The first day of LA Kings training camp delivered a little of everything at Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo, California: top-line talent, a captaincy announcement, competitive drills, and plenty of voices from inside the room. The camp opened on Sept. 18 and runs through Sept. 21, and Day 1 made it clear there was no easing into things.
Practice for Group A got going at 9:45 a.m., with Adrian Kempe, Drew Doughty, and Artemi Panarin among the names in the first wave on the ice. The pace was lively, and there was a lot of battling for the puck. Angus Booth, wearing No. 81, stood out with his controlled shots as the group worked through the session.
The biggest moment of the day came when Doughty was introduced as the 15th captain in Kings franchise history. The team held a press conference with Doughty, head coach Peter Laviolette, and general manager Ken Holland, and Doughty handled the spotlight with the kind of thoughtfulness that matched the occasion.
He called it an emotional day, said former captain Anže Kopitar set the standard for leadership, and described the kind of leader he plans to be as loud and emotional. He also said he expects his teammates to call him out when he’s not performing at his best.
Doughty’s connection to the organization came through clearly as well. He said he has no interest in leaving the Los Angeles market and added that he has been a Kings fan since he was three years old.
As a kid, he had Kings-themed pillow covers, jerseys, and other merchandise. Laviolette’s reaction said plenty: “I didn’t know that.
That’s a cool story.”
Doughty also pointed to Kempe as someone who could wear the captaincy down the line, calling him one of the team’s best players over the last few years. The entire exchange gave a sharper picture of Doughty beyond the jersey and the résumé.
The locker room’s reaction backed that up. Kempe was excited for him, and Brandt Clarke said he was happy about the move as well, adding that Doughty’s “energy is infectious.” That kind of response showed how tightly connected this group is and how much respect Doughty already has inside the room.
After the captaincy news, Group B took the ice with Taylor Ward, Hampton Slukynsky, Henry Brzustewicz, Erik Portillo, and others. The prospects moved well and looked sharp through the drills, bringing speed and quick reactions while competing hard to leave an impression.
Brzustewicz also addressed the 2026 Rookie Faceoff tournament on Sept. 12, including the team’s 7-1 loss. On that result, he said, “Yeah, I mean, going down 7-1 isn’t fun, so you just got to show some pride.”
He also discussed Liam Lefebvre’s fight with Alexander Karmanov, saying, “Yeah, I think I saw in the last bit. There was a lot of fights and stuff and scrums.
So I think it’s honestly good. It shows that the guys care, and then obviously we bounced back really good.
That’s what you can kind of focus on, is how you bounce back in those moments.”
Asked about Doughty becoming captain, Brzustewicz added, “I mean, it’s pretty cool. He definitely deserves that title.
He’s been here for how many seasons? Yeah, 19.
He’s done a really good job, and he’s won two Stanley Cups. So, I mean, I think he’s fully deserving of that.”
By the end of Day 1, the tone was clear: lots of media, lots of energy, and a roster getting its first real run through the team’s systems and drills. Training camp is only just getting started, but there was already plenty to take in.
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