Los Angeles Kings 2025-26 NHL Season Preview | The Steve Dangle Podcast

Los Angeles Kings 2025-26 NHL Season Preview | The Steve Dangle Podcast

The LA Kings had a great year last year, like excellent. Second in the division, 105 points. What’s interesting about that though is where Bet MGM’s odds have them for their points in the regular season this year. And I’m not talking about postseason. We all know what happened there. Bet MGM has them. The overunder is set at 98 and a half. And the better odds are over. You get a 1.95 on the over and it’s a 1.8 on the under. So, they’re betting that the Kings will fall at least eight points, maybe more this season. And so, I think that’s a a pretty crazy place to start. You look at the LA Kings lineup and you go, hey, it’s it’s pretty good. But there’s something about it where you’re like, I don’t believe it. I I looked at the roster and just everything they’ve done in the offseason and it’s a lot of sideways. It’s they’re about what they were and then they just kind of replaced what they had. I think it’s sideways if it works out. Yeah. Like I’m really unimpressed. There’s no I don’t think it’s a upgrade at all based on their offseason. So to start then, are you over or under on 98 and a half? Stephen Jesse? I’m going under. Under. You’re under on that. Really? See, I’m going to go over cuz I think they are 100 point team. I think they’re 100 point team. They’re right around there. Yeah. I think they’re 100% under what they did last year. But the overunder being set at 98. Ah, that’s a harder decision, but I’ll say under. And this isn’t I think they’re a playoff team. I think they’re a very good team. They’re going to be one of the top division teams this year. Sure. But I last year they flame out in the first round. And that seems to be their ceiling once again. You might win that round this time if you don’t come up against Edmonton, but you’re not getting through Edmonton. So, and you’re playing Edmonton. You have you have a a medium ceiling there with your team. You’re a good team, but it’s not championship level. So, I look at the LA Kings and I ask this question. Okay, so you you’re walking into training camp, guys, and you’re the coach, uh, or you’re the new general manager, Ken Holland. I feel like your words to the team have to be, “Win the damn division so we don’t have to see the Oilers.” And that’s not the best way to enter a season where we sure would like to avoid a really good team. What happens if you play them a fifth straight year? Well, but this is where it’s looking, right? Like I I I don’t know how it plays unless there’s some crazy injuries on either side. I don’t know how it plays out any differently. So Jesse mentions a lot of the sideways moves. So you got Cody Cece, Brian Dumalan, they signed Joel Edmonson the year before. Obviously you love uh Brandt Clark and and the way that he’s kind of moved up. That’s what I’m most excited about with the team. 100%. It’s the Clark and Biffield keeps growing kind of stuff there and Lafriier as well. And what what version of Andre Kuseno are you getting? You know, that’s another one. He came here. You know, he was Vancouver. He was Vibes guy. He scored 40 goals and then fell off a cliff. A lot of a lot of teams last year acquired guys with term. Yeah. Uh or acquired guys and were able to resign them. KMCO was unreal for them. But counting on that performance from KMO two seasons in a row has proven to be tumultuous over his career. He’s a 40 goal scorer. He’s a 10 goal scorer. He’s a You have no idea. We’re going to put him in Tortoella. No, we’re going to get him out of Tortoella system. Like he’s They did that. The Flyers acquired him. Why? They’re because they’re insane people, I guess. Um but like he’s projected to be on like their first line, right? Like that or could be on their for healthy scratch second like really confusing. I am a fan of their forward group. I think that is one of the strongest assets they have is like the Biffield FIA connection over the years has only been getting better and then the Kempe Copitar stuff is going to be excellent again and Copitar still got it in him. This will probably be his last NHL season I’m guessing unless he’s one of those guys who’s an outsider and can still play well into his uh 30s and into his late 30s and 40s. Like he’s 38 right now so he end of this deal. So, we’ll see how that goes with his season if it’s going to be a Swan song. But their forward group up front is going to be really good. And Arma on like the lower end of the depth is going to be a good piece as well. Very underrated pickup. He’s going to be great for their PK. Now, Cory Perry got injured uh before training camp even started. He’s going to have surgery. We don’t know what he’s going to look like, but that is one of those times I usually hate this term, but where you have it’s not an own rental, but it’s sort of like a guy comes back from injury and it’s like you made a trade for nothing. Uh, I think Corey Perry will add to this team. It’s going to be super weird to see him in Los Angeles. Uh, especially after those battles with the Ducks so for so many years. Practice photo. That was icky. It was weird. Do you think the Kings injured Cory Perry on purpose? One. His bonuses are all tied to games played. Oh no. He He makes 500k at 10 games played, 250 250k at 20, 30, 40, and 50 games played. 50 is going to be real hard. All of that shot for him plus a little revenge for being a duck and being a basketball, by the way. Maybe they did. I think they did it on purpose and then now they’re like, “Okay, we’re even. We don’t have to pay you all those bonuses. Plus, you were a a duck for all those years. How dare you? Now you can come be a king.” And now he’s a you rascals. All right, now I’ll help you get to the Stanley Cup. