Upgrade or Illusion? The Kings’ Forward Group Under the Microscope

EL SEGUNDO, CA — The Los Angeles Kings will step into the new season with plenty of questions regarding the franchise and their direction. During the offseason, their defensive core appears to have taken a significant step back on paper, with the departures of Jordan Spence and stalwart lefty Vladislav Gavrikov, and the uncertainty of potentially declining number one Drew Doughty. The team decided to double down on the Joel Edmundson renaissance theory by bringing in Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin.

Last year, the Kings enjoyed a strong regular season, tying franchise records with 48 wins and 105 points. Their offense was driven by eight 40+ point forwards, anchored by Adrian Kempe’s 73 points. The Kings had two 30-goal scorers, three 20-goal scorers, and two players shy of that total (Alex Laferriere: 19 goals, Trevor Moore: 18 goals). It’s a massive reason, besides the team’s overall structure, defensive identity and Darcy Kuemper, to why they were so dominant across most 5on5 categories (Goals%: 2nd, xGoals%: 2nd, Corsi: 5th, Fenwick: 5th, Goals For: 8th, Goals Against: 2nd, Goal Differential: 1st, Expected Goals Against: 1st; stats courtesy of Moneypuck.com).

So, what did the Kings do under newly minted General Manager Ken Holland to maintain and potentially build off of these stats? He tactfully maintained the top nine post-trade deadline of last year. He targeted the bottom six, and in reality, the fourth line. To recall, the fourth line was scarcely used in the six-game defeat to the Oilers this past postseason, something of a regular occurrence the last half-decade in Los Angeles.

In that series, Phillip Danault and his line made a herculean effort to oppose the Oilers’ yearly nuclear option. Quinton Byfield and his line were a constant threat as a mismatch line all series long, and the Anze Kopitar line fizzled after their dominant efforts in games one and two, carried by Adrian Kempe.

LA was forced to roll only three lines against the almost nightly 30-minute usage of both Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid. When those two actually made it off the ice, the Kings couldn’t capitalize on softer competition. The need for more reliable support options, especially for forward depth, was clear.

Additions: Veteran, Versatile Forwards

Corey Perry

A surprise signing turned potentially defining one as the former Anaheim Duck has turned into a Stanley Cup-chasing journeyman. Perry brings playoff pedigree (5 Stanley Cup Final appearances in 6 years) and over 288 career powerplay points. He’s expected to add depth, net-front presence, and scoring touch to a unit that sputtered on the man advantage (ranked 27th at 17.9%). Angelenos may find his presence weird, but the ‘worm’ might just be what the Kings needed.

He can still score (19 goals last season) and put up points (30 points: suitable for fifth best on the Oilers last year) despite a low average overall usage. Despite being known for his special teams ability, he cashed in only slightly under the rate of a quarter, 25% of his points on the powerplay (7/30). That adds an element on dual fronts as Perry, still at 40 years old, can be weaponized on the power play (Kings’ second unit was deplorable last season), and bolsters a forward group already dominant at even strength (Perry had 15 even strength goals).

Joel Armia

Armia was an interesting signing, as a big boy (6’3″) who plays more in the mid-teens-minute range due to his sound two-way play with penalty killing efficiency. With these attributes, along with his 29 points last season, Armia brings size, defensive reliability, and experience as a more than expected upgrade to Trevor Lewis (6g-6a-12p in 60gp). Armia may not carry much more goal-scoring pop than Lewis (eight even-strength goals vs Lewis’ six), but the upgrade here is undeniable in all other facets of the game.

While Lewis boasts a wealth of big game experience (106 games), the big Finn in Armia has almost 50 playoff games to his name (49 total). Despite playing in similar roles for each other’s team, Armia has practically the same number of goals in less than half the games played (10 in 49gp vs 13 in 106gp). Armia, just like Lewis, has their playoff games played bolstered by deep runs. For Armia, that’s the 21-game Final run in 2020-21 with former and now current teammate, Danault. It is important to note that less than a third of his career playoff goals have been shorthanded (3/10).

