Kings Looking For Middle-Six Winger
The Kings are looking to add a middle-six scoring winger before the March 6 trade deadline in the wake of Kevin Fiala‘s season-ending leg injury, The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta said on “Daily Faceoff Live” yesterday.
A lack of offense has been the only thing holding Los Angeles out of a playoff spot this season. They’ll come out of the break trailing the Ducks by three points for the second wild-card spot in the West without any games in hand. That’s despite owning the league’s sixth-best defense at 2.77 GA/GP. The Kings’ shot generation numbers aren’t awful, checking in at 19th in the league at 27.6 per game. Their team shooting percentage is down at 9.2%, though, only ahead of the Flames’ and Devils’ 8.6% mark. That poor shooting percentage is, to some degree, a byproduct of poor shot selection and a failure to generate high-danger chances. L.A. creates 2.31 expected goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, 25th in the league, per MoneyPuck.
General manager Ken Holland has clearly identified their scoring problem as a sore spot. He already moved to acquire the top forward target on the market in Artemi Panarin before the Olympic roster freeze, inking him to a two-year extension for good measure. But with Fiala now unavailable for the stretch run and any potential playoff series, they’re essentially back to square one. Fiala was the team’s second-leading goal-scorer (18) and point-getter (40) and was essentially their only stable source of top-six offense this season outside of Adrian Kempe.
Getting Panarin with an extension certainly lowers the urgency to sell the farm further to make the postseason this year, with two more tries with him under contract. Nonetheless, missing the playoff picture entirely isn’t what anyone envisioned for captain Anže Kopitar‘s final NHL season, and it would be an abject disappointment in a weak Pacific Division following four straight postseason berths.
Nonetheless, with close to a 50-50 shot at making the cut, it’s hard to justify the Kings paying the acquisition cost of acquiring another Panarin-type talent. They’re better off paying standard rental prices for a pending UFA to see if they can catch lightning in a bottle – they did so with Andrei Kuzmenko last year, after all – to help them get their offense to at least a passable postseason level.
There are plenty of options out there. Jeff Skinner can be had for free after having his contract terminated with the Sharks. The market for Canucks power winger Evander Kane has been sluggish, so he could easily be picked up for a mid-to-late-round pick. Other rental options include the Predators’ Michael Bunting, the Maple Leafs’ Bobby McMann, and the Canadiens’ Patrik Laine, although Toronto appears to be setting a high price tag that could knock L.A. out of those conversations.
Latest On Mikey Anderson
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson told reporters, including Zach Dooley, Manager of Editorial Content for the team, that he is optimistic to return next game post-break, against Vegas on February 25.
The 26-year-old was able to skate over the break and is on the right track. Anderson left early against Carolina on February 1 with an apparent finger injury, unable to go in the Kings’ last two games before the Olympics. Clearly missing their trusty shutdown sidekick of Drew Doughty, the Kings lost both, and were outscored 8-3. Anderson was placed on injured reserve February 8.
Set to host Vegas in six days, the game will be full of excitement as Artemi Panarin is expected to make his long awaited Kings debut, although with the damper of missing Kevin Fiala after his devastating injury in Milan. Hopefully with Anderson back in the mix, Los Angeles will work on catching Anaheim for the second Wild Card spot and push for the playoffs.
Kings Recall Pheonix Copley, Place Kevin Fiala On IR
Earlier today, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they’ve recalled netminder Pheonix Copley from the AHL’s Ontario Reign. Additionally, the Kings have placed forward Kevin Fiala on the injured reserve, as expected.
Copley has likely been brought on as a practice player before Los Angeles returns to action next week. Darcy Kuemper, the Kings’ typical starter, is rostered on Team Canada for the Olympics, and they’ve already clinched a spot in the Bronze Medal game at the very least.
Despite a brief stint with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Copley has been with Los Angeles for the past four years. Still, he’s spent much of the past two years with AHL Ontario. In 24 games for the Reign this season, Copley has managed a 13-11-0 record with a .890 SV% and 2.95 GAA.
Meanwhile, Fiala’s placement on the injured reserve was a formality. Playing on Team Switzerland in the Olympics, Fiala infamously suffered multiple leg fractures in a game against Canada.
The fractures required nearly immediate surgery, which has prematurely ended Fiala’s 2025-26 campaign. Los Angeles could have placed Fiala on long-term injured reserve, but their sufficient cap space made that unnecessary.
