The NHL season is currently paused for the 2026 Winter Olympic Break, which runs from Feb. 5 through Feb. 25. While the Los Angeles Kings as a team are off, attention turns to the five Kings players representing their countries in Milano Cortina.
The Olympic Break & Playoff Push
The Kings entered the break in a fierce battle for positioning in the Pacific Division. With the race tightening against the Vegas Golden Knights, Seattle Kraken, and Edmonton Oilers, this three-week pause offers critical rest—especially for captain Anze Kopitar, who recently returned from an 11-game injury absence and recorded his 1,300th career point.
Drew Doughty’s Legacy
Just before the break, defenseman Drew Doughty recorded his 700th career point, becoming the first defenseman in franchise history to reach that milestone. He now heads to the Olympics as a veteran leader for Team Canada, looking to add to his gold medal collection (2010, 2014).
The “Overtime Kings”
Heading into the break, Los Angeles developed a reputation for tight, low-scoring games that frequently went beyond regulation. While they have been collecting points, their inability to close out games in regulation could hurt them in tie-breaker scenarios down the stretch.
Related – Guide to the 2026 Winter Olympics Men’s Hockey Tournament
Olympic Storylines
Kings in Milano Cortina
Five Kings players have traveled to Italy to compete. Their performance is the main event for Kings fans this week.
Drew Doughty & Darcy Kuemper (Team Canada): Doughty is a lock on the blue line, providing championship experience. Goaltender Darcy Kuemper is in a three-way battle for the starting crease, potentially sharing duties with Jordan Binnington (St. Louis Blues) or Logan Thompson (Washington Capitals).
Adrian Kempe (Team Sweden): Kempe is expected to play a top-six role for a stacked Swedish team. His speed and scoring ability make him a primary offensive weapon for Tre Kronor.
Kevin Fiala (Team Switzerland): Fiala is the offensive engine for the Swiss. As one of their few elite NHL scorers, he will carry a heavy workload and is critical to any upset bid they make.
Joel Armia (Team Finland): A key depth piece for Finland, Armia’s defensive responsibility and penalty-killing prowess secured him a spot on a roster that prioritizes structure and grit.
Kings Olympic Schedule This Week
DateTime (PT)MatchupKings Players InvolvedWed, Feb 113:10 AMSUI vs. FRAKevin Fiala (SUI)7:40 AMCAN vs. CZEDoughty, Kuemper (CAN)7:40 AMFIN vs. SVKJoel Armia (FIN)12:10 PMSWE vs. ITAAdrian Kempe (SWE)Thu, Feb 123:10 AMSWE vs. FINKempe (SWE) vs. Armia (FIN)12:10 PMSUI vs. CANFiala (SUI) vs. Doughty/Kuemper (CAN)Sat, Feb 143:10 AMSWE vs. SVKAdrian Kempe (SWE)7:40 AMFIN vs. ITAJoel Armia (FIN)3:10 PMSUI vs. CZEKevin Fiala (SUI)7:40 PMCAN vs. FRADoughty, Kuemper (CAN)
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