Anže Kopitar Defends NHL Preseason

Anže Kopitar Defends NHL Preseason

The NHL Preseason is a hot-button issue right now after veteran D man Drew Doughty suffered a serious lower-body injury that will keep him out month-to-month. Just an absolute kick in the balls for the LA Kings right before the 2024-25 NHL Season. Anže Kopitar, the Kings captain, weighed in and defended the preseason.

“For me personally, I would definitely want to play exhibition games for sure,” Kopitar said Wednesday, per Kings Insider Zach Dooley. “There’s no way I can go without playing any games and jump into the season opener. It’s just not the type of body that I have, and it’s just the mind and the timing on the ice that you do get with exhibition games.”

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I’m just not sure there is a right solution to the problem. The NFL has this same problem. The only difference is they’re not getting ready to suit up for an 82 game season. If Kopitar says he needs a few preseason games to knock the rust off, who am I to argue with him?

Kings head coach Jim Hiller also weighed in saying he thinks it would be more of a risk for players if they didn’t play in the preseason.

“If Kopi was not to play a game for a month and then jump into an NHL game, we might be putting him in more jeopardy, so that’s just the risk you’re going to have to take to get your body, your mind, back up to the speed and get going when it gets for real, because, we know it goes even at a higher level once the regular season starts,” Hiller said, per Dooley.

“I don’t think there’s much we can do about (the injuries), just kind of unfortunate. And this year, they really have piled up, so I can understand why it’s a topic.”

I’m just not sure it’s a problem that can be fixed. You need those preseason games to evaluate the bottom portion of your roster. Frankly, it’s a matter of how much action the veteran guys need to get ready. Each player probably feels differently about that very topic. However, it’s worth noting that the modern athlete trains year round compared to 20-30 years ago when riggers of training camp were necessary.

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