Summer Synopsis: Los Angeles Kings

With training camps now almost upon us, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective.  Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled.  Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team has accomplished this offseason.  Next up is a look at the Los Angeles Kings.

The Kings made a major shuffle in this front office, opting to part ways with general manager Rob Blake mutually in favor of former Detroit GM Ken Holland. It was an interesting direction for the Kings to take, but they were clearly drawn to Holland’s championship pedigree and the decades of experience he brings to the position. The Kings are hoping that Holland can provide more innovative roster construction to a team that has been bounced from the playoffs in the first round by the Edmonton Oilers in four consecutive seasons. Whether or not Holland can do that remains to be seen, but some of his roster decisions this summer raised eyebrows.

Draft

1-31 – D Henry Brzustewicz, London (OHL)
2-59 – F Vojtěch Čihař, HC Energie Karlovy Vary (Czechia Extraliga)
3-88 – F Kristian Epperson, Saginaw (OHL)
4-120 – D Caeden Herrington, Lincoln (USHL)
4-125 – F Jimmy Lombardi, Flint (OHL)
5-152- G Petteri Rimpinen, Kiekko-Espoo (Liiga)
6-184 – F Jan Chovan, Tappara U20 (U20 SM-sarja)
7-196 – F Brendan McMorrow, Waterloo (USHL)
7-216 – D Will Sharpe, Kelowna (WHL)

The Kings used a first-round pick on a right-shot defenseman, which is probably what they should be doing with their top picks. Brzustewicz is a mobile, two-way defender who plays a cautious, risk-averse game. He avoids unnecessary chances but jumps into the rush when it’s right. The downside of being so careful is that it can cause poor decisions under pressure, something Brzustewicz needs to improve—especially when opposing forwards apply pressure on the forecheck. He can work on this back in London this season, and if he adds size, it should boost his confidence when taking hits to make plays.

Čihař does a lot of good things away from the puck, using his speed and footwork to pivot quickly and engage in the forecheck. He won’t shy away from the front of the opposition’s net and is a tough player to play against along the wall. His offense is a bit raw right now, but he does display good hockey sense, and if his playmaking and passing improve, he could become a middle-six forward in the NHL.

Epperson could become a valuable pick after recording 27 goals and 53 assists in 58 OHL games last season. He works hard and is tenacious on the forecheck, as well as in transition. Epperson is the perfect complement to high-end skill players, as he can force turnovers and create trouble in the offensive zone. This worked well last season with the 2025 second overall pick, Michael Misa. If he keeps up the same work ethic, he could become a regular on the Kings’ bottom six.

Fourth-round pick Herrington is another right-shot defenseman with offensive upside. He is aggressive on the rush and eager to contribute to the attack. Although there are concerns about his defensive game, with good coaching and guidance, Herrington could develop into an offensive NHL defenseman. This type of player is worth taking a chance on late in the draft because his natural offensive skills can be improved through coaching, and his weaknesses can hopefully be addressed.

UFA Signings

F Joel Armia (two years, $5MM)
D Cody Ceci (four years, $18MM)
F Martin Chromiak (one year, $775K)*
G Pheonix Copley (one year, $775K)
D Brian Dumoulin (three years, $12MM)
G Anton Forsberg (two years, $4.5MM)
F Corey Perry (one year, $2MM)

Ken Holland was busy during the first few days of free agency, signing several depth veterans and using up cap space in the process. The decisions to sign Dumoulin and Ceci drew significant criticism, with many pointing out the length and cost of contracts for two veterans who are likely to be the Kings’ bottom pairing this season. The issue for Los Angeles, and probably the reason for signing players like Dumoulin and Ceci, is that they had gaps to fill in their defense, and their depth problems (especially on the left side) could force Dumoulin to log top-four minutes. However, Ceci should be on the third pairing if everyone stays healthy, playing behind Drew Doughty and Brandt Clarke.

Dumoulin remains a capable player, but at 34 years old, he’s not suited for top four minutes. He has two Stanley Cups to his name and played significant minutes on those Pittsburgh teams, but that was nearly a decade ago, and Dumoulin hasn’t been that defenseman since 2020. Over the past five years, Dumoulin has struggled with possession metrics as his even-strength play has fluctuated. Once, he had the skating ability to consistently maintain reasonable gap control and break away from forecheckers to make strong first passes. Still, as he’s slowed down, both skills have become less impactful. Dumoulin can still disrupt plays and keep the puck out of dangerous areas, but he often takes penalties trying to do so, which wasn’t an issue when he was quicker on his feet.

The Ceci signing remains confusing and might be a move Holland regrets quickly. Ceci has many tools that make him an interesting player and has always managed to earn his coaches’ trust, despite inconsistent results. He isn’t as bad as he’s often accused of being, but he’s not a top-four NHL defenseman either, and he’ll be paid like one until he’s 35. Ceci’s performance varies significantly from year to year; in many seasons, his results indicate he’s a below-replacement player. In other seasons, when he’s sheltered, he posts good results (for example, 2020-21 with Pittsburgh), but at $4.5MM a season, you expect some consistency. Ceci isn’t that far removed from one of the best seasons of his career, but his last three playoff runs (two with Edmonton and one with Dallas) have been horrendous and have led to him being a healthy scratch at times. Not ideal for a player being paid the way he is.

