The Los Angeles Kings are getting ready for a vital 2025-26 NHL season. Los Angeles has a brand new basic supervisor in Ken Holland after 4 straight first-round exits. Greater than this, the group is about to bear a altering of the guard. Anze Kopitar is retiring from the NHL after the 2025-26 marketing campaign.
Kopitar has confirmed to be one of many best gamers in franchise historical past. He’s the one captain in Los Angeles historical past to win the Stanley Cup, which he is carried out twice. He’s closing in on turning into the group’s all-time main level scorer, as nicely. Probably the most profitable factors in Kings historical past had been led by Kopitar’s performances.
This stated, the 37-year-old shouldn’t be going to steer this group offensively. He is not the identical participant he was once. He is an efficient top-six ahead, and he stays an vital a part of the group. However he will not be the participant Los Angeles followers have to hold the closest eye on.
Surprisingly, star winger Adrian Kempe is not it, both. The multi-time 40+ objective scorer goes to dominate headlines given his present contract standing. He’ll play an vital position, as nicely. Nonetheless, there’s one different participant Kings followers want to watch intently. His efficiency may have an enormous ripple impact for the approaching seasons.
Kings’ Quinton Byfield has to interrupt out in 2025-26
The Kings drafted Quinton Byfield second total within the 2020 NHL Draft. Byfield entered the NHL with a ton of expectations round him. Many, together with Los Angeles, believed he had the potential to be a first-line heart within the NHL.
Sadly, he struggled early in his profession with accidents. He wasn’t capable of finding a level of full well being till 2023-24, when he skated in 80 video games. In 2024-25, he skated in 81 video games, as nicely, displaying that his damage issues could also be a factor of the previous.
Now that he is wholesome, many are beginning to count on him to carry out. And to be honest, he has performed nicely in current seasons. He is scored 20+ objectives in back-to-back campaigns, reaching a career-high 23 objectives in 2024-25. Furthermore, he has back-to-back 50+ level seasons.
These are definitely high quality numbers for a participant nonetheless getting their ft below them to some extent. Byfield solely lately turned 23 years previous. He has a whole lot of time to succeed in one other gear. On the similar time, with Kopitar retiring, there’s elevated urgency for Byfield to take this step sooner moderately than later.
As issues stand, Byfield stays the inheritor obvious on the Kings’ high line. He ought to heart that line this time subsequent season with the captain hanging up the skates. Consequently, he wants to provide extra. 54 or 55 level seasons is not going to reduce it, particularly for a group with playoff ambition similar to Los Angeles.
Byfield wants to indicate this season that he can deal with the elevated expectations subsequent yr. He may definitely be aided by Kevin Fiala and Alex Laferriere on his wings. Each gamers have the power to attain a great deal of objectives. Producing offense for these two gamers might be essential for Byfield.
In fact, Byfield’s performances matter for this season, as nicely. A breakout marketing campaign may see the Kings compete for his or her first division title since 1990-91. Continued momentum into the postseason may give Los Angeles an opportunity to ship Kopitar into the sundown with a 3rd ring.
Byfield’s performances matter each within the fast and long-term way forward for the Kings franchise. His type this yr may spell the distinction between being the following franchise heart and probably being a commerce piece for a extra established substitute.