The big question surrounding the Los Angeles Kings is can they get over the hump that is the Edmonton Oilers
In the past three post-seasons, the Los Angeles Kings have had a date with the Calgary Flames’ provincial rival, the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers have won all three series, winning the 2022 match-up in seven games, the 2023 series in six games, and most recently, the 2024 match-up in five games.
If the trend continues, the Kings and Oilers will match up in the 2025 post-season, with the Oilers sweeping the Kings. However, that isn’t set in stone and perhaps the moves the Kings have made this off-season will help them get over that hump.
Drafted players
It was a fairly uneventful 2024 draft for the Los Angeles Kings, as they had just four picks in the seven rounds.
The most notable pick was with their late first-round pick, selecting Liam Greentree from the Windsor Spitfire of the Ontario Hockey League. Last season, the 18-year-old winger scored 36 goals and 90 points for an abysmal team that missed the postseason.
With their second-round pick, the Kings stuck to the OHL, selecting netminder Carter George from the Owen Sound Attack. Last season, he had a .907 save percentage and a 3.30 goals-against average in 56 games. On top of that, the 18-year-old had a .904 save percentage and a 4.08 goals-against average (aka, he was peppered with shots) in the four postseason games the Attack played.
Moving to the sixth-round, the Kings selected another OHL player, picking up left-shot defenceman Jared Woolley from the London Knights. With the Ontario Hockey League champions, Woolley scored three goals and five points in 37 games, along with a goal and three points in 16 post-season games en route to a Memorial Cup final.
The Kings’ last pick of the 2024 draft was in the seventh-round, picking winger James Reeder from the United States Hockey League’s Dubuque Fighting Saints. Last season, the 18-year-old (who turns 19 in October) scored 20 goals and 60 points in 53 games, along with a goal and five points in 11 post-season games.
Funnily enough, the Kings traded all their original picks. Their first-round pick originally belonged to the Montréal Canadiens, while they acquired their second-round and seventh-round pick in the same trade (more on that later). As for their sixth-round pick, that was also acquired in a draft pick trade at the 2024 draft.
Trades
Since we just mentioned trades, let’s take a look at what the Kings were up to with the most fun acquisition in sports. On Jun. 27, 2023, the Kings traded for Pierre-Luc Dubois, giving the Winnipeg Jets a 2024 second-round pick, Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, and Rasmus Kupari. In hindsight, it was a bad trade for the Kings and the extension Dubois signed wasn’t much better for the them.
Well, their next trade on Jun. 19, yes, they went nearly a full calendar year without a trade, was moving Dubois and his $8.5 million AAV to the Washington Capitals in exchange for Darcy Kuemper. Dubois scored 16 goals and 40 points in 82 games in his only season with the Kings, while Kuemper posted an .890 save percentage and a 3.31 goals-against average with the Capitals, losing his starting job to Charlie Lindgren.
Unlike last season, the Kings were active in trades after the PLD trade, acquiring depth defenceman Kyle Burroughs from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Carl Grundström. At the draft, the traded their 21st-overall pick to the Montréal Canadiens for the 26th-overall pick, the 57th-overall pick, and the 198th-overall pick.
The following day, the Kings made a sizable acquisition, moving their 2025 second-round pick and the 118th-overall pick in the 2024 draft for Tanner Jeannot from the Tampa Bay Lightning. Last season, Jeannot scored seven goals and 14 points in 55 games, but put up 24 goals and 41 points along with 130 penalty minutes in 81 games with the Nashville Predators in 2021-22.
Their last move was a minor one, trading up to acquire the 164th-overall pick, moving the 182nd-overall pick and the 214th-overall pick to their geographical rivals, the Anaheim Ducks.
Free agent signings
Dating back to the middle of May, the Kings made numerous depth signings. Former Calgary Flame David Rittich agreed to a one-year extension worth $1 million on May 15. Nearly a week later, the Kings signed Aatu Jämsen to a two-year entry-level deal, as well as Kaleb Lawrence to a three-year entry-level deal. Taylor Ward, Andre Lee, and Akil Thomas, all American Hockey League players, agreed to extensions as well.
The Kings’ first big re-signing came on Jun. 22, re-signing their 2019 fifth-overall pick, Alex Turcotte, to a three-year deal worth the league minimum. The 23-year-old has only played 32 National Hockey League games with one goal and four points. Also re-signing was Samuel Fagemo, who signed a one-year deal.
On the opening day of free agency on Jul. 1, the Kings made two notable signings. They signed Warren Foegele to a three-year deal worth $10.5 million, as well as Joel Edmundson to a four-year deal worth $15.4 million. Foegele, who played with the Edmonton Oilers in 2023-24, scored a career-high 20 goals and 41 points in 82 games, along with three goals and eight points in 22 postseason games.
The Kings also re-signed Trevor Lewis to a one-year, $800,000 deal, as well as netminder Pheonix Copley to a one-year, $825,000 deal. Moreover, the team signed depth players Glenn Gawdin and Jeff Malott on the first day of free agency.
Over the next few days, the Kings re-signed depth player Tyler Madden, as well as Jack Studnicka, Reilly Walsh, and Caleb Jones. However, their biggest re-signing of the off-season was agreeing to terms with their star player, Quinton Byfield. Last season, the 21-year-old score a career-high 20 goals and 55 points in 80 games, and was rewarded with a five-year deal worth $6.25 million annually, or $31.25 million.
To round out their signings, the Kings signed Liam Greentree and Carter George to their entry-level contracts. Moreover, Jordan Spence signed an extension worth $3 million over the next two seasons.
Departures
While the Kings made quite a few transactions, they also had a handful of players depart the team, most notably Viktor Arvidsson, Cam Talbot, and Matt Roy. Arvidsson scored six goals and nine points in 18 regular season games, but hit the 30-goal mark on two occasions, and scored 20 and 26 six goals respectively in 2021-22 and 2022-23. He signed with the Edmonton Oilers.
Talbot, a former Calgary Flame, had a .913 save percentage and a 2.48 goals-against average in 54 games with the Kings. He re-established himself as a capable starter and a great backup, signing with the goaltending starved Detroit Red Wings.
Roy became the team’s second-pair defenceman, scoring five goals and 25 points in 82 games, down from the nine goals and 26 points the season prior. He signed with the Washington Capitals, but that’s a rather notable loss for the Kings on the backend.
Other departures include Kevin Connauton, Hayden Hodgson, Blake Lizotte, Steven Santini, and T.J. Tynan. Moreover, Aaron Dell, Jacob Ingham, and Mikhail Maltsev remain as unrestricted free agents.
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