The Los Angeles Kings delivered a major announcement on Thursday. Anze Kopitar, the Kings' current captain and one of the best players in franchise history, will retire at the end of the 2025-26 season . The entire hockey world reacted to this news when it broke. And tributes for the Kings star will pour in as the season rolls along. One immediate reaction came from Edmonton Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl .

Draisaitl has had a longstanding relationship with Kopitar for a while. The Kings captain has served as a major source of inspiration for the Edmonton center. Draisaitl shared some very touching words for Kopitar when speaking to the media on Friday.

“'Kopi' was always my idol growing up, one of two guys I really looked up to,” Draisaitl said Friday, via NHL.com. “I’ve lear

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