TODAY’S MATCHUP: We’re back! The LA Kings are coming out of the Olympic break tonight, as they host the Vegas Golden Knights in a Pacific Division showdown.
HEAD-TO-HEAD: The Kings have a 1-1-1 record versus Vegas this season, with tonight’s game concluding the season series between the two clubs. Forward Andrei Kuzmenko leads the Kings this season with three points (1-2-3) in three games versus Vegas, while defenseman Brandt Clarke leads the way with two goals. Clarke has seven career points against the Golden Knights, his most versus one NHL opponent.
KINGS VITALS: After a full practice yesterday, the Kings held an optional morning skate today, in advance of their return to game action.
Goaltender Anton Forsberg was off the ice first for the Kings this morning, but Jim Hiller was non-committal on tonights starter. Forsberg has been one of the NHL’s best goaltenders since the calendar flipped to 2026. Among netminders with at least five appearances since January 1, Forsberg ranks sixth in the league with a .920 save percentage, while his 2.27 goals-against average ranks eighth. Should Kuemper get the nod, hes returning to Los Angeles after winning a silver medal with Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. Id expect Forsberg, but until warmups we wait to know for sure.
Based on today’s morning skate and practices over the last couple of days, here is tonight’s projected lineup for the Kings –
Panarin – Laferriere – Kempe Byfield – Kopitar – Moore Armia – Turcotte – Kuzmenko Foegele – Helenius – Perry
Anderson – Doughty Edmundson – Clarke Dumoulin – Ceci
Lots of moves and things to talk about here, especially considering the team’s long break in between games. Should the above lines pan out, it would leave forwards Jeff Malott and Taylor Ward, as well as defenseman Jacob Moverare, as healthy scratches. Not positive on the bottom-six alignment, so consider this more an educated guess than anything firm. Could see Foegele and Armia swapped. Updates on a number of players below in the 3 To Watch For section of the preview!
GOLDEN KNIGHTS VITALS: Vegas sits atop the Pacific Division with 68 points as NHL games resume, eight points clear of the Kings in the top spot.
Per Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review Journal, heres how Vegas lined up this morning, with goaltender Adin Hill expected to get the start in net
Lines and pairs, to the best of my ability: Barbashev-Hertl-KolesarSmith-Laczynski-DorofeyevSaad-Sissons-HoltzReinhardt-Uchacz-Bowman Lauzon-AnderssonMcNabb-CoghlanHutton-Korczak — Danny Webster (@DannyWebster21) February 25, 2026
Vegas will be without forward Jack Eichel and defenseman Noah Hanafin tonight, after both players won the gold-medal game with Team USA on Sunday. Per Bruce Cassidy speaking yesterday, Canadian Olympians Mark Stone, Mitch Marner and Shea Theodore are all TBD for tonight and none of the three skated at Crypto.com Arena today, with the expectation that they will not play tonight. Certainly, a massive opportunity for the Kings to capitalize without what could be five key players in the lineup for Vegas.
Storyline Of The Day – Debut for 72 It’s Artemi Panarin time!
No one has played an NHL game in 20 days but for Panarin, that goes even a bit longer. Prior to the trade with New York, Panarin was held out of the lineup by the Rangers in anticipation of a trade. He hasn’t played since January 26, a gap of exactly one month. Does that mean the Kings will ease him into it? Wouldnt count on it.
“We will lean on him and look to him a lot, Jim Hiller said of Panarin. Hes a good week of practice, everybodys very impressed. We knew the type of player he was. You watch him and you get on the ice with him, the players watch him in line, do some of the drills and and you realize what an elite talent he is. He doesnt have to put the weight of the world on his shoulders, to put the team on his back, hes obviously signed for a couple more years beyond this, so think we can all just let him settle in, were going to see a terrific player as an LA King. Weve just got to make sure that hes not coming in here and feeling the pressure that he has to do something that he doesnt normally do. He has to go be Artemi Panarin.
The break almost levels that playing field a bit. Its not as if Panarin has been off for a month where the rest of the league has been playing games. Some players have, obviously, at the Olympics, but for the bulk of the team, this is the first game back in a while. Whether thats two weeks or a month, its a while. That should help to even things out a bit for the new guy.
Panarin is hoping to pick up where he left off, when he collected 16 points (5-11-16) in 11 games played during the month of January. He has two assists in two games played versus Vegas this season and there’s a ton of excitement coming from his direction to get things going with a new club.
In terms of the players, theres just tons of excitement from the Kings surrounding their newest player.
Alex Turcotte Its huge for our team. Hes one of the best players in the league, hes so talented. Were really happy and excited to have him here. Hes just a sick player, so its been great.
Drew Doughty Offensively, hes got good vision, hes got good moves, hes got a good shot, very talented offensively, very happy to have him. I know dont know him that well but from what Ive gathered, great guy too, great guy to have in the room. Very excited to have him.
Joel Armia Hes a special player. I cant wait to see him on the ice in a Kings uniform, its going to be exciting to see him. Hes one of the best in the league offensively.
Mikey Anderson Everyones super excited. Hes a special player, does some things that a lot of guys dont. Playing against him, he handles the puck so good, he knows how to create space for himself. It feels like, no matter how tight you are to him, he finds a way to get a puck through you or around you. He knows where guys are at all the time. Hes one of those offensive threats that when youre defending him, you know where he is all the time. Were happy to have a guy like him, I think hell add a good boost to our offense.
Quinton Byfield Were super excited to have him. Weve seen what he does on the ice and what hes going to bring to us. Just being around him, seeing what he does on the ice, its just super exciting. I cant wait to get out on the ice with him [in a game] and to be on the same team as him.
So the guys are excited. Coaches are excited. Panarin is excited as well.
Well see him in action tonight, a very exciting moment here for the Kings organization. Certainly needs to be, with the importance of the two points at stake versus Vegas.
