The Los Angeles Kings have officially recalled young forward Kenny Connors from the AHL affiliate Ontario Reign, the team announced on social media on Monday afternoon (Jan. 26). It sounds like Connors is reportedly expected to join the Kings' team for the morning skate on Tuesday (Jan. 27) vs. the Detroit Red Wings in the Motor City early this week.
Los Angeles Kings are expected to have forward Kenny Connors with the team in Detroit early this week on Tuesday
This news of the Kings recalling Connors from the Reign in Ontario in the AHL comes as center captain Anze Kopitar is still on injured reserve. The Kings only had 19 players on the active roster lineup skating at practice today on Monday morning, per Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider.
Center Alex Turcotte and defenseman Joel Edmundson reportedly suffered upper-body injury in the Kings' 5-4 shootout win on the road over the weekend on Saturday (Jan. 24) vs. the St. Louis Blues at the Enterprise Center in Missouri.
Head coach Jim Hiller and the Kings only had 21 players on the active roster lineup going into the season-long six-game road trip this upcoming week in the East vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Red Wings early this week on Monday and Tuesday night. Since the Kings only had 21 players on the active roster lineup early this week on Monday, the team doesn't need to send anyone down through waivers to the AHL affiliate Ontario.
If Connors is in the active roster lineup for Hiller and the Kings this coming Tuesday night (Jan. 27) vs. the Red Wings on the road in Detroit at Little Caesars Arena, it would be his NHL debut for the team.
Connors has been productive offensively for the AHL affiliate Reign in his first full season playing in Ontario this year in the past few months. He's registered two dozen total points and nine goals in 41 games played for the Reign in the AHL this regular season.
The Kings selected Connors in the fourth round (103rd overall) in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft from the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the USHL.