EL SEGUNDO, CA — The Los Angeles Kings enter the 2025–26 season at a crossroads. With franchise icon Anze Kopitar set to retire at the end of the year, the team's identity sits squarely between eras. The roster has the depth and experience to surely be a playoff contender, but the question remains: can they take the next step, or will they once again become a stepping stone for a more star-laden opponent come playoff time?
Here are three bold predictions for the Kings' upcoming season and one realistic outlook on where it all might end.
1. Andrei Kuzmenko Scores 30 Goals
Kuzmenko's arrival in Los Angeles midway through last season not only boosted the team's secondary scoring but also injected creativity into an offense that often lacked unpredictability. After a rocky tenure in Vancouver and an adjustment period following multiple trades, Kuzmenko found chemistry with the Kings' top line, flashing the dynamic skill set that made him an upper-echelon goal-scoring threat in 2022–23.
Now settled and familiar with the Kings and Jim Hiller's system, Kuzmenko has the potential to reach his former level again. His shot release, deceptive edgework, and ability to score around the net could make him a 30+ goal scorer again. With the Kings embracing a five-forward power-play unit under Hiller, Kuzmenko hitting these goals could be less bold than it is realistic.
Everyone shooting 20% or better in the 2020s decade (min. 50 games):
— Big Head Hockey (@BigHeadHcky) September 10, 2025
— Shane Wright
— Andrei Kuzmenko
— Leon Draisaitl
The consensus 3 best scorers in hockey. pic.twitter.com/bLNihPc3zY
For a team that's struggled to find consistent finishing beyond Adrian Kempe and Kevin Fiala, a 30-goal Kuzmenko would change the complexion of the Kings' offense.
2. Kevin Fiala Leads the Team in Points (83)
Kevin Fiala has long been the Kings' most creative offensive player, capable of dazzling with speed, vision, puck-handling, and some ill-timed penalties. However, it wasn't until last season that the Kings found a permanent center for the Swiss forward to thrive with. As much as it's Fiala as a dynamic player, he's slated to be with the rising star of the franchise for a full season, with Quinton Byfield.
Without the constant line shuffling and potential for the five-forward power play, Fiala is poised to lead the Kings in points, potentially eclipsing the 80-point mark for the first time in Los Angeles.
Expect Fiala to continue to drive controlled entries, where his ability to turn zone possession into high-danger chances sets him apart. If he can find sustained chemistry with Byfield, the Kings could finally have a consistent point producer who rivals the elite playmakers in the West.
3. Anze Kopitar Wins the Selke Trophy to Close His Career
If storylines wrote themselves, this one would top the list.
Kopitar, the face of the franchise for nearly two decades, enters his final season with an opportunity to etch one last line into his Hall of Fame résumé. The two-time Selke winner remains one of the league's smartest defensive centers, even at age 38. With the Kings likely managing his minutes to preserve his effectiveness (potentially off the kill), Kopitar could find himself in the perfect position for a farewell season that turns heads leaguewide.
Statistically, his defensive metrics have remained elite, as he consistently ranks near the top in expected goals against per 60 minutes and faceoff win percentage. More importantly, he continues to handle tough matchups, mentoring Byfield while still neutralizing opposing top lines.
Suppose Los Angeles finishes strong and maintains its defensive identity. In that case, it's not far-fetched to imagine Kopitar taking home a third Selke Trophy, a fitting capstone to one of the greatest two-way careers in NHL history.
Anze Kopitar has announced that he will be retiring from the NHL after this season. 👑
— NHL (@NHL) September 18, 2025
✔️ The first player from Slovenia to play in the NHL
✔️ 2 Stanley Cups
✔️ 2 Frank J. Selke Trophies
✔️ 3 Lady Byng Memorial Trophies
✔️ 1 Mark Messier Leadership Award
✔️ 5 All-Star Game… pic.twitter.com/zR0zPmKWwG
The Realism Take: The Kings Hit 102 Points, Then Fall in Round One—Again
The bold predictions are fun, but the realistic scenario is one Kings fans know all too well.
Despite offseason improvements and a roster built to compete now, Los Angeles remains in the NHL's most unforgiving conference. The Kings could very well exceed expectations in the regular season, posting 100-plus points despite projections in the mid-90s and looking like one of the league's most balanced teams.
But when the playoffs arrive, the same ghosts could reappear.
The Kings' structure and discipline often crumble against teams with transcendent star power, such as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in Edmonton, Jack Eichel in Vegas, or Nathan MacKinnon in Colorado. Without a true superstar of their own, Los Angeles risks being "good, not great" once again.
This isn't a failure of effort or system; it's a limitation of the ceiling. The Kings' strength lies in depth, balance, and defensive reliability, but come playoff time, superstars decide series. Until Los Angeles finds its own game-breaking forward, they may continue to be the team that plays well enough to lose to a better one.
But the truth lies somewhere between optimism and realism. The Kings can—and likely will—be good enough to compete with anyone in the West. Whether they can finally beat them when it matters during a seven-game series is a different story.
Until that day comes, Los Angeles remains hockey's version of a glass ceiling contender: dangerous, disciplined, and one piece away from something greater.