With the release of the preseason schedule for this upcoming fall, it is now official that the Los Angeles Kings fans will get their first look at new head coach Peter Laviolette on Sep. 19.
The Kings officially announced their preseason schedule for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign early this week on Monday (June 22). This upcoming preseason will be an important evaluation period for the Kings as the franchise enters a new era following the retirement of center captain Anze Kopitar and the hiring of Laviolette as the new full-time head coach.
The new collective bargaining agreement for the league means that the Kings will have a different preseason schedule than in this past few years. This fall, the Kings will only play four preseason games in a couple of weeks, which also means that training camp will be shorter than in years past for the team.
Los Angeles Kings to face familiar Pacific Division foes as Peter Laviolette begins his first preseason behind the bench
This fall, the four preseason games that the Kings will play are against some familiar foes: the Vegas Golden Knights, Anaheim Ducks, and Utah Mammoth. The Kings will play the Ducks twice in a home-and-home series on Sep. 23 and Sep. 26 this upcoming preseason.
Another annual tradition that will continue is the Kings' annual exhibition game played in Ontario at Toyota Arena at the home of the AHL affiliate Ontario Reign.
Kings fans will get their first look to see how Laviolette plans to implement his plays and system this upcoming season. A new coaching staff in place and several important roster decisions still to be made before opening night mean that the preseason will carry more significance than usual for the Kings this fall.
Here's a full look at the Kings' preseason schedule this fall.
Sep. 19: vs. Vegas Golden Knights (Toyota Arena, Ontario, CA)
Sep. 22: vs. Utah Mammoth (Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA)
Sep. 23: @ Anaheim Ducks (Honda Center, Anaheim, CA)
Sep. 26: vs. Anaheim Ducks (Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA)
Even though preseason games and results don't mean much when it's all said and done, the preseason schedule still gives prospects and younger players hoping to make the opening-night active roster lineup a chance to make an impression before the regular season opener this fall.
The condensed preseason and training camp schedule this fall means that the Kings will have to get creative with finding ways to get all the younger players and prospects time in the spotlight in the exhibition games. Breakout players from this past few years probably wouldn't have gotten the chance to succeed with this limited preseason slate for the Kings.
Prospects such as defenseman Henry Brzustewicz, goalie Carter George, and forward Aatu Jamsen could benefit from strong showings in training camp and the preseason this fall. Since there are only four exhibition games on the slate, the ice time and opportunities to stand out to the coaching staff might be more limited than in years past.
While preseason games won't count toward the standings this upcoming season, this year's exhibition slate does have more appeal than usual for the Kings this fall. Between Laviolette's hiring, Kopitar's retirement, and several new faces battling for spots in the roster lineup, preseason and training camp this upcoming fall will be the first glimpse for many Kings fans as to what the new direction of the franchise will look like in the 2026-27 season.
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