With how busy the regular season's first month was for the Los Angeles Kings and head coach Jim Hiller in the past few weeks this fall, we haven't had much time to slow down and reflect on what the team has looked like thus far this season. The Kings have gotten points in nine out of 13 possible games early this regular season in the Pacific Division in the standings.
The Los Angeles Kings have lost eight games out of 13 to start this regular season in the 2025-26 campaign in the West
Struggles on home ice and special teams issues on the power play have defined the early-season results for the Kings on the ice this fall. The Kings are 0-3-2 at Crypto Arena on home ice early this regular season after a multi-goal loss in regulation vs. New Jersey this past weekend on Saturday night.
We've seen early this season how the moves that the front office and new general manager Ken Holland made this past offseason have helped to build the foundation for the team this fall. The Kings have gotten mixed results from the free agent signings this past offseason, including forward Joel Armia and defenseman Brian Dumoulin.
Corey Perry has made an instant impact on the team, as he's looked really good moving up the forward lines for Hiller and the Kings early this season and on the power play.
Adjustments are necessary for Holland and the Kings to be successful in the long run this regular season in the West. The power play struggles and lack of conversion in the offensive zone putting the puck in the net.
The Kings also need to make roster moves to lock down key parts of the roster over the long term and before next offseason.
Here's a look at two Kings' players who might not be on the team's roster come January after the turn of the calendar year.
Jeff Malott, W
Forward Jeff Malott has brought a physical and gritty presence to the Kings' fourth-line forward group early this regular season in the Pacific Division. Malott won a roster spot on the opening-night roster for the Kings this season coming out of training camp and the preseason this fall.
After he scored one goal per game in the preseason for the Kings this fall a couple of months ago, I think Kings fans were hoping for more offensive production from him with the fourth-line forwards this regular season.
The Kings have depth with the forward lines in the top nine group this fall. Malott and the Kings haven't produced much for the fourth-line forward group in the past couple of weeks and since the five-game road trip in the West this past week.
Malott is the only Kings' active forward who has a negative plus/minus rating and who doesn't have a single assist early this regular season.
Trevor Moore, W
Early this regular season, forward Trevor Moore got off to a nice start for the Kings in the offensive zone. He scored multiple goals in the season's first 10 days, including a key shorthanded goal in clutch time in the third period in the Kings' first road win this regular season in a shootout against the Vegas Golden Knights in the back end of back-to-back games in early October.
Moore's ability to create scoring chances and speed on odd-man rushes in the past couple of weeks for the Kings in the offensive zone hasn't made as much of an impact on the team. He didn't create any high-danger scoring chances around the net in the offensive zone in three of the past four games for the Kings in the West (per Natural Stat Trick).
There were various rumors and discussions around the trade deadline earlier this year, this past season in 2025, that fans and the media wouldn't be too shocked if the Kings traded Moore in an advantageous trade package on the market.
Moore did improve down the stretch this past regular season, scoring a dozen goals in the season's final two and a half months. But he has yet to reach the heights that he did a couple of years ago in his 30-goal campaign in the 2023-24 season in the Pacific Division.