This past season, young forward Jared Wright was one of the fastest and most exciting players to emerge in the Los Angeles Kings system who got the call up to the NHL down the stretch.
The path that Wright has taken to reach this point has been nothing short of remarkable over this past couple of years, culminating in a breakout rookie season with the Ontario Reign that eventually earned him a spot on the NHL roster.
In his rookie season with the Reign in the AHL, Wright registered 17 goals, 14 assists, and 31 total points in 54 games played. That was good for a sparkling +27 rating for Wright with the Reign this past season.
Jared Wright's performance for the Los Angeles Kings in the 2025-26 season
In 23 games played in the 2025-26 season, Wright registered four assists and four total points. He also played in all four postseason games in the first round for the Kings vs. the Colorado Avalanche this spring.
At a minimum, Wright has exceeded expectations to the degree that he has earned a bottom-six depth role in the NHL with the Kings. His elite speed, forechecking ability, and offensive upside made Wright a worthy addition to the roster down the stretch this past regular season.
According to the NHL EDGE data, Wright registered a max skating speed of over 23 miles per hour, which put him in the 88th percentile among players in the league this past season. He was also one of the 10 fastest skaters in the postseason.
The impact of Wright's skating speed is felt on both ends of the ice for the Kings. Wright can use his skating to impact the forecheck in the offensive zone and help to draw turnovers in the defensive zone and in transition for the Kings.
Wright showed flashes of offensive potential and production in one particular stretch in early April, recording a point in three consecutive games. The Kings earned points in all three of those games, including two victories.
The problem for Wright is that while he is one of the NHL's fastest skaters already, his production of zero goals and four total points in 27 games played between the regular season and the postseason limited him to a bottom-six role for the Kings.
2025-26 Season Grade: B+
What to expect from Jared Wright moving forward with the Los Angeles Kings in the 2026-27 season?
All signs are pointing to Wright having a role in the bottom six in the forward group for new head coach Peter Laviolette and the Kings again this upcoming season. At the outset of the upcoming 2026-27 season, I would not only expect Wright to hold down a spot with the fourth-line forward group, but also to contribute more on special teams on the penalty kill.
He'll compete in training camp and the preseason this fall to solidify his spot as an NHL contributor on the Kings roster.
If Wright can translate more of the goal-scoring ability he showed this past season in Ontario to the NHL level, his ceiling and role could extend beyond the fourth line. His elite skating ability and speed already give him a valuable NHL-level tool, which could push him into a larger middle-six role for the Kings with more consistent offensive production.
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