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Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke and forward Mathieu Joseph watch as goalie Darcy Kuemper makes a save on Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)

Kings’ Playoff Hopes Still Achievable With 9 Games Left

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Raz Devraj | Last updated Mar 30, 2026 3:40 PM ET

With nine games remaining for the Los Angeles Kings, nothing has changed in the grand scheme of things. Sure, they look like a more aggressive bunch, a more detailed group that has led to an offensive uptick and a team willing to push the pace instead of solely relying on their defensive play. But with all the on-ice changes, the Kings are still the definition of mediocrity. There’s enough there fir them to stay in the race, but not enough for them to take control of the opportunity and string enough consistency together to make their mark in the standings.

Their five-game road trip in early March showed signs of positivity and some long-awaited consistency, but it tapered off quickly once they returned home to play the Philadelphia Flyers on March 19, where they lost in a shootout, 4-3. The Kings went on win only one of their final five games of the month, and that one win came against the worst team in the NHL, the Vancouver Canucks.

There are a few things that have stood out when it comes to the Kings’ so-called playoff push, and it’s these things that have hindered their ability to make any real progress. They can’t play well at home, goaltending has taken a serious hit, they blow leads quickly, and they can’t seem to step up and take advantage of important situations.

Take Saturday’s game against the Utah Mammoth as a prime example. Trailing the Mammoth by four points in the standings before puck drop, the Kings had a chance to narrow it to two and make it easier for themselves to continue pushing toward a playoff spot. Instead, they lost 6-2 and now trail the Mammoth by six points.

It’s not that the Kings lost that game, but it’s the fact that they didn’t even give themselves a chance to win a huge game. Completely outclassed for 60 minutes, they were a disjointed and completely disengaged group. How about dropping a point against a bottom-four team in the Calgary Flames a few days prior? It’s games like these late in the season that they needed to be better in.

Darcy Kuemper put this team on his back last season, but for the majority of this season, he hasn’t seemed to be able to get back to that form. Lately, he has been more of a liability than a strength, and it couldn’t have come at a worse time. During March, he posted a .891 save percentage (the fifth-worst SV% league-wide by any goaltender who played at least 10 games) and a negative-0.25 goals saved above average. Anton Forsberg has been slightly better with a .894 SV%, but collectively, the Kings’ goaltending has taken a hit and has cost them multiple points as of late.

The Kings are chasing the gap between themselves and the teams that are a few points ahead of them, as well as trying to stay in front of the teams tailgating them. Luckily, the Pacific Division “pillow fight” is still very much ongoing, anything can still happen, and they still have a good shot at making the playoffs even though the entirety of their season has felt like anything but playoff caliber.

Can the Kings Capitalize on a Scheduling Advantage?

The ending to this season could potentially be one for the record books when it comes to the Pacific, and there’s a very strong chance that the playoffs still won’t be set until April 16 comes and goes.

It’s almost like a division tournament to end the season with how many games the Kings will play against teams in the Western Conference and teams they are battling for the last couple of playoff spots. The Kings’ remaining schedule is something that should be looked at as an opportunity, almost like “the ball is in their court” because it’s in their hands to make something happen. Only three of the nine games the Kings play will be against playoff teams, and two of those are against the Nashville Predators. The Predators currently sit in the second wild-card spot, just one point ahead.

Aside from that, the Kings will play five games against teams near the bottom of the standings: One against the Flames, one against the St. Louis Blues, one against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and two against the Canucks.

No other team vying for a playoff spot in the West has the opportunity to play a team they are chasing twice, as well as the worst team in the league twice. The Predators have the toughest remaining schedule, having to play the Anaheim Ducks twice, the Minnesota Wild, and the Mammoth. The only high-level team the Kings will need to face from here on out is the Edmonton Oilers.

The Kraken, who sit just one point behind the Kings with a game in hand, still have to play the Mammoth, Wild, Avalanche, and Golden Knights twice. Speaking of the Golden Knights, they have been one of the worst teams as of late, but still remain third in the Pacific. They could very well continue to slide, which presents another opening into the playoffs for the Kings.

The only thing that sparks trouble for the Kings is the fact that six of their remaining nine games will be in Los Angeles. It’s no secret how abysmal they have been on home ice, and with a 10-17-8 record at Crypto.com Arena, having to play two-thirds of their remaining games at home doesn’t provide a whole lot of confidence.

At the end of the day, the ball is in the Kings’ court. For the most part, they control their destiny, and if they can just figure out a way to be consistent and take advantage of being able to beat teams like the Predators, Canucks, and Kraken while getting a little more support from their goaltenders, they will put themselves in a prime position to make the playoffs.