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What Your Team Is Thankful For: Los Angeles Kings

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With American Thanksgiving now behind us and the holiday season coming up, PHR is taking a look at what teams are thankful for in 2022-23. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Los Angeles Kings. 

Who are the Kings thankful for?

Kevin Fiala.

The Los Angeles Kings’ offseason acquisition of Kevin Fiala from the Minnesota Wild, a deal that cost them a first-round pick and top prospect Brock Faber, was seen as a transaction carrying quite a bit of risk.

While Fiala had undoubtedly reached a new stratosphere of production in Minnesota (he scored at a 65-point pace in 2020-21 and scored 85 points in 2021-22) there were some who still believed that he was too inconsistent and his playoff production was too spotty to make acquiring Fiala a shrewd acquisition.

So far, Fiala has proved to be a strong investment for GM Rob Blake and the Kings. After a somewhat slow start, Fiala’s offensive production has really picked up, and he now leads the Kings with 28 points in 26 games, a total helped by a four-assist performance in a game against the division rival Seattle Kraken, a game that featured 17 total goals scored.

While finding the ideal fit for Fiala in the Kings’ lineup has been a bit of an adventure for head coach Todd McLellan, his current spot as the right winger next to Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe could be a smart long-term role.

Fiala is one of those rare wingers in the NHL who can reliably drive play, and as Kopitar, 35, begins to slow down the presence of Fiala should be able to keep the Kings’ offense chugging along.

While there are other players, such as Arthur Kaliyev or Gabriel Vilardi, whose strong performances are perhaps a bit more surprising, Fiala’s strong start to his Kings career is undoubtedly the most important development for the franchise as a whole.

If Fiala can continue to be a point-per-game, play-driving winger in Los Angeles, that seven-year, $7.875MM AAV extension could start to look like a bargain, which is definitely something for the Kings to be thankful for.

What are the Kings thankful for?

Their dynamic second line.

While Fiala and Vilardi have gotten more overall attention for their performances, the bedrock of this Kings’ team and their success so far this season has been their second line. Led by Phillip Danault, that line has been one of the league’s most well-rounded trios since they were first put together.

Danault, 29, arrived from the Montreal Canadiens with serious questions attached regarding his offensive game. Many wondered if the defense-first center would be able to muster enough of an offensive game to warrant his $5.5MM cap hit.

All Danault has done in Los Angeles is prove that he has a quality offensive dimension to his game, one that he hadn’t truly flashed in the NHL since the days when he was an up-and-coming player centering the Canadiens’ top line between Max Pacioretty and Alexander Radulov.

In 79 games last season Danault flew past his previous career high of 13 goals scored to pot 27. This year has been more of the same, as he has 18 points in 26 games. By pairing elite defensive play with the ability to mesh offensively with some quality linemates, Danault has quickly become a quality top-six center in Los Angeles.

But the Kings’ second line is more than just Danault. It also features Viktor Arvidsson, who ranks third on the Kings with 19 points in 24 games this year. Finishing the trio is Trevor Moore, a California native who had a breakout year in 2021-22 after he earned a role next to the two established NHLers. Moore scored 48 points in 81 games last year and has 17 points in 26 games this year.

The consistency and all-around quality of the Kings’ second line is something that sets them apart from many other NHL teams, which is undoubtedly something to be thankful for this holiday season.

What would the Kings be even more thankful for?

Improved play in the crease.

While the Kings are currently sitting in a playoff spot, the success they’ve found this season has come despite their goaltending, not because of it.

That point was made strikingly clear when the team placed Petersen on waivers this week, a transaction that came as a major setback for a player once seen as the Kings’ future at the position.

It’s not often that a team waives an in-his-prime player making $5MM or more, and yet the fact that Petersen found himself available to every other NHL club speaks to just how dire the Kings’ goaltending situation has been this year.

Jonathan Quick’s reliance on his superb athleticism and unbelievable instincts earned him two Stanley Cup rings and two William M. Jennings trophies. But now a 36-year-old veteran, Quick’s athleticism has waned, and much of his effectiveness has gone with it.

