The Los Angeles Kings had a wild day on and off the ice, and not the kind they were hoping for. Just hours after making a major splash by acquiring Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers and locking him into a two-year extension worth $11.5 million annually, the Kings couldn’t capitalize on the momentum in front of their home crowd. Despite a two-goal night from Andrei Kuzmenko, Los Angeles dropped a tough 4-2 decision to the Seattle Kraken at Crypto.com Arena.
Let’s start with the big news: Panarin is now a King. And not just for a rental run.
New GM Ken Holland wasted no time in showing he’s not here to play it safe. Bringing in one of the league’s premier wingers-and extending him before the ink dried on the trade-is a bold move that signals the Kings are all-in, even with the Winter Olympic break looming.
Panarin brings a unique blend of scoring and playmaking that could be the jolt this team needs. As head coach Jim Hiller put it postgame, “He’s a one-shot shooter.
He can find the back of the net, he doesn’t need a lot of looks.” That kind of efficiency could be a game-changer for a Kings offense that’s struggled with consistency.
Hiller also noted Panarin’s ability to create for others, calling him a “playmaker” and emphasizing that whoever ends up regularly skating with him will need time to adjust-but will ultimately benefit from his elite vision and instincts.
But while the front office was making big moves, the on-ice product didn’t deliver the same energy.
The Kings came out strong, with Kuzmenko opening the scoring on the power play. It was a textbook 5-on-4 execution-quick puck movement, clean zone entry, and Kuzmenko finishing it off. That early goal had the home crowd buzzing, and for a moment, it looked like the Kings might ride the wave of their blockbuster acquisition into the break on a high note.
Then came the unraveling.
In a span of just under eight minutes, Seattle flipped the game on its head with three unanswered goals in the first period. Defensive breakdowns, sloppy puck management, and a lack of composure in their own zone cost the Kings dearly. Hiller didn’t sugarcoat it afterward: “That was not a good game for us… we just weren’t sharp.”
Darcy Kuemper didn’t have his best night either, but Hiller made it clear this wasn’t on the goalie. “Like everybody else, we just weren’t sharp,” he said, pointing to uncharacteristic mistakes and too many penalties. The Kings were chasing the game from that first-period meltdown and never fully recovered.
Special teams did offer a glimmer of hope. The power play cashed in twice, including a beautifully executed second goal that mirrored a recent tally against Detroit.
“That gave us life,” Hiller said. “But there wasn’t enough.”
And that’s been a theme lately-flashes of brilliance, but not enough sustained pressure or execution to turn close games into wins.
The frustration boiled over at times, with the Kings visibly irked by a series of calls and an overturned goal that could’ve changed the tone of the game. But Hiller didn’t dwell on the officiating. His focus was on the team’s inability to string together a complete effort.
The timing of the loss stings. With the Olympic break set to pause the season for three weeks, this was a chance to bank points and build momentum in a tight Pacific Division race. Instead, the Kings head into the break with more questions than answers-and a clear need to tighten things up defensively.
Still, there’s reason for optimism. Panarin’s arrival is a massive boost, and once he’s integrated into the lineup, the Kings’ top six could look downright dangerous.
As Hiller noted, “We just need somebody to help us find the back of the net a little more often.” Panarin might be exactly that someone.
The Kings have time now-time to regroup, reset, and get Panarin up to speed. If they can clean up the defensive lapses and find more consistency in their 5-on-5 play, this team has the talent to make a serious push down the stretch. But the margin for error in the West is razor-thin, and the Kings know it.
This isn’t just about making a splash. It’s about making it count.