Approaching the Thanksgiving holiday late this fall in the West, the Los Angeles Kings and head coach Jim Hiller are battling for a top-three spot in the Pacific Division standings. Hiller and the Kings have remained in a contending spot in the Pacific Division standings in the West in the past couple of months this fall in the 2025-26 campaign.
Los Angeles Kings extending Adrian Kempe highlights the team's major moves this fall amid the holiday season on Thanksgiving
At roughly the quarter mark of the 2025-26 regular season, the Kings have a record of 11-6-6, good for second place in the Pacific Division standings in the West. The Kings have some momentum going into the Thanksgiving holiday, having won their last home game at Crypto Arena this past Monday night (Nov. 24) against the Ottawa Senators.
The Kings have also gotten points in seven out of a possible eight games in the past few weeks in mid-to-late November this month.
Here are three things Kings fans should be thankful for on the Thanksgiving Holiday this year in the midst of the 2025-26 regular season.
Adrian Kempe getting a contract extension
A constant storyline this fall early in the regular season for the Kings and new general manager Ken Holland was the contract extension deal negotiations with star forward Adrian Kempe. Signing Kempe to a lengthy contract extension to keep him around as a face of the Kings' franchise heading into the future soon was a huge priority for Holland and the LA front office this fall in the past couple of months.
It wasn't quick for the Kings and Holland to agree to a contract extension deal with Kempe this fall. The Kings got the job done to sign Kempe to an eight-year contract extension, worth around $10.625 million in average annual value.
"We’re losing Kopitar at the end of the year and I think it was important to keep Adrian. Obviously it took some time to find a solution, but when we signed the contract, both sides feel good about this solution, the eight years at 10.6 and we’re thrilled to keep him in a Kings Jersey. He’s a legitimate, first-line forward on any team in the National Hockey League."Ken Holland on Adrian Kempe
Keeping Kempe around for the long-term is a huge deal for the Kings and the front office heading into the future for the franchise in the Western Conference. Kempe will be the Kings' top scoring forward on the top-six forward core lines after center captain Anze Kopitar retires following the end of the 2025-26 season.
Everything with every piece that went into getting this deal done is a crucial part of building this franchise for the future for the Kings.
Darcy Kuemper playing at a Vezina Trophy finalist caliber in the month of November
In the past couple of years, since he was reacquired from the Washington Capitals in a trade in the summer of the offseason in 2024, goalie Darcy Kuemper has rebounded in a big way for the Kings between the pipes. Kuemper was a Vezina Trophy finalist and ranked in the top five in the league in the NHL in save percentage this past season in the West.
The Kings wouldn't be where they are in the race for playoff contention for the postseason in the West without Kuemper playing at a Vezina candidate for the trophy this fall, posting a save percentage of .910 early this regular season for LA.
"He's been incredible. We have so much confidence when he's in the net. He bails us out so much. There's some situations where it almost seems like it's a bigger breakdown than than it looks like, but just because he's so calm and makes the routine save like doesn't even get brought up. We're so grateful to have him, he's our backbone and he killed it tonight."Brandt Clarke on Darcy Kuemper
Corey Perry's big splash start to the season this fall with the Kings
Veteran forward Corey Perry has been one of the most pleasant surprises of this regular season this fall for the Kings and Hiller in the Pacific Division. Perry led the team in goals scored earlier this regular season, scoring seven goals in the season's first 17 games for the Kings this fall.
Perry has brought veteran leadership and an offensive spark to the fourth-line forward group and the top two power play units on special teams this fall. He's contributed one goal and five total points on the power play on special teams early this regular season.
Starting out the season on injured reserve in the month of September a couple of months ago clearly didn't bog down Perry this fall on the ice and in the offensive zone around the net. Perry has scored seven goals and 13 total points for the Kings in the 17 games he's played early this regular season for LA.