Quick is no longer the elite goalie he once was, and while his .910 save percentage last year was certainly acceptable, his .889 so far this year is not.

Petersen has struggled this year to an even greater extent than Quick. As mentioned earlier, he hit waivers this week after posting a grisly .868 save percentage in 10 games.

The Kings are saddled with Petersen’s backloaded $5MM AAV contract ($11MM of the total $15MM cash is due in the next two years) so getting him back to the level of performance he showed in 2020-21 will be important. If the Kings could pair their current level of play with better play from their goalies, they’d certainly be even more thankful than they are now.

What should be on the Kings’ holiday wish list?

Productive extension talks with Vilardi.

Just a year ago, it looked as though Vilardi was trending toward “bust” territory. On one hand, the 2017 11th overall pick looked to have finally put the injury troubles that came to define his early years as a prospect behind him, and he was productive in the AHL with 38 points in 39 games.

But on the other hand, Vilardi was ineffective in 25 NHL games and scored just seven points in that span. Vilardi’s skating, which had been seen as a potential issue since his days as a Windsor Spitfire, looked as though it was going to hold him back from being an impactful offensive generator in the NHL.

This year, though, Vilardi has flipped that script with a hot start. While a six-game scoreless streak has lowered his overall totals, Vilardi still leads the Kings with 13 goals and is scoring at a 62-point pace.

It looks like Vilardi may have finally found his groove in the NHL, and if he has indeed done so, the price on his next contract will only go up from here. Vilardi will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer, and with that on the horizon, the Kings should have productive extension talks with Vilardi on their holiday wishlist.

Vilardi has worked tirelessly to get past his earlier injury issues and become the productive scorer he has been so far this season.

The Kings never seemed to lose faith that Vilardi would eventually sort things out, and this year Vilardi has rewarded their faith. Next, it could be the Kings’ turn to reward Vilardi.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Cal Petersen Clears Waivers; Kings Make Several Roster Moves

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3:31 PM: Add one more roster move to today’s avalanche of transactions in Southern California. Per a team release, the Kings have recalled forward Tyler Madden from the Reign.

This recall puts Madden, 23, in a position to make his NHL debut. The forward is perhaps best known as a former Vancouver Canucks prospect who was sent to Los Angeles as part of the team’s Tyler Toffoli trade.

Madden has scored five goals and eight points in 16 AHL games so far this year and scored 14 goals and 31 points in 48 games last year. Madden played his collegiate career at Northeastern University and scored 37 points in 27 games in his second and final season there.

1:15 PM: As expected, Cal Petersen has cleared waivers after a dreadful start to the season. The Los Angeles Kings have sent him to the minor leagues, while completing several other roster moves. Tobias Bjornfot, Pheonix Copley, and Samuel Fagemo have been recalled, while Rasmus Kupari and Jordan Spence are joining Petersen with the Ontario Reign.

It has been a precipitous fall from grace for Petersen, who signed a $15MM contract just over 14 months ago. That deal includes a $4MM signing bonus next year and $11MM total over the last two seasons, a price tag that many clubs would likely balk at if considering a claim. The fact is that he just hasn’t been good enough to justify that price tag, making it easy to understand why teams would pass over him on waivers.

If he can get his game back in order, there will be a path back to the NHL for Petersen. Copley doesn’t represent a huge upgrade, despite strong performances in the minor leagues. Through 31 NHL games, the 30-year-old has a .900 save percentage, and hasn’t played regularly at that level since 2018-19. While he can serve as a backup, for the time being, the Kings goaltending situation looks rather suspect at the moment.

By assigning Petersen to the minor leagues, Los Angeles will clear $1.125MM of cap space off the books, though a good chunk of that is eaten up by Copley’s $825K deal.

Los Angeles Kings Place Cal Petersen On Waivers

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After allowing four goals on 16 shots last night in what ended up a 9-8 loss to the Seattle Kraken, Cal Petersen has been placed on waivers according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The Los Angeles Kings netminder has been brutal this year, posting an .868 save percentage through his first ten appearances. He is in the first season of a three-year, $15MM contract extension signed in the fall of 2021.

