This upcoming season will be the first time that the Los Angeles Kings get Artemi Panarin for a full campaign to help boost the offense and special teams on the power play top unit.
The most impactful move general manager Ken Holland and the Kings made this past regular season to help move the needle offensively was acquiring the star forward Panarin from the New York Rangers before the trade deadline. Panarin made an immediate impact on the Kings, scoring at a clip of over one point per game down the stretch this past regular season.
We start off this series of player previews for the Kings for the upcoming 2026-27 season with Panarin. We'll go through the forward group, then work our way through the defensemen, and then round it out with the goalies before training camp and the preseason begin this fall.
Artemi Panarin 2025-26 player season recap
2025-26 season stats: 78 games played (26 /w Kings), 28 goals (9), 56 assists (18), 84 points (27), -7 (+9)
2025-26 advanced stats: 12.5 shooting %, 8.6 5-on-5 shooting %, 3.1 points/60, 3.7 point shares, 3.6 WAR
2025-26 possession metrics (with Kings): 61.4 CF%, 52.0 SCF%, 98.2 PDO, 52.5 HDCF%
Panarin provided a huge spark to the Kings' offense after the team acquired him this past February for the stretch run of the regular season. Not only did he register 27 total points in 26 games in the black and silver uniform, but he was also the only Kings' player to register multiple goals in the first round matchup in the postseason vs. the Colorado Avalanche.
Production-wise, Panarin was extremely effective for the Kings in the offensive zone this past regular season. The offensive creativity and playmaking were the biggest things that Panarin brought to the Kings forward group in the top six. He not only helped to improve a Kings team that was struggling mightily to score the puck early in the regular season, but he also improved the efficiency of the special teams unit on the power play.
Artemi Panarin 2026-27 Los Angeles Kings season preview
After the Kings acquired Panarin before the trade deadline this past regular season from the Rangers, he signed a contract extension that keeps him in Los Angeles through the end of the 2027-28 season. He will be expected to be one of the Kings' top producers offensively for the next couple of seasons, and help to improve the results of the power play unit on special teams.
It's extremely exciting for Kings fans to get a full season for the first time of seeing Panarin in the top six forward group and with the top unit on special teams on the power play.
Panarin is projected to play on the Kings' top forward line this upcoming season, alongside standout winger Adrian Kempe and young center Quinton Byfield. Over the last eight seasons or so, Panarin has consistently been a point-per-game producer in his NHL career.
And since his career-best 120-point season came while playing under new head coach Peter Laviolette with the Rangers, Panarin could potentially have his offensive skills be unleashed to a greater extent in the offensive zone for the Kings this upcoming season.
Panarin is on the brink of reaching a career milestone this upcoming season. He only needs 46 more points to reach 1,000 in his career. If he remains healthy for the full season for the Kings, he should be able to easily reach that career milestone in total points as long as he remains a point-per-game player offensively.
His playmaking and vision with the puck on his stick should continue to create opportunities at even strength for Byfield and Kempe, while his presence on special teams on the power play gives the Kings another potent weapon they've desperately needed for years.
Add us as a preferred source on Google