Playing just under two dozen games for the Los Angeles Kings two seasons ago in the 2023-24 regular season, young forward Alex Turcotte played in a career-high 68 games for head coach Jim Hiller's squad this past season.
Due to nagging injury issues, Turcotte played only 20 games in the 2023-24 season for the Kings and Hiller. He also dealt with injuries that caused him to miss significant stretches of games this past regular season in the Pacific Division.
Despite missing over a dozen games this past regular season due to an upper-body injury last spring, Turcotte was a consistent contributor for the Kings in both zones on the ice.
Alex Turcotte 2024-25 Los Angeles Kings player season recap
2024-25 season stats: 68 games played, 9 goals, 16 assists, 25 points, +6
2024-25 advanced stats: 11.4 shooting %, 9.6 5-on-5 shooting %, 1.9 points/60, 2.3 point shares, 0.6 WAR
2024-25 possession metrics (with Kings): 53.3 CF%, 54.3 SCF%, 91.3 PDO, 57.0 HDCF%
In the 68 games he played with the Kings this past season, Turcotte scored a career-high nine goals and 16 assists, good for 25 total points for LA. Turcotte showed the ability to make an impact on the Kings' offense for the forward core in the top nine in clutch time, scoring multiple game-winning goals last season for the first time in his career in the NHL.
Turcotte played well when he got first-line minutes on the ice with Anze Kopitar and winger Adrian Kempe last season. The Kings scored 16 goals on the first line with the combination of Turcotte with Kempe and Kopitar.
Down the stretch last this past regular season, Hiller and the Kings played Turcotte with Tanner Jeanot and Samuel Helenius with the fourth-line forward group. A combination of injuries to Jeanot and Turcotte and a lack of consistent opportunities in key points of games and in the postseason limited their effectiveness for the Kings down the stretch last season in the Pacific Division.
Turcotte only averaged just over five minutes on the ice per game in three games played for the Kings in the postseason.
Rink Royalty 2024-25 season grade for Alex Turcotte: B
Alex Turcotte 2025-26 Los Angeles Kings season preview
The top nine forward core for the projected offensive lines for Hiller and the Kings is mostly set for this upcoming regular season in the West. Turcotte is projected to play with newly signed free agent forwards Joel Armia and Corey Perry with the fourth line for the Kings going into training camp and the preseason.
New general manager Ken Holland signing Armia and Perry will give Turcotte more stability and proven experience to play with the fourth line this upcoming season.
The question will be whether Turcotte can move into a spot role with the top nine forward group this upcoming season for Hiller and the Kings.