Fiala’s absence from the Kings’ lineup the rest of the way should undoubtedly alter Los Angeles’ approach leading up to the trade deadline. Yes, the team already acquired high-scoring winger Artemi Panarin before the Olympics, though that was with Fiala healthy. Given the drastic need for goal-scoring help in Los Angeles, it’s likely they’ll seek to acquire some additional reinforcements.
Trade Deadline Primer: Los Angeles Kings
With the Olympic break upon us, the trade deadline is under a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? After looking at teams at the ends of the standings, we shift our focus to teams fighting for a playoff spot. Next up are the Kings.
The Kings made a splash recently by acquiring Artemi Panarin from the Rangers for a minimal return. The trade surprised some in the hockey world and showed the Kings are serious about winning this season. Los Angeles has meandered through the first two-thirds of the season and hasn’t looked like a serious contender, but with Panarin in the mix, it’s clear they plan to add to their lineup and make a push. Whether they make that push remains to be seen, but management’s mindset is fairly clear as we approach the trade deadline.
Record
23-19-14, 5th in the Pacific (55.3% playoff probabilty)
Deadline Status
Buyer
Deadline Cap Space
$15.71MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2026: LAK 1st, LAK 2nd, CBJ 2nd, DAL 3rd, LAK 4th, LAK 5th, LAK 6th, COL 6th, LAK 7th
2027: LAK 1st, LAK 2nd, LAK 4th, LAK 6th, COL 6th, LAK 7th
Trade Chips
The Kings have plenty of draft picks they could move in any deadline deal, but they aren’t exactly stocked with quality prospects and have a farm system that would rank in the bottom third of the league in terms of quality and quantity. The team already dealt their top prospect, Liam Greentree, for Panarin, but they do have other pieces if they want to make another splash.
Francesco Pinelli was a second-round selection in the 2021 draft (42nd overall) and has not had a smooth transition to the professional ranks, struggling early in the AHL. He had 15 goals and 14 assists in 70 AHL games last season, and likely needs to size up if he hopes to break through to the NHL. Pinelli is a smart player who identifies open space for himself and teammates to create offensive opportunities. On the defensive side of the game, his instincts aren’t as strong, and it is something he is working to round out in the AHL.
Another potential trade piece for the Kings is defenseman Henry Brzustewicz. The 2025 first-round pick (31st overall) plays a safe, simple game and relies on moving the puck to a teammate rather than creating offensive plays himself. His defensive game is steady and effective, as he is adept at forcing opponents to the perimeter, protecting the slot, and containing them. Brzustewicz does have some offensive capabilities, but he isn’t a play driver and likely won’t be running a team’s power play if/when he makes it to the NHL. Brzustewicz could be a good piece of a bigger package if the Kings are looking to make another splash before the trade deadline.
Finally, we come to goaltender Carter George, who might be the Kings’ best prospect after the Greentree trade. George has had a decorated international career, representing Canada at the last two World Junior Championships, and he has also been terrific during his tenure in the OHL with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. The Thunder Bay, ON, native isn’t overly big, but his puck-handling makes him a third defenseman, which can facilitate quick breakouts and transition play. In terms of his goaltending, he is technically sound and doesn’t appear to wilt under pressure. If the Kings wanted to move a prospect whose value is inflated at the moment, George is probably the piece.
Team Needs
A Top Six Center: Los Angeles desperately needs a center going forward. It’s gotten to the point this season that winger Alex Laferriere has slotted in at center in the top six, which is less than ideal. They have Anze Kopitar for the rest of the season until he retires, and Quinton Byfield is likely fine as the second-line center, although he’s had a rough stretch this year. Beyond that, Alex Turcotte has not reached the levels many expected, putting the Kings in a predicament this season and beyond. The Kings have cap space to acquire a center this year, but it’s hard to say how strong the internal pressure is to acquire a pivot before the deadline. Los Angeles could let this year play out and chase a Nick Schmaltz-type player in free agency, or they could look to the current available options, which would likely be Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks, Shane Wright of the Seattle Kraken, or Robert Thomas out of St. Louis. There is always Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers available as well, and given the ties to Panarin, there could be something to that one.
