The Los Angeles Kings are struggling badly five games into the 2026-27 season. They’ve lost all five games they’ve played, with two losses coming in overtime. This was a playoff team last year, which has many fans searching for answers.
The most obvious place to start is the departure of longtime center and captain Anze Kopitar, who retired from professional hockey following last year’s sweep by the Avalanche in the first round of the postseason. Kopitar has been the team’s leader for the better part of his 20-year career, all of them with the Kings, and losing him puts a hole in the locker room.
The team also has a new head coach in Peter Laviolette. The team lost its heart and soul in Kopitar and are now beginning the season in a completely new system. Their offense is struggling; they’ve put up only 11 goals in their first five games, to 21 goals against. They’ve scored only one goal in three consecutive games. The Kings are scoring a measly 2.2 goals per game so far this season.
The team made moves in the offseason that suggested they were in win-now mode, too. The pieces they have in place right now, however, are showing age more than experience. They promoted longtime defenseman Drew Doughty, 36, to captain. In addition, both goalies, Darcy Kuemper and Anton Forsberg, are over 34 and defenseman Brian Dumoulin is 25. Since January, the team has also acquired 34-year-old Artemi Panarin, 35-year-old Erik Haula, 39-year-old Mats Zuccarello and 41-year-old Corey Perry.
They’re still not giving up, though; the Kings are currently considered a top trade candidate for Winnipeg Jets superstar goalie Connor Hellebuyck. He may help rectify their struggles in the crease, but the Kings have to find an offensive rhythm soon if they want to have a legitimate shot at the playoffs.