The Petersen story is an interesting one. Selected 129th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2013, he would go back to the USHL for a year after his draft, before heading to Notre Dame. Starring for the Irish for three years, he decided to leave school early and pursue a professional career. Petersen would ultimately decide not to sign with the Sabres and became a free agent, able to choose his destination.

Los Angeles is where he landed, which at the time seemed a bit of an odd choice. The team already had Jonathan Quick installed as the full-time starter and Jack Campbell was starting to come into his own as the backup. It appeared as though Petersen would be blocked from the NHL net for a while.

Because of injuries and poor play, however, it wouldn’t be long before Petersen was making his debut. In his second pro season, he played 11 games for the Kings and posted a .924, showing that they could have found their future starter. A trade of Campbell the next season, and more struggles from Quick meant Petersen was getting a chance, and he ran with it, posting a .916 save percentage in 54 games over his first three years.

Heading into last season, he was expected to split the work with Quick and the team awarded him with a shiny new three-year extension, despite his previous deal still having a year left. The Kings probably should have waited, as Petersen’s play deteriorated, with him posting an .895 save percentage over 37 appearances. When Los Angeles reached the playoffs, there was no doubt who would be starting for them, and it wasn’t Petersen.

Now, with an even worse performance through the early part of the year and higher expectations for the Kings, the team can’t wait around any more. They’ve now offered him up to anyone who wants to take on the whole contract and could send him to the minor leagues to get back on track if he clears.

It seems unlikely that any team in the league would bite, especially due to the back-loaded nature of the deal. Petersen is owed a $4MM signing bonus next season and then has a $6MM salary in year three, meaning any claiming team would be taking on a lot of financial risk for a goaltender who has struggled.

Los Angeles Kings Make Several Roster Moves

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Nov 30: After last night’s wild, 9-8 game, Fagemo has been loaned back to the AHL.

Nov 29: The Los Angeles Kings are always one of the busiest front offices in the league. They shuffle players up and down on a daily basis to save some extra cap, and reward young players with a few days of NHL salary. Today, the shuffle has a new name involved, as Jordan Spence has been recalled from the minor leagues. He’s coming along with Samuel Fagemo, while Lias Andersson has been loaned back to the AHL.

Spence, 21, has been in the minor leagues all season so far, once again dominating the AHL whenever he hits the ice. After scoring 42 points in 46 games last season, he’s off to an even better start with 16 in his first 17. That performance earned Spence 24 appearances with the big club last year, despite being barely out of junior hockey. The fourth-round pick scored twice and added eight points in those games, earning him a short look in the playoffs as well, when the Kings were shorthanded.

His recall today is interesting, if only because the team plays tonight and could insert him directly into the lineup. It’s not clear who would come out, but Alex Edler and Sean Walker both played limited minutes on Sunday as the team lost to the Ottawa Senators in overtime.

Andersson played 8:37 in that game – including just four shifts in the third period – his first appearance of the season at the NHL level. The 24-year-old continues to be a disappointment relative to his draft position (seventh overall in 2017) and can’t seem to lock down a regular spot.

Los Angeles Kings Re-Assign Frederic Allard

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Nov 28: After coming up as an insurance policy, Allard has been returned to the Ontario Reign today without playing.

Nov 27: According to a team release Sunday, the Los Angeles Kings have recalled forward Lias Andersson and defenseman Brandt Clarke from the AHL’s Ontario Reign.

While Andersson has been continually shuffled up and down between the two leagues (he was sent down just yesterday), Clarke returns to the active roster after a two-week conditioning stint in the AHL. Due to the NHL-CHL eligibility agreement, the 19-year-old Clarke cannot be assigned to the minors full-time. However, the team had scratched him for five games in a row, making him eligible for a two-week, five-game conditioning stint in Ontario before returning to the NHL.

