Anže Kopitar
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| Position | Center |
| Shoots | Left |
| Height Weight |
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 220 lb (100 kg) |
| NHL Team | Los Angeles Kings |
| Nationality |  Slovenia |
| Born | August 24, 1987, Jesenice, YUG |
| NHL Draft | 11th overall, 2005 Los Angeles Kings |
| Pro Career | 2004 – present |
Anže Kopitar (born August 24, 1987 in Jesenice, Yugoslavia, now Slovenia) is a Slovenian professional hockey player. He was the 11th overall draft pick by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Kopitar is the first Slovenian-born player in the NHL.[1]
According to the NHL's European Scouting Service, Kopitar was the number one European draft prospect in 2005; he played in the Swedish Elitserien for Södertälje SK, until he went to North America in 2006.
Kopitar made his NHL debut on October 6, 2006, at Honda Center in Anaheim, California, against the Anaheim Ducks, becoming the first Slovenian hockey player to play in the NHL. He scored two goals as the Kings lost 4-3. In his home debut at Staples Center the following night, he had 3 assists in a 4-1 Kings victory against the St. Louis Blues.
Kopitar's father Matjaž was also a hockey player and is currently coaching Slovenian champions Jesenice, which are currently playing in the Austrian Hockey League.
Contents |
[edit] Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2004-05 | Södertälje SK | Elitserien | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2005-06 | Södertälje SK | Elitserien | 47 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 28 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2006-07 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 72 | 20 | 41 | 61 | 24 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| NHL totals | 72 | 20 | 41 | 61 | 24 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||||
| Career totals | 124 | 28 | 53 | 81 | 52 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
[edit] Trivia
- Anže Kopitar became the first Slovenian hockey player to play in the NHL when he made his career debut October 6, 2006, scoring two goals on the road against the Anaheim Ducks.
[edit] References
- ^ Grossman, Evan (2007). When it comes to hockey, it's a small world. NHL.com. Retrieved on April 15, 2007.
