had three assists for four points in the comeback win for Los Angeles.

The goal came with 11 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. One of the three assists came in overtime on Alex Iafallo’s goal. It was a very impressive performance for the Kings’ captain.

When thinking about all of the firepower in this series, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers get all of the praise. However, there is no doubt that Kopitat should be getting tons of praise as well because he’s still got it.

If the Kings want to have any chance of winning this series, they are going to need Kopitar to keep playing like that. You can’t expect four points every night, but you can expect more big moments from him as the series goes along.

Even if the Edmonton Oilers end up coming back and winning it, you know that a team with Kopitar as the captain isn’t going to go away quietly.

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Kopitar has been at this stuff for years and it is fun to have him consistently back in the playoffs again. It is about time that we all start giving him more praise.

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