Internal Growth: The Next Wave of Kings

The Kings are also due to make some significant internal leaps in their youthful future. While maybe not an ‘elite’ next wave of players, there are some key players that should boost an already menacing forward group.

Laferriere, fresh off a breakout season (19 goals, 23 assists), in only his second NHL season, got a three-year, $12.3M extension. If he continues to play on a line with Byfield and Kevin Fiala, displaying the chemistry they had as a trio for a full season, it’s undeniable that his points, usage, and growth will be higher than last season.

There’s also Byfield himself, who took over at center full-time last season, being used as both a 1B and a shutdown at various stretches of the season. His line carried the offense down the stretch once Byfield was fused with Laferriere and Fiala as a staple. Byfield was almost a point per game player in the final 30 games (12g-14a-26p as a +13) and had an eight-goal in a ten-game stretch from 3/5/25-3/23/25. His ceiling is one of the highest the Kings have seen in a homegrown prospect during the Rob Blake-Holland era. Any step forward from the last two seasons (back-to-back 50-point seasons as an under-23-year-old) represents a significant boost to this evolving forward group for next season.

There are also the options at 4C. The possibilities should rotate between Alex Turcotte, a former top-5 pick, who is now under a three-year extension and poised for increased contribution, and the imposing Samuel Helenius, who locked down the center role for the fourth line for the majority of the second half last season. Both players showed promise in defined roles the previous season, with Turcotte regaining some of his 2019 draft hype while playing next to the duo of Kopitar and Kempe, then fading under the rigor of consistent top-end competition.

Holland has already verbally penciled in Turcotte as the 4C, which might not be a top-six role that has paid out proven dividends for other homegrown players (see Byfield, Kempe). Still, it represents a significant accomplishment for both player and franchise, as Turcotte, while almost certainly not going to live up to draft expectations, showcased last season that he can still play alongside high-end players in a highly complementary leveraged-based role, and still pivot to be a reliable center when needed. Having either Turcotte or Helenius as a back-up option at center, sandwiched between Armia and Perry, showcases a line that can play all situations.

22-Game Sample with a Russian Twist

The Kings went 17-5-0 after March 8th. From that point to the end of the regular season, no team had more wins than the Kings. Only the then, red-hot St. Louis Blues had a better winning percentage (.778% vs .773%). At even strength? The Kings scored the second most goals in the league (53 compared to 57 in Columbus), the highest Goals for% in the league (67.95%), second highest in both Scoring Chances for% (57.19%) and High Danger Chances for% (58.47% – stats via NaturalStatTrick).

Now add special teams into the mix—and you have the most dominant offensive team in the league to finish the season (53 goals at even strength to 81 total). Where does that boost come from? The powerplay, which added 16 goals, was the second most scored in the league to finish the year while generating the second most scoring chances to boot (114).

From Russia with love? Andrei Kuzmenko, acquired to slot in next to Kopitar and Kempe on the top line, changed the complexity of the forward group and the powerplay (took Turcotte off the top line wing), and it reflected heavily down the final stretch. That newly formed line was red-hot for their 22-game sample, as reflected in their 52.22% and 52.45% Corsi and Fenwick, their 56.6% shot for vs against (90-69), their 3:1 margin in Goals for vs against (16-5), and a 7:1 High Danger for vs against margin.

Kings’ Front Office brass showed interest in this sample size, despite the top line and player faltering after game two in the six-game ousting, in resigning Kuzmenko to a one-year extension. Management is hedging their bets that the 22-game sample can be somewhat transitioned into the next season, with the outlier performance in six games to their becoming kryptonite up North.

