2026-27 Off Season Thread

[PuckinUgly57]

30 days or so until things get started. Camps will start soon so anything Kings or hockey related is welcome.
No question Busters time is now. Hopefully, he has been killing it this offseason and comes into camp a monster.
I dont have high hopes for this season but I think they can sneak into a PO spot and if they do, the results wont change. But, heres to hope and at least watching hockey again.

Seems like this summer felt longer than usual although it's basically been the same one and out the last 5 years. Not sure why, but TC opening will be welcomed. Might even make a trip to El Segundo Telemundo to take a look see, I haven't gone to a TC in probably 17-18 years. I can see the AARP lineup in person I suppose.

I too am not expecting much, I do not expect them to make the POs even in a WC spot. Last summer I said they will barely squeak in or miss, they barely made it in. With how some teams improved and I am almost certain they won't even qualify for a WC spot. The only saving grace is the PD is still the worst of all the divisions, that's their opportunity. If the Kings are in the Atlantic or Central or whatever, no chance whatsoever. The suckage of the PD is what keeps their PO qualifying window open.

Buster is out of time. He is in year 3 of that 5 year deal that walks him to UFA so if he falls flat this season, he will be shopped next summer so the Kings can maximize value with two years left on his deal in summer 2027. Being shopped in summer 2028 going into his FA year will reduce value. Either way that would cement the narrative that he was a bad pick, which honestly would be ddepressing. Gotta hit on picks that high, they don't come around often and the Kings paid a price losing for years to draft that high.

He already has averaged the most TOI and put in all situations the last two seasons, he will have quality wingers whether that be L1 or L2 although he's played with some decent wingers the last few years. All obstacles to produce have been removed, no excuses.

Produce.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Some pros and cons about Kempe at center:

Adrian Kempe at Center: A Kings Experiment, Not An Answer — The Fourth Period

TFP’s Dennis Bernstein looks at Adrian Kempe moving to the center position and how it will effect the LA Kings this coming season.

www.thefourthperiod.com

Decent read if you want to learn more/review how a center differs from wing and how their responsibilities vary. They are the QB of the offense and important supporting role in the DZ.

On the strategic topic, take a look at the 2-3 forecheck, this is an OZ system Lava has used at every stop. It's an aggressive pressure system and change from the conservative 1-2-2 system LA has used for years. Sutter was a middle man using a 2-1-2.

Keep in mind this is not a system that will be consistently used the entire game. Different forecheck systems are used by all teams depending on situation, score, where a FO occurs, etc.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Looking like Hellebuyck relaxed his NMC destinations to facilitate a trade. He did exactly what you guys are saying on his own.

More information on Hellebuyck, at least he isn't holding the Jets entirely hostage.

Hellebuyck open to a variety of teams as he becomes the latest Team USA gold-medallist to request trade

Connor Hellebuyck is the third member of the United States team that won gold at the Olympics in February to ask for a trade, but his request is different in the sense that he is willing to waive his no-movement clause for a variety of teams.

www.tsn.ca

 

[PuckinUgly57]

One player from each PD team who has to deliver per Sportsnet. Not quite who I had in mind, mine is obvious. Glass Boy has already passed his potential window and should have been moved a few years ago.

The Kings' apt to marinate players is partially to blame but so is the player himself.

He didn't take advantage of opportunities when presented, showed nothing to justify being a 5OA and while not his fault the injury history - can't succeed if you're not available to play (I think I read he has only played in roughly 39% of all available games since he broke into the NHL) because he's constantly hurt.

Los Angeles Kings: Alex Turcotte

Alex Turcotte is proof that development looks different for every player.

It was two years into his professional career before he scored his first NHL goal, and three years before he got any consistent playing time. He appeared to be on the brink of figuring it out in 2024-25, but has yet to truly take that next step. There's certainly potential still to be tapped, but the runway for him to reach his best hockey isn't never-ending, and he could be running low on chances — that alone should be motivate him to find a new level to his game.

It's also a contract year for Turcotte, which packs on the pressure for the 2019 fifth-overall pick. In addition to fighting for a lineup spot, the season now becomes one long tryout, after which GM Ken Holland will determine whether Turcotte is part of the future of the Kings.

At just 25 years old, Turcotte likely has more to give at the NHL level, and he's got the 2026-27 season to show that.

At just 25 years old? Players generally hit their prime window starting about this age, this guy is nowhere near that and not in a good way.

