The Los Angeles Kings made a roster move on Monday morning, assigning forward Andre Lee back to their AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign. With this move, the Kings’ active roster now sits at 21 players heading into their Tuesday night matchup against the New York Rangers.
Lee’s latest NHL stint lasted seven games. Called up on January 7 alongside fellow Reign winger Taylor Ward, the 6-foot-5 forward logged over 10 minutes of ice time per game and chipped in a goal and an assist during his time with the big club. It wasn’t flashy, but it was solid, dependable hockey from a young player trying to carve out a role in the league.
The call-up came at a time when the Kings were dealing with multiple injuries to key forwards, forcing head coach Jim Hiller to reach into the organization’s depth. Lee and Ward stepped into bottom-six roles and gave the Kings the kind of energy and two-way responsibility coaches love to see from young players trying to stick in the NHL.
Meanwhile, back in Ontario, the Reign didn’t miss a beat despite losing two of their top offensive contributors. Since Lee and Ward were called up, the Reign have gone 7-2-0, including five games in which they scored at least four goals. That kind of offensive production speaks volumes about the depth the Kings have built in their pipeline - even when key pieces are pulled up to the NHL, the AHL squad keeps humming.
For the Kings, the takeaway here is more than just a short-term roster adjustment. Giving players like Lee and Ward NHL minutes - even in limited roles - is a critical part of their development.
These aren’t just emergency fill-ins; they’re prospects being groomed for bigger responsibilities down the road. The fact that Lee was able to contribute offensively, hold his own defensively, and adapt to NHL pace is a positive sign for the organization.
As the Kings continue to navigate the grind of the regular season and manage injuries, having young, capable forwards ready to step in is a luxury. Lee’s return to the Reign doesn’t close the door on his NHL future - far from it. It’s part of a larger process, one where the Kings are steadily building a roster with depth, flexibility, and a next-man-up mentality that’s already paying dividends.