The Los Angeles Kings are stuck in a Groundhog Day-like cycle. After four straight first-round losses to their rival, the Edmonton Oilers, many fans were yearning for change heading into 2025-26.
Last year’s Kings tied a franchise record in points with 105, good for second place in the Pacific Division. That finish also gave them home-ice advantage in the postseason for the first time since 2016. Unfortunately, for the organization and its fans, the result was the same, as Edmonton defeated LA in six games.
The series loss came despite LA holding a 2-0 series advantage, in which the Kings scored 12 goals. Four of them came on the power play, which was aided by trade-deadline acquisition, forward Andrei Kuzmenko. LA even held a lead in the final minute of game four, but eventually succumbed to the Oilers’ pressure and lost in overtime.
Having failed to advance in the playoffs yet again, the Kings brass decided to change direction at the beginning of the offseason. Eight-year general manager Rob Blake was replaced by veteran Ken Holland, who ironically built much of the Oilers roster during his previous stint in Alberta.
Ken Holland immediately began to tweak the Kings’ starting lineup, specifically with changes to the team’s fourth line. The addition of veteran forwards Joel Armia and journeyman Corey Perry give head coach Jim Hiller more flexibility when deploying his depth pieces, along with Kuzmenko, who was brought back on a one-year contract. Kuzmenko will likely slot back in on Hiller’s first power-play unit alongside playmakers like Adrian Kempe and Kevin Fiala.
On the defensive side of the puck, Holland faced a difficult challenge upon taking the job. Standout, top-pair defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov decided to elect free agency instead of re-signing in Los Angeles. Because of his departure, defender Mikey Anderson will largely be expected to fill his role on the left side of the blueline, as well as free-agent signing Brian Dumoulin. Holland also inked right-shot defenseman Cody Ceci to a four-year contract, despite a measly 35.5% expected goals rate according to MoneyPuck. He is assumed to replace LA draftee Jordan Spence, who was traded to the Ottawa Senators in June for two draft picks.
As the season opener on Oct. 7 approaches, the 2025-26 Kings are hoping things go their way to ensure another strong regular season. A large part of their success in 2024-25 was the play of first-year King and goaltender Darcy Kuemper.
Traded from Washington in a one-for-one swap for struggling center Pierre-Luc Dubois, Kuemper earned a Vezina Trophy nomination following his first year in Los Angeles. His 2.02 goals-against average and .922 save percentage were second and third in the league, respectively. Another strong stat line from Kuemper could propel LA back into the playoffs, and potentially into a tier of Stanley Cup contenders.
LA’s young players, specifically 23-year-old center Quinton Byfield, must take a step forward this upcoming season for the Kings to succeed. After a slow start last year, Byfield finished the second half strong with 54 points. Given his 5-year contract extension in 2024, increasing his production will likely be a top priority for LA’s coaches and staff. Forward Alex Laferriere and defenseman Brandt Clarke will be looking to develop as well into reliable star players.
The Kings have plenty of questions as they spearhead into training camp this September. The ability of this summer’s additions to mesh with the rest of the roster will be under a microscope. Even captain Anže Kopitar is stirring up uncertainty, as rumors of potential retirement have swirled over the past few weeks. But for many Kings fans, their goal is simple: avoid drawing the Edmonton Oilers again in Round 1.