 

[LAKINGSFAN]

One player from each PD team who has to deliver per Sportsnet. Not quite who I had in mind, mine is obvious. Glass Boy has already passed his potential window and should have been moved a few years ago.

The Kings' apt to marinate players is partially to blame but so is the player himself.

He didn't take advantage of opportunities when presented, showed nothing to justify being a 5OA and while not his fault the injury history - can't succeed if you're not available to play (I think I read he has only played in roughly 39% of all available games since he broke into the NHL) because he's constantly hurt.

Los Angeles Kings: Alex Turcotte

Alex Turcotte is proof that development looks different for every player.

It was two years into his professional career before he scored his first NHL goal, and three years before he got any consistent playing time. He appeared to be on the brink of figuring it out in 2024-25, but has yet to truly take that next step. There's certainly potential still to be tapped, but the runway for him to reach his best hockey isn't never-ending, and he could be running low on chances — that alone should be motivate him to find a new level to his game.

It's also a contract year for Turcotte, which packs on the pressure for the 2019 fifth-overall pick. In addition to fighting for a lineup spot, the season now becomes one long tryout, after which GM Ken Holland will determine whether Turcotte is part of the future of the Kings.

At just 25 years old, Turcotte likely has more to give at the NHL level, and he's got the 2026-27 season to show that.

At just 25 years old? Players generally hit their prime window starting about this age, this guy is nowhere near that and not in a good way.

This goes back to a question I had in past posts. Do the Kings not draft well OR does it just come down to development. As you said, the Kings "marinate" players which is great if they come out ready to play.
I may lean more on the side of they just dont develop players well. I am not saying all of the higher picks would have panned out, but I think if they did a better job developing them, there would be more hits than misses. Maybe even Buster would have turned out better. Injuries are what they are, and he isnt to blame. Sure, it could have slowed his deverlopment down a bit but he to could have turned out better.

They are too many high picks that have not panned out. Let just look at 2019. Turcotte, Bjornfoot, Kaliev, Fagemo. They cant all be busts. There had to be some talent in one to two of them that they failed to tap into. Instead, they look to be busts.

 

[Kings4OT]

Its only like 25% of players drafted make the NHL. IMO most of the players are just not good enough no matter how long you try to develope them. To me most of the real hockey IQ and how to play should be second nature, the only real development left should be bringing their body into its frame as a full grown man and still able to use the skill that got them drafted. While yes players get better the more they play, but really they usually only get better playing better opponents to push their limits and challenge them....thats mostly gonna be NHL. Marinating guys in the AHL is mostly a waste, they are playing against 70% failures (as far as making NHL) and only helping with confidence or learning specific team styles. Sure there are some late bloomers, but they are kind of rare like 5% (so 5% of 25% of draftees are late bloomers....that is luck, not a number I run a team with)of those that make it....so I stick with, player either has it or doesnt, rarely gonna teach it

NHL draft is 224 players, so you hope you got 1 of 56....and you hope to get one of 2 or 3 after marinating longer then normal? Nope, reclaim your assets while others shoot for miracles....play the %

 

[PuckinUgly57]

This goes back to a question I had in past posts. Do the Kings not draft well OR does it just come down to development. As you said, the Kings "marinate" players which is great if they come out ready to play.
I may lean more on the side of they just dont develop players well. I am not saying all of the higher picks would have panned out, but I think if they did a better job developing them, there would be more hits than misses. Maybe even Buster would have turned out better. Injuries are what they are, and he isnt to blame. Sure, it could have slowed his deverlopment down a bit but he to could have turned out better.

They are too many high picks that have not panned out. Let just look at 2019. Turcotte, Bjornfoot, Kaliev, Fagemo. They cant all be busts. There had to be some talent in one to two of them that they failed to tap into. Instead, they look to be busts.

I think its a little of both but more on the drafting side. They just misidentify players but cooking them for so long isn't the best strategy either because prospects age and new contracts need to be doled out during their development time.

This prevents them from drafting better players in future drafts to fill the pipeline because a player they are banking on to be an NHLer requires a longer stewing time per their philosophy and takes up a spot within the organization. You can only have 90 players in an organization at any given time and only 50 professional contracts. The Kings place way too much faith that a drafted player will be a guaranteed NHLer, and sadly Kingsters believe that blindly.

