INSIDER: Jared Wright’s goal is clear: To make the LA Kings out of training camp

The Rookie Faceoff means a lot of different things to a lot of different players.

For Jared Wright, he’s in a position that most with the LA Kings are not.

When the 2025-26 season ended for the Kings, in Game 4 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Wright was there. He was in the lineup for all four games the Kings played in the series versus Colorado. In fact, from the time he was called up from the AHL’s Ontario Reign, making his NHL debut on March 2, Wright never left the lineup. He played in each of the team’s final 23 regular-season games, in addition to all four in the postseason.

Now, he finds himself trying to achieve another first and that’s making the team out of training camp.

You never like to look at an injury as an opportunity, but it’s an unfortunate reality of the industry. Entering training camp, Kevin Fiala’s status is unknown, with the expectation that he will miss at least the first day of on-ice sessions. That creates an opportunity. For someone like Wright, coming into camp with ambitions of being on that roster for opening night, he knows he needs to be ready to seize whatever opportunity comes his way. Whether Fiala is ready to go or not, Wright has one goal coming into camp – to make the LA Kings.

“That’s what I want to do and I’m going to put my best foot forward,” Wright said. “If it doesn’t happen, I’m going to keep working to try to become the best player that I can be, but definitely my goal, 100 percent, is to make the team out of camp.”

Unlike the bulk of the players on the roster bubble, Wright is here in San Jose. He played both Saturday and Sunday and is also expected to play in tomorrow’s tournament finale against Utah. Also here in San Jose are the key members of the LA Kings management team, including General Manager Ken Holland. Head Coach Peter Laviolette watched the first two games in person as well, along with Associate Coach Phil Housley.

For Wright, that presents an opportunity that others don’t have. No, he will not make the team based on his performance at a rookie tournament. His true evaluation is to come. But there’s still an impression to be made. Wright came into this weekend determined to put his best foot forward. How he approached these games and how he performed on the ice was an opportunity to showcase himself, regardless of the nature of the games.

“It’s just preparing yourself for main camp and I think these extra reps definitely help,” Wright said. “I was thinking of it last year too. I think it helped me a lot for those preseason games as well and I feel like you just go into it more ready, more conditioned. It’s definitely a benefit for all of us.”

Last season, the Kings roster at the forward position felt fairly set heading into training camp. Then Corey Perry sustained an injury just before camp opened and all of a sudden, there was a roster spot to be won. Jeff Malott was the one who stepped up and took it with a standout performance during training camp. Taylor Ward was right there with him and became an early-season callup option from Ontario and ultimately earned a contract extension with the Kings, with his camp showing helping in that area.

For this year’s group, however, a Malott or Ward like showing during training camp is less likely. The new NHL CBA reduced the preseason schedule down to just four total games and veteran players will each play in two. For younger players, even those trying to make the team, there will only be so many opportunities in the preseason. A guy like Wright, even if he gets into a few games, won’t have the type of runway that players did last season.

What he does have though are these games in San Jose.

It’s been a chance to make an impact and Wright has approached them as such.

He’s Wright is one of only two players with NHL experience on the Kings roster, along with forward Kenny Connors. Both Wright and Connors have been the guys leading vocally in the locker room, as older guys with those NHL games. Teammates have pointed to it.

Last season, Wright was the rookie all year, AHL and NHL. He sees this as a real chance to develop more in those areas, in a role when others are looking to him.

“It’s something that I need to work on a lot because I’m not really the biggest talker,” he said. “I try to lead by example, but yeah, it’s definitely a great opportunity for myself and something that I don’t take for granted. It’s a very big privilege for me and Kenny. So yeah, it was pretty awesome.”

During this tournament, Wright has played an increased role. With his experience comes the chance to play in the top-six at this tournament, playing higher in the lineup, counted on as more of a go-to player against his peers.

While he’s unlikely to play on the first line in the NHL with the Kings, he’s also been used on the penalty kill here in San Jose and that’s a role he could also fill this season in the NHL. Wright’s speed jumps off the page, both in terms of his long-form, straight line skating, as well as his quick acceleration in shorter, tighter situations. That’s a good combination for a penalty killer.

The Kings are in need of improvements in that area this season, having ranked in the NHL’s bottom five a season ago. They haven’t been shy about discussing how much that part of the game needs to improve, either. New Kings assistant coach Chris Hajt coached Wright with the Reign last season and integrated him quickly onto the penalty kill at the AHL level. Wright scored twice while a man short and was effective in a PK role on Sunday against the Ducks as well.

Is that an area Wright feels he could potentially look to integrate himself into at a higher level as well? If he earns it.

“You have to earn that each and every single night, and I did last year with the Reign,” Wright said. “You have to be responsible defensively and that’s how you earn penalty kill reps, you’ve got to be willing to block shots and be detailed with your stick. It’s something that you definitely have to earn.”

Penalty killing aside, this has also been a chance for Wright to get an early introduction into systematic changes the Kings are making this season.

Under Peter Laviolette, the Kings will look and play differently. It’ll take some time for the players to learn the new systems. It’ll take some time to feel comfortable with them and and effectively integrate them into the way that they play. For Wright, if nothing else, he’s gotten a jumpstart on that area, with a couple of practice opportunities and two games to work on those things.

Can only help.

“Yeah, it’s a lot, we’ve done a lot of work even before camp started and now throughout camp, even through practice, so I still think we’re all adjusting to it,” he added. “I think you saw in the first game we didn’t quite have it but as we saw in the second game, we did a lot better with it and still learning, but we’re liking it so far.”

Laviolette’s approach should be exciting to a blazing skater like Wright. Think he should thrive in that kind of a system.

Tomorrow presents one last opportunity for Wright and his teammates to continue to work on getting comfortable with the systems before main camp opens.

Individually, it’s one last run out before Wright integrates into the larger group for main camp on Thursday. Expecting him to be around the NHL group at times and get his chance to work with those players, as he did last season.

As a team, it’s a chance to leave San Jose with a winning record and take another win home with them. Ultimately, this camp is probably more about the individual, with guys trying to make an impression and to prepare themselves for the season ahead, at a number of different levels.

Still, though, hockey players want to win. Wright understands that balance and is hopeful to end the tournament on a high note tomorrow, as the tournament comes to a close.

“I think just being more structured, pretty much like last game, not being so chaotic and just playing a 200-foot game,” Wright said. “[It’s about] playing for one another and obviously you want to win.”