Reason for Optimism

Depth is markedly improved: with Perry and Armia, the Kings now have a true fourth-line option that can compete in the playoffs, which was a glaring weakness last spring. It also gives them a significant boost from depth players that can contribute to both the powerplay (Perry) and penalty kill (Armia). Veteran leadership and playoff grit have been added with these two additions, with Perry in particular embodying that late-game know-how.

Instead of rolling out a combination of Jeff Mallot, Andre Lee, Trevor Lewis, or Taylor Ward, the Kings will have proven and seasoned NHL players to utilize on the wing that can also operate up and down the lineup if needed. Outside Lewis, the trio of players listed are youthful and inexperienced. That same point is also potentially going to be a promising point for growth next season, as the young forward trio of Byfield, Laferriere, and Turcotte is expected to build on their previous seasons.

Going back to the powerplay, the 2025-26 Kings will have two experienced and proven righties to work with in the form of Perry and Kuzmenko, with Laferriere as an alternative option. Improvements seem increasingly plausible after the results from the 22-game sample, and while even-strength results dried up in the postseason, the powerplay production carried over into the playoffs, particularly with their five-forward first powerplay unit.

The Kuzmenko Kings were one of the best regular-season teams to finish the year in 2024-25. Transitioning that into the 2025-26 season carries some risk, but the sample size gives optimism, as reflected by management’s cautious 1-year only extension for the Russian forward.

Reason for Pessimism

Point blank? No game-changing star talent was added in the offseason, and competition in the Pacific has deepened. Some teams upgraded with impactful signings, while the Kings settled for depth pieces. The Kings continue to swim in the same lane they have for over four seasons, lacking game-breaking talent. Talent by committee has not been a winning formula for these LA Kings.

Potential reliance on internal leaps, especially from young players like Laferriere and Turcotte, carries uncertainty. Growth isn’t guaranteed, even if it’s hoped for. Turcotte and his new potential linemates should cause some excitement, but at best, this will be a line that should see a range of anywhere from 10 to 13 minutes at most. Is that going to see boosted production or produce unrealistic expectations for the former fifth overall pick?

The jury is still out on chemistry, since there isn’t a sample size for these new components. Adding new components carries the potential to disrupt rhythm, and it takes time for effective line structures to coalesce. One of these components threatened to score 20 goals, nearing the age of 40. Perry did so, seeing much time next to generational talent, which will be barren on the LA roster. While his experience is valuable, his production from his Oiler’s tenure could drop off a cliff as a depth piece in LA. Also: can the 40-year-old handle the grind throughout 82 games and playoffs?

Will the Kings see the 22-game sample of Kuzmenko, or the version seen in the final four games of the first round series against the Oilers? The Kings committed to only one more year of Kuzmenko despite serious potential in those 22 + games and game one/two against the Oilers. That speaks to the cautious realism of potential setbacks, as it sets up Kuzmenko to be a possible rental (as he has been before) for another team if things sour in LA.

Finally? There’s a clear-cut notion of the Kings needing to get over the hump in the playoffs, aka, the Oilers. But building to overcome one specific team isn’t the pathway to long-term or even short-term success in the league.

Verdict: An Upgrade, But a Modest One

Yes, the Kings have improved their forward group. Tanner Jeannot offered a legacy element that has withered over the last decade plus: enforcement and shepherding. The additions of Perry and Armia offer tangible upgrades from Lewis and Jeannot in depth and experience. Extension of Laferriere, with Byfield and Turcotte’s maturity, means better internal returns. The Kuzmenko sample is undeniably promising when scaling it over a full season. But this isn’t a star-level reinvention; instead, it’s a carefully balanced, incremental enhancement.

If the top nine maintain their level and these upgrades click, this could be the difference in a deeper playoff run, with rolling four lines. But without standout breakout performances or new high-end scoring, the Kings could once again plateau, this time with more profound consequences.

Ultimately, it’s a measured upgrade, something real and potentially impactful, but not a guarantee of breakout success. Time, health, and cohesion will decide.

Upgrade or Illusion? The Kings’ Forward Group Under the Microscope

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