Joe Patarino 
Photo credit: NHL.com
Mark Messier names Anze Kopitar the 2021-22 recipient of the NHL Leadership Award. Kopitar becomes the second LA King to receive the award.
LA Kings captain Anze Kopitar was named the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award winner during the first intermission of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final on Wednesday.
Anze Kopitar is the 2021-22 recipient of the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award.@AnzeKopitar has been a prominent face of the @LAKings since 2006, helping them to unprecedented success and representing the club in the community.#NHLAwards: https://t.co/5SpMeIJVP4 #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/UymonYPURE
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 2, 2022
The award, which was first awarded in the 2006-07 season to Detroit Red Wings’ defenseman Chris Chelios, is given to “the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice, during the regular season and who plays a leading role in his community growing the game of hockey.”
Kopitar joined the ESPN studio crew, including Messier, to discuss the award.
“First and foremost, thank you. Thank you for the award; it’s a great honor.” Kopitar told Messier. “We’re all trying to grow the game; between the LA Kings and myself, I think we’ve done a really good job around here in SoCal.”
The Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award is given to the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice during the regular season.@AnzeKopitar sat down with Mark Messier to give thanks and to discuss his impact on the hockey community. #NHLAwards pic.twitter.com/P66s7XukOw
— NHL (@NHL) June 2, 2022
The Slovenian native also talked about his work to grow the game back home.
“Back home, I’ve been able to host a hockey academy for a number of years now, and I’m obviously pretty proud of that one,” he said. “We’ve covered quite a few countries; I guess the word is spreading. I think last year we covered altogether 13 counties, so, you know, the kids are coming and wanting to learn and wanting to start with hockey.”
Kopitar is the second LA King to win the award. Former Kings’ captain Dustin Brown was a recipient after the 2013-14 season.
On the ice, Kopitar once again led the LA Kings in scoring with 67 points. It was the fifth straight year he’s led the team in scoring and the 14th time in his career that’s he’s been the Kings’ leading scorer. In that regard, he is in illustrious company as only Gordie Howe had led one team in scoring for as many years (he led the Detroit Red Wings in scoring 17 times).
The 34-year-old Kopitar adds the Mark Messier Leadership Award to his trophy case that includes two Stanley Cups, two Selke Trophies, and a Lady Byng.