The Kings’ projected fourth line for 2027 brings together three very different profiles: Corey Perry, Joel Armia and Samuel Helenius. And when you sort them by expected production, the order starts to tell the story.
Samuel Helenius lands third on the list, but that doesn’t mean he’s short on upside. He’s entering his second full season with Los Angeles, and there’s still plenty of runway for him to grow. He’s also the only one on this fourth line who has not yet reached 10 points in a season.
Helenius didn’t pile up offense last year, but he did show what he can do away from the puck. At 6’6, he used his size to bring real edge on the forecheck. That part of his game could become even more valuable under Coach Laviolette, whose system leans on high-pressure defense.
The concern with Helenius is that the mistakes have come with the physicality. He spent 50 minutes in the penalty box, which ranked in the top five among all Kings skaters. Between the limited offense and the penalty trouble, he remains a real question mark heading into next season, even with room to improve.
Joel Armia comes in second, and his case is built on a much more immediate offensive track record. He was one of the Kings’ most effective goal scorers despite playing on the fourth line, finishing with 13 goals to tie for fifth on the team last season.
What makes Armia useful is how cleanly his scoring fits with the rest of his game. He can slide into both top-six and bottom-six roles, and his offense pairs well with the physical side of his play. That combination gives him value as a checker who can still make teams pay.
Corey Perry sits at the top of the projected group, and the veteran’s return gives Los Angeles a very different kind of threat. Perry was traded at the deadline last season from the Kings to the Tampa Bay Lightning, and this offseason he’s looking to recreate the success he had in his reunion with Los Angeles.
He came out flying in 2026, picking up a point in eight of his first 10 games. The pace slowed later, but he still finished his Kings stint with 28 points. In 50 games, he put up 11 goals and 17 assists, which placed him in the Kings’ top 10.
That production matters, but so does the experience. The Kings haven’t gotten past the first round since their 2014 Stanley Cup run, and Perry brings the kind of deep playoff background that can matter when the games tighten up. On this line, he’s the biggest difference-maker and one of the biggest X-factors on the roster.
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Kings Fans Just Lost A Memorable Voice From Their Gretzky Era
Barry Melrose became one of those hockey voices Kings fans could pick out in an instant, a broadcaster whose booming style and unmistakable personality carried the sport well beyond the rink. Long before he became a familiar face at ESPN, Melrose had already built a hockey life that stretched from the ice to the bench, and his place in the memories of Los Angeles supporters was tied to a singular era when the game was suddenly larger, louder and more visible in the market.
Melrose died at 70 after stepping away from broadcasting in 2023 following a Parkinsons disease diagnosis, closing the book on a career that blended coaching, analysis and pure showmanship. For Kings fans, his connection to the franchise still carries added weight because his time behind the bench arrived with real hope and a run that raised the clubs profile in a hurry, leaving behind a reminder of how much one voice can mean to a teams history. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Open Camp With Kevin Fiala Facing A Troubling Recovery Setback
Kevin Fiala was already working his way back from a significant leg injury when the recovery hit another hurdle, leaving the Kings to open training camp without one of their top forwards. Fiala had been making progress after the fracture he suffered while playing for Switzerland at the 2026 Winter Olympics, an injury that required surgery and cut short his 2025-26 season.
Now the rehabilitation timeline has been pushed back again after another procedure on the same surgically repaired left leg. The Kings will have to move forward at camp without a player they were counting on to be part of the mix, and the next question is how long it will take before Fiala can get back onto the ice and resume the work that had been going in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Fans Finally Have Part Of The Streaming Answer
A familiar streaming headache for Kings fans is getting a little easier to manage, at least for part of the season. The club announced that its games will be carried on the SLVR platform, a new outlet run by Triple B Media in partnership with Silver Sports & Entertainment, with added Kings coverage and programming tied to the Ontario Reign and Eisbaren Berlin hockey.
The rollout begins with the NHL Rookie Faceoff in San Jose, then moves into three preseason games and select regular-season games from there. For fans who have been looking for a cleaner way to follow the team on screens at home, the bigger question now is how widely the new platform will reach and how quickly it becomes part of the regular viewing routine. [Read more 🡒]