You picked a guy like Turcotte for example, took a way too patient approach looking at him, developing him and he will now need a third NHL contract and takes up one of those 50 spots. IMO he is a fringe NHL player, and assuming they capped his eval period at three years (2022), how many better players in drafts 2022-26 did they miss out on because they kept him? Plenty.

They should have cut ties with him long ago, the ramp up period - especially for first rounders and even more so for T5 picks - cannot be where we are, 7 years for him. Buster is creeping into this territory and there is a plateau point where the value depreciates, you aren't getting squat for a player past a certain point. Two years ago on TA an anonymous GM said he would pay max a third for him, what do you think he worth now - a fifth? Dumb player evaluation and asset management and that is all on LA and their philosophy.

The other side is bad picks, just that draft alone you can see they went 0/4 in the first two rounds and there are plenty of others in the drafts since. That falls on Yanetti and his group. That word salad MF should just step down, he sucks at his job but lives on the laurels of 2007-2012.

The Kings just seem to draft poorly AND have a dumb development plan. They have literally one bonafide F since 2014 and that is Kempe from a draft. Embarassing.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Interesting trade, Evangelista traded to NJ for two picks including a 1st to Colorado:

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/49798946/new-jersey-devils-land-evangelista-nashville-predators

Former 1st round pick.

 

[Kings4OT]

Interesting trade, Evangelista traded to NJ for two picks including a 1st to Colorado:

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/49798946/new-jersey-devils-land-evangelista-nashville-predators

Former 1st round pick.

Saw that last night...really doesnt make sense to me from a Nashville perspective, wonder whats up there

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Saw that last night...really doesnt make sense to me from a Nashville perspective, wonder whats up there

NJ needs more scoring and he fits into their young group, that part of it makes sense to me. What doesn't is the cost Colorado gave up (conditional 1st, could be 2028 or 20296 and a 2028 2nd), seems pretty steep for guy who saw a huge leap in points (32 vs 56) but has never scored more than 16 goals in a season (12 this past season).

Maybe NJ sees something in him, Kempe never scored more than 16 goals until 2021-22 and has hit 30+ goals in every season since except 2023-24 (28) including a 40+ goal season. With Hischier and Hughes, he may be a good complement winger and Mehta has done a great job stockpiling picks and assets since he took over as GM for NJ in April.

Evangelista is also an RFA next summer and is already making $3M, if he puts up even more points he will be due a significant raise. With the cap rising and how salary bars are rising, he probably doesn't even need to top 60 points to double his salary minimum. Nashville probably recognized that and being a small market team, maybe didn't want to go down that route with guys like Stamkos and Forsberg already making north of $8M.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Robert Thomas named captain in St Louis.

We were fielding offers for you just a few months ago but here's the C.

Weird.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

TA on NHL Player Tiers. I think some guys are misclassified but a few Kings made the list. For reference the tiers are. TLDR: no King was in Tiers 1-2:

1 - MVP
2 - Franchise
3 - All Star
4 - Star
5 - Support

3B Artemi Panarin

Why he’s here

As predicted last year, Panarin has officially trended out of franchise territory.

Aging curves, and the path ahead, are one consideration. So are some recent downticks in scoring. Panarin is still an ace playmaker at five-on-five with scoring to back it up, but he isn’t taking over on the power play to give his team as much of an advantage in his minutes, and that’s had a real impact on his all-situations numbers.

While a full season away from New York could help, the Kings aren’t an offensive juggernaut, either.
“From a skill perspective, he’s top-10 in the league easy, but for me, I think of him and William Nylander sort of similarly. Great players, but don’t impact the game physically,” a scout said.

4B Adrian Kempe

Why he’s here

The versatile, defensively-aware speedster has become one of the NHL's most consistent 35-plus goal scorers. And while Brandt Clarke's emergence has diminished the need for the Kings to use Kempe at the point on the power play, his excellence in that spot is a valuable arrow in his overall attacking quiver.

“He’s legit," suggested a scout. "Bookmark (40 goals) for him.”

4C Quinton Byfield

Why he’s here

This is a make-or-break season for Byfield. Everybody likes his size, speed and flashes of tantalizing skill, but it feels like we've been waiting forever for him to break out from the 50-to-55 point range he's been stuck in for the last three seasons. Will the increased power-play time and No. 1 center opportunity following Anže Kopitar's retirement be the fuel for a big leap? Opinions are split.

