The Kings have stumbled out of the gate, and now the front office is at least being forced to look in more than one direction.
Los Angeles is 0-3-2 through its first five games of the 2026-27 season, a start that hasn’t sent the season into panic mode but has clearly put management on alert. The club also has just under $2 million in salary cap space, which means any meaningful move would almost certainly require money coming off the books first.
GM Ken Holland has already been working the market for another star-level addition after bringing Artemi Panarin onto the roster last season, and most of that effort has centered on help at forward. But Darcy Kuemper’s rough opening could change the equation.
The 36-year-old goaltender is in the final season of a five-year, $26.25 million contract and carries a 10-team no-trade clause. He can become an unrestricted free agent next July.
That’s where Connor Hellebuyck enters the picture.
The Kings have been loosely connected to the Winnipeg Jets goalie, who is currently suspended after holding out of training camp. Whether those conversations have gotten serious is still unclear, but a move for Hellebuyck would instantly settle any questions in goal.
Hellebuyck, 33, is in year three of a seven-year, $59.5 million contract. He has a full no-movement clause, though he is willing to waive it for multiple clubs.
Winnipeg’s asking price is steep. The Jets are seeking a return built around young talent, including at least one NHL calibre forward. That type of package would likely force Los Angeles to part with Alex Leferriere, plus additional top prospects and at least one first-round draft pick.
Holland isn’t in a hurry to force anything, whether the answer is a goalie upgrade or more scoring help. The Kings have managed only 11 goals in their first five games, and if that trend continues, the pressure to act in Los Angeles figures to only grow.
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Salomonssons situation is especially worth watching because Arniel said the club has been talking through possible lineup options for his return, even if nothing has been decided yet. For a team trying to manage health while keeping its defensive group steady, those choices could end up being as important as the injuries themselves, especially with Morrisseys status still unresolved and more clarity likely needed before lineup cards are finalized. [Read more 🡒]
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Connor Hellebuyck Standoff Is Turning Into A Bigger Jets Problem
Connor Hellebuycks standoff with the Winnipeg Jets has lingered through the offseason and into the new season, leaving one of the leagues premier goaltenders in an unusual holding pattern. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner asked for a trade over the summer, and while there has been interest from other teams, no deal has materialized. Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is still looking for a meaningful return, and the gap between what Winnipeg wants and what the market has offered has kept the situation stuck.
For Hellebuyck, the wait is becoming costly in more ways than one. He remains suspended and is losing salary each day the impasse continues, adding another layer to a dispute that already carries plenty of pressure for both sides. The bigger question now is whether the financial hit, or something else, eventually nudges him toward a return, or whether he stays committed to the holdout while the Jets keep trying to solve a problem that is growing beyond just one player. [Read more 🡒]