Seven more to go, but with a lot of work still to be done.
This afternoon, LA’s homestand continues against Toronto, but the key storylines extend beyond Crypto.com Arena. Entering play today, the Kings are tied with the Predators and Sharks, each with 79 points in the Western Conference. Essentially, it’s a three-way logjam for the final wild card spot. Making matters a tad more interesting, Nashville and San Jose are facing off in their own game today. Thus, one of those clubs will come away with two points.
This means coach DJ Smith and his squad need a win today just to keep pace.
After gaining three out of a possible four points in a back-to-back earlier this week, perhaps the Kings have a little momentum to build off of at the moment. Now could be the perfect time to pounce on a Toronto team that is without their captain, Auston Matthews.
Here’s another interesting angle to the whole thing — it would actually be in Toronto’s best interest to lose today. Why? Because the Maple Leafs acquired a third-round pick from GM Ken Holland in a deal for Scott Laughton last month. However, that upgrades to a second-round selection if the Kings make the playoffs.
For Smith and the coaching staff, they’ll need to decide who to go with in net. Although they’ve continued to call Darcy Kuemper’s name for most crucial games this season, the veteran netminder has struggled quite often. Could it be enough to force the issue and go with Anton Forsberg today?
“[Mike Buckley] will make those decisions, he’s the goalie coach,” said Smith after Thursday’s shootout loss to Nashville. “Kuemps has been our guy all along. Certainly, we’ll look at everything in every position that gives us a chance to win.”
We’re expecting LA to roll with their reconfigured blueline pairings once again. Meanwhile, on an offensive note, Adrian Kempe has started to heat up once again. Getting the most out of him over the next two weeks should dramatically increase the odds of a game 83 because in times like these, your best player has to be your best player. Kempe has proven he’s capable of carrying his club by putting the puck in the back of the net quite often.
Getting off to a fast start could be the key today, and it was something Smith also talked about recently.
“You probably have to simplify it,” said LA’s bench boss, when asked about not coming out flat at home like the Kings did on Thursday. “You have to start by winning the opening drop, you have to put it in and you have to forecheck. You get a couple shifts in and then you get going. It’s like anything else, the more you talk about it, then it becomes a thing. So, you could turn around and say, ‘Boy, your second periods are good’ or ‘Boy, your third period was really good tonight.’ ”
To keep hope alive, the Kings need to do all of that tonight, and likely a little more.
Statistically Speaking
— The Kings aim to sweep the season series against Toronto for the third time in franchise history, joining the 2016-17 (2-0-0) and 1988-89 (3-0-0) Kings teams.
— Scott Laughton skates into his first head-to-head with the Maple Leafs after being acquired by the Kings from Toronto on March 6. After Laughton recorded a huge goal for the Kings on Thursday, LA captain Anze Kopitar had this to say about his teammate…
— Adrian Kempe recorded his team-leading 14th multi-point, and fourth multi-goal, game of the season on Thursday night to clinch his fourth career 30-goal campaign and tie Butch Goring for the sixth-most such seasons in franchise history.
— Newmarket, Ontario, native Quinton Byfield recorded two points, including the overtime winner, in his last contest against his hometown club on Nov. 13, 2025.
— Mikey Anderson notched his 100th career NHL assist on Thursday night against Nashville to become the 24th defenseman in team history to reach the 100-point mark, and sixth U.S.-born blueliner.
Kings Projected Lineup vs. Maple Leafs
If there are any key changes during pregame warmups, this article will be updated.
Panarin – Kopitar – Kempe
Moore – Byfield – Laferriere
Armia – Laughton – Wright
Joseph – Helenius – Ward
Dumoulin – Doughty
Edmundson – Clarke
Anderson – Ceci
Forsberg (starter, unconfirmed)
Kuemper
Likely scratches: (F) Malott, Turcotte and (D) Moverare
Injured Reserve: Fiala, Kuzmenko (injury status updates here)
How to Watch the Game
Puck drop is set for 4:00 pm Pacific Time and will be televised by FanDuel Sports. Additionally, a Kings radio feed is available on the ESPN LA app.
More on the Kings’ changing TV situation for next season can be found here.
Across the Ice
Toronto is coming off a 4-1 loss to San Jose on Thursday. Here’s how they lined up in that matchup:
Cowan – Tavares – Nylander
Knies – Domi – Robertson
Maccelli – Lorentz -Joshua
Pezzetta – Quillan – Jarnkrok
Rielly – Carlo
McCabe – OEL
Benoit – Stecher
Woll
On This Day in Kings History
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