The best player in franchise history adds to his resume. Kopitar looks like he’s going to be the Bergeron type that just ages way better than most of his peers. It’s not flukey by any stretch, his play in all 3 zones continues to be stellar, there really hasn’t been much drop off from his peak.
I wonder if Kopi just works his ass off in the off-season, if he is just naturally like this or a combination of both.
I don't think Kopi is one of those fitness freaks. He was big and strong as a youngster, and he's still big and strong, but not nearly as fast. bmr's comment about Kopi being such a smart player is really key. It's his mental processing of the game that has kept him productive.
In this league you can let the game pass you by. Some guys don't change and eventually drop off production-wise. Take Jeff Carter for example. Great in his prime, but has experienced a slow decline in production over the past 6 years. Now pointless in 9 games.
Kopi and Bergeron play such smart games. That part doesn't decline with age. Kopitar's play without the puck is super good. The way he goes into the corners and comes out with a loose puck continues to shine. That's a lot about body positioning, not about speed and quickness. The way he receives passes and possesses the puck, the soft hands, continue to be superlative. You almost never see the puck explode off his stick. Even though the game has gotten faster, it hasn't left Kopitar behind. Kopitar just plays such a fundamentally sound game that he's effective even without the speed.
Who knows how long he can keep this up? We're just all here to enjoy it while it lasts.