Kopitar's All-Time ranking amongst European Centres

[Ghetty Green]

If we only take their NHL careers into account, meaning excluding National Team tenure, where would Kopitar rank ?

Some comparables, feel free to add...

Stastny
Forsberg
Fedorov
Sundin
Datsyuk

Click to read more...

 

[MadLuke]

NHL only, other center possibly in the conversation

Malkin, Zetterberg, Draisaitl

 

[Ghetty Green]

NHL only, other center possibly in the conversation

Malkin, Zetterberg, Draisaitl

Of course. Forgot Malkin.

 

[Terry Yake]

malkin and datsyuk are the only two i'd put ahead of him

 

[ESH]

I think he’s clearly behind everyone that’s been mentioned except Sundin and Zetterberg are good comparables

 

[Despote]

I think he’s clearly behind everyone that’s been mentioned except Sundin and Zetterberg are good comparables

He's pretty easily ahead of Zetterberg career wise. Sundin is a closer comparable, but I'd put Kopitar ahead at this point.

 

[jigglysquishy]

NHL only

Malkin
Forsberg

Fedorov
Datsyuk

Kopitar
Stastny
Zetterberg

Edit: Draisaitl is on here too. He's hard to rank so I've never actually placed him on my list

 

[GlitchMarner]

malkin and datsyuk are the only two i'd put ahead of him

Forsberg is definitely better than Kopitar. I'd say Fedorov is as well.

 

[Terry Yake]

Forsberg is definitely better than Kopitar. I'd say Fedorov is as well.

you could make an argument for fedorov. forsberg was more skilled than kopitar, but kopitar has had the better career

 

[Albatros]

you could make an argument for fedorov. forsberg was more skilled than kopitar, but kopitar has had the better career

If you value durability, sure. But Forsberg had half dozen seasons up there with Kopitar's best.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

you could make an argument for fedorov. forsberg was more skilled than kopitar, but kopitar has had the better career

Except he didnt.

Both won 2 Cups.

Forsberg has a Hart, Ross, Calder, 3x AS-1 and 2,4 in Selke voting to Kopitar's no Hart, no Ross, no Calder, no AS-1, and 2x Selke

 

[Sentinel]

Malkin
Fedorov
Forsberg
Datsyuk
Draisaitl
Kopitar
Stasny
Zetterberg

 

[Michael Farkas]

Anyone think Kopitar has done enough in terms of career value to surpass Datsyuk's slightly better peak? I think it's pretty close to being the case...but this seems like a thread to soft pitch that notion...it's also a little tough because Kopitar is still playing like a top line player...

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Anyone think Kopitar has done enough in terms of career value to surpass Datsyuk's slightly better peak? I think it's pretty close to being the case...but this seems like a thread to soft pitch that notion...it's also a little tough because Kopitar is still playing like a top line player...

About the only thing really in Kopitar's favor there is being a big contributor on both Cups vs Datsyuk only being a key piece for 1 of his 2 and longevity. I guess if someone values longevity that much I can see it.

 

[Michael Farkas]

Well, at this point, Kopitar is basically at five more very positive/impact seasons over Datsyuk. So, even if you don't value longevity that much, it's a significant chunk - it's five (and that might grow) and we're on a scale of like 15-20.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Well, at this point, Kopitar is basically at five more very positive/impact seasons over Datsyuk. So, even if you don't value longevity that much, it's a significant chunk - it's five (and that might grow) and we're on a scale of like 15-20.

Peak and prime Datsyuk was more impactful than Kopitar. I can appreciate Kopitar's longevity though. He's definitely up there as one of the best centers in league history.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Kopitar maybe didn’t peak as high as some of these guys, but he makes up for it with longevity as “the guy” on the Kings for so long and great two way play.

 

[MadLuke]

Kopitar a 4 place Calder trophy is still going strong (20 minute a night guy, lead the team in points) 18 season in, it is starting to be in the special category of consistency and longevity.

Euro centers with more points in their career, Sundin, Malkin, Stastny, that it ?

If we assume he play until the end of the 2026 contract, could end around Sundin 1350pts.

Drai already has 5 100pts season, a bit hard to rank too.

Kopitar peak can be middle of the road for all time good player, but he did lead his team in pts in 2 cups winning run

 

[Gorskyontario]

Kopitar has been an extremely valuable center for a long time. I think I would definitively rank him below;

Forsberg
Stastny
Malkin
Fedorov
Datsyuk

Maybe in a tier with Sundin, Larianov(who is hard to rank because of coming to the NHL so late). Zetterberg, Ulf Nilsson(who gets forgotten). Draisaitl is young and will probably be close to the top by the end of his career. Henrik Sedin is being forgotten here too, I didn't love his game but he got results.

