Looking to return to their winning ways, coach Jim Hiller and his LA Kings are set to take the ice in Philadelphia this morning for the first of back-to-back games this weekend.
With a pair of wins over the Blues and Red Wings already in the bank, four points are still on the table during this five-game road trip. Picking up at least one win over the Flyers or Hurricanes (tomorrow’s opponent) would have to be considered a successful stint and give the group some optimism as they inch closer to the Olympic break next week. While LA has been playing better overall recently, they ran into their nemesis in Buffalo — as the scoring bug struck again. One goal won’t lead to too many wins, and running into the league’s hottest team didn’t help either.
Above all else, what GM Ken Holland has up his sleeve for some roster help remains a bit of a mystery, as he’s believed to be working on a number of different potential deals. What he ultimately decides to do may largely depend on how the team performs over the next four games. Obviously, every game matters right now, as LA is still battling for a playoff spot.
Lineup plans for today’s contest remain in a bit of flux, as Anze Kopitar remains close to making a return (yet would need to be activated from IR in order to play). Meanwhile, earlier in the week there were indications prospect Kenny Connors could draw in, giving the Kings another natural centerman in the lineup. Without a morning skate, we’ll have to wait until Hiller’s pregame session with the media to get confirmation.
In goal, it’ll be interesting to see how LA’s bench boss deploys Darcy Kuemper and Anton Forsberg for the back-to-back set. On one hand, Sunday’s game is against the tougher opponent, so one might think to save Kuemper for that one. However, using the ‘play for the more likely win’ thought process used by many coaches, Forsberg has been more reliable of late, earning more of the Kings wins than losses the past few weeks.
Statistically Speaking
— The Kings have points in nine of their last 10 games (7-1-2) in Philly and have outscored the Flyers 31-22 over that span.
— Quinton Byfield is riding a five-game point streak against the Flyers and has been held off the scoresheet in just two of his seven career matchups vs. Philadelphia.
— Brandt Clarke picked up his 20th helper of the year Thursday night in Buffalo to hit the 20-assist plateau for the second consecutive season (28 A in 2024-25). His six goals, 20 assists and 26 points pace all Kings blueliners while his plus-12 plus/minus rating is tied for the team-best with Anze Kopitar.
— Warren Foegele had three points (including the game-winning goal on Dec. 19, 2025) across his pair of games against the Flyers in his debut season with the Kings last year.
— Among all the speculation of LA’s rumored interest in Rangers forward Artemi Panarin, Mayor’s Manor founder added a few thoughts on the subject late Friday:
Kings Projected Lineup vs. Flyers
If there are any key changes during pregame warmups, this article will be updated.
Perry – Laferriere – Kempe
Moore – Byfield – Armia
Fiala – Connors * – Kuzmenko
Foegele – Helenius – Ward
* NOTE: Projected without a morning skate
Anderson – Doughty
Edmundson – Clarke
Dumoulin – Ceci
Kuemper (starter)
Forsberg
Likely scratches: (F) Malott and (D) Moverare
Out Until Further Notice: Turcotte
Injured Reserve: Kopitar
How to Watch the Game
Puck drop is set for 9:30 am Pacific Time and will be televised by FanDuel Sports. Additionally, a Kings radio feed is available on the ESPN LA app.
With the television landscape changing at a rapid pace, we have all the latest news regarding some current FanDuel issues here — including how some teams cancelling contracts impacts LA’s plans for the balance of their 2025-26 season.
Across the Ice
Philadelphia is coming off a 6-3 loss to Boston on Thursday. Here’s how they lined up in that matchup:
Grebenkin – Dvorak – Konecny
Barkey – Cates – Tippett
Michkov – Zegras – Brink
Deslauriers – Couturier – Hathaway
York – Sanheim
Seeler – Drysdale
Andrae – Juulsen
Ersson
On This Day in Kings History
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