The Los Angeles Kings’ quiet summer may not be quiet at all. Behind the lack of a splashy headline move, Elliotte Friedman believes the organization is keeping its books clean for something much bigger - the kind of opportunity that could bring Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, or another franchise-altering star into the picture.
On the latest episode of 32 Thoughts, Friedman said Los Angeles is preserving “maximum flexibility” for what he called an “LA-type move.” That alone was enough to set off speculation, because there aren’t many players in the league who justify that kind of patience.
McDavid and Matthews sit at the top of that list.
Neither superstar is available right now, and there’s no promise either one ever reaches the market. But if one does, the Kings seem intent on making sure they are not boxed out by the contracts they handed out today.
That approach helps explain why Los Angeles has spent the offseason adding depth rather than chasing a headline-grabbing overhaul. Corey Perry, Mats Zuccarello, and Erik Haula all fit the mold of experienced supporting pieces.
Useful additions, sure. Franchise-defining swings, no.
Friedman also said the Kings would still like to add a puck-moving defenseman, though any further move likely depends on money coming off the roster first. In other words, Los Angeles is working in a “dollar in, dollar out” setup, with every decision tied to future flexibility.
That has left some people wondering whether the Kings should just tear it down and start over. But maybe the front office sees a different route.
Maybe it believes one massive addition could change everything.
Ken Holland’s track record is part of why that idea has traction. He has been criticized for the Kings’ cautious summer, but he has also shown he knows how to push chips in when the moment calls for it.
During his time running the Detroit Red Wings, Holland remade the roster before the 2001-02 season by bringing in Luc Robitaille, Dominik Hasek, and Brett Hull. Detroit went on to win the Stanley Cup.
The salary-cap era makes that kind of maneuver far harder now, but the broader point still stands: when Holland sees a real opening, he has never been shy about going after the biggest names.
That is why Los Angeles remains such a team to watch if a superstar ever becomes available.
Matthews would bring his own intriguing angle. Born in California and raised much of the time in Arizona, he has deep ties to the American Southwest.
His early love for hockey traces back to watching Alexander Ovechkin score a highlight-reel goal during his rookie season in 2006. With the Arizona Coyotes gone, the geography around that story has changed, and the Utah Mammoth could naturally enter the conversation if Matthews ever wanted to move closer to where his hockey life started.
Still, the Kings would have their own appeal. They offer a playoff base, a major market, and the kind of financial room that could matter if a rare opening ever appears.
The same logic applies to McDavid. Getting the Edmonton Oilers captain would be one of the biggest transactions the league has ever seen, and very few teams could even dream of entering that race. Los Angeles might be one of the few that can at least stay in the conversation.
For now, the Kings are filling out the roster around the edges. Haula’s two-year deal, worth $3.6 million per year, is a good example. He said he reached out to longtime friend Joel Armia before making the decision, and their connection goes back to growing up together in Finland and sharing a room during the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Those are the kinds of moves teams make while waiting for something larger.
Whether that larger move ever becomes McDavid, Matthews, or someone else, no one can say. Both stars remain under contract, and superstar movement in the NHL is rare.
But if Friedman is right, the Kings aren’t drifting through a slow offseason.
They’re setting the table.
In Other News...
Ontario Nears A Staff Move That Could Matter For Kings Prospects
Ontarios coaching staff is on the verge of a change that could ripple beyond the AHL level, where the Reign serve as a key development stop for Kings prospects. The vacancy opened when Chris Hajt moved up to the NHL under Peter Laviolette, and the expected addition brings a long rsum that stretches across the NHL, AHL and ECHL, along with a reputation for helping young players take the next step.
Mike Haviland has built that reputation over years of coaching and has been praised by former players and colleagues for the way he works with talent. For the Kings, the interest is less about the title on the bench than the kind of influence it can have on prospects trying to turn promise into NHL readiness, especially with Ontario continuing to function as one of the organizations most important proving grounds. [Read more 🡒]