Early this regular season in the West, the Los Angeles Kings are fighting for a contending spot in the Pacific Division standings this fall. There are a half-dozen teams in the West in the Pacific and Central Division early this regular season that are real contenders in the conference this winter in the next few months in the 2025-26 campaign.
Los Angeles Kings remain a top-four contender for the postseason in the playoffs in the West in the Pacific Division after Week 8 this regular season
This past week in the West, the Kings have had good luck with the mom's trip with the team in the Pacific Division in terms of success in the win column in the standings this fall. The Kings went 2-0 with the moms in attendance in the past two games this past week against the Mammoth from Utah and the Chicago Blackhawks this past weekend on Saturday night.
Home offensive power play success on special teams has contended with the Kings' ability to climb the standings in the Pacific Division in the West early this regular season. Hiller and the Kings haven't found a true weapon to score the puck in the offensive zone consistently on special teams on the power play this fall.
I think the Kings are one of the half dozen or so best competitive teams in the Western Conference early this regular season in the standings. Competition in the Western Conference in the Pacific Division is opening the door for new players to keep rising for this team.
Darcy Kuemper pitched a shutout and allowed an average of just 1.0 goals per game allowed for the Kings this past week, going 2-0 in the West vs. Chicago and the Mammoth from Utah in the past four days in early December this month.
In the post-Week 8 NHL power rankings from The Hockey Writers, the Kings rank among the dozen or so best teams in the league early this month in early-to-mid December this fall. The Kings have been among the four top-ranked best teams in the Pacific Division in the NHL power rankings for three weeks in late November and early December this month.