“I’m not convinced that he has what it takes to be their No. 1 guy in Los Angeles," said a scout.

"He’s been their No. 1 defensive (center) over the last two years, not Kopitar. And it’s not close if you look at the metrics," said an exec. "The problem with Byfield is, he ends the year with 24 goals, but he (only) had 9 at the midway point of the season. He has to start taking games over. I think by circumstance, role and (increased) usage alone, he should get minimum 15 or more points next year."

5C Brandt Clarke

Why he’s here

Clarke was a surprisingly polarizing figure around the league. “Drives me nuts,” a scout said, while an exec wondered what he is if he’s not a great defender or point-producer. Some wanted him off the list entirely.

But those who went to bat for him went hard. “The underlying stuff is off the charts,” an exec said, while another said he’s poised to make one of the biggest jumps of any defenseman this season.

Another exec went even further. “In terms of moving the puck, in terms of deception, in terms of zone exits and zone entries… if you’re watching it and don’t see elite, I’m sure you could go over to scout curling or report on curling. Whatever your position is, it should be away from hockey.”
We’ll see if Clarke can live up to that with a big jump next season. First, he’s got to start earning more trust from his own team.

Interesting opinions. I'm actually surprised Laferriere didn't make the list at all, I think he is going to have an even better season. The guy is a gamer and is consistent.

Could not be more spot on with Buster, I do not think he should fall into the star category. Dude has not shown that to date.

 

[Fox4Kings]

Think I would rank Kempe a little higher personally.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Think I would rank Kempe a little higher personally.

Makes two of us. Definitely All Star tier.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Teh Blog openly puts the pressure on Buster to step up. Keep in mind Dooley is a Kings employee so clearly he's heard this internally.

2026 Training Camp Preview – Centers - LA Kings Insider

With the retirement of Anze Kopitar, the Kings entered the 2026 offseason with the unenviable task of replacing the greatest player in franchise history. Was that task actually achievable? Not sure that it was, or at least not without impacting other areas of the roster. The Kings did not add a...

lakingsinsider.com

Nuttin we haven't been saying for some time now and I mentioned earlier what happens next summer most likely if he doesn't progress or stays as he is.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Season Previews coming out:

2026-27 NHL team preview: Los Angeles Kings

Are the Kings actually building a contender, or is the NHL's oldest team just treading water?

www.dailyfaceoff.com

 

[PuckinUgly57]

The EP40 rumors up and running again...

Elias Pettersson Trade Rumors: Did the LA Kings Door Just Reopen?

The Kings' interest in Elias Pettersson was real. Here's why one change in Vancouver could reopen a blockbuster Canucks-Kings trade scenario.

www.nhltraderumor.com

Dude had two more points than Buster at almost double the cost. He is however way more physical than Buster, which is pathetic considering how big Buster is, and would fill a much needed hole. Defensively he is just as good.

That contracy though, yikes. Guys like Moore would need to be going the other way along with some other wingers just to fit his number in.

 

[xis]

The EP40 rumors up and running again...

Elias Pettersson Trade Rumors: Did the LA Kings Door Just Reopen?

The Kings' interest in Elias Pettersson was real. Here's why one change in Vancouver could reopen a blockbuster Canucks-Kings trade scenario.

www.nhltraderumor.com

Dude had two more points than Buster at almost double the cost. He is however way more physical than Buster, which is pathetic considering how big Buster is, and would fill a much needed hole. Defensively he is just as good.

That contracy though, yikes. Guys like Moore would need to be going the other way along with some other wingers just to fit his number in.

Kind of a moot point unless Vancouver is willing to eat half the salary and the Kings trade someone else out. Or Vancouver takes Ceci and Kempuer in trade and eat some salary.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Kind of a moot point unless Vancouver is willing to eat half the salary and the Kings trade someone else out. Or Vancouver takes Ceci and Kempuer in trade and eat some salary.

Agreed. Plus getting rid of Peepee alone would be addition by subtraction.

 

[LAKINGSFAN]

Kind of a moot point unless Vancouver is willing to eat half the salary and the Kings trade someone else out. Or Vancouver takes Ceci and Kempuer in trade and eat some salary.

If they were to get rid of both of those contracts (Ceci and Keumper) and get Peterson, I would love this. I am not sure how everyone would slot in but with Laviolette at the helm maybe he would get more productive.
I am trying to be a bit more optimistic for this season. We will see.