Kings Enter 2026-27 With New Coach, Old Questions About Offence

Los Angeles finished 35-27-20 last season, good for 90 points and fourth in the Pacific, then lost in the first round. The offence ranked 29th in the NHL at 2.68 goals per game, and the team did nothing dramatic to fix that. What it did do is hire a proven winner in Peter Laviolette, bring in affordable veteran depth, and hand the keys to a young core that is finally ready for a bigger stage.

Last season in review

The numbers tell a familiar story. The Kings allowed 238 goals, which was actually respectable, but they scored only 220, and that gap explains the early exit. Artemi Panarin arrived from the New York Rangers in February and recorded 27 points in 26 regular-season games after his Kings debut, and Adrian Kempe posted 73. Quinton Byfield managed 49 points but never quite broke through as a true first-line centre. Darcy Kuemper's .891 save percentage was a problem all season; the defence covered for him more than a team should have to. Kopitar retired as the franchise's all-time scoring leader, and his absence leaves a hole at centre that no single signing fills.

Ins and outs

• In: Peter Laviolette (hired as head coach)
• In: Mats Zuccarello (signed one-year, $1M contract, July 1)
• In: Erik Haula (signed two-year contract, July 1)
• In: Corey Perry (signed one-year contract, July 1, second stint with Kings)
• In: Erik Gustafsson (signed one-year contract, July 1)
• In: Scott Laughton (re-signed to three-year contract after midseason acquisition from Toronto)
• Out: Anze Kopitar (retired)
• Out: Andrei Kuzmenko (signed with Pittsburgh)
• Out: Corey Perry (traded to Tampa Bay at the deadline, then re-signed July 1)

Drew Doughty was named the 15th captain in Kings history on Sept. 17, stepping into the role after Kopitar's retirement. Kevin Fiala is targeting a return around Nov. 1 after an injury, and Mats Zuccarello skated separately during the early days of training camp. Brian Dumoulin was cleared after a flagged physical and rejoined practice.

The big question

Can Quinton Byfield finally become a No. 1 centre? With Kopitar gone, there is no safety net. Byfield is 24, gifted, and physically imposing, but he has yet to produce at the level his draft pedigree (second overall, 2020) demands. If he does not take that step, Los Angeles will again be a team that defends well and scores just enough to be dangerous but not enough to go deep.

X-factor

Adrian Kempe showed something extraordinary in the final stretch of last season, scoring at a 52-goal pace over his last 25 games after Panarin arrived. A full season alongside Panarin could push Kempe toward a career year. He is the player most likely to make this offence look like a different unit entirely, and his output will set the tone for whether Los Angeles is a nuisance in the first round or a genuine threat.

Bold prediction

Byfield breaks the 70-point barrier for the first time, and the Kings finish third in the Pacific, their best divisional result in three seasons.

The outlook

Los Angeles opens on the road at Colorado on Sept. 30 with a new coach, a new captain, and the oldest roster in the NHL by average age. Laviolette is known for unlocking offence, and this group needs exactly that. The defence and structure are already there. Whether the Kings can become a team that wins in May rather than just surviving until April depends on Byfield, Kempe, and how quickly Laviolette's system takes hold. The pieces are in place for a step forward. Whether they actually take it is the only question that matters.

*Sources:, nhl.com, dailyfaceoff.com*