Kings season preview: Seek playoff run with Kopitar set to retire

The 2025-26 NHL regular season begins on Oct. 7. Leading up to the season opener, NHL.com is identifying six things to watch for each team. Today, the Los Angeles Kings.

Last season: 48-25-9, second place in Pacific Division; lost in Western Conference First Round

Coach: Jim Hiller (third season)

Biggest challenge

Putting together a strong Stanley Cup Playoff run again. The Kings have been eliminated in the first round four straight seasons, each time by the Edmonton Oilers, who advanced to the Stanley Cup Final the past two seasons. The Kings added to their depth during the offseason, including forwards Joel Armia and Corey Perry, and defensemen Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin. Perry will likely miss the first month of the season after having knee surgery earlier this month, but the Kings will look for their other acquisitions to help them get off to a strong start. And with veteran center Anze Kopitar announcing his 20th NHL season will be his last, the Kings have plenty of motivation to make his final run a memorable one.

How they make playoffs

This hasn't been a problem for the Kings the past few seasons and shouldn't be again, especially if they utilize that depth. They need Darcy Kuemper to have another good season. The goalie was 31-11-7 with a career-best 2.02 goals-against average, .915 save percentage and five shutouts. Los Angeles should also benefit from a full season of Drew Doughty. The defenseman missed the first 47 games of last season with an ankle injury and wasn't 100 percent even when he did return. Now he's healthy, and his ability to play massive minutes (he's averaged 26:10 of ice time per game during his career) will be a big help again for the Kings, who haven't won a playoff series since winning the Stanley Cup in 2014.

Most intriguing addition

Perry isn't putting up the points he did early in his career, but remains a valuable commodity. There's no quit in the 40-year-old, who remains driven to win the Stanley Cup again (he won with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007). That means good things for the Kings. Perry will add to their power play, which was 27th in the NHL last season (17.9 percent) and will provide a strong net-front presence, be it 5-on-5 or special teams. Perry has been to the Stanley Cup Final in five of the past six seasons. He knows what it takes to get there and once he gets back from injury, he should be an asset for the Kings, especially in the postseason.

Biggest potential surprise

Liam Greentree is going to be pushing for a roster spot out of training camp. The No. 26 pick by Los Angeles in the 2024 NHL Draft, Greentree had 119 points (49 goals, 70 assists) in 64 games with Windsor of the Ontario Hockey League last season. The Kings said they're not going to rush the 19-year-old, and it's going to be tough for Greentree to break through, considering the team signed some veteran forwards this offseason. However, if Greentree excels in camp, he's going to give the coaching staff something to ponder.

Ready to contribute

Jeff Malott definitely qualifies as a late bloomer. The 29-year-old played in one game with the Winnipeg Jets in 2021-22, then didn't get a sniff in the NHL again until last season, when he played in 12 regular-season and six playoff games with the Kings. This is looking like the season the forward gets a bigger opportunity, as part of the fourth line, where his size (6-foot-5, 208 pounds) and physical play should be an asset.

Fantasy sleeper with EDGE stats

Andrei Kuzmenko, F: The forward had 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 22 games last season after he was acquired by the Kings in a trade on March 7; the only other player moved before the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline who had more points with his new team than Kuzmenko was Mikko Rantanen of the Dallas Stars (18 in 20 games). Kuzmenko, who played mostly on the top line and first power play with Kopitar and wing Adrian Kempe, has bounce-back potential considering he scored 39 goals in his first NHL season with the Vancouver Canucks in 2022-23. Per NHL EDGE stats, Kuzmenko ranked highly among forwards in top shot speed (92.47 mph; 90th percentile) and offensive zone time percentage (45.8; 92nd percentile). -- Troy Perlowitz

Projected lineup

Andrei Kuzmenko -- Anze Kopitar -- Adrian Kempe

Kevin Fiala -- Quinton Byfield -- Alex Laferriere

Warren Foegele -- Phillip Danault -- Trevor Moore

Jeff Malott -- Alex Turcotte -- Joel Armia

Mikey Anderson -- Drew Doughty

Joel Edmundson -- Brandt Clarke

Brian Dumoulin -- Cody Ceci

Darcy Kuemper

Anton Forsberg

Injured: Corey Perry (knee)