In an interview with Elliotte Friedman before the Los Angeles Kings' game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, Anze Kopitar revealed that if he ever had to play for a different team, it would be the Montreal Canadiens.
Only seven games remain in Anze Kopitar's final regular season of his NHL career, and that reality is beginning to set in.
On Saturday, ahead of the Los Angeles Kings' game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Kopitar had a 1-on-1 interview with Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, who asked the captain several questions that looked back on in his illustrious career.
At one point, Kopitar was asked if there were a time in his career when he thought he wouldn't be a King.
"Honestly, I didn't, no," Los Angeles' captain said confidently. "I felt like L.A. was my team, it's where I belong, and it didn't really cross my mind to where I'd go somewhere else."
While Kopitar admitted he wouldn't want his career to pan out any other way in terms of what his home has been for the past 20 years, he played the hypothetical game.
"(If) I really have to pick… probably Montreal," he admitted to Friedman. "I don't know, I just enjoy the city, I enjoyed playing there. Yeah, if I had to pick one, it'd probably be the Canadiens."
It's not surprising to hear Kopitar say he's enjoyed playing in Montreal. Just about every player in the NHL enjoys the festivities of playing at the Bell Centre against the Canadiens.
While it's not possible for Kopitar to switch teams at this point in the season - nor would he even entertain the idea - but he'd be a great fit for the Habs right about now.
Jake Evans and Anze Kopitar (Eric Bolte-Imagn Images)The Canadiens are doing just fine as they're second in the Atlantic Division and are hovering around being a top-five team in the NHL at this stage of the season. But one weakness they have is the hole on the second line at the center position.
It would be fun for Habs fans to fantasize about having the Kings' all-time point scorer on their roster, but Kopitar wouldn't trade his time in Los Angeles for anything else.
And because he knows he's calling it quits at the end of this season, why not play around with some hypothetical scenarios as he looks back on his incredible NHL career?
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.