In addition to Kopitar, 37, who became the 10th player in history with at least three wins, the trio of finalists included centres Jack Eichel of Vegas and Brayden Point of Tampa Bay.
Kopitar's name appeared on 132 of 191 votes cast by representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA). He was listed first on 50 occasions and accumulated 856 total points. Point finished second with 793 points, while Eichel had 782.
Kopitar, a native of Jesenice, played 81 games in the regular season, scoring 67 points (21+46) and receiving only two two-minute penalties from the referees. Only the phenomenal Wayne Gretzky has won the award three times in club history (1991, 1992 and 1994).
Kopitar currently holds a streak of 93 regular-season games in which he has received no more than one two-minute penalty from the referees. He began it on March 23rd, 2024. In his NHL career, which he started with the Kings in 2006/07, he has already recorded four such streaks of at least 130 games, with his maximum being 315 games between January 4th, 2020 and March 19th, 2024.
Twenty-eight-year-old Eichel was Vegas' most productive player, finishing with a career-high 94 points (28+66) in 77 games, in addition to +32 points for goals scored and goals allowed on ice. He went to the penalty box four times.
Point scored 82 points (42+40) in 77 games. The 29-year-old forward received seven penalty minutes from the referees, the fewest among players who finished in the top 50 of the productivity table.