Kings’ Anze Kopitar drops eye-opening take on future

Anze Kopitar being in the twilight of his career means there is pressure on Los Angeles to win now. However, after three consecutive playoff losses to the Oilers, it’s clear something has to give. The group in place is not built to go far in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This could lead to the Kings retooling the roster this summer.

However, Kopitar made his thoughts on a potential retool rather clear. He is not interested in seeing the team retooling the roster. He believes the team has pieces that can help their chances right now. And he’d rather see the Los Angeles front office build upon the current foundation.

“I don’t think I have time for retooling now,” he said, via NHL.com. “Like I said, it’s another two years, so if we go into a full rebuild, it’s not something that I want. And I think there are some pieces that are absolutely very useful here, and we’ve got to build on that.”

Kings have choices to make

Anze Kopitar may not be interested in a full retool, but the Kings may have to retool out of necessity. There are a ton of question marks around this team in its current state. For instance, Los Angeles fired head coach Todd McLellan in early February after a brutal losing streak. The team must decide whether interim Jim Hiller did enough to earn the full-time gig.

Beyond that, there are some intriguing roster decisions to make. All three of the Kings’ goaltenders this season — Pheonix Copley, Cam Talbot, and David Rittich — are unrestricted free agents on July 1. Defensemen Matt Roy and forward Viktor Arvidsson are also hitting the open market this summer.

The Kings also have a big restricted free agent in Quinton Byfield. Byfield broke out this season, scoring 20 goals and 55 points in 80 games. It’s certainly an encouraging sign after the 2020 second-overall pick struggled with injury in years prior. And it’s a performance that is sure to earn the 21-year-old a healthy raise.

Of course, discussions around the Kings and their offseason must involve Pierre-Luc Dubois. Los Angeles paid a hefty price to acquire the Quebec native from the Winnipeg Jets in a trade. And they extended him for eight years following the blockbuster deal. However, he scored just 40 points this season and was reportedly close to being traded at the NHL Trade Deadline.

What happens with the Kings this summer obviously remains to be seen. In any event, Los Angeles has to try and maximize the time they have left with Anze Kopitar. The pressure is on for them to win now before their franchise icon hangs up his skates.