Going into the upcoming 2026-27 season, the Los Angeles Kings have plenty of questions surrounding how the forward group will adjust without longtime captain and franchise icon No. 1 center Anze Kopitar.
Yet, one area where the Kings won't be lacking for talent and depth is on the wing.
Led by proven playmakers and offensive weapons, like Adrian Kempe, Artemi Panarin, and Kevin Fiala, along with veteran newcomer Mats Zuccarello, the Kings have assembled one of the more talented top-six winger groups in the NHL. That's flanked by a supporting group that includes the likes of Trevor Moore and Alex Laferriere to form one of the deeper collections of wingers in the league.
LA Kings have the high-end talent and depth to justify their No. 7 ranking
The depth and talent that the Kings have on the wing were recently given some recognition from The Hockey Writers, which ranked the Kings' winger group No. 7 in the NHL entering the 2026-27 season.
While the Kings have some newcomers on the wing, general manager Ken Holland has been able to assemble a group that is dynamic and can make an impact consistently on both sides of the ice.
Panarin, Kempe, and Fiala are three legitimate high-end offensive weapons for the Kings on the wing. And they just added even more firepower with the signing of a proven playmaker in Zuccarello from the Minnesota Wild.
The strength of the bottom-six and the additions of Zuccarello and Panarin in this past few months is what really solidifies the Kings' spot at No. 7 on this list from The Hockey Writers.
Having one of the highest-ranked winger groups in the Western Conference on paper won't mean much if that talent doesn't translate into more consistent offensive production and ultimately more success in the win column this upcoming season.
But the pieces are there for the Kings with two proven scoring threats in Kempe and Fiala, while other veterans like Zuccarello and Moore provide depth and playmaking behind them. All of these weapons give new head coach Peter Laviolette and staff multiple options throughout the lineup.
Since the Kings are entering this new era without Kopitar in the middle of the lineup, the team needs the wingers to play an even larger role in driving the offense this upcoming season. If this group can live up to its top-10 billing from this ranking, the Kings could have one of the deeper and more dangerous collections of wingers in the Western Conference in 2026-27.
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