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, he is good for that. That’s three. He’s four teams. Statistically speaking, the LA Kings are going to the Stanley Cup finals. Yes. And if you if you don’t remember, it started with Montreal, but also sorry, Dallas, Montreal, uh Edmonton, and there was one more Tampa Bay. Tampa. Now, he lost all of them, but he got there. Yeah. Uh he got there. And I I I look at um I can’t by the way, can you guys believe former Leaf Trevor Moore is 30? What? Trevor Moore is 30 years old. 22year-old Trevor Moore is 30. Yeah, exactly. That’s crazy. He’s like young Tyler Bozac. Tyler Bozac was like a uh like a 22-y old prospect well into his 30s. Something I want to keep an eye on is the contract status of Adrien Kempe because we’re hearing he’s making $5.5 million right now. We’re hearing that he’s wanting in excess of 10 million. And the the LA Kings can afford that. They can do it. Uh he’s got, like I said, it it doesn’t even affect them to the next year. But let’s say they can’t come to terms. That could be a real issue in a real hurry. could grab them some stuff, but I think they want to keep this cup contention window, which they believe they have, open. So, you sort of damn, you shouldn’t have signed all those old guys. It’s like Capri off in in Minnesota. It’s sort of like he’s worth more to you than he is not with you. You need this guy. I think 29 with Kopitar 7 million coming off the books and that being redone into a 2 million or something whatever discount he wants to give him uh at his age 39 in 40 seasons like that money will be saved there give it to Kempe yeah performance performance laden deal yeah I think I think they’ll be fine in getting that deal done he’s definitely overpaid for what he means to them but that money is going to be worth it to the Kings to keep now they as we said they’ve have they have some good pieces but a lot Uh it’s a lot of dumlan Edmonson CC kind of stuff which to me just feels it’s like a bit mucky. What is the LA Kings identity guys when you look at this team? They were sort of a defensively smothering team a couple of years ago you have you know obviously when you’ve got Kopitar and Phil Deno you’re going to be able to shut down some forward groups. What are they now? To me I think that’s clearly what they’re going for. Okay. Like they’re they’re going to try to be heavy on the back end. Um I think that’s clearly it. I mean, that’s the Why else would you sign Joel Edmonson? Yep. Mhm. To throw up throw up some Mike Green numbers there. You got some Suri numbers there. Like, no, you got him to be heavy. You got CC to be heavy. Uh, Dumlan made a fan out of a lot of people in in New Jersey. Um, it’s not sexy. Yeah. Right. And maybe that’s pretty old too generally as a team. Yeah, that’s a good point cuz the defense core when you look at it, it’s a bunch of matured 30-year-olds plus Brent Clark and that is good because they’re in a position to win and you want to know what you have, right? It’s not like some of the other teams around the league where it’s like, oo, we got some guys in their early 20s and 23 and 24 and like, oh, they could grow into this. Edmon Edmonson Los Angeles is trying to win now. So, it’s good that they have these vets. It’s not good for the next three years looking ahead. But this defense now one thing I’ll say is like with these previews you know like with Calgary for example we looked at Cadri were like okay he just scored 35 goals it was a careerhigh he’s 34 we really think he’s going to do that again is the great performance that they had last year uh replicable replicable replicable sure that works we know what you mean I like this guy a bought Darcy Kemper. I was going to go there. I He got a He went from Capitals Castoff to Vznaom. I either he’s a castoff again, he’s a Vznaom again, or he’s somewhere in the middle. I think the thing that’s way that that is the most likely is he’s somewhere in the middle. Now, what do you feel about his backup Anton Forsber? He’s fine. He’s fine, guy. Okay. He’ll like he I don’t think will cost you too many games. I don’t know if he’ll 901 save percentage last year in in Ottawa. He’s fine. Okay. With the defense like the team defense on LA is strong. We have to say that in a regular season. It’s probably better than that helps the goalies. Ottawa’s Ottawa I I mean it’s just less experienced than Ottawa, right? Very different styles. If anything, it might be a bit of a culture shock. Ottawa moves the out of the puck. Um, Kings will probably give them better support up front. Uh, you know what? He might actually be pretty good for them. Okay. Yeah. All right. That’s interesting. Now, here’s what I got. Okay. I got to find out. Steve, have you wr Have you bothered to write this down? I know where Los Angeles is going to sit in your chart. Go ahead. Where do you have them finishing Pacific Division? Not a chance. I’m going last. You’re going last. All right, Jesse. Do you want to take it or do you want me to go? Wait. Not a what? I’m going last. Oh, you’re going live. I have them third. I also have them third. Now, do you want to explain why or is it obvious that they’re It’s obvious. I think they’re going to be a very good average uh to good uh regular season team. Like, I think they’re going to be in the playoffs once again. It’s just a matter of I think their ceiling in the playoffs is rather low, but their floor is extremely high. Like, their floor is we’re going to be third in the division. I think at least they could always creep up to second or first depending on if everything explodes perfectly. And Darcy Kemper is Darcy Keer again at 922, which is absurd that he had last season, but I think they’re they’re a good team. How do you feel about how do you feel about game three coaches challenges? I man like Jim Hiller more than like 29 other coaches maybe. I don’t think he’s very good. Wow. Okay. No, I wouldn’t have Jim Hiller as a coach of my NHL team. Just I like him. Throw that out there. Well, where do you have the Kings Kings fans? I got good news and bad news. The good news is you don’t have to play Edmonton in the first round this year. Bad news is you’re fourth. Whoa. Yeah. Really? I still think they’re fine. Fourth. Very interesting. One spot lower. Why was that like a hot take? That was because it like I think a lot of people are very high on them. Who’s he got in third? I think I know.

Steve Dangle, Adam Wylde, and Jesse Blake preview the upcoming season for the Los Angeles Kings and predict where they will finish in the Pacific Division.

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