Clarke, the eighth overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, had a goal and an assist in five games with Ontario. He’s also played nine games in the NHL this season, meaning that one more game with the Kings will set his entry-level contract in motion. If not, his deal is eligible to slide until next season.

Despite spending a handful of days on the Kings’ roster, Andersson has yet to play an NHL game this season. The former New York Rangers prospect does have five goals and nine points in 12 games with the Reign, though, and may still be worth a few NHL looks at 24 years old.

One defenseman just wasn’t enough perhaps. After recalling Clarke and Andersson earlier this afternoon, the Kings announced they’ve recalled defenseman Frederic Allard from the Ontario Reign as well. Allard’s recall rounds out their roster at a complete 23 players. The 24-year-old has played in just five games this season, all with the Reign, recording one assist, and has played in just a single NHL game in his career, coming with the Nashville Predators back in 2020-21.

Forward Notes: Iafallo, Howden, Balcers

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Some good news is coming in the future for the Los Angeles Kings. LA Kings Insider’s Zach Dooley reports that Alex Iafallo has resumed skating on his own, although head coach Todd McLellan said he “won’t be in the lineup for a little while.”

Iafallo has missed 19 games so far this year with a lower-body injury. He remains week-to-week, and it’s likely another week or two at least before he returns. When he does, though, it’ll be a huge boost for a Kings team still in the playoff mix. The 28-year-old had five points through his first four games and remains a valuable top-nine piece in LA.

  • Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden is out tonight against the Vancouver Canucks after sustaining a lower-body injury in Thursday’s contest against Ottawa. Head coach Bruce Cassidy still isn’t sure about his return, but he said Howden likely won’t travel on the team’s upcoming road trip. That would put him out for at least four games, potentially returning on December 7 against his former team, the New York Rangers.
  • A recent pickup by the Tampa Bay Lightning is set to miss a few games. Forward Rudolfs Balcers, claimed on waivers from Florida earlier in the season, is unlikely to play on the team’s upcoming road trip, according to head coach Jon Cooper. The Bolts’ upcoming three-game swing sees them take on the Sabres, Bruins, and Flyers. Balcers has averaged under seven minutes per game in Tampa and has a goal in his first three Lightning appearances.

Kings Assign Lias Andersson And Jacob Moverare To The AHL

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The season-long shuffle continues for the Kings.  In an effort to bank extra cap space, the team has been shuffling waiver-exempt players to AHL Ontario on off days.  Today, that trend continues as the team announced that they’ve assigned center Lias Andersson and defenseman Jacob Moverare to the Reign.  In doing so, the team drops out of using LTIR and will be able to bank at least a little bit of cap room in advance of tomorrow’s game against Ottawa when one or both will likely be recalled.

Andersson cleared waivers last month for the first time and has spent the bulk of this season in the minors.  The 24-year-old continues to be quite productive with the Reign, notching five goals and four assists in 11 games but while he has been up with the Kings for the better part of the last two weeks, he has exclusively been a healthy scratch.  Even if it’s just for one day, getting into a game with Ontario tonight when they host Tucson certainly wouldn’t hurt.

As for Moverare, he has been the seventh defender with Los Angeles for the last couple of weeks while Brandt Clarke has been on a conditioning assignment with Ontario, one that is going to come to an end in less than 48 hours.  The 24-year-old also cleared waivers at the end of training camp and has played in eight games with the Reign this season while getting into two with the Kings where he has averaged just under 15 minutes a night of playing time.

Kings Haven’t Started Extension Talks With Jonathan Quick

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A little more than a year ago, it looked like Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick was riding out the stretch of his time with the only organization he’s known, a stretch that dates back to 2005 when he was drafted in the third round.  His numbers were dipping and with Cal Petersen inking a three-year, $15MM deal, the writing seemed to be on the wall.

But last season, Quick was by far the better of the two netminders, eventually winning back the starting role while starting every game in their first-round loss to Edmonton.  This season, it has been the same with the 36-year-old making more starts than Petersen so far (14-9) while putting up better numbers.

