INSIDER: Olympics Group Stage Recap

Halfway Home!

Both in terms of Kings participation in the 2026 Olympic Winter Games and the break in LA Kings action, before the 2025-26 regular season gets back underway.

Couple more days until we see the Kings return to Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo, with the team set to resume practice on Wednesday, February 18. The Kings have a week to ramp things back up before returning to game action on February 25 at home against the Vegas Golden Knights. That practice is set to feature forward Artemi Panarin, who was acquired via trade from the New York Rangers prior to the break. It will not include the five players who were selected to participate in the Olympics, with four players continuing their runs into the knockout stages. As noted yesterday, forward Kevin Fiala will miss the remainder of the Olympics and the regular season with a lower-leg injury. He'll be re-evaluated at the conclusion of the regular season for any potential playoff participation. That's for another time, though.

For today, let's take a look at how the Kings have fared on the international stage, with today a full day off for the men's tournament. We'll see one member of the Kings back in action tomorrow before the remainder of the contingent resumes play on Wednesday with the quarterfinals.

Joel Armia
The standout from the opening three games at the Olympics from a Kings perspective has been forward Joel Armia.

Tasked with a bottom-six role and penalty-killing duties, Armia has been a bright light as Finland skated to 2-1-0 record, securing the fourth seed and the final bye directly into the quarterfinals.

With four points (2-2-4) in three games played, Armia was tied for the team lead in scoring at the end of group play, with his point total also tied for tenth in the tournament as a whole. The highlight of Armia's tournament came in his second game played against Team Sweden. With his team leading 2-1, Armia did what he's done all season with the Kings, as he scored a shorthanded goal to double Team Finland's lead with a 3-1 advantage. He added a multi-point effort in a blowout win over Team Italy and collected an assist in at defeat against Team Slovakia, making him the only Finnish player with a point in all three games.

More on Armia HERE, with his strong start to the tournament covered in more detail.

Armia Upcoming Schedule
Finland vs. Switzerland/Italy Winner, Wednesday 2/18 at 9:10 AM

Adrian Kempe
When talking about leading scorers, you'd likely have expected to see Kempe's name there. While he finished the group stage a point shy of Armia's numbers, Kempe was still a point-per-game player as he collected three points (1-2-3) in his three games played with Team Sweden.

After he collected an assist in his first ever game at the Olympics against Team Italy, Kempe saved his best for last, as he had a multi-point game in Team Sweden's final game of Group B, a 5-3 win over Team Slovakia. Kempe had an assist on teammate Joel Erkisson Ek's shorthanded goal, which opened the scoring, and he added a power-play goal later in the second period to give his team a 2-1 lead. Ultimately, Kempe's effort was enough to earn the win, though Team Sweden fell one goal short of placing higher in the group on goal differential which prevented them from earning a bye directly to the quarterfinals.

As such, Kempe as his teammates will be the highest-profile team playing in tomorrow's qualification playoffs, a go or go home game against Team Latvia. Sweden's matchup in the qualification playoffs will be the last of four to be played tomorrow. With a victory, they would advance to a blockbuster elimination game against Team USA the next day.

Kempe Upcoming Schedule
Sweden vs. Latvia, Tuesday 2/17 at 12:10 PM Pacific
*Sweden/Latvia vs. United States, Wednesday 2/18 at 12:10 PM Pacific

*Winner of Sweden/Latvia advances to quarterfinal matchup against the United States.

Drew Doughty
Team Canada steamrolled its way through the group stage, winning all three games they took part in by a combined 20-3 scoreline.

Doughty played his part in all three games, as he collected an assist on forward Tom Wilson's game-opening goal in a 10-2 victory over France in Canada's final game of Group A. In total, Doughty posted a +3 rating across the three games as he was largely the team's number-four defenseman during the group stage. Doughty ranked third, fifth and sixth in time on ice among defensemen over those three games and has skated primarily on a pairing with Thomas Harley of the Dallas Stars. As Canada plays more competitive games during the quarterfinals and beyond, it'll be interesting to see how those minutes are distributed in tight situations.

Doughty was selected to play a certain role. He's more than done that thus far.

Doughty Upcoming Schedule
Canada vs. Czechia/Denmark Winner, Wednesday 2/18 at 7:40 AM

Darcy Kuemper
Kuemper was the backup goaltender and got to dress for the 5-1 win over Team Switzerland but did not see any game action across the first three games.

Was hopeful that Kuemper might dress against Team France as well, which might have given him the chance to play a period, but ultimately he didn't feature. Would expect him to be the third goaltender heading into the quarterfinals, but you never know how things might shake out.

Kuemper Upcoming Schedule
Canada vs. Czechia/Denmark Winner, Wednesday 2/18 at 7:40 AM

Kevin Fiala
Fiala's tournament is over, after he suffered a lower-leg injury in the 5-1 defeat against Team Canada.

More detail on Fiala's injury is available HERE.

While he will not play any additional games, Fiala would still receive a medal if Team Switzerland was able to go on a Cinderella run. After winning two of their three games in Group A, Team Switzerland earned the fifth seed entering the qualification playoffs and will take on Team Italy tomorrow. Should they progress, they would take on Armia and Team Finland for a chance to progress to the medal round.

Will post a live thread for Kempe's game tomorrow afternoon and a preview of the quarterfinals after, once the matchups have been sorted out!