If there is one person who has benefitted from the extreme amount of coverage the Kings have received over the last several successful seasons, it's Anze Kopitar.
Before 2011-12, Kopitar was simply known as that young guy from Slovenia who plays out in L.A.
Ya know, that young guy who made the NHL at 19? Who had a 61 point rookie season? Who followed that up with 32 goals and 77 points in his sophomore season? But alas, in the middling years of Los Angeles Kings hockey, Kopitar was just another name out West that didn't warrant the coverage he deserved.
Even now as we inch closer to the start of another year, the focus isn't really on Kopitar.
But he is used to that by now.
In the first five years of Kopitar's young career, the Kings failed to make the playoffs three times. The other two times they were eliminated in the first round by the Canucks and the Sharks respectively. He also wasn't able to participate in the 2010-11 playoff series against the Sharks due to a broken ankle suffered towards the end of the regular season.
Has it been fair to Anze Kopitar that no one has paid attention to him? No. Not at all. 100-percent.
I am not afraid to say it, but if Kopitar had been a young Canadian kid or playing for a team like the Flyers, Rangers, Penguins, Blackhawks, or Red Wings, he would have been all over the place from the years of 2006 to 2011. If you don't think so, just take a look at his point totals and compare them to other players who have received so much recognition.
Kopitar scored
358 points through his first
393 NHL games.
How about Claude Giroux? A man who people don't hesitate to toss into the "Best player in the world" conversation at times.
334 points in his first
377 NHL games. Give or take a few.
Eric Staal, who was also talked about as one of the best players in the league for a time, played a remarkable
409 games in his first 5 NHL seasons and accumulated a total of
353 points.
Rick Nash?
363 games in his first 5 seasons,
276 points.
Patrick Kane,
369 points in his first 399 games.
I could go on, and on, and on. However, it doesn't take long to realize that many of the games most prominently talked about players have been on the same level as the young talent from Slovenia. Maybe he has been buried by the perceived East Coast Bias, but now people who aren't Kings fans and haven't been following Western teams are getting a glimpse at the talent of No. 11.
In both playoff runs in which the Kings have won the cup he was phenomenal, scoring at a point per game pace and matching up against some of the world's best players. Joe Thornton, Jonathan Toews, The Sedins, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry etc., He wasn't just matching up against them either, he was beating them. However, you will find few who would put Kopitar ahead of the aforementioned players in their prime. He is arguably the more complete player as well (Against Jonathan Toews that could be a spirited debate.)
Yet, it's near the beginning of the 2014-15 season and we are in the offseason talking about Drew Doughty for Norris, Jonathan Quick for Vezina, and Anze Kopitar for....for....uhhh....good guy hockey...player....for the....season...of 2014-15?
Crazy, right?
Now don't get me wrong, all of the players that I have talked about so far from Claude Giroux to Jonathan Quick and everyone in between deserve the praise placed upon them. This is not to take anything away from them. But how about a little recognition for one of the best players in the league?
The production has ALWAYS been there, the importance to his team has ALWAYS been there, the leadership, the complete game, everything. It has always been there. What hasn't always been there is some form of major recognition or trophy. Yes, he has two cups and I know for a fact that Anze Kopitar would rather raise a Cup than a Selke or a Hart. However, he hasn't even been all that close to getting any of those awards until finishing 2nd in the Selke voting last year to Patrice Bergeron (a worthy winner might I add).
Last season Kopitar finished 8th in the Hart trophy voting.
That's better than in 2011-12 when he wasn't even in the top 24
Or when he finished 9th in Selke voting that year.
He received a meager 2 votes in the Hart race of 2009-10 when he went over the 80 point mark as a 22-year old.
Even after a wonderful rookie season in 2006-07 he finished 4th in calder voting. (All respect to Jordan Staal, but don't you ever try to tell me with a straight face he deserved to be in that 3rd spot over Kopitar.)
We've seen ravenous debate from our own team of Kings media coverage in 2013 on whether or not Kopitar is truly "elite"
While valid points are certainly raised by the media round table team, I am of the personal belief that Kopitar has always been elite, from the day he stepped into the league.
With all that aside,
it's nice that the NHL media is finally deciding to place Kopitar into that category without too much debate. After eight tremendous seasons, 600+ NHL games with a near point per game pace, and two stanley cup rings. Finally we recognize it.
To me this is his year. People want to talk about Doughty for Norris and Quick for Vezina, but what about Anze Kopitar for...well...ANYTHING. Lady Byng, Hart, Ted Lindsay...hell, strap some pads on him and give him a Vezina. I'd say it's time for the guy to get something. He certainly has earned it.
When you look over the course of his career statistically, in respect to his importance on the team, and the overall game he has played, it is a shame he hasn't been recognized at least once. I think the likelihood of that changing this year is fairly high. With eyes now focused on Los Angeles as a perennial contender, the 27-year old man from Jesenice, Slovenia is going to get the recognition he deserves.
Well, hopefully that is.
(Still one of my favorite promos)
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Kings preseason gets underway tonight with a split squad game against Arizona, both at home and in Arizona. Be sure to check out the LA Kings site as the games should be available for radio feed stream.
Also the 1st Annual Kings HB fantasy league drafted last night, and I got to say it was a really smooth process and a fun draft. I was super impressed with some of our readers draft strategies and selections. Should be a great year and best of luck to our participants.
I'll keep people updated periodically on the happenings of the league.
We are almost there folks. October is coming.
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