Kings Recall Joe Hicketts
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.
Kings Recall Kenny Connors
The Kings announced this afternoon that they’ve recalled center Kenny Connors from AHL Ontario. With Anže Kopitar still on injured reserve, there’s no need for a corresponding move.
Connors, 22, will be making his NHL debut if he gets into a game. The 6’2″ pivot was a fourth-round pick in 2022 from the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League. He went on to be a key player at UMass for the next three years, including an appearance for the United States at the 2023 World Junior Championship, recording 26 goals and 77 points in 109 career collegiate games. He was named to the Hockey East’s All-Rookie Team in 2022-23 following a 26-point effort as a freshman, but his offensive production remained relatively stagnant from there.
Nonetheless, the Kings liked what they saw from Connors enough in college to offer him an entry-level contract last summer. In his first year pro, he’s been among the better two-way forwards in Ontario with 24 points and a +13 rating in 41 games, which ranks second on the team.
Whether his offensive game will pop enough for him to be a long-term NHL fixture remains to be seen. He’s not considered a top-10 name in the system and was described as a “long [shot] to ever make the big club” by Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis just last offseason. Now, he gets his first chance to prove that descriptor wrong.
For now, he gives the Kings a needed option down the middle after Alex Turcotte sustained an upper-body injury in Saturday’s game against the Blues. He’s listed as day-to-day, per the team’s Zach Dooley, and isn’t looking likely to play tomorrow against the Red Wings. With no options on the wing who are natural fits at center, the tea leaves point toward Connors entering the lineup if Turcotte can’t go, especially since Joel Edmundson is also banged up, removing the possibility for head coach Jim Hiller to dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen.
Kings, Kenny Connors Agree To Entry-Level Contract
April 3: Los Angeles announced the deal this morning. It begins next season.
April 2: The Kings have agreed to a two-year entry-level contract with forward Kenny Connors, John Hoven of Mayor’s Manor reports. The 22-year-old pivot turns pro following his junior season with UMass. It’s unclear whether the deal begins immediately or next season, but it’s likely the latter.
Connors isn’t a free-agent pickup. Los Angeles selected him in the fourth round (No. 103 overall) of the 2022 draft from the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League. The Glen Mills, Pennsylvania native jumped to NCAA play with the Minutemen following his selection, putting together a 9-17–26 scoring line in 32 games in his freshman season to earn Hockey East All-Rookie Team honors. He also suited up for the United States at the 2023 World Juniors, scoring a pair of goals in seven games and winning a bronze medal.
The 6’2″, 207-lb center hasn’t seen an increase in point production over his last two seasons, though. He was limited to 7-15–22 in 37 games in his sophomore season, a stark drop from 0.81 to 0.59 points per game. He got things back on track somewhat this year with a 10-goal, 29-point showing in 40 games, but his 0.73 points per game still didn’t eclipse his freshman effort.
Nonetheless, Connors will close the book on his collegiate career. He’ll likely get a lengthy look with AHL Ontario before getting a crack at making his NHL debut. He’s the No. 12 prospect in the Kings’ system, per Scott Wheeler of The Athletic. That’s second in what’s a paper-thin pool of centers in L.A. behind 2021 second-rounder Francesco Pinelli. He “plays a well-rounded two-way game built upon hard work, a drive to be involved, decent skating, applying pressure and then making quick decisions and reads with the puck to generate offense and sustain offensive-zone time,” Wheeler writes. “I’m not sure if he has true NHL skill, pace or upside, but some believe he might become a bottom-six option or good AHL depth and I could see that.”
Regardless of when Connors’ deal begins, it gives the Kings 32 deals on the books for the 2025-26 campaign, 19 of which are forwards.