The Los Angeles Kings spent the offseason adding pieces, but the biggest issue hanging over them hasn’t gone away: can they score enough to be taken seriously in 2026-27?
That’s the central question for new head coach Peter Laviolette and general manager Ken Holland’s revamped roster. The Hockey Writers recently flagged it as the Kings’ biggest uncertainty heading into the season, and it’s easy to see why.
Last year’s offense was simply too thin. The Kings finished in the bottom five in the NHL in goals scored during the regular season, and they were held to two goals or fewer in half of their games.
They were also the only playoff team that did that in more than 40 games. Somehow, they still reached the postseason despite finishing with a negative goal differential.
That kind of profile tells the story: too much pressure on a small group of scorers, not enough help behind them, and not enough production when games tightened up in the third period. Special teams didn’t help either, with the Kings again landing in the bottom five in power-play efficiency.
Still, there’s more reason for optimism now than there was a year ago. The top six looks more dangerous on paper, and that matters. Artemi Panarin is set to give the Kings a full season of offense, while the addition of veteran winger Mats Zuccarello adds another proven playmaker to the mix.
The biggest swing factor may be Quinton Byfield. If the young center takes the kind of offensive jump the Kings are expecting from their No. 1 center, the whole shape of the lineup changes.
And he’s not the only name carrying weight up front. Adrian Kempe and Kevin Fiala remain major threats, with Kempe coming off back-to-back 35-goal, 70-point seasons and standing as the club’s most dependable scorer.
The Kings also need more from the supporting cast. Byfield reaching the 65-70 point range would be a huge step, and another offensive leap from Alex Laferriere would go a long way as well.
So the concern is real, and last season’s numbers justify it. But this roster brings more punch than the one that struggled to finish chances a year ago.
The answer won’t come from Panarin or Kempe alone. It will come from whether the younger core keeps growing and whether the Kings can spread offense across all 12 forwards.
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Artemi Panarin Just Gave Kings Fans The Validation They Wanted
Artemi Panarin arrived in Los Angeles at the trade deadline last season and wasted no time making his presence felt. In 26 games with the Kings, he piled up 27 points and kept a point-per-game pace, exactly the sort of instant production the club hoped for when it brought him in from the Rangers.
The early return has now been matched by outside recognition, with The Hockey News ranking Panarin as the best left winger in the Pacific Division heading into the 2026-27 season. For Kings fans, it is the kind of validation that goes beyond a hot stretch, underscoring how his playmaking has already become a real factor in the teams offense and a reminder that his fit in Los Angeles looks as strong as advertised. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Offseason Blue Line Search Just Ran Into A Major Twist
The Kings have spent much of the offseason trying to add a defenseman who can move the puck cleanly and help reshape the blue line, and Alexander Nikishin has emerged as a name worth watching. The Carolina Hurricanes blueliner fits the profile Los Angeles has been chasing: young, left-shot and viewed as a player who could bring some needed structure and transition game to a back end that is still looking for answers.
What makes the situation interesting is that Nikishins future in Carolina is unsettled, with contract talks still hanging over his status and his salary expectations reportedly creating some friction. A trade is not considered close, but the Kings are among the teams believed to be in the mix if the Hurricanes decide they cannot bridge the gap, which would turn a quiet offseason search into a more complicated market fast. [Read more 🡒]