The Los Angeles Kings were considerably shorthanded when the Pittsburgh Penguins came to town for a Thursday evening matchup at Crypto.com Arena. The absence of team captain Anze Kopitar, sidelined due to a lower-body injury, added insult to injury in a game that ultimately resulted in a 4-2 loss to the Penguins.
With this defeat, the Kings now hold a pedestrian 1-3-1 record through the first five games of the 2025-26 season. Following the game, Kings head coach Jim Hiller provided a somewhat cryptic update on Kopitar’s status. Kopitar, who announced before the season that this would be his last year in the NHL to focus on spending more time with his family, has so far appeared in four games and recorded four assists.
“We’re still kind of evaluating where it’s at,” Hiller said regarding Kopitar’s injury.
The Kings are grappling with multiple injuries to key players. Not only was Kopitar unavailable against the Penguins, but goaltender Darcy Kuemper also missed the game due to a lower-body injury of his own. Additionally, forward Corey Perry remains out after sustaining an injury during a practice session prior to Training Camp. Although Perry is skating again, he is not yet ready to return to play and is expected to miss several more weeks.
Kopitar had shared his personal reasons for retiring at the end of this season, emphasizing the importance of family. “They’re soon going to be teenagers, and we all know that’s a very important time in their lives. I want to be as present as I can be,” he said.
One of the best players in Kings history, Kopitar holds multiple team records and continues to be a vital part of the roster despite his current injury struggles. As the season unfolds, the Kings will be hoping for a quicker recovery for their captain and other key players to turn their fortunes around.
https://clutchpoints.com/nhl/los-angeles-kings/kings-news-jim-hiller-cryptic-anze-kopitar-injury-update
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