Kevin Fiala’s 2025-26 season with the Los Angeles Kings was shaped by two very different realities: the production he gave them when he was on the ice, and the leg injury that shut him down before the season was finished.
For stretches, Fiala looked every bit like the offensive force the Kings expected after he had posted a career-high 35 goals in 2024-25. In 56 games, he put up 18 goals, 22 assists and 40 points, and even with the shortened season, he still ranked among the team’s top three players in wins above replacement, according to HockeyStats.com.
That lines up with the eye test, too. When healthy, he was one of Los Angeles’ most dangerous puck carriers, using his speed and skill to open up the offensive zone and create high-danger chances.
He also remained a real factor on special teams. Fiala scored four power play goals and finished with 17 points on the man advantage, while also recording multiple game-winning goals for the fourth straight season.
But the injury changed the story. Fiala suffered a season-ending leg injury while playing for Team Switzerland at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, and the timing could hardly have been worse for the Kings.
He missed almost one-third of the regular season, and Los Angeles felt the absence of a player who drives play and helps set the tone offensively. Even after the team added Artemi Panarin at the trade deadline, replacing Fiala’s speed, creativity and playmaking in the zone was not simple.
That’s why his season can’t be reduced to the injury alone. When he was available, Fiala was still an essential part of the Kings’ top-six forward group and one of their most dangerous offensive playmakers.
2025-26 Season Grade: B
Looking ahead to 2026-27, the biggest question is straightforward: can Fiala get back to full health and deliver the same kind of production? The Kings are expected to lean on him again in the top six on the wing, and one storyline worth watching is his reunion with former Minnesota Wild teammate Mats Zuccarello. The two have plenty of chemistry from their time together in Minnesota, and that connection could give Los Angeles another boost up front.
If Fiala is close to what he was before the Winter Olympics injury, the Kings should have a productive playmaker back in the mix - one capable of reaching at least 20 goals and 50-60 points.
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