On Thursday night (April 16), the Los Angeles Kings and interim head coach DJ Smith will be playing for possibly home ice advantage in the postseason in the playoffs this spring this upcoming weekend at Crypto.com Arena in the Pacific Division in the West. General manager Ken Holland and the Kings will have some changes to make this upcoming offseason once this upcoming postseason in the playoffs ends in the West for the team.
Darcy Kuemper and the key players in the active roster lineup who might have played their last game in a Los Angeles Kings uniform this regular season down the stretch
The Kings did have one of the better and more talented and proven and experienced rosters in the Pacific Division this regular season in this past few months. Smith and the Kings' coaching staff have shown the resilience and depth in the active roster lineup in the West in the Pacific Division for this team in this past few weeks to make this upcoming postseason this spring.
This past regular season in the West, the Kings have underachieved in the Pacific Division. While the team has rallied in the standings in the West in the Pacific Division this regular season down the stretch for this upcoming postseason for the playoffs in the next upcoming couple of weeks, I still think changes are due to be on the way for Holland and the front office this summer in 2026 in the offseason.
Here's a look at the three Kings' players who might have played their final game with the franchise this regular season in the West.
Andrei Kuzmenko, W
For this past couple of months in the West, winger Andrei Kuzmenko has been out of the active roster lineup offensively for the Kings this regular season down the stretch. Kuzmenko last played a game this regular season in the West for the Kings a couple of months ago in late February (Feb. 25).
There is a possibility that Kuzmenko returns to the active roster lineup offensively for the Kings in the core forward lines group up front for Smith and the Kings and the coaching staff. Kuzmenko is an unrestricted free agent this upcoming summer in the 2026 offseason, so the Kings would need to re-sign him to a new contract deal if he were to return for the next season with the team.
Kuzmenko underwent surgery for a torn meniscus in late February a couple of months ago for the Kings.
Jacob Moverare, D
A couple of offseasons ago, the Kings signed defenseman Jacob Moverare to a two-year contract deal on the blue line for the team and before the 2024-25 season in the West. After he signed that contract deal with the Kings a couple of seasons ago in the 2024 offseason in the summer, Moverare was a consistent contributor on the blue line on defense for now-former head coach Jim Hiller.
Moverare has helped to provide depth and serviceable minutes on the blue line on defense for the Kings' coaching staff this regular season in the West. His contract, that is worth $775K in average annual value for two years (starting in the 2024 offseason), runs up at the end of this regular season.
Darcy Kuemper, G
In this past few weeks this regular season in the West down the stretch, Darcy Kuemper has lost the starting job to goalie Anton Forsberg for the Kings this spring for the postseason in the playoffs. Forsberg won the NHL's First Star of the Week this past week in the league for winning the last three consecutive games for the Kings defensively.
Assuming that Forsberg is the starting goalie this upcoming postseason in the playoffs for the Kings this spring in the West in the Pacific Division, this game in the back end of back-to-back games on the road early this week vs. Vancouver might be the last time we saw Kuemper play in a Kings' uniform.
The Kings have a lot of talent and depth up coming in the minor league and developmental pipeline organization this upcoming summer for the developmental camp. Young goalie prospect Erik Portillo played well for the AHL affiliate Ontario Reign this regular season in this past few months. The Kings also have other top goalie prospects rising up the ranks in the minor league and developmental organization pipeline, like Carter George and Hampton Slukynsky in the AHL with the Reign late this regular season.
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