A Depth Forward: No disrespect to Taylor Ward or Jeff Malott, but if Los Angeles enters the playoffs with those two taking regular shifts on the fourth line, that would be a problem against a team like the Edmonton Oilers. The Kings have dealt with some injuries, and the Kevin Fiala injury is another obstacle to overcome, especially since the Kings don’t have a ton of reinforcements who can play at a high level long term. Malott has been a fine replacement this season, but Ward has just 16 NHL games of experience and is a late bloomer, much like Malott. The Kings could likely find a reasonably priced depth forward on the trade market to insulate themselves against future injuries, which will no doubt happen as the NHL plays a compressed schedule down the stretch. A player like Erik Haula might make sense coming out of Nashville, as the Predators aren’t a playoff team, and Haula has an expiring deal. His market could be limited due to his $3.15MM cap hit, which the Kings could easily absorb at this time with any retention from Nashville.
Photo by Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Kings’ Kevin Fiala Sustains Multiple Left Leg Fractures, Out For The Season
Sunday: The Los Angeles Kings updated today that Fiala underwent successful surgery due to fractures in his lower left leg. As expected, he will miss the remainder of the season, and will be reevaluated in the spring.
Saturday: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Fiala is having surgery today. There still is no word on the precise nature of the injury but Friedman adds that it is indeed season-ending, a significant blow for both Switzerland and the Kings. Fiala will now be eligible to be placed on LTIR but with Los Angeles having ample cap space, it’s unlikely they’ll need to put him there.
Friday: One of the main reasons NHL teams opposed player participation in the Olympics was the concern over injuries that could be avoided. That fear has come to fruition for the Los Angeles Kings. Toward the end of today’s game between Canada and Switzerland, Kevin Fiala had to be stretchered off the ice due to an apparent leg or knee injury.
As mentioned, the injury happened with approximately three minutes left in the game. Fiala absorbed a hit from Tom Wilson and was in immediate pain on the ice. Although the hit was leveled, the incident causing the injury seemed accidental, and more like a freak play. According to Mark Lazerus of The Athletic, after the game, Wilson said, “It’s the Olympic Games and I feel terrible that he may not be able to keep playing. Just sending his family and him my best. You never want to see a guy go down, in a tournament like this, especially.”
Still, accident or not, it doesn’t make the situation any easier for the Kings. Fiala is the team’s second-highest scorer with 18 goals and 40 points in 56 games while averaging over 19 minutes of ice time per game.
Considering how starved Los Angeles is for offense, it’s a worst-case scenario. The team recently acquired high-scoring Artemi Panarin before the Olympic break, but that didn’t relieve all of the team’s goal-scoring woes. No, the Kings haven’t yet played with Panarin on the ice, but losing a player with Fiala’s goal-scoring capabilities will objectively make it more difficult for them to put the puck in the net.
There haven’t been many updates regarding Fiala’s immediate status. Arpon Basu of The Athletic reported that Fiala has been taken to a local hospital, and there are concerns that the injury could be season-ending. If that’s the case, the Kings’ uphill climb toward playoff contention just became remarkably more difficult.
Rasmus Andersson Discusses His Trade
The long trade saga for Rasmus Andersson finally came to an end last month when the Flames moved him to Vegas in exchange for a first-round pick, a second-round selection, defenseman Zach Whitecloud, and prospect blueliner Abram Wiebe.
Of course, while this was the time that the trade got over the finish line, it looked like deals were all but done on multiple occasions beforehand. Speaking with Sportsnet’s Eric Francis earlier this week, the blueliner discussed some of those failed moves that ultimately preceded his departure from Calgary.
Over the summer, it was widely reported that the framework of a trade was in place to send him to Los Angeles. Andersson confirmed as much but acknowledged that he wasn’t ready to sign a long-term deal with the Kings which was a condition of the swap. As a result, it ultimately fell through.
Soon after that, word emerged that Andersson had given the Flames a shortlist of teams he would sign with. It turns out that the list wasn’t all that short as there were seven teams on it.
Andersson noted that a couple of times, it looked like something was in place with some of those other teams, without going into specifics about who they were. In the end, the acquiring team couldn’t figure out how to fit him in beyond this season (where he has a team-friendly $4.55MM AAV) which ultimately scuttled the discussions.
To his credit, Andersson came back to the Flames for this season and didn’t let the constant discussion about his future faze him. Instead, he had a strong first half, notching 10 goals and 20 assists in 48 games before the swap while logging over 24 minutes a night of ice time, narrowly surpassing his career high in that regard.
Of course, there was one more failed move, that coming just days before the move to the Golden Knights. It briefly looked as if Andersson was on his way to Boston with a seven-year, $63MM extension in tow but the 29-year-old noted that the Bruins made some tweaks to the offer in terms of structure and trade protection that weren’t to his liking. Then, after three days without any communication, he ultimately decided to pull the plug on signing an early extension with anyone for the time being. With an extension being a prerequisite to make the Boston trade happen, that took them out of the equation as well.
