Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar has received the 2022 Mark Messier Management Award, which is given once a year “to the participant who exemplifies nice management qualities to his staff, off and on the ice, all the way through the common season and who performs a number one function in his group rising the sport of hockey.”
Messier, who choices the winner after soliciting ideas from folks across the NHL, introduced Kopitar had received all the way through the primary intermission of Sport 1 between the Lightning and Rangers on Wednesday.
“Thanks for the award, it is a nice honour,” Kopitar stated in an interview with Messier on ESPN. “I am very grateful, clearly, to be part of the hockey group. It is given me such a lot.”
Kopitar has been a cornerstone participant for the Kings since becoming a member of the NHL in 2006, whilst additionally serving as a proud consultant of the better Los Angeles group.
At the ice, the 34-year-old led the Kings in scoring for the 14th time in his 16 seasons with 67 issues in 81 — serving to Los Angeles go back to the playoffs for the primary time since 2017-18. Best Gordie Howe (17 seasons with the Purple Wings) has led his staff in scoring extra occasions.
Kopitar has additionally been a spokesperson and contributor to quite a few fundraising efforts within the U.S and his local Slovenia. This comprises contributions to the Youngsters’s Sanatorium Los Angeles, Make a Want Basis, Wags and Walks and the Kings Care Basis, in addition to an annual hockey academy in Slovenia that usually draws 200 gamers from around the globe.
Kopitar has been the Kings captain since 2016-17 and is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, two-time Selke Trophy winner and a one-time Girl Byng Trophy recipient.
Remaining season, Boston’s Patrice Bergeron received the Mark Messier Award. In 2014, Kopitar’s long-time teammate Dustin Brown received the award on behalf of the Kings.
