In what’s starting to feel like a September playoff series, the Kings and Ducks will hook up for the third time in seven days — and in the third different building. After LA claimed a 3-1 victory in Ontario last Sunday and a 3-0 shutout win on Wednesday in Anaheim, the two SoCal rivals are not taking their show on the road to Bakersfield. Saturday afternoon’s contest will also feature a wide range of roster changes, typical at this time of the year.
Things have been sharpening into focus over the past few days, with all junior players sans Liam Greentree having already been returned to their CHL clubs. The 19-year-old winger is expected to see action in his third preseason game this afternoon. What happens beyond that with LA’s top prospect was looked at in an article here:
A pair of other forwards fighting for the Kings final few roster spots will also see action tonight, as coach Jim Hiller is set to ice a lineup that includes Akil Thomas and Andre Lee — perhaps even on the same line.
Thomas is of particular interest at the moment, after Hiller specifically complimented his game last weekend.
“Obviously, last year was tough for me, but somehow I found a way to disassociate last year in my mind,” the 25-year-old recently told Mayor’s Manor. “I actually don’t think about it. People can ask me about it, but I don’t even remember. In a way, I can, but I don’t even think about it anymore. I flushed it; and I mean that, honestly. I’ve really done a good job at just focusing on what’s ahead and the things I need to do. I’m pretty confident because I worked on a lot of stuff this summer, and I’ve felt really good all summer. I really took those skates seriously.”
He went on to share a little bit from a pre-camp conversation he had with Hiller and GM Ken Holland.
“I just wanted them to know that I’m coming in swinging,” stated Thomas. “If they forgot about me in any way, that’s obviously not what I want and I want to prove myself during camp. I want to jump out at them. In a way, I want to surprise them. I’m sure some people have me written off — maybe not everybody, though. I don’t really care. It’s just a matter of what I have to do [right now] to push my name further. I’ve been in this situation every year. I think this is my eighth Camp, so nothing’s changed. If anything, I’m just stronger, faster, more confident.”
What You May Have Missed
— Clarke and Dumoulin Discuss Their Potential Defensive Pairing LINK
— Kings Begin 2025-26 Season with Five College Prospects in Top 10 LINK
— The List: Kings Could Lose These Players to Waivers During Training Camp LINK
— Phil Danault: You Won’t Believe How I Spent My Summer LINK
— Looking Back at Kopitar’s Career in LA, Some Stats to Ponder LINK
Kings Projected Lineup vs. Ducks
The following players have been confirmed for the trip to Bakersfield. We’ve initially aligned most of them using some of what Hiller has been showing during camp thus far. However, this alignment is purely a guesstimate. The article will be updated during pregame warmups, if needed.
Moore – Danault – Foegele
Greentree– Laferriere – Armia
Lee – Helenius – Thomas
Wright – Pinelli – Ward
Hicketts – Clarke
Moverare – Ceci
Dvorak – Burroughs
Copley
Portillo
Likely scratches: (D) Millar, and (G) Saville
For those wondering why guys like Kopitar and Kempe aren’t playing, keep in mind most veterans play around 2-3 preseason games. The Kings have seven total on their schedule. Also, the NHL uses a preseason rule where teams only need to suit up a minimum of eight veterans (defined as players who skated in 30+ NHL games last season or 100+ career NHL games). For some odd reason, players who were first round draft picks the prior year also qualify. This rule is intended to allow teams some flexibility in roster assembly — allowing them to look at prospects, etc. — while also providing fans the opportunity to see some known stars, as well.
How to Watch the Game
Puck drop is set for 3:00 pm Pacific Time and will be available via SLVR on Samsung TV Plus and multiple streams (i.e. Victory+, and on LAKings.com). Additionally, a Kings radio feed is available on the ESPN LA app.
Following tonight, LA will have three preseason games remaining on their schedule and all can be viewed on TV. For a quick overview of each game and where to watch them, see this article here.
Across the Ice
Here’s how Anaheim is lined up vs. LA on Wednesday
:
Gauthier – Carlsson – Terry
Kreider – Granlund – Killorn
Nesterenko – Poehling – Colangelo
Ro. Johnston – Washe – Sidorov
LaCombe – Helleson
Mintyukov – Trouba
Solberg – Luneau
Dostál
Clang
On This Day in Kings History
Follow @mayorNHL
Continue reading...