It sounds like there were some key players for the Los Angeles Kings missing in practice late this week on Friday (April 10) at the Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo in the past 24 hours. Forwards Jeff Malott and Quinton Byfield were two of the key Kings' players in the active roster lineup who did not participate in practice or team drills today on the ice.
Quinton Byfield and Cody Ceci are reportedly expected to be ready to play in the active roster lineup for the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday afternoon
Byfield has been reportedly playing through an injury for this past few weeks in the West for the Kings this regular season down the stretch. He is still expected to be ready for tomorrow's game in the Pacific Division this weekend on Saturday (April 11) vs. the Edmonton Oilers.
Later in the game yesterday in the Pacific Division vs. the Vancouver Canucks, Malott took a puck to the helmet to the ear that caused him to get bloody and leave the ice to the locker room. Malott had to be helped to the bench and then the locker room yesterday by forward linemate and center Sammy Helenius for the team.
Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider reported on Friday afternoon late (April 10) that multiple Kings' players did not participate in team drills in practice today, including Byfield, Malott, and defenseman Cody Ceci.
Byfield and Ceci are reportedly expected to be good to go for the Kings on the ice in the active roster lineup this weekend on Saturday vs. the Oilers on home ice at Crypto.com Arena. Malott is reportedly expected to be a game-time decision in the active roster lineup for interim head coach DJ Smith and the Kings' coaching staff tomorrow vs. Edmonton on home ice.
It's also worth noting that the Kings had forwards Alex Turcotte and Andrei Kuzmenko both skating in the non-contact jerseys in practice today on Friday. Turcotte is reportedly still listed with a status of "day-to-day" due to an injury issue. Kuzmenko is still out for the rest of this regular season due to a lower-body injury.
"He’s doing fine, there was some talk that he may skate a little bit more, but we don’t think he’s there quite yet. Now, we’ll see, in another 7-10 days where he’s at, but we’re going to have to take care of our own business to allow him an opportunity to maybe get back in."DJ Smith on Andrei Kuzmenko