stripped, Brown stated, "I understand the decision and I respect the decision. Part of my problem was how it was handled. It just put me in an awkward spot." The 2017–18 season marked a resurgence for Brown. After earning 36 points the season prior, Brown managed 28 goals and a career-high 61 points. On December 21, 2017, Brown played in his 1,000th career NHL game. The Kings defeated the Colorado Avalanche 2–1 in overtime, where Brown scored the game-winning goal. On April 5, 2018, Brown scored four goals, including the overtime winner, against the Minnesota Wild. Brown announced on April 28, 2022 that he would retire after the completion of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, for which his Kings team qualified. At the time of the announcement, Brown had 28 points in 63 games. In tribute, he was named team captain for the Kings’ final game of the season, a matchup against the Canucks. Brown's Kings would be eliminated in seven games in the first round by the Edmonton Oilers, with Brown skating in all seven appearances and recording two points, his final game was on May 14. Brown was honored with a statue on February 11, 2023, joining Wayne Gretzky and Luc Robitaille as the only Kings players with statues, as well having his jersey number hanging in the rafters of Staples Center. International play Brown has played for the United States in multiple international tournaments. During the World Championship tournament of 2008, Brown received negative attention for a controversial hit that made contact with the head of Finnish player Jussi Jokinen as the final horn sounded. Brown was named an alternate captain of the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics and again in 2014. Style of play Brown is known for his physical, north–south style of game. Brown considers himself a clean hitter: after a controversial hit on Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Michal Rozsíval in the 2012 Western Conference Finals, Brown defended himself by saying, "I take pride in playing the game clean and hard. There are going to be hits that are unfortunate but still clean." Brown had never been issued a fine or suspension from the NHL Department of Player Safety until April 24, 2013, when he received two-game suspension for an illegal elbow to the head of Minnesota Wild forward Jason Pominville on April 23, 2013. Brown's former teammate Rob Blake said Brown "comes at