The offseason has officially arrived, and the Los Angeles Kings will need to make decisions this summer regarding which players will return to the roster lineup for the upcoming 2026-27 season and who will have to find other destinations in the next couple of months.
Several players also gave revealing answers regarding their futures with the organization during postseason exit interviews. Multiple notable players, including Scott Laughton, Andrei Kuzmenko, and Jeff Malott, gave very different answers regarding their futures during postseason exit interviews.
Kuzmenko’s response created additional uncertainty after he simply responded “we’ll see” when asked about his future with the organization.
It increasingly sounds like Kuzmenko may not be part of the Los Angeles Kings’ plans moving forward, as he is an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Kings could have other roster needs that are more important to address this summer in free agency and on the trade block.
Kuzmenko missed the final stretch of the regular season after suffering a lower-body injury in late February, although he briefly returned during the postseason against Colorado. He missed the latter portion of this past regular season due to a lower-body injury that he suffered back in late February 2026.
While Kuzmenko showed flashes of offensive creativity and scoring ability, injuries and inconsistency prevented the Kings from fully evaluating how he fit within the organization’s long-term structure.
He eventually underwent surgery for a torn meniscus after suffering a lower-body injury in late February, limiting his ability to fully contribute down the stretch of the season.
Eric Stephens of The Athletic suggested the Kings still need additional offensive production, while the addition of Artemi Panarin could further complicate Kuzmenko’s path back to Los Angeles next season.
He previously showed legitimate offensive upside in Los Angeles, recording five goals and 17 points in fewer than 25 games during his earlier stretch with the organization. However, Kuzmenko was unable to consistently replicate that level of production this past regular season for the Kings offensively.
Moving on from Kuzmenko could give general manager Ken Holland and the Kings' front office more roster flexibility and cap sheet room this offseason to find more center depth and talent and to add more scoring potential to the roster lineup this summer.
Kuzmenko brought offensive skill and creativity to the lineup, but the Kings may ultimately decide that roster flexibility and playoff-style structure are bigger priorities to address this offseason and entering next season.
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