Anze Kopitar replaces Dustin Brown as Kings’ captain

Center Anze Kopitar replaced right wing Dustin Brown as captain of the Kings on Thursday, an acknowledgement of Brown’s diminished role on a team that has stumbled the past two seasons after winning the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014.

Kopitar will be the 14th captain in the club’s history. Brown had been captain since 2008.

General Manager Dean Lombardi was expected to participate in a conference call later Thursday to explain the decision, which was announced by the club in an email.

Brown, 31, has completed two seasons of an eight-year, $47-million contract with an annual salary cap hit of $5.875 million. According to the website generalfanager.com, the contract contains a modified no-trade clause, meaning he is able to submit a list of seven teams to whom the Kings could not trade him. The size of the cap hit and the length of his contract — through the 2021-22 season — make him nearly untradeable.

He has experienced a steep decline in his production the past few seasons. He peaked at 60 points, on 33 goals and 27 assists, in the 2007-08 season. He had eight goals and 20 points in the Kings’ 2012 Cup run, in which he played a key role with his physicality and leadership by example.

However, his physical style took a toll on his body and he was less effective as speed began to play a more important role than a bruising, banging game. He had only 11 goals and 28 points in 82 games last season.

Kopitar, 28, has been an assistant captain since 2008. He was expected to speak to reporters during a conference call later Thursday.

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