Day 1 of NHL free agency gave the Los Angeles Kings exactly the kind of jolt they were looking for. General manager Ken Holland wasted no time, landing moves that helped with center depth and added a top-six playmaker, giving the roster a different look almost immediately.
Even with the early wave of signings mostly behind them across the league, there are still veteran free agents sitting out there. That leaves Holland and the Kings with another chance to chip away at the remaining holes before training camp and the preseason arrive this fall.
One of the more intriguing names still available is Patrik Laine. The former Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets winger brings real upside, and if he’s healthy, he still has the kind of scoring touch that can change a lineup fast. The catch is obvious: Laine hasn’t played more than 60 games in a regular season since 2019-20, so any team signing him would be taking on some risk.
That’s why Laine fits the mold of a medium-risk, high-reward addition. He could give the Kings another dangerous scorer and an electric offensive presence, but he would also be a bigger gamble than the moves Holland and the team have made so far this offseason. Still, on a short-term deal, there’s a path for Laine to outplay the contract and become one of the better value swings on the market.
And Laine isn’t the only veteran who could make sense in Los Angeles. With free agency slowing down, the Kings still have room to keep building before camp opens. The right unsigned veteran could add scoring, experience, and depth - exactly the kind of ingredients they’re still chasing.
In Other News...
Quinton Byfield Still Leaves Kings Fans Asking One Big Question
Quinton Byfields 2025-26 season was still productive by almost any standard, but it also left a familiar sense that there is more there. He finished with 49 points in 79 games, a step back from his previous two 50-point seasons, while still ranking second on the Kings behind Adrian Kempe and logging around 20 minutes a night. For a 23-year-old who has now posted three straight 20-goal seasons, the baseline remains strong, even if the ceiling still feels a little out of reach.
The stretch that likely stuck with fans most came in December, when Byfield went 10 games without a point while skating in second-line minutes. Slumps happen, especially over an 82-game grind, but they also tend to sharpen the question around a player like this: is he already settling into a reliable role, or is there another level waiting if the right offensive push comes next season? With Peter Laviolette now in charge, the Kings will be watching closely to see whether that answer starts to come into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Jason Robertson Situation Is Starting To Feel Very Real For Stars Fans
Jason Robertson still being on the market has started to look less like offseason noise and more like a real pressure point for the Stars. The restricted free agent remains unsigned as Dallas weighs whether it can get close to his salary demands, and that kind of standoff tends to draw attention fast when a player of his caliber is involved. Pittsburgh has already been linked as a possible landing spot, which only adds to the sense that this could turn into one of the more consequential contract stories hanging over the league.
For the Kings, the situation is worth watching from a different angle. Los Angeles is believed to be keeping roster flexibility open for a potential major move next offseason, a sign the front office is not treating its cap space as something to spend casually. Whether that flexibility is meant for Robertson or another big swing is not clear, but the idea that the Kings are preserving room for something significant makes this a storyline that could linger well beyond the current summer. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Cap Crunch Could Force A Tough Move Fans Saw Coming
The Kings are still sorting through the biggest question left behind by Anze Kopitars retirement: who becomes the franchises next No. 1 center. Quinton Byfield is one possible answer, but the organization is also staring at a roster and cap picture that makes the search harder than it should be, with only about $2 million in room after free agency.
That is why a player like Joel Edmundson has surfaced as a possible way to create flexibility. The veteran defenseman carries a $3.9 million cap hit through 2027-28, so moving that money could help Los Angeles chase a top-six center and reshape the middle of the lineup, even if doing so would mean parting with a piece the club has leaned on for depth and experience. [Read more 🡒]