#los-angeles-kings

#los-angeles-kings

The Los Angeles Kings are entering a pivotal week as they look to correct a mediocre first half of the 2025-26 season. Sitting with a record of 16-12-9, the team is battling offensive inconsistency and swirling trade rumors as they prepare to face one of the league's top teams, the Colorado Avalanche, tonight. On Dec. 19 the Kings traded forward Phillip Danault to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a second-round 2026 pick.

The Los Angeles Kings' 2025-26 season is shaping up to be run-of-the-mill. The team has amassed 39 points in 34 games played. While the number doesn't seem too shabby three months in, the Kings could use plenty of improvement in certain areas. Their messy style of play consists of mistakes that cost the team games they should be winning. Additionally, they could use more chemistry and grittiness in their forward group. Let's take a deeper look at where they have struggled this season.

Kings projected lineup Alex Laferriere - Anze Kopitar - Adrian Kempe Kevin Fiala - Quinton Byfield - Joel Armia Warren Foegele - Phillip Danault - Trevor Moore Andrei Kuzmenko - Alex Turcotte - Corey Perry Mikey Anderson - Drew Doughty Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke Brian Dumoulin - Cody Ceci Darcy Kuemper Anton Forsberg Jeff Malott, Samuel Helenius, Jacob Moverare Status report The Kings are expected to dress the same 18 skaters from their 6-0 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.

What transformed into one of the most dangerous aspects of the Los Angeles Kings' offense after last season's trade deadline, and even propelled them to a two-game series lead over the Edmonton Oilers in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, has fallen completely off the rails. The five-forward power play unit was first introduced after the acquisition of Andrei Kuzmenko.

Coming into the 2025-26 season, there was no doubt that this version of the Los Angeles Kings would be different from last season. With the shake-up of the defensive group, most expected a dip in play on the back end, while bringing back the entire top nine was expected to aid an improvement in offensive production, given that the Kings were second in goals per game after the trade deadline last season.

On the 2-1 marker, the Kings enjoyed an extended 6-5 man advantage following a delayed penalty on Zachary Bolduc. Tiring out the home side, the Kings finally struck when Quinton Byfield pounced on a rebound to beat goalie Sam Montembeault. Of note, Byfield by all appearances waved goodbye to the home crowd as a celly. While it may have pissed off Canadiens fans, the gesture undeniably fit based on the Habs' response or lack thereof.

It's not every day a player hits 1,400 games in the NHL, and it's even rarer that a 40-year-old veteran still finds ways to impact a game night after night. During his remarkable career, Corey Perry has played for a variety of teams at every level, from junior hockey with the Peterborough Bees and London Knights to the American Hockey League (AHL) Cincinnati Mighty Ducks and Portland Pirates.

As of May 2025, the Los Angeles Kings have replaced Rob Blake with Ken Holland as the new general manager and vice president of the Los Angeles Kings. Along with what he's brought to the franchise, there's been a noticeable shift in the organization's tone and overall direction. Holland's return has marked a veteran leadership reset, one where the values that the 2012 and 2014 champions had, are introduced.