Flyers Look to Snap Skid Against Kings, While LA Offers a Cautionary Tale in Rebuilding Gone Wrong
The Philadelphia Flyers are limping into February, and not just metaphorically. They’ve dropped three straight games, giving up at least four goals in each one, and the defensive lapses are starting to pile up.
At 24-20-9, they find themselves seventh in the Metropolitan Division-still technically in the mix, but trending in the wrong direction. Since the calendar flipped to 2026, the Flyers are just 4-8-2.
That’s not the kind of stretch you want to be on when every point matters.
They’ll try to stop the bleeding this afternoon against the Los Angeles Kings, a team that’s dealing with its own identity crisis-and missing a familiar face in the process.
Kopitar's Quiet Exit and the Kings' Offseason Misfires
This season was supposed to be a farewell tour for Kings legend Anze Kopitar, the two-time Stanley Cup champion and longtime captain. But instead, it’s been a frustrating final chapter. Kopitar’s been on injured reserve since early January, and his absence has left a noticeable void in LA’s lineup and leadership group.
The Kings’ offseason didn’t do them any favors either. They lost steady defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov in free agency and tried to patch holes with veterans Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin-moves that, so far, haven’t paid off.
The result? A team that’s 4-3-3 in its last 10 and hovering just outside the playoff picture.
But here’s the kicker: the Pacific Division is so soft this year, one solid win could vault them into third place. That’s how thin the margins are.
Three Key Storylines Heading Into Flyers vs. Kings
1. Offensive Inconsistency is Dragging the Flyers Down
In their last three losses, the Flyers have been outscored 15-6. That includes a shutout at the hands of the Islanders-a game where the offense looked flat from puck drop to final horn.
Travis Konecny has done his part and then some, racking up four goals and five points in just two games. But he can’t do it alone.
Trevor Zegras, in particular, needs to find his scoring rhythm again. The Flyers didn’t bring him in to be a passenger-they need him to be a driver, especially if this team is serious about making a playoff push.
The good news? Matvei Michkov is starting to heat up again, and that could make a big difference if he keeps trending upward.
2. Tocchet's Line Shuffling: Searching for Chemistry
Head coach Rick Tocchet isn’t afraid to shake things up, and he threw the lines into a blender against Boston. One of the more eye-catching moves was dropping Sean Couturier to the fourth line-a bold decision, to say the least.
But it did give us a glimpse of something intriguing: Zegras centering a line with Michkov and Bobby Brink. On paper, that trio has speed, creativity, and scoring touch.
On the ice? They struggled in their limited 5-on-5 minutes, logging just 8:45 together without generating much.
Whether Tocchet goes back to that combo or tries something new again against the Kings remains to be seen, but the Flyers are clearly still searching for the right mix.
3. The Kings: A Blueprint for What Not to Do in a Rebuild
The Kings tried to thread the needle-keeping their aging core intact while rebuilding through the draft. For a while, it looked like they might pull it off.
From 2019 to 2021, they picked in the top ten three years in a row, adding Alex Turcotte, Quinton Byfield, and Brandt Clarke. They even found value in later rounds with players like Alex Laferriere and Arthur Kaliyev.
But the rest of the puzzle fell apart.
They traded away Brock Faber-now a key piece in Minnesota-and dumped Sean Durzi and Sean Walker in deals that didn’t bring back much in return. Jordan Spence was sent to Ottawa for next to nothing.
And then there’s the Pierre-Luc Dubois saga: a high-risk trade that cost them Gabe Vilardi, who’s been thriving in Winnipeg when healthy. LA did manage to flip Dubois for goalie Darcy Kuemper, who’s looked solid, but it still feels like damage control more than a win.
Meanwhile, Byfield’s development has been uneven, and Turcotte hasn’t lived up to the expectations of a fifth-overall pick. With Kopitar retiring and Drew Doughty no longer the force he once was, the Kings are stuck in the NHL’s dreaded middle ground-not good enough to contend, not bad enough to rebuild.
A Lesson for the Flyers
The Flyers would do well to take notes. So far, they’ve avoided some of the pitfalls that tripped up LA.
The Christian Dvorak extension might raise an eyebrow or two, but if that’s the worst decision on the books, they’re in decent shape. General Manager Danny Briere and President Keith Jones have been patient, deliberate, and focused on building a sustainable contender.
The Kings’ current situation is a reminder of what happens when you try to accelerate a rebuild before the foundation is fully set. The Flyers are still in the thick of it-still figuring out what kind of team they want to be-but if they stay the course, they’ve got a chance to avoid the same fate.
This afternoon’s game isn’t just about snapping a losing streak-it’s a small but meaningful checkpoint in a season that’s still very much in the balance.