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Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell breaks away from Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty to score a goal (Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images)

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LA Kings’ Biggest Strength in 2026-27

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Sharlette Shahbazyan | Last updated Sep 7, 2026 3:55 PM ET

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Looking ahead, the 2026-27 season will be different. A little too different, some may say. Anze Kopitar is officially retired, the captaincy is vacant and the team has a new head coach, Peter Laviolette. There are tough questions surrounding how the Kings will replace Kopitar’s presence down the middle and whether their goaltending can improve enough to push them deeper into the playoffs. Let’s explore what the Kings’ biggest asset heading into this season is.

Defense Is Key

If there is one area I feel confident and certain about, it’s the blue line. The Kings have plenty of experience on defense, and that could end up being one of the biggest strengths of this team. Los Angeles finished seventh in the NHL in goals against in the 2025-26 season, allowing 238 goals over 82 games. At the same time, they struggled to score, finishing with just 220 goals, which ranked 29th in the league. Drew Doughty is still going to be an important part of defense, while players like Mikey Anderson, Brian Dumoulin, Joel Edmundson and Cody Ceci give Los Angeles plenty of NHL experience. Brandt Clarke is also coming off a career year and will be looking to take another step forward.

Plenty of Young Talent

Clarke is still young, and I think he has so much to offer. With more responsibility coming his way, he could become one of the most important players on the Kings’ blue line. Los Angeles is going to need him to make smart decisions under pressure. Then there is Doughty. Having a veteran like him on defense gives the Kings something they cannot easily replace. He has been through just about everything in the NHL, and having that experience around younger players could be valuable for the team.

Then you have the Kings’ goaltending situation, which is one of the biggest storylines heading into training camp. Darcy Kuemper is expected to remain the starter with Anton Forsberg as backup, while Erik Portillo could also push for an NHL opportunity. If the Kings can get consistent goaltending, they could become a very difficult team to play against. They do not necessarily need to score three to five goals every night if they can limit the other team’s chances and prevent them from taking the lead.

A Look at the Forwards

This season will be a massive opportunity for Quinton Byfield to take a step forward. He scored a career-high 24 goals last season and became an important part of the group down the line while posting 49 points. Now he’s expected to take over as the Kings’ No. 1 center following Kopitar’s retirement. I’m not too worried about players like Adrian Kempe and Kevin Fiala, as they’ve already shown they can score and produce points. The bigger question will be whether the rest of the forward group can consistently contribute alongside them. But only time will tell.

When Defense Locks in, Everything Works Out

If the Kings can keep games close, they’ll always give themselves a chance to win, even on nights when the offense isn’t clicking right. Being able to rely on their defense and goaltending in a tight 2-1 or 4-3 game can make a big difference. They’ve shown that they can play a more structured style, and sticking to that will be important throughout the season. There will be games when the offense struggles, and that’s when the defense and goaltending will need to step up. Finding ways to win those battles could end up making a big difference in the standings. If the Kings can keep playing that way, I think their defense could end up being one of the biggest reasons they have a successful season.

This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.

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