Kings captain Anze Kopitar to retire, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin uncertain if this season is his last, and the latest on Predators captain Roman Josi, Panthers winger Brad Marchand, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

LOS ANGELES TIMES: King captain Anze Kopitar announced his intention to retire at the end of the 2025-26 season.

The 38-year-old center is entering his 20th NHL season, all of them spent with the Kings. He helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2011-12 and 2013-14, and is a three-time winner of the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy and a two-time winner of the Frank J. Selke Trophy.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar (NHL Images).

Kopitar is the Kings’ all-time leader in games played (1,454). He can surpass Marcel Dionne as the franchise points leader (1,307) with a 30-point performance this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kopitar became one of the best two-way forwards in the league over the past 25 years. He was chosen in the first round (11th overall) in the 2005 NHL Draft, becoming their foundation player as they rose from being an also-ran into a two-time Cup champion and one of the dominant teams in the league between 2010 and 2015.

Kopitar and defenseman Drew Doughty are the only players from those championship years still with the Kings.

DAILY FACEOFF: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin said he doesn’t know yet if this season will be his last in the NHL. The 40-year-old is in the final season of his five-year contract. He believes there’s plenty of time to discuss that with Capitals management.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin left practice during the opening day of training camp with a lower-body injury, but the move was for precautionary reasons and is considered to be a minor ailment.

TSN: Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi was among the first players on the ice for training camp on Thursday. The 35-year-old defenseman had been sidelined since Feb. 25, and in June was diagnosed with postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS).

Following a long rehab, Josi doesn’t believe that his health will be an issue now that he has the tools to manage the issue. “I’m more so relieved and really excited just having a plan,” Josi said. “I feel great. I feel 100 percent. I feel good on the ice and so I’m not concerned at all.”

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Brad Marchand said contract term was one factor that led to his departure from the Boston Bruins. He indicated he wasn’t interested in a short-term deal, while the Panthers were willing to give him a long-term contract.

According to Marchand, being in a non-tax state played a significant role in the Panthers’ efforts to retain some of their key players. “If we were not in a non-tax state, it probably wouldn’t have worked out for two guys,” he said.

Marchand added that the Panthers’ no-tax advantage wouldn’t have been as big a factor if they weren’t as competitive or well-run.

“That is the main thing. You care about the hockey. You care about the organization. You’re not going to walk into a non-tax state if the team’s not run well or if they’re a bad team. That’s just not the case anymore. These non-tax state teams are some of the best-run teams in the league.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers have had a non-state tax advantage since their inception in 1993-94, but it didn’t help them during their first 25 years. They were a laughingstock during that period, reaching the playoffs only five times while going through 10 general managers and 15 coaches.

It wasn’t until they hired Bill Zito as general manager in 2020 that they finally turned things around. Stability in the front office is the primary reason behind their current success and why players like Marchand want to play for them now.

CONTRACT UPDATES

THE ATHLETIC: Artemi Panarin said he’s focusing on hockey and won’t publicly discuss his contract situation with the New York Rangers. The 33-year-old winger is in the final season of his seven-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $11.6 million.

Panarin declined to comment about a report by The Athletic claiming he and Madison Square Garden Sports paid financial settlements to a Rangers employee in August 2024 after she alleged he sexually assaulted her.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald said contract extension talks have begun with Jacob Markstrom. The 35-year-old goaltender is in the final season of his six-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $6 million.

Fitzgerald also said that he’s disappointed the contract talks with Luke Hughes remain unresolved. The restricted free-agent defenseman seeks a five-year contract, while the Devils prefer a bridge deal or a long-term contract. The two sides continue to negotiate.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Alex Tuch said he loves Buffalo and hopes to stay with the Sabres for the long term. The 29-year-old forward is in the final season of a six-year deal with an AAV of $4.75 million.

THE SCORE: It was recently reported that the Toronto Maple Leafs and Anthony Stolarz are in talks about a contract extension. However, the 31-year-old goalie is unwilling to continue negotiations during the regular season. He’s in the final season of a two-year deal with an AAV of $2.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been reported that the two sides could have a deal in place before the start of the regular season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Alexander Holtz still lacks a contract for this season, but the restricted free agent forward will attend Vegas Golden Knights training camp on a professional tryout offer (PTO) until a deal is reached or the two sides part ways.

INJURY UPDATES

TSN: Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman will remain sidelined by a wrist injury until early November.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Golden Knights center Jack Eichel left practice yesterday for precautionary reasons. Head coach Bruce Cassidy said Eichel “tweaked something” but remains hopeful that he could return to practice on Friday.

DAILY FACEOFF: Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin said winger Mats Zuccarello (undisclosed) could miss the start of the regular season.

TSN: Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Laurent Brossoit remains sidelined long-term following offseason hip surgery. He missed all of last season after undergoing knee surgery in August 2024.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic is sidelined indefinitely with a knee injury. Forward Stefan Noesen is expected to miss some time with a groin injury stemming from a pre-existing one that he suffered last season.