The biggest thing separating Kopitar is his playoff success. He is clearly superior to Sedin and Sundin in the playoffs, while being inferior to them(inferior to Sundin at least) in the regular season(minus a few big years for the Sedins).

 

[Hockey Outsider]

Kopitar a 4 place Calder trophy is still going strong (20 minute a night guy, lead the team in points) 18 season in, it is starting to be in the special category of consistency and longevity.

Euro centers with more points in their career, Sundin, Malkin, Stastny, that it ?

If we assume he play until the end of the 2026 contract, could end around Sundin 1350pts.

Drai already has 5 100pts season, a bit hard to rank too.

Kopitar peak can be middle of the road for all time good player, but he did lead his team in pts in 2 cups winning run

I was going to do a deep dive when I have time, but there are a lot of parallels between Modano and Kopitar.

Both spent all (or virtually all) of their career with a southern USA team. Both were excellent two-way players, and probably could have scored more, had they not focused on defense so diligently. Both were pretty clearly the best forward on their team for the majority of their careers. Neither had a really huge peak season (the closest would be Kopitar's 2018 campaign), but were steadily in the 5-10 range among forwards for an extended period. Neither was overly physical, but they weren't pushed around. Both lost the Conn Smythe to a weaker forward in playoff runs when they really should have won.

In terms of differences - Modano was a better skater, and a better goal-scorer. Kopitar was a better playmaker (but overall offensive production was similar). Kopitar's Selke trophy voting results look much stronger, but I think that exaggerates the gap (he was better defensively than Modano, but not by nearly as large a gap as the results would suggest).

(An argument can be made that the Kings wasted a big portion of Kopitar's career. They missed the playoffs nine times, and lost in the first round five times. But those other years? Two Stanley Cups and a loss in the conference finals against the semi-dynasty Blackhawks. The team went 41-23 (64% win percentage) in those three seasons, and 8-20 the rest of his career (29%). During those three years, Kopitar led the Kings in assists and points, and led all forwards in blocked shots, takeaways, faceoffs won/taken, and ice time at ES, on the powerplay, and on the penalty kill).

 

[MadLuke]

Henrik Sedin is being forgotten here too,

I think it is more not able a way to put him above Kopitar. (I thought about him before leaving him out)

Nilson if you take only his NHL career into account, you would be left with no much, he scored 169 pts in 170 games during the highest of the highest scoring era.

Larionov give you much more but once he adjusted to the nhl he was already pass 30

 

[Terry Yake]

Except he didnt.

Both won 2 Cups.

Forsberg has a Hart, Ross, Calder, 3x AS-1 and 2,4 in Selke voting to Kopitar's no Hart, no Ross, no Calder, no AS-1, and 2x Selke

and forsberg never again played 60 games after his age 32 season while kopitar is still the face of the franchise and playing at a high level at age 36

kopitar was also robbed of a hart in 2018

 

[Gorskyontario]

I think it is more not able a way to put him above Kopitar. (I thought about him before leaving him out)

Nilson if you take only his NHL career into account, you would be left with no much, he scored 169 pts in 170 games during the highest of the highest scoring era.

Larionov give you much more but once he adjusted to the nhl he was already pass 30

Nilson was injury prone and banged up by the time he got to the NHL. It's unfortunate but in terms of raw talent he was up there with the best.

I would also have Kopitar above Sedin. I'm just surprised Sedin hasn't been brought up.

and forsberg never again played 60 games after his age 32 season while kopitar is still the face of the franchise and playing at a high level at age 36

kopitar was also robbed of a hart in 2018

Forsberg was better in 60 games than Kopitar in 82. No offense to Kopitar but they aren't in the same stratosphere.

 

[Terry Yake]

Nilson was injury prone and banged up by the time he got to the NHL. It's unfortunate but in terms of raw talent he was up there with the best.

I would also have Kopitar above Sedin. I'm just surprised Sedin hasn't been brought up.



Forsberg was better in 60 games than Kopitar in 82. No offense to Kopitar but they aren't in the same stratosphere.

kopitar wasn't in the league in 05-06

 

[Dingo]

NHL only

Malkin
Forsberg

Fedorov
Datsyuk

Kopitar
Stastny
Zetterberg

Edit: Draisaitl is on here too. He's hard to rank so I've never actually placed him on my list

thats probably exactly how id have it. I also agree about Drai. he has that Bernie Nicholls, but if he had played his whole early careeer with Wayne, thing going on. I think he has done enough to probably be in the Datsyuk Fedorov tier, though. Will likely look a lot better than both before too long, at least on paper.