Los Angeles Kings
A preview of the 2026-27 NHL season for the Los Angeles Kings, including predictions from VSiN NHL Expert Jonathan Davis. For all other NHL team previews, check out our NHL page.
Key Additions: Erik Haula, Mats Zuccarello, Corey Perry, Erik Gustafsson
Key Departures: Anze Kopitar, Andrei Kuzmenko, Mathieu Joseph
Overview
The 2025-26 season marked the end of the 20-year career of Anze Kopitar, who retired as the team leader in goals, assists and points. The Kings are coming off a season that saw them play an NHL regular-season record, 28 overtime games, losing 22 of those games. Their 90 points, earned them the eighth and final playoff spot. The Kings were just five points shy of the top spot in the Pacific Division, but they were closer to missing the playoffs, finishing just four points better than a trio of teams that missed out on making the playoffs. The Avalanche’s four-game sweep of LA marked the fifth consecutive season they were eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs. In June, Peter Laviolette was hired as the new head coach, taking over from DJ Smith, who took over mid-season from Jim Hiller. Laviolette previously coached Artemi Panarin when he was with the Rangers, Kevin Fiala back in his days with the Nashville Predators, and Darcy Kuemper in his days with the Washington Capitals.
Offense
LA ranked 29th in offense last season and is trying to improve those numbers this season without having a suitable replacement for their number one center, Anze Kopitar, which will be challenging to say the least. The Kings could stack their top line with Quinton Byfield centering Adrian Kempe and Artemi Panarin. Some believe Kempe could shift back to center, where he started his career, and form a top line with Panarin and 39-year-old Mats Zuccarello, who signed a one-year deal with the Kings in the summer. Moving Kempe back to center after scoring at least 35 goals in four of the past five seasons and playing on the wing (28 goals in the other) is risky. Last season Kempe led the Kings in points, goals, assists and shots on goal. If Kempe centers the top line, then Byfield would slot in as the second-line center. The Kings also brought back 41-year-old Corey Perry (traded last season to Tampa), re-signed Scott Laughton, and signed 35-year-old free agent Erik Haula, who can play both center and the wing.
Defense
The time is now for Brandt Clarke to officially take control as the team’s number one defenseman. Clarke signed a 5-year, 37-million-dollar contract in the summer. He saw his point total increase from 33 to 40 last season, but it was his time on ice that saw the most noticeable increase by more than three minutes per game (16:17-19:48). His increased role in the lineup should mean a lesser role for future Hall of Famer Drew Doughty. Doughty will turn 37 in December and is in the final year of his contract and the team is taking a wait-and-see approach regarding an extension. Mikey Anderson is coming off what he and many would consider a down year. The thirtysomething trio of Joel Edmundson, Cody Ceci, and Brian Dumoulin round out the top six. Thirty-four-year-old Erik Gustafsson (signed as a free agent) will be the extra blueliner on the roster or find himself playing on the Kings’ top minor league team, the Ontario Reign. The 133 points last season registered by Kings defensemen had them 30th out of 32 teams, and their 23 goals scored was dead last.
Goaltending
The Kings are bringing back the goaltending tandem of Darcy Kuemper and Anton Forsberg. Both goalies are in the final year of their contracts. Kuemper had a strong start to the season and earned a spot on Canada’s Olympic team as their third goalie, but he struggled after the Olympics, leading to Anton Forsberg starting five of the team’s final six regular-season games and all four playoff games. The Kings gave up the eighth fewest goals last season, and it will be interesting to see if they can maintain those numbers under new head coach Peter Laviolette, whose teams play a more wide-open style.
Players to Watch
In the Kings’ case, I am making an exception and will focus on two players. For this team to become legit Stanley Cup contenders in the next few years, then Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke have to be their next Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty. For Byfield, that means he needs to go from a 55-point player to a 70-point player this season; for Clarke, he needs to show he can match up against the opposition’s best players while putting up 50-55 points.
Outlook
The team has not won a playoff series since the 2014 Stanley Cup. They have now bowed out in the opening round of the playoffs each of the past five seasons. General Manager Ken Holland’s answer this summer was to sign four free agents ranging in age from 34 to 41, bringing the total to 15 players on the wrong side of 30 and making the Kings the oldest team in the NHL.
Schedule makers didn’t do LA any favors early on, as their first seven games feature road games at Colorado, San Jose, Vegas and Washington, along with home games against Florida, Edmonton and Boston. DraftKings has their point projection at 95.5, and going Over that total would be a six-point increase from last season. I would be more inclined to bet them to miss the playoffs (+150) rather than going under their point total (+100)
Team Futures
Regular Season Points: 95.5 (Over -130, Under +100)
To Make the Playoffs: (-185)
Miss the Playoffs: (+150)
To Win the Division: (+750)
To Win the Western Conference: (+1700)
To Win the Stanley Cup: (+3000)
2025-26 Recap
Record: 35-27-20 (95 points, Wild Card 2)
Over/Under: 38-44
Home Favorite: 14-18 // Home Dog: 1-7
Road Favorite: 9-9 // Road Dog: 9-12
Win Score 4 or more: 18 of 35 // Lose Give Up 4 or more: 32 of 47
Puck Line Wins: 14 of 35 // Puck Line Losses: 21 of 47
Front End Back-to-Back: 6-9 // Back End Back-to-Back: 4-11
Points Leader: Adrian Kempe – 73
Goal Leader: Adrian Kempe – 36
Teams First Goal Leader: Adrian Kempe – 14
Assist Leader: Adrian Kempe – 37
Shots on Goal Leader: Adrian Kempe – 226
Blocked Shots: Brandt Clarke – 185
Depth Chart
Forwards
Mats Zuccarello / Adrian Kempe / Artemi Panarin
Kevin Fiala / Quinton Byfield / Alex Laferriere
Trevor Moore / Scott Laughton / Erik Haula
Joel Armia / Samuel Helenius / Corey Perry
Defense
Mikey Anderson / Drew Doughty
Joel Edmundson / Brandt Clarke
Brian Dumoulin / Cody Ceci
Goalies
Darcy Kuemper / Anton Forsberg
