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NHL: These 15 players need to bounce back next season

By Simon Vacca

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 13: Nazem Kadri #43 of the Toronto Maple Leafs reacts after a fight with Jake DeBrusk #74 of the Boston Bruins in Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 13, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 13: Nazem Kadri #43 of the Toronto Maple Leafs reacts after a fight with Jake DeBrusk #74 of the Boston Bruins in Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 13, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 1: Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings looks listens to the Canadian national anthem before the game against the Calgary Flames at STAPLES Center on April 1, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. The game is Kopitar’s 1,000th NHL career game. (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NHLI via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 1: Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings looks listens to the Canadian national anthem before the game against the Calgary Flames at STAPLES Center on April 1, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. The game is Kopitar’s 1,000th NHL career game. (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NHLI via Getty Images) /

67. . C. Los Angeles Kings. Anze Kopitar. 13. player

Anze Kopitar remains one of the brighter spots on a Los Angeles Kings team caught in the doldrums, but he too struggled over the course of the 2018-19 season. 22 goals and 60 points in 81 games is nothing to brush aside, but there is no arguing that the 31-year-old’s totals in 2017-18 — wherein he netted 35 pucks and 92 points to earn himself a second Selke trophy — were certainly far better.

It is difficult to spell out what the future holds for the talented two-way center, as the nature of his most recent campaign has raised some uncomfortable questions. Will Kopitar bounce back in 2019-20? Or was this just the beginning of his regression?

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