Kings at the Olympics: Standouts, Storylines, and What’s Next
The Olympic break has hit its halfway point, and while the LA Kings are still a few days away from returning to practice in El Segundo, several of their players have been making serious noise on the international stage. With the men’s hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics heading into the knockout rounds, it’s a good time to take stock of how the Kings’ representatives are performing-and what lies ahead.
The Kings will be back on the ice for practice on Wednesday, February 18, with their next game set for February 25 at home against the Vegas Golden Knights. That practice will include newly acquired forward Artemi Panarin, who joined the team via trade from the New York Rangers just before the Olympic break. It won’t include the five Kings players currently competing in the Olympics-four of whom are still alive in the tournament.
Unfortunately, the break also brought tough news: forward Kevin Fiala is done for both the Olympics and the rest of the regular season due to a lower-leg injury. He’ll be re-evaluated at season’s end to determine if a playoff return is possible. For now, though, the focus shifts to the players still chasing medals.
Let’s break down how each of the Kings' Olympic participants has fared so far and what’s next for them.
Joel Armia: Finland’s Quiet Star
If you’re looking for a Kings player who’s making the most of his Olympic moment, look no further than Joel Armia. Slotted into a bottom-six role with penalty-killing duties for Team Finland, Armia has been one of the tournament’s most effective two-way forwards through the group stage.
Finland went 2-1-0 to earn the fourth seed and a direct path to the quarterfinals, and Armia played a major role in that success. He’s tied for the team lead with four points (2 goals, 2 assists) in three games-good enough to crack the top 10 in scoring across the entire tournament.
His signature moment came in Finland’s second game, a win over rival Sweden. With his team clinging to a 2-1 lead, Armia jumped on a turnover and buried a shorthanded goal that gave Finland breathing room.
It was a classic Armia play-smart positioning, aggressive stick work, and a finish that showed off his veteran poise. He followed that up with a multi-point effort against Italy and chipped in an assist in a loss to Slovakia, making him the only Finnish player to register a point in all three group-stage games.
Statistically, Armia has been a defensive wall during 5-on-5 play. Among players with at least 20 minutes of ice time, no one in the tournament has posted a better expected goal rate. In short: when he’s on the ice, good things are happening for Finland.
📅 Next Game: Finland vs. Switzerland/Italy winner - Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 9:10 AM
Adrian Kempe: Sweden’s Versatile Weapon
Adrian Kempe may not have lit up the scoresheet quite like Armia, but he’s been a steady contributor for a Sweden team that’s shown flashes of brilliance. Through three games, Kempe has notched three points (1 goal, 2 assists), including a standout performance in Sweden’s final group-stage win over Slovakia.
In that game, Kempe was all over the ice. He set up Joel Eriksson Ek’s shorthanded goal to open the scoring, then added a power-play tally of his own to give Sweden a 2-1 lead. That kind of special teams impact is exactly what Sweden needs from Kempe, who’s capable of playing in all situations.
Despite the win, Sweden came up just short of earning a bye to the quarterfinals due to goal differential. That means Kempe and company will have to go through the qualification round, where they’ll face Team Latvia in a win-or-go-home matchup. If they advance, a heavyweight showdown with Team USA awaits in the quarterfinals.
📅 Next Game: Sweden vs. Latvia - Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 12:10 PM PT
📅 Potential Quarterfinal: Sweden/Latvia winner vs. United States - Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 12:10 PM PT
Drew Doughty: Steady Hand on Canada’s Blue Line
Canada has looked every bit the powerhouse they were expected to be, steamrolling their group-stage opponents with a combined score of 20-3. While the headlines have gone to the goal-scorers, Drew Doughty has been quietly doing exactly what Canada brought him to do-anchor the back end with poise and experience.
Doughty picked up an assist in Canada’s 10-2 rout of France and finished the group stage with a +3 rating. He’s been skating primarily on the second pairing alongside Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley, and his ice time has consistently placed him among Canada’s top four defensemen.
What stands out isn’t flashy plays or big hits-it’s the calm, reliable presence Doughty brings. He’s been excellent at recovering loose pucks and transitioning play out of the defensive zone, allowing Canada’s high-octane forwards to go to work. As the games get tighter in the knockout rounds, don’t be surprised if his minutes tick up in key situations.
📅 Next Game: Canada vs. Czechia/Denmark winner - Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 7:40 AM
Darcy Kuemper: Waiting in the Wings
Darcy Kuemper dressed as the backup for Canada’s 5-1 win over Switzerland but hasn’t seen any game action so far. He didn’t get the nod in Canada’s final group game against France, which might’ve been his best shot at seeing the ice.
Heading into the quarterfinals, Kuemper is expected to serve as the third goaltender. That said, tournament hockey can be unpredictable, and goaltending rotations can change in a hurry depending on performance or injury. For now, he’s staying ready.
📅 Next Game: Canada vs. Czechia/Denmark winner - Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 7:40 AM
Kevin Fiala: Injury Ends Olympic, Regular Season
Kevin Fiala’s Olympic run came to an unfortunate end after he suffered a lower-leg injury during Switzerland’s 5-1 loss to Canada. The injury is serious enough to sideline him for the remainder of the NHL regular season as well.
Fiala will be re-evaluated at the end of the season to determine if he can return for a potential playoff run. In the meantime, if Switzerland can pull off a deep Cinderella run, Fiala would still be eligible to receive a medal as part of the roster.
Switzerland finished group play with a 2-1-0 record, earning the fifth seed and a spot in the qualification round against Italy. If they advance, they’ll face Armia and Finland in the quarterfinals.
With the Olympic quarterfinals on deck, the Kings’ international contingent is right in the thick of the action. Whether it’s Armia’s all-around brilliance, Kempe’s offensive spark, or Doughty’s steady leadership, LA’s fingerprints are all over this tournament. And with practices resuming soon back in El Segundo, the countdown to the NHL stretch run is officially on.