What's gone wrong for the winless Kings?

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

What's gone wrong for the winless Kings?

By Vanessa Serrao | Last updated Oct 18, 2026 11:40 AM ET

The Los Angeles Kings are the only winless team to start the 2026-27 NHL season, sporting an 0-4-2 record following their sixth straight loss on Saturday to the Boston Bruins.

The Kings have scored just one goal in each of their last four games and despite outshooting their opponents they have struggled to capitalize on scoring chances.

The defense hasn't been much better, as the Kings have allowed four or more goals in four of their six games.

Their mid-game collapses have been a lingering trend and was evident against the Bruins on Saturday. The Kings had a 1-0 lead amid a dominant first period, only to see Boston score four unanswered goals en route to comfortable win.

While the Kings have shown the ability to start games on a strong note, they have continuously given up their momentum. In addition, they have fallen short with closing out tight games (two overtime losses), an issue that has carried over from last season (20 overtime losses).

The LA Kings are now the ONLY winless team in the NHL after losing to Boston, while the Flyers earned their first win against Ottawa Los Angeles falls to 0-4-2, extending the worst start in franchise history https://t.co/doulYLeMG7
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) October 18, 2026

Rough 2026-07 start is one the Los Angeles Kings will want to forget

On top of their defensive woes, the goaltending from Darcy Kuemper and Anton Forsberg has also been a weak point for the team. Kuemper owns a 4.17 GAA and a .845 save percentage while Forsberg holds a 4.53 GAA and .847 save percentage.

All things considered, allowing more than four goals per game places a heavy toll on a team that's offense has been anemic. Their sloppy play has also contributed to spending too much time in the penalty box with eight power play goals already given up this season.

The team has also been hit with the injury bug early this season, missing key goal scorers such as Kevin Fiala, Mats Zuccarello and Alex Turcotte, disrupting their offensive flow.

Vanessa Serrao

Serrao is a freelance baseball writer who has covered all MLB teams, with particular expertise on the Toronto Blue Jays. She is a member of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America.

More must-reads: