#los-angeles-kings

#los-angeles-kings

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.

There's a strange phenomenon brewing in the Western Conference. If you only watched the Los Angeles Kings on their home ice at Crypto.com Arena, you might write them off as a team struggling to find its footing, a group battling an early-season slump. To date, they've managed just a single victory in their own building. But if you caught them anywhere else-in Pittsburgh, Montreal, or virtually any other hostile NHL arena-you'd be watching one of the most formidable, balanced, and successful teams in the league.

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.

Penguins projected lineup Rickard Rakell - Sidney Crosby - Bryan RustAnthony Mantha - Evgeni Malkin - Justin BrazeauFilip Hallander - Tommy Novak - Philip TomasinoConnor Dewar - Blake Lizotte - Noel Acciari Parker Wotherspoon - Erik KarlssonRyan Shea - Kris LetangCaleb Jones - Harrison Brunicke Arturs SilovsTristan Jarry Mathew Dumba, Connor Clifton, Ben Kindel Kevin Hayes (upper body), Rutger McGroarty (upper body)

Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" ahead of the Los Angeles Kings' home opener, a 4-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, on Monday at Crypto Arena. Clad in his own custom "Dickinson" Kings jersey, the Maiden frontman belted out a fantastic rendition of the National Anthem, just like he did before a Pittsburgh Steelers game back in September.

One) The Central Division should be ultra-competitive in 2025-26. Two) The Jets have the oldest roster in the NHL and only got older this offseason. Related: NHL's Top 10 Centres for 2025-26: Preseason Update They let the 29-year-old Nikolaj Ehlers walk in free agency and signed 37-year-old Jonathan Toews, 36-year-old Gustav Nyquist, and 33-year-old Tanner Pearson. Those signings give the Jets an average of 30.17, the only NHL roster with an average age over 30 entering the 2025-26 season.

One player who might be earning a professional tryout (PTO) deal somewhere in the NHL is Klim Kostin, who supposedly has had conversations with the Kings at this point. In a recent interview, Kostin confirmed his interest in joining the Edmonton Oilers again, considering how well he fit with them in his previous stint, but confirmed the Kings have reached out to him. The way he worded it made it sound like they had made an offer, but that's not confirmed just yet.

The Kings signed six players on Day 1 of free agency, focusing on filling their critical roster holes, but did not secure a top-tier forward or defenseman.