By: Chris Nosek

For the fourth straight season the Kings lost to the Oilers in the first round of the playoffs. Last season looked like the season they would finally be able to knock the Oilers out. Each of the first two games in the series the Kings got out to strong starts. A failed coaches challenge shifted the momentum of the series in the third game. This rivalry isn’t going to end any time soon. There is certainly a chance we could see round five this post season.

Biggest Departure: Vladislav Gavrikov, signed as unrestricted free agent with New York Rangers

Last season Gavrikov was a top pairing defenseman for the Kings. He logged an average of 23 minutes per night in the regular season and played in all 82 games. Gavrikov isn’t a high end scoring threat. However, last season he did put up 30 points. That was a new career high. With Gavrikov’s signing with the Rangers, the Kings new number one left-shot defenseman is Mikey Anderson. At only 26 years old, Anderson has massive skates to fill. The loss of Gavrikov guts the depth of the defense, but if everyone can stay healthy they should be okay.

Biggest Acquisition: Corey Perry, signed as unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2025

It’s not often that a playoff team gets to add a 20-year veteran who has 237 games of playoff experience. Perry has reformed his game allowing him to play lower in the lineup. However, he was able to step up in the playoffs for the Oilers last season. He posted 14 points over 22 games. Despite being 40 years old, Perry is still in great physical shape. Until proven otherwise, he continues to bring a lot to the table. This is especially true for a team trying to surpass the first-round of the playoffs.

Best Contract: Anze Kopitar, re-signed as unrestricted free agent on July 6, 2023

Kopitar has been the Captain of the Kings since June 16, 2016. Kopitar recently announced that the 2025-26 season will be his last. He has often been considered a top defensive forward across the league. Many believe Kopitar would have had more Selke trophies if he played on the east coast. He’s been a leader in every way for the Kings. He has played in over 80 each of the past four seasons. As the Kings have consistently qualified for the playoffs, the players will rally around Kopitars retirement. Kopitar will be one of the best all-around values in the league given his $7 million cap hit.

Worst Contract: Kyle Burroughs, acquired via trade from San Jose Sharks

Burroughs was brought in from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Carl Grunderstrom. He only carries a cap hit of $1.1 million which isn’t too terrible. However, right now he’s not a top-6 defender for the team. Even with him as the seventh defenseman for the Kings, they should spend less than $1 million on that position. He’s only 30 years old, and his contract is up after this season. By no stretch is this a bad contract overall. However, the other candidates are at least in the projected starting lineup and would win because of the term. For this season, having an overpaid 7th defenseman is not ideal for the Kings. They are trying to advance past the first round.

Notes:

Overall the Pacific Division is significantly stronger for this season. The Sharks and Ducks should be much better while the Canucks shouldn’t be nearly as unstable. While they’re poised for a playoff position, if the Kings aren’t careful they will fall out of that spot. Ken Holland has only been General Manager for four months, and he still has $2.6 million in cap space to work with. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Kings take a step back this season. If they do take a step back this season, they would likely be better for it in the long run.