The Los Angeles Kings enter the 2026 offseason facing an increasingly important question down the middle of the lineup. With longtime captain Anze Kopitar retiring this offseason, general manager Ken Holland and the front office may need to aggressively explore the center market this summer.
On the current roster lineup, the Kings have talent and depth at the winger position. But the center depth and talent is lacking down the middle this offseason. The Kings only have three centers in the current roster lineup under contract for this upcoming offseason, including Quinton Byfield, Sammy Helenius, and Alex Turcotte.
Byfield could grow into the role for the Kings this upcoming season to become the true 1C for the roster lineup. I don't know if Byfield is ready for that role in the roster lineup yet for the Kings. But the Kings still need another high-end offensive center capable of helping the team take that next step in the league offensively.
Here are three possible early free agent targets in 2026 for the Kings this upcoming offseason in the summer after a pretty quiet trade deadline for Holland and the front office management personnel this regular season in the Pacific Division.
Jason Dickinson
Edmonton Oilers unrestricted free agent Jason Dickinson could be one of the more realistic center targets available to the Kings in free agency this offseason. The former first-round pick has quietly developed into a reliable two-way center capable of contributing offensively while also handling difficult defensive assignments.
Dickinson enjoyed the best offensive season of his career in the 2023-24 campaign with the Chicago Blackhawks, scoring 20 goals while continuing to provide strong defensive end value.
Beyond the offensive production, Dickinson has also built a reputation as a physical two-way center capable of handling difficult defensive matchups against opposing top-six forwards in the Western Conference in this past few years.
For a Kings team searching for additional depth down the middle, Dickinson could offer a versatile middle-six option capable of helping on both special teams units and in matchup situations.
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