There will be plenty of new faces and intriguing storylines surrounding the Los Angeles Kings going into training camp and the preseason this fall.
Yet, some Kings players on the roster are already facing more scrutiny than others. After five straight first-round playoff exits, the Kings are reaching a point where simply making the postseason in the Western Conference isn't enough.
The Kings need multiple important players to make strides if the team wants to finally break through in the Western Conference this upcoming season.
Three Los Angeles Kings players facing the most pressure in 2026-27
For some players, the increased pressure comes with more responsibility. For others, it means it's more important to live up to the expectations of a new contract or prove there's still another level to their game.
Here are three Kings players who will be under the microscope going into the upcoming 2026-27 season.
Darcy Kuemper, G
There might not be a more established veteran with as much to lose in training camp and the preseason this fall for the Kings than goalie Darcy Kuemper. Just a year after entering training camp as the unquestioned starting goalie, Kuemper will have to earn back the crease after an inconsistent finish this past regular season down the stretch.
The Kings and general manager Ken Holland ultimately decided to bring back the goalie duo of Kuemper and Anton Forsberg for this upcoming season, rather than making a significant change in goal this summer.
That will really put a lot of responsibility on Kuemper's shoulders as he looks to prove that the struggles down the stretch this past regular season could be chalked up to an injury rather than a decline due to age, as he will turn 37 years old this upcoming season.
Quinton Byfield, C
There is no doubt that the Kings player with the brightest spotlight on them offensively going into training camp this fall is center Quinton Byfield. After the retirement of Anze Kopitar this offseason, Byfield goes into training camp expected to be the No. 1 center for the Kings. His time being able to develop behind a two-way center as well respected and capable as Kopitar has officially ended.
While Byfield doesn't have to become Kopitar overnight, and expecting him to do that immediately and replace what the franchise icon did isn't realistic, the Kings do need him to make significant strides offensively. And him being able to handle the responsibility of being one of the team's most important centers will be crucial for the Kings top-six to be successful this upcoming season.
Byfield was really good down the stretch this past regular season for the Kings. He registered 15 points and double-digit goals in the season's final 15 games for the Kings this past year.
That late-season surge from Byfield this past year showed what he is capable of offensively when he's producing at his best. The challenge is now for Byfield to show he can sustain that level of play and offensive production over the course of a full 82-game schedule.
If he can turn that strong finish into a real breakout season, it would go a long way to answering one of the top questions the Kings face in the post-Kopitar era for the franchise.
Brandt Clarke, D
This upcoming season will be a big test to see whether young defenseman Brandt Clarke is ready to be handed the keys to the offense from the point and on special teams on the power play top unit. The Kings and new head coach Peter Laviolette need Clarke to make that transition this fall going from a young and promising defenseman to one of the franchise's cornerstones on the blue line.
Earlier this offseason, the Kings and Holland signed Clarke to a sizable five-year contract extension worth north of $7 million in average annual value through the end of the 2030-31 season. The contract extension signals that Clarke is part of the Kings' franchise core now, and he will need to step up and establish himself as a top-tier defenseman.
The Kings' inability to land another high-end puck-moving defenseman this summer only heightens the importance of Clarke reaching another gear this fall. If the Kings want more offense and more effective play in transition from the blue line, much of that responsibility will fall on Clarke's shoulders.
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