Despite that, Quick told Helene Elliott of the Los Angeles Times that there have been no discussions when it comes to potentially extending his stay for next season with his 10-year, $58MM contract signed back in 2012 set to expire in July.

In his prime, Quick was one of the top goalies in the NHL, helping lead the Kings to a pair of Stanley Cup titles while picking up a pair of Jennings Trophies as well for the best GAA in the league.  His numbers now certainly aren’t at that level – he has a 2.76 GAA and a .904 SV% since the start of the 2019-20 campaign – but he has shown that he can still contribute.

Los Angeles doesn’t exactly have an in-house replacement that’s ready to come up either.  Veteran third-stringer Pheonix Copley is the starter with AHL Ontario with 23-year-old Matt Villalta serving as the backup and neither of them projects to be an impact NHL goaltender.

Accordingly, it would make sense for the Kings to at least investigate what it would take to keep Quick around for another year.  While such a move wouldn’t solve their longer-term goaltending question mark, it would be a cheaper short-term solution that would allow them to potentially direct some of their spending to help at another position.

Tristan Jarry, Frederik Andersen, and Semyon Varlamov are the most prominent pending UFAs between the pipes assuming they don’t re-sign and would likely cost more than it would to keep Quick in the fold.  It’s a scenario that few would have thought possible a couple of years ago when Petersen was anointed the starter of the present and future but to his credit, Quick has done well enough to stay in the mix whether it’s with Los Angeles or elsewhere.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Los Angeles Kings Recall Three Players From AHL

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Nov 21: With the team back in action tomorrow night, all three players have now been recalled.

Nov 20: The Los Angeles Kings have announced that they have loaned three players to their AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign. Per the team announcement, forwards Rasmus Kupari and Lias Andersson, as well as defenseman Jacob Moverare are headed to the AHL.

Andersson and Moverare were called up a week ago, when the Kings placed Brendan Lemieux on Injured Reserve and sent down Brandt Clarke on a conditioning loan.

Now, both Andersson and Moverare will head back to Ontario. Moverare got skated in one game for the Kings, while Andersson didn’t get into the lineup.

Kupari, on the other hand, has spent most of his season in Los Angeles. The 2018 20th overall pick has four points in 12 games on just over 11 minutes of time on ice per game. Kupari has six points in six AHL games so far this year and should help bolster an Ontario attack that ranks 26th in the AHL in goals scored.

Andersson, 24, was the seventh overall pick at the 2017 draft. Los Angeles acquired him from the New York Rangers for a 2020 second-round pick hoping that a change of scenery would help his development, but things haven’t gone to plan for Andersson as a King. He has just eight points in 43 career games in Los Angeles, although he has been solid at the AHL level. Now back in Ontario, he should resume his role as a top-of-the-lineup AHL contributor.

Moverare, 24, was not a first-round pick as Andersson and Kupari were. Drafted in the fourth round in 2016, Moverare has developed into a nice depth defender for the Kings. The six-foot-three, 210-pound Swede has 20 NHL games on his resume and is trusted for his safe defense-first style.

Moverare’s 19-game NHL run last season included minutes on the Kings’ penalty kill, so expect him to return in that role if the Kings face some significant blueline injuries, as they did in 2021-22.

No corresponding call-ups were announced along with these loans, but it’s possible that Clarke is headed back to Los Angeles in the near future. These moves could also signal that Lemieux, who was sidelined with a lower-body injury, could be nearing a return.

Kings Not Willing To Deal From Defense Surplus As Of Right Now

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  • Earlier today on TSN’s Insider Trading segment, Pierre LeBrun touched on the Los Angeles Kings and their envious predicament of having too many defenseman. As a response, the team has placed defenseman Brandt Clarke on a conditioning loan in the AHL and Jordan Spence, who has proven to be a capable NHL defenseman, is currently a teammate of Clarke’s with the Ontario Reign of the AHL. LeBrun notes that teams have been wondering if the Kings are or will be willing to trade from their defensive depth, however it appears Los Angeles has indicated they are planning to hold onto their defenseman, at least for now.

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