A disaster of a season is exactly what the Kings need

Oct 23, 2026, 11:38 AM ET|Comments (0)

from Daily Faceoff, by Matt Larkin,

If you squinted enough, you could’ve seen a path to levelling up for the Los Angeles Kings in 2026-27. They’d enjoy their first full season of Artemi Panarin feathering passes on their first line and top power-play unit. They’d get goal scorer Kevin Fiala back from the broken leg he suffered at the 2026 Olympics. Center Quinton Byfield and defenseman Brandt Clarke were poised for true breakout seasons with the best opportunities of their careers as the team’s No. 1 center and top offensive defenseman, respectively. And installing the seasoned Peter Laviolette as head coach promised more of an up-tempo attack for a team that had struggled to put enough pucks in the net in recent seasons.

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