Head coach Jim Hiller and the Los Angeles Kings have been shorthanded on the blue line with defensive depth in the past week or so in training camp and the preseason this fall. The Kings had two defensemen, Kyle Burroughs and Joel Edmundson, miss multiple days of practice due to various reasons.
Los Angeles Kings place defenseman Kyle Burroughs on injured reserve this weekend
Burroughs missed the Kings' past two preseason games in the past week against the Mammoth and Anaheim Ducks in the preseason finale on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 4). Edmundson was active for the Kings' preseason finale yesterday against the Ducks in the 5-4 overtime win at Crypto Arena.
The Kings announced this morning that Burroughs had officially been placed on IR late this weekend.
Burroughs originally suffered an upper-body injury on a blocked shot in the Kings' preseason game on Sep. 30 this past week against the Utah Mammoth. This means Burroughs will likely at least miss the first couple of weeks of the regular season for the Kings in early-to-mid October.
It was reported this weekend that Burroughs will be out for "a while" for the Kings after further evaluation from the upper-body injury he suffered this past week against the Mammoth in the preseason.
The injury to Burroughs leaves the Kings' blue line with just seven players at defense. Hiller and the Kings also have 22 healthy players remaining on the active roster going into opening night of the regular season this upcoming week against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night (Oct. 7).
Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider reported on Oct. 5 that Burroughs has at least skated on the ice in the past few days, even though he will start this upcoming regular season on injured reserve for the Kings.
Burroughs played 33 games this past regular season for the Kings, registering three assists and three total points. He played five preseason games this fall for the Kings in the past few weeks, registering two assists and two total points.
The Kings open up the upcoming 2025-26 regular season on the road against the Avalanche at Ball Arena in Denver on Oct. 7 at 7:30 p.m. PT.