The Los Angeles Kings showed a major split between home and away performance during the 2025-26 season. Many expected strong results at Crypto.com Arena based on past seasons and crowd energy. Instead, the Kings struggled at home with a 15-17-9 record. On the road, they performed better with a 20-10-11 record. The schedule required extensive travel early, including many road games in the first month, which typically adds fatigue and time-zone challenges. Despite that, the Kings handled road trips well and built a reputation as one of the NHL’s better traveling teams. Their away strength contrasted sharply with their 2024-25 dominance at home, including a franchise-record home points streak.
"Most teams usually perform better at home because they have support from their fans and do not have to travel far. But for the Kings, the season turned out very differently from what was expected. At the start of the season, many fans believed the Kings would be one of the strongest home teams in the league. In past seasons, they've played exceptional at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The crowd's energy often gave the team confidence, especially during crucial games."
"However, the 2025-26 season surprised many people because the Kings often played better during away games than home games. On home ice, the Kings struggled with a record of 15-17-9. While on away games, the performance was more solid with a record of 20-10-11. The season schedule was difficult from the beginning. After opening the season at home, the Kings spent a lot of time traveling."
"Long road trips can be tiring because players spend hours on planes, stay in hotels, and may find difficulty with different time zones. Even with those challenges, the Kings handled road games very well. Interestingly, the Kings responded well to life on the road. Throughout much of the season, they demonstrated resilience in tough arenas and developed a reputation as one of the NHL's better traveling teams."
"Statistical breakdowns from StatMuse showed the Kings carrying a significantly stronger away record than home record during the season. What made the contrast even stranger was the fact that the Kings had been dominant at home just one season earlier. During the 2024-25 campaign, Los Angeles established one of the league's strongest home records, including a franchise-record home points streak. However, those expectations did not carry over into the next season."
Read at The Hockey Writers
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