Kopitar had 60 points (22 goals, 38 assists) last season, his second fewest in 12 full NHL seasons, and although his 22 goals were tied with forward Dustin Brown for most on the Kings, they were second-fewest among NHL team leaders ahead of forwards Brad Richardson and Alex Galchenyuk of the Arizona Coyotes (19). Kopitar, who turned 32 on Aug. 24, has shown he can bounce back in the past. He had 52 points (12 goals, 40 assists) in 76 games in 2016-17 before being named a Hart Trophy finalist for NHL MVP the following season when he scored an NHL career-high 92 points (35 goals, 57 assists) in 82 games.
Kovalchuk's return to the NHL after more than five seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League was a disappointment, with 34 points (16 goals, 18 assists) in 64 games, his lowest point total in a full NHL season. Los Angeles needs improvement from the 36-year-old, who has scored more than 40 goals six times in his NHL career.