Trevor Moore’s last two seasons have made one thing clear for the Kings: the 31-goal outburst in 2023-24 looks more like the high-water mark than the standard. That doesn’t mean Moore stopped mattering. Even in a year when the offense wasn’t there at the same level, he still gave Los Angeles value in transition, on the penalty kill, and in the kind of all-situations role that coaches trust.
The numbers from 2025-26 tell the story. Moore finished with 13 goals, 19 assists and 32 points in 69 games, a step down from his 18 goals and 40 points in 2024-25. He also missed a significant chunk of the second half because of an injury, marking the second straight regular season in which he sat out double-digit games for the Kings.
Even with the uneven production, Moore closed stronger after the coaching change in early March. Over the final 16 games, he scored five goals and reached double-digit points. He also drove offense in volume, leading the team with 58 shots and more than 40 scoring chances generated over the season’s final 22 games, according to Natural Stat Trick.
His impact wasn’t limited to five-on-five scoring. Moore stayed a steady penalty-killing piece for Los Angeles, ranking second among Kings forwards in ice time on the penalty kill, while still picking up some shifts on the second power-play unit.
The underlying numbers also paint a more encouraging picture than the raw scoring line. Moore was the only Kings player to eclipse 24 MPH this past season, and he finished among the team’s top five forwards in high-danger scoring chance percentage and corsi-for percentage at five-on-five.
Looking ahead to 2026-27, the projection has Moore on the third line with center Scott Laughton and winger Alex Laferriere. That setup would give the Kings a group that doesn’t need Moore to carry top-six scoring weight, especially with Artemi Panarin, Adrian Kempe and Mats Zuccarello expected to occupy the top two forward lines.
On paper, that third line has real utility. Laferriere and Moore bring speed and versatility, while Laughton gives the group a two-way center who can stabilize things at both ends. The combination could make that trio one of the most versatile forward units in camp.
It’s a line that could score enough to matter and still take on tougher defensive work. That’s the lane Moore seems most likely to live in now. The 31-goal season may not be the baseline anymore, but a return to 20 goals and roughly 40 to 45 points would be a solid, realistic step back toward the player the Kings need him to be.
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The timing also gives the Kings a useful marker in a system that has been built around finding upside without rushing it. Goljer was one of the younger players in Los Angeles recent draft class, and his arrival in Kingston should make him far easier to track over the coming season. If he adapts quickly, it will only strengthen the case that his path is moving in the right direction, even if the real payoff remains a ways off. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Fans Suddenly Have A Bigger Reason To Doubt This Core
The Kings have spent the last several seasons living in the same frustrating place: good enough to reach the playoffs, not good enough to stick around. Since returning to the postseason five years in a row, Los Angeles has never gotten past the opening round, and the most recent exit was another reminder of how thin the margin has become for a roster that still wants to be taken seriously as a contender.
Ken Holland has already put his stamp on the organization since taking over as general manager in May 2025, from hiring Peter Laviolette behind the bench to bringing in Artemi Panarin. Even with those moves, the bigger questions have only grown louder around the Kings, with concerns about an aging core, depth, contract clutter and a prospect pool that does not look ready to rescue the future anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]