The Los Angeles Kings and new general manager Ken Holland were active in free agency earlier this summer in the 2025 offseason, adding key pieces to the roster to add more proven experience and grit in key areas of the projected lines for the forward core and the blue line.
Where are the Los Angeles Kings and Jim Hiller projected to finish in the projected Pacific Division standings for the 2025-26 season?
Holland and the Kings added more proven postseason experience and physicality to the forward core and the blue line defensive group, including 40-year-old winger Corey Perry and veteran defenseman Brian Dumoulin from the New Jersey Devils in the East.
Free agency was a two-way street for the Kings' front office, though. LA and Holland lost some key pieces from the blue-line roster to free agency this offseason earlier this summer, including defensemen Vladislav Gavrikov (signed with the New York Rangers) and Jordan Spence (signed with the Ottawa Senators).
Despite the additions the Kings made this past free agent cycle this summer for the 2025 offseason, Holland and LA still missed out on some of the team's biggest priorities to add to the roster going into the upcoming 2025-26 season.
The Kings still need to add a top-six scoring forward to the top two lines on offense for the upcoming 2025-26 season.
The Hockey News is placing some faith in the reputation Holland brings in his past stops as a general manager with teams like the Detroit Red Wings in the 2000s and 2010s, and the Edmonton Oilers with superstars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl north of the border in Canada.
"Holland has earned his reputation as an above-average team-builder – he was part of the Oilers’ more recent successes when he recently served as their GM – and if he’s done nothing else with this Kings roster, he’s added a bunch of experienced hands to handle the pressure to not only get into the playoffs but to actually win a round or two. That’s something Rob Blake, Holland’s predecessor as Kings GM failed to do – once they do get into the post-season."The Hockey News
The 2025-26 season Pacific Division official projected standings from The Hockey News has the Kings remaining in the playoff picture in the Western Conference for the fifth year in a row. The Hockey News and writer Adam Proteau write that the Kings have "too much talent" on the roster to miss the playoffs this postseason and going into the upcoming 2025-26 season.
Proteau projects the Kings to make the playoffs as a potential wild-card team from the Pacific Division for the 2026 postseason. The Kings finished second in the Pacific Division standings after finishing with over 100 points this past regular season in the 2024-25 campaign.
The Hockey News has the Kings finishing fourth in the division behind the Vegas Golden Knights, Oilers, and Vancouver Canucks (in order from top to bottom).