In the end, that decision ultimately facilitated a move as Vegas stepped up with their offer mere hours after that announcement and the long-awaited swap going back the better part of a year was finally completed. Andersson has since played in eight games since the move, picking up a goal and three assists and now is with Sweden for the Olympics so his break will be a short one compared to most of the league.
Speculated as a preferred landing spot for Andersson in the summer, the Golden Knights were indeed one of the seven teams on his list dating back to the offseason so both sides should be confident that an extension can be worked out. The near-miss Boston contract should act as a reasonable barometer for what that agreement should ultimately cost. It may wind up taking a lot longer than originally anticipated and hoped but Andersson appears set to get one of the outcomes he wanted, a trade to and a contract with a team of his choosing. The first half is done, now we’ll see how long it takes for the second half to be completed.
Kings’ Surplus At Forward Could Make Warren Foegele Expendable
The Los Angeles Kings could stick around the trade market when the NHL returns from their three-week break for the Winter Olympics. General manager Ken Holland joined TNT Sports’ NHL Game Break to breakdown the team’s acquisition of star winger Artemi Panarin, and referenced the team’s wealth of forwards with their latest addition. Specifically, Holland pointed out forward Warren Foegele as a player who they’ll “work the phones” around after a strong year last season turned into healthy scratches this season.
Foegele had a career-year in his first season with the Kings. He appeared in all 82 games and reached 24 goals, 46 points, and a plus-36 – all new career-highs for the 28-year-old winger. That performance came after Foegele reached 20 goals and 41 points in all 82 games of the dmonton Oilers’ 2023-24 season. He appeared to have reached another level, but his hot hand has gone cold to start the season. Foegele remains a utility, two-way winger when he’s in the lineup but has only posted eight points and a minus-five in 43 games this season.
With another forward in the depth chart, Foegele could become an interesting trade chip. He has proven an ability to provide an impact through a change of teams and could be enough to swing Los Angeles a mid-round draft pick that they can package in a bigger market buy.
Kings Have Started Extension Talks With Brandt Clarke
Back in 2021, the Kings drafted defenseman Brandt Clarke eighth overall with the hopes that he could emerge as a key contributor on their back end. While there were some stops and starts early on in his career, he has now emerged as a legitimate top-four player.
Set to reach restricted free agency this summer for the first time, it appears that the team is hoping to get something done before it comes to that point. Speaking to reporters following the recent Artemi Panarin trade (video link), GM Ken Holland indicated that there have been plenty of discussions about a new deal for the 22-year-old with a goal of getting something in place before July 1st.
While having an agreement in place before free agency opens up removes the possibility of an offer sheet, it would also give Holland more certainty of what he does or doesn’t have to spend on the UFA side of things. Given that there’s a wide range of outcomes, having that extra knowledge would be useful.
For example, AFP Analytics has a pair of projections for him. A two-year bridge deal could check in around $5MM per season while a seven-year pact approaches the $8MM mark. Considering eight-year deals are still allowed until mid-September, a potential price tag could even go higher. That variance is more than enough to cover a UFA signing or two so knowing where Clarke’s next deal will check in ahead of free agency would certainly affect the rest of their planning.
Last season, Clarke’s first full NHL campaign was a successful one. He picked up five goals and 28 assists in 78 games with largely sheltered minutes as he logged a little over 16 minutes per game with plenty of offensive zone starts. Clarke then added a pair of goals in their opening-round loss to Edmonton with an even lower workload in terms of playing time.
This season, Clarke has emerged as a consistent second-pairing player. While his zone starts are still skewed toward the offensive end, his ice time is up past 19 minutes per game, putting him third among Los Angeles defenders. He has already passed last year’s goal total as he’s up to six and with 21 helpers, he’s on pace to surpass that as well; a 40-point showing isn’t out of the question which would certainly be a boost to his contract value.
While there is a trade freeze in place, there isn’t a transactions freeze. Roster moves can still be made and contracts can still be registered with the league and announced. With that in mind, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Holland and Clarke’s camp resume discussions during the Olympic break to see if they can get a deal across the finish line.
Artemi Panarin Notes: Other Offers, Trade Timing, Contract
While there wasn’t much trade activity leading into the Olympic trade freeze, one of the biggest moves of the season was made when the Kings acquired winger Artemi Panarin from the Rangers in exchange for prospect winger Liam Greentree along with a 2026 conditional third-round pick that upgrades to a second-round selection if Los Angeles wins a round. Meanwhile, if they win two rounds, New York also collects a 2028 fourth-round selection. Panarin subsequently signed a two-year, $22MM extension shortly following the swap. With the dust now settled on the trade, here are some additional notes on the move.
