Internal growth will be the most important thing for the Los Angeles Kings heading into the 2025-26 season. Not only does this group want to remain the competitive playoff team they have been for the past four seasons, but the idea of “taking that next step” has been brought up profusely since their elimination in Round 1.
Everyone expected big moves to be made by the Kings this offseason after seeing them linked to multiple big names by multiple insiders, as well as hearing what general manager Ken Holland had to say during his media availabilities. A “big splash” was envisioned, but never came to fruition. It’s not that the Kings decided to go a different route; it’s the fact that they were forced to pivot due to the lack of appeal they currently have. We know Holland tried, and pitched offers and trade proposals to multiple targets, but at the end of the day, there’s nothing he can do if those players just don’t want to play in Los Angeles.
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As a result, the Kings settled for multiple depth pieces, a couple of which were somewhat head-scratching based on the money and especially the term given. However, they did accomplish one of their goals, which was to build a stronger, more reliable fourth line. Unfortunately for the Kings, a few teams in the Pacific Division were able to complete impactful deals and, as a result, have strengthened their rosters. All that means is that the race for a playoff spot in the Pacific will be much more difficult than it was last season.
Because the Kings weren’t able to bring in a Mitch Marner-type player that they were hoping for, nor a Vladislav Gavrikov replacement, there’s no doubt this team looks a little worse on paper. The Kings are a team that relies on depth over the impact of star talent. However, if certain individuals can take that next step or remain at the same level this season, the path to a playoff spot should be more than reachable.
Quinton Byfield
The player who will be the most important for the Kings this season is Byfield, and the way he performs will play a big part in this team’s success. With Anze Kopitar about to play in what is likely his last season in the NHL, the time has come for Byfield to really take a step forward and morph into the Kings’ number one center.
After breaking out with 20 goals and 55 points in 2023-24, the expectation was for Byfield to continue that growth. He came into last year’s preseason looking stronger, more explosive, and ready to be a threat for the Kings. Unfortunately, it took around half of the season for him to start producing at a consistent rate. It’s important to remember that last season was also Byfield’s first full season in the NHL back at his natural position of center, as well as his first season with the role of driving his own line that also saw him having to constantly play with different linemates until late in the second half as opposed to playing alongside Kopitar and Adrian Kempe on the wing the season before. It was new territory for the now 22-year-old, and the good news is that it only took about half a season for him to get comfortable at center and start making an impact.
Fresh off being named to Team Canada’s orientation camp for the 2026 Winter Olympics, Byfield’s performance throughout the second half of last season was noticeable. After already having the opportunity to iron out the kinks and get comfortable with his new role, there’s no reason Byfield shouldn’t take a significant step forward for the Kings this season, and that improvement is exactly what they are hoping to get out of him.
Andrei Kuzmenko
When Andrei Kuzmenko is on his game, it’s a thing of beauty, and at times, all you can say is just “wow”. The problem is the consistency and how often that wow factor is on display. The Kings bought low on Kuzmenko during last season’s trade deadline, hoping he could find a path back toward his 74-point, rookie-season self. There’s no doubt the Kings got a glimpse of that through the 28 games he played, and it was the best and most confident Kuzmenko had looked since his first season in the NHL with the Vancouver Canucks.
Kuzmenko did enough to earn an extension with the Kings, who re-signed him to a one-year deal, which should benefit both sides. It will be a contract year for him, meaning he will once again need to do everything possible to prove himself if he wants to remain in the NHL beyond the 2025-26 season. At the same time, the Kings desperately need him to be that dynamic, skillful forward who can impact the game offensively in multiple ways. Since they were unable to acquire any other offensively gifted forwards throughout the offseason, they will need a lot from Kuzmenko, who will most likely have the privilege of being a first-line winger as well as a key element to the power play. Hopefully, a level of consistency can be found alongside Kopitar and Kempe, with whom he looked comfortable during the 28 games that he played.
After bouncing around for the better part of two seasons, Kuzmenko has the chance to find some stability with the Kings, which could aid in his on-ice performances. Already having the chance to get accustomed to the Kings’ systems and figuring out where he fits in the lineup as well as special teams, gives him a level of comfort that will hopefully allow him to fully focus on hockey itself and be a key contributor right off the bat. The Kings need offensive production, and Kuzmenko has the ability to be a real threat in that area.
Brandt Clarke
With the departure of Jordan Spence, Brandt Clarke is the Kings’ only true offensive defenseman. With Drew Doughty continuing to age, it’s time for Clarke to step up to the plate and take the reins as the Kings’ number-one puck mover as well as the quarterback of the first power-play unit. Doughty and Clarke are the only two Kings defensemen with elite puck-moving ability, but it’s impossible to have Doughty continue to carry the same workload that he has since forever, especially with the injury he sustained last season. This season will hopefully be a stepping stone for Clarke on the path to becoming a number one defenseman, and while his defensive instincts and abilities will need to see growth, it will be important for him to play the way he does and take those risks offensively because that’s when we have seen him be impactful.
The glimpses of innate talent we have seen from Clarke on the offensive side of things, whether it be his shiftiness, elusive skating, and puck-moving ability, have been nothing short of remarkable, and those skills will continue to develop as he continues to play. He possesses the skills no one else within the organization has, and with an increased opportunity as well as some leniency on the defensive side of things, that skillset not only has the chance to blossom, but also pay dividends for the Kings as a whole. Clarke is expected to have a much bigger role than he had last season, and increasing his playing time, which is the most important element of his development, seems to be one of the things both management and coaching are looking to do this season.
While Clarke’s ability to take a step forward this season will heavily impact the success the Kings have, this could also be looked at as a “prove it” year for Clarke as he enters the final year of his contract while trying to establish himself as a crucial part of the Kings’ young core moving forward.
Darcy Kuemper
When Darcy Kuemper was brought back to Los Angeles, the Kings were hoping he would have a bounce-back year and provide an upgrade from Cam Talbot. What shocked everyone was just how much of an upgrade he turned out to be. Although most of the Kings’ success was a result of elite defensive traits throughout the lineup, Kuemper played a massive role in their ability to remain in games due to him shutting the door early and being the reason they were able to use that third period to take over and come back many times. Kuemper undoubtedly made an impact, and there was never a time throughout the season when his play raised any concerns.
Coming off one of the best seasons of his career, finishing as a Vezina Trophy finalist, the Kings are going to need that same version of Kuemper (or an even better one if that’s possible) to show up this season, and they are going to need to be able to rely on him much more than they needed to last season. That’s due to the newly constructed defensive group, and one that will struggle to do what last season’s group did. Aside from Doughty, Clarke, and Mikey Anderson, the rest of the Kings’ D-core are filled with bottom-pairing defensemen. With the backend weaker heading into this season, Kuemper’s job becomes more difficult. Not having the luxury of both Anderson and Gavrikov will be noticeable, and because it would be unfair to expect one of Joel Edmundson, Brian Dumoulin, or Cody Ceci to fill the shoes of Gavrikov, Kuemper could “soften the blow” if he remains at that elite level.
With the Pacific Division getting tougher, the Kings being unable to get a hold of a game changer, and their defensive group taking a significant blow, they are going to need the extra help in different areas, especially offensively. Byfield, Kuzmenko, Clarke, and Kuemper can be the difference makers they need to find success in 2025-26.
