We are continuing the LA Kings season reviews with the Kings’ premiere off-season acquisition, Kevin Fiala!
Season Overview
Acquiring Kevin Fiala was the LA Kings’ big move of the 2022 off-season. The Kings sent the 19th overall pick in the 2022 draft and prospect defenseman Brock Faber in late June last summer. This trade was more than worth the Kings while. He came to Los Angeles with high expectations and more than met them.
Fiala produced over a point per game and was the team’s lone all-star selection. He played in multiple line combinations as well. He was put on the top line with Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe, down to the third line with Blake Lizotte and Gabriel Vilardi, second line time was spent with Philip Danault and Viktor Arvidsson as well.
Season Stats
Fiala posted 72 points in only 69 games in the 2022-2023 season for the LA Kings. This is the second-highest point total in his career, however, he was on pace to set a new career-high had he not been injured. He set his career-high of 85 points through 82 games in 2021-2022 with Minnesota averaging 1.036 PPG, with LA however, he averaged 1.043 PPG. He buried 23 goals and tacked on 49 assists this year. Fiala’s 23 goals were good for fourth on the team only behind Adrian Kempe, Viktor Arvidsson, and Adrian Kempe.
Playoff Stats
Fiala showed out in his first postseason for the LA Kings. He only played in three games due to his lower-body injury, yet still managed to put up six points. Fiala said in his end-of-season press conference that he was not 100% during the playoffs, but he would not give it a specific percentage. In the playoffs Fiala spent time on the third line similar to the regular season, however, his linemates were Quinton Byfield and Gabriel Vilardi.
Looking Ahead
Headed into this summer and the future, Kevin Fiala will be a primary piece for the LA Kings’ future. Fiala’s line and linemates, however, are not. The LA Kings are hoping that Fiala can not only continue to produce but improve on his 2022-2023 campaign in years to come!
More must-reads: