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The Los Angeles Kings have been up and down in the 2025-26 NHL season, and right now, sit on the outside looking in at the Stanley Cup Playoffs if they were to begin today. At 76 points, the Kings trail the Nashville Predators by a single point for the second and final Wild Card postseason position in the Western Conference, and four points behind the Utah Mammoth for the first Wild Card position.
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However, the good news for the Kings is that they pulled off one of the biggest trades in the NHL this season, acquiring Russian star forward Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers for some added scoring power; they then signed him to a two-year contract extension. They also acquired Scott Laughton from the Toronto Maple Leafs, giving them more depth at the forward position.
Following four consecutive seasons of being eliminated in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the rival Edmonton Oilers, the Kings have their sights set on not only returning to the playoffs but getting over the hump of the first round for the first time since their most recent Stanley Cup win of 2014.
Still, many within the organization and fan base can’t help but feel uneasy about the prospect of a fifth straight opening-round matchup with the Oilers, who have ended their season in the first round four consecutive years, and given a current look at the standings, there’s a very real possibility that there will be a fifth straight chance for Edmonton to send Los Angeles home packing.
The Oilers have proven to be the Kings’ kryptonite
Griffin Hooper-Imagn Images
As it stands, the Oilers are ranked second in the Pacific Division. If they secure the top seed, they would face one of the two Wild Card teams, where the Kings are currently battling for a spot.
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In each of the past four seasons, the Oilers have eliminated the Kings in the opening round of the postseason. Last season, it appeared as though the Kings would finally break through, not only beginning the series with home-ice advantage, but taking an early two games to none lead before Edmonton stormed back with four straight wins.
“This one’s tough to swallow, obviously,” Kings team captain Anze Kopitar said last spring after being eliminated. “Having the season we had and to have the guys in this locker room and come up short again, it’s frustrating — this one hurts a little more.”
Not only did the Kings lose their 2-0 series lead, but they also blew a crucial late lead in Game 4, which included a controversial coaching challenge that fell short and soon resulted in a power-play goal against.
“You can pinpoint Game 3, and we didn’t close out Game 4,” Kopitar continued. “That’s a completely different series if we go home up 3-1 versus 2-2,” he said. “But, coulda, woulda, shoulda…”
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Given what has transpired over the past four seasons, the Oilers appear to be in the Kings’ heads. There’s little reason to believe a fifth straight matchup would result in anything other than another Edmonton win.
The Kings will want to finish as high as possible to avoid Edmonton yet again. If Edmonton were to win the division.
The Kings are hoping to gain some momentum going into the playoffs
Right now, a postseason spot is still very much attainable for the Kings, as they are only one point back of the final Western Conference Wild Card position with plenty of time left.
However, they’re hoping to improve their record on home ice, where things haven’t gone as smoothly for them this season. According to interim head coach D.J. Smith, it’s time to start creating some momentum in front of the home fans.
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“We’ve just got to play good,” Smith said via LA Kings Insider. “Doesn’t matter who we play, we’ve got to play well, and we’ve got to defend. We’re creating enough right now, we’ve just got to make sure we’re defending enough, we’re disciplined. For whatever reason, we haven’t been great at home. I think it’s our time now to get hot here in the last little bit and really give ourselves a chance.”
To succeed in the playoffs, a team must take care of home ice. This season at Crypto.com Arena, the Kings have gone 10–16–8—a record that simply won’t cut it when it matters most. In all likelihood, if they make the postseason, they’ll begin it on the road.
This is also the final season in the career of Kopitar, who recently became the franchise leader in total points scored. You can bet that if the Kings are able to secure a postseason spot, he would prefer to face a different opponent this time around.