Game Preview - LAK vs. COL

The 2026-27 NHL regular season gets underway this evening as the LA Kings are in Denver for a rematch of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Here's what you need to know ahead of the regular-season opener against the Colorado Avalanche -

When: Wednesday, September 30 @ 7:00 PM PST
Where: Ball Arena - Denver, CO

Watch: TNT, HBO Max
Listen: ESPN LA App, LA Kings App

5️⃣ Things To Know For Today's Game

1. The LA Kings will play the first game in franchise history under Head Coach Peter Laviolette. Laviolette, a 2006 Stanley Cup champion, was hired to coach the Kings over the summer, the seventh franchise he's coached in the NHL. 
2. Defenseman Drew Doughty is in line to make his debut as the captain of the Los Angeles Kings. Doughty was named as the 15th captain in franchise history earlier this month. He will become just the third player in the last 19 years to captain the Kings, joining Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown. 
3. Forward Artemi Panarin begins his first full season with the Kings organization, after he was acquired from the New York Rangers last February. Panarin totaled 27 points (9-18-27) in 26 regular-season games with the Kings last season. Panarin was the only player with multiple goals in last season's playoffs against the Avalanche, as he scored in both of the games he played in Denver. 
4. Forwards Mats Zuccarello and Erik Haula are both expected to make their Kings debuts this evening in Denver. Both players joined Los Angeles as free agents over the summer. Zuccarello, who signed from Minnesota, has five consecutive seasons with at least 30 assists, while Haula, who signed from Nashville, has collected at least 35 points in four of his last five.
5. Goaltender Darcy Kuemper appears to be in line to make the start for Opening Night. Kuemper, a Stanley Cup champion with the Avalanche in 2022, has a 5-4-2 lifetime record against the Avalanche, with a .904 save percentage and a 2.55 goals-against average.

Tonight's Projected 👑 Lineup ⬇️

Panarin - Byfield - Kempe

Zuccarello - Turcotte - Laferriere

Moore - Haula - Laughton

Lee - Helenius - Armia

Dumoulin - Doughty

Edmundson - Clarke

Anderson - Ceci

Kuemper

Forsberg

Players to Watch

Kings - Adrian Kempe: Kempe collected an assist in all three games the Kings played against Colorado last season, a streak that extends to four games, dating back to the 2024-25 season. Kempe totaled 73 points last season, leading the Kings, as he finished two shy of his NHL career high. 

Avalanche - Martin Necas: Only one player in the NHL scored more regular-season goals last season against the Kings than Necas, who found the back of the net four times in three matchups. Necas scored a career high 38 goals in total last season overall, his first full campaign in Colorado. 

For a full game preview of today's action, as well as coverage of the 2026 Rookie Faceoff, visit LAKingsInsider.com.