- During his media availability following the swap (video link), Panarin stopped short of directly confirming that extension offers from the Rangers were low-ball proposals but did note that “I don’t know if I should say this but I feel like the contract offer (said), ‘We’re not sure if we want you or not.’” Over the offseason, it was reported that New York had approached Panarin’s camp with some proposals that would see him take a sizable pay cut to remain with the team with some willingness to get creative on the term. With those talks going nowhere, Panarin added that there wasn’t really any reengagement with the Rangers after that point on a new deal.
- While Panarin ultimately took the offer from Los Angeles, it was far from the biggest one on the table. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported in his latest 32 Thoughts column that the Kraken made an offer of more than $14MM per season in an effort to try to convince Panarin to accept a trade to them. That would have nearly been double the highest amount that the team has given a player so far in their brief tenure with Vince Dunn being their current top-paid player at $7.35MM.
- From the standpoint of affordability, teams likely would have preferred the trade to come after the break when there would be less money remaining on his contract (even with the Rangers retaining 50% on his contract to facilitate the move as they did). However, Vince Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic relays (subscription link) that Panarin made it clear that his deadline was the trade freeze so that he would have ample time to settle in with his new club. That might have taken an interested team or two off the table as a result. That said, Panarin ultimately decided that the only team he’d accept a move to was the Kings so those other possibilities probably wouldn’t have happened anyway.
- PuckPedia has the breakdown of Panarin’s new deal. It’s predominantly paid in the form of signing bonuses to the tune of $20MM over the two years ($11MM for next season, $9MM for 2027-28) while he receives a base salary of $1MM in each season. Additionally, Panarin has a full no-move clause in this contract, just as he does in his current one.
Kings Reassign Joe Hicketts
2/6: The Los Angeles Kings assigned Hicketts back to the AHL’s Ontario Reign. He is expected to suit up in Ontario’s Friday matchup against the Bakersfield Condors per Anthony Collazo of Mayor’s Manor.
2/3: The Kings announced they’ve recalled veteran defenseman Joe Hicketts from AHL Ontario on an emergency basis. L.A. returned center Kenny Connors to Ontario in the corresponding move.
Hicketts’ recall comes after Michael Anderson sustained an upper-body injury early in Sunday’s game against the Hurricanes, indicating they aren’t expecting him to be available tomorrow against the Kraken. However, since Jacob Moverare was already available as a healthy extra, there must be an undisclosed injury concern regarding another Kings defender. Hicketts is only eligible for an emergency recall if there’s a chance L.A. won’t have six healthy defenders for its home tilt against Seattle.
Hicketts, 29, was an undrafted free agent signing by the Red Wings way back in 2014. The 5’8″ lefty beat the odds to get into a handful of NHL games with Detroit between 2017 and 2020, but hasn’t appeared at the top level since. He’s instead become an AHL mainstay, appearing in 552 games in that league over the last 10 years. That’s 17th among active AHLers.
He has spent the last three seasons in Ontario after inking a two-way deal with the Kings in 2023, subsequently signing two more of them to stay in the organization. He was named captain last year and has remained a valuable puck-moving option, although his production is down in 2025-26. After racking up 20 points in just 30 games in 2023-24, the best point pace of his professional career, he’s declined to only a 3-11–14 scoring line in 41 appearances this season with a -9 rating. He’s still only three points back of Samuel Bolduc for the team lead in scoring among defensemen, a testament to how much Ontario’s blue line has struggled to generate offense.
Hicketts won’t be on the NHL roster any longer than he absolutely needs to be as a result, but it’s still a nice story for the British Columbia native to land perhaps his first big league appearance in over six years this week. He only suited up twice for the Wings in the 2019-20 campaign, both times in November.
Connors, 22, sees his first NHL recall end without a game played to show for it. He was recalled on Jan. 26 in the wake of an injury to Alex Turcotte, who has since landed on injured reserve to make way for captain Anže Kopitar‘s return to the lineup. With 13 healthy forwards rostered aside from Connors, there was little chance of him seeing action, especially after sitting as a healthy scratch for four straight games. The 2022 fourth-rounder now returns to Ontario, where he had nine goals and 24 points in 41 games to begin his first professional season.