Moving on to the forwards, the Kings made two depth signings for Armia and Perry. Perry guarantees a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals; at least, that’s what recent history suggests. Perry has appeared in five finals over the past six years with four different teams, consistently proving himself as a warrior come playoff time. The 40-year-old recorded 19 goals and 11 assists in 81 regular-season games last year, then exploded for 10 goals and four assists in 22 playoff games. Perry should continue to be a reliable agitator come playoff time, which could be interesting if the Kings face the Oilers for a fifth straight playoff.

Armia won’t score much in Los Angeles, having topped 30 points only once in his NHL career. The 32-year-old should reach around 25 points and will contribute on the penalty kill. He isn’t afraid to engage physically and should boost the Kings’ forecheck while remaining defensively aware. Armia is a reliable signing for the Los Angeles team. It should handle some of the Kings’ more challenging defensive duties, which could be beneficial against a potent offensive team like the Oilers.

RFA Re-Signings

F Alex Laferriere (three years, $12.3MM)

There might not be a player in the NHL who enjoys skating the puck more in transition than Laferriere. He made significant progress last year, both physically and mentally, shaking off scouts’ concerns about his skating and establishing himself as a talented playmaker with good speed. Although there were doubts about his skating style being awkward, after recording 19 goals and 23 assists in 77 games last season, Laferriere is proving his critics wrong. The Chatham, New Jersey native is a strong forechecker and has become more responsible defensively over the past year. This should help him start the season in the top six and likely also on the Kings’ second power play unit.

Departures

D Vladislav Gavrikov (signed with New York, seven years $49MM)
F Tanner Jeannot (signed with Boston, five years $17MM)
D Caleb Jones (signed with Pittsburgh, two years $1.8MM)
G David Rittich (signed with New York Islanders, one year $1MM)
D Jordan Spence (traded to Ottawa)
F Jack Studnicka (signed with Florida, one year $775K)*
F Samuel Fagemo (signed with Winnipeg, one year $775K)*

*-denotes two-way contract

The Kings’ signing of Ceci and Dumoulin was essential after Spence was traded and Gavrikov left via free agency. The loss of Gavrikov will significantly affect the Kings, as it forces Mikey Anderson into the top pairing and disrupts the depth on the left side, likely pushing Dumoulin into the top four. Gavrikov’s departure and Dumoulin’s signing effectively amount to a swap from the Kings’ perspective—and it’s not a particularly good one. While both play a straightforward stay-at-home game, Gavrikov can handle shutdown minutes at the top pairing, whereas Dumoulin is better suited for third-pairing roles. The 29-year-old Gavrikov doesn’t hit much or do much with the puck, but he can produce around 30 points and is very disruptive defensively, especially at the blue line, where he can disrupt transition plays and zone entries. The Kings will feel Gavrikov’s absence deeply.

The Spence trade to Ottawa is one that Holland might want to revisit someday. While it was hard to see him playing third-pairing minutes again next year, it was probably the best move for Spence, who was going to earn just $1.5MM this year—significantly less than new third-pairing defender Ceci. The Kings protected Spence last year, and his defensive metrics were excellent during those minutes, as he led all Los Angeles defensemen in goal share and xGoal share. However, he was behind Brandt Clarke on the depth chart and thus seen as expendable, even though the trade return was underwhelming.

Salary Cap Outlook

The Kings currently have just under $1.9MM available in cap space with one roster spot open (according to PuckPedia). If they add an entry-level contract (ELC) or a league minimum deal to reach 23 players, it will leave them with approximately $1MM in cap space. This should be enough of a buffer to handle injuries, but it won’t leave much room if they want to make a mid-season acquisition.

In the long run, the Kings have $33.725MM available in cap space for next summer (assuming no trades or signings before then), with 15 players already signed. That might seem like a sizable amount, but it doesn’t include a potential replacement for Anze Kopitar or an extension for Adrian Kempe, which AFP Analytics estimates to be around $9.2MM mark per season. The Kings will also need to decide on Clarke’s future, who is projected for a long-term deal around $7MM or a bridge deal around $3.5MM.

Key Questions

Is the older defense actually better?

Moving on from Gavrikov and Spence to Dumoulin and Ceci makes the Kings’ defense older and slower, which isn’t ideal when many teams in the Western Conference prioritize speed. It remains to be seen if the Kings are a better team than they were last season, but on paper, it’s hard to say they are. Their defense definitely isn’t better, and while they didn’t make wholesale changes on the backend, the moves they did make could reveal some flaws in their lineup.

Have the Kings already passed their window of contention?

A few years ago, the Kings were a team on the rise, seeming poised to become a force in the Western Conference for years to come. However, some poor trades and unfortunate player development have caused them to fall behind Edmonton, Dallas, Las Vegas, and Colorado. It’s possible the Kings could still have some deep playoff runs, but given the strength of their competition and the flaws in the roster, they might never make a significant playoff push with this group.

How hot is Jim Hiller’s seat?

Hiller’s seat was likely warm when the Kings and general manager Rob Blake mutually agreed to part ways. As this season kicks off, the pressure is expected to intensify. Hiller is only in his second full season as the Kings’ bench boss, but traditionally, general managers prefer to hire their own coaches, and Ken Holland has inherited Hiller. If the Kings start slowly, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them make a change for a new head coach.

Photo by Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images