With Anze Kopitar's Hall-of-Fame career officially coming to an end, the Los Angeles Kings are currently without a captain. However, there is no shortage of options to fill the throne. Who should be the next Captain of the Kings?
After being eliminated by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Los Angeles Kings are officially without a captain. For now at least.
Kings legend, Anze Kopitar is officially retired from the National Hockey League which leaves the 'C' up for grabs and thankfully, the Kings will have no shortage of options for his replacement.
Whether they go with an established veteran on the back nine of his career, or a younger player that will be in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future, the Kings next captain will take on a heavy responsibility of replacing the greatest player in franchise history.
It's very clear that Drew Doughty seems like the obvious choice to be the 14th captain in franchise history, but maybe the Kings see it a different way.
Instead of going the route of giving it to the longest tenured and most accomplished player on the team, L.A. could go the route of giving it to a younger player who is committed to the team long-term so they don't have to go through this process again once Doughty is retired.
With that being said, let's take a look at three potential options for the vacant captaincy in Los Angeles.
Drew Doughty - 36 Years Old
As I just mentioned, Doughty is clearly the betting favourite to be dawning the 'C' on his jersey next season, and for good reason, he clearly deserves it after just under two decades of commitment to the organization.
The 36-year-old has served as a full-time alternate captain since 2016-17. Which was the same season the team stripped Dustin Brown of the 'C' and gave it to Kopitar.
His experience alone makes him a suitable candidate but his lock room presence and personality would provide the Kings with a new type of leadership as opposed to to Kopitar's way of leading by example and not necessarily being too outspoken.
Although, he's not in his prime anymore, the former 2nd overall pick still has plenty of gas left in the tank and should be heavily motivated to lead his team as they learn to a live a life with no Anze Kopitar.
Adrian Kempe - 29 Years Old
Outside of Doughty, Adrian Kempe seems like the most obvious answer when talking about the next captain. The 29-year-old has spent his entire 10-year career with the Kings and served as an alternate captain for the first time in 2025-26, perhaps preparing him for a potential captain gig.
It's abundantly clear the Kempe is the face of the Los Angeles Kings moving forward. His monster contract extension last fall proved as much.
However, sometimes it's not always best to put that much responsibility on your best player, especially if they don't desire it. I'm sure the Kings will have conversations with Kempe for his thoughts on the captaincy.
Mikey Anderson - 26 Years Old
Like I said, the best player isn't always the most suitable for the role of captain. Mikey Anderson has played seven years in Los Angeles and has been an alternate captain since the start of 2024-25.
Anderson has become the most reliable and consistent presence on the Kings blue line. He has never had a negative +/- in any season of his career, and is able to provide 20+ points every season. In a world full of offence and goals, a consistent shutdown defender is crucial for a team's success.
His 133 blocked shots this season had him ranked second on the Kings behind just Brandt Clarke. His willingness to sacrifice his body for the sake of the team is an incredible trait for a potential captain.
Who Should Be The Next Captain?
All three of the players listed above are suitable options, and I wouldn't be shocked if any of them had the 'C' on their chest next fall, but I believe one option stands out the most.
Drew Doughty is the most likely, as well as the correct choice for taking on the mantle his longtime teammate is leaving behind. The former Norris trophy winner spent his entire career learning from Kopitar and it's only fitting that he gets his time to shine.
Let him play out the rest of his Hall-of-Fame career as captain of the Kings and then decide on a more long-term option once he is gone.
Whether that is Kempe or Anderson remains to be seen. Or perhaps someone like Quinton Byfield or Brandt Clarke emerge as the leader of the time when that time comes, but for now this is Drew Doughty's team
Captain - Drew Doughty
Alternate - Mikey Anderson
Alternate - Adrian Kempe
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