LA Kings announce roster moves ahead of the 2024-25 regular season

The Los Angeles Kings wrapped up their preseason on Saturday and on Sunday made the moves needed ahead of the regular season. The Kings would needed to submit their Opening Night roster by Monday, which includes 23 players.

For the Kings to get to that point, they would have had to move three players but on Sunday would do one more than that. The team would place three players on waivers which included forwards Samuel Fagemo and Jack Studnicka along with goaltender Pheonix Copley.

The move of Copley isn't overly surprising as the Kings were almost certainly going to have their two goalies be Darcy Kuemper and David Rittich. If Copley clears waivers, which he should, he will start the year with the Ontario Reign and pair with Erik Portillo as their goaltenders.

As for Fagemo and Studnicka, both had a pretty strong training camp and preseason that had them on the roster bubble. However, the Kings elected to go with eight defenders so the number of forwards was going to be limited and as much as they probably would have liked to keep either, they just didn't have the room.

Andre Lee loaned to Ontario but should be back with the Los Angeles Kings soon

The player that Fagemo and Studnicka were competing with was Andre Lee but the Kings would also loan him to Ontario. However, this move might have been to be in compliance for the Opening Night roster and Lee will be back with the Kings in the near future.

The final moves, which were expected, was to place Drew Doughty and Arthur Kaliyev on injured reserve. This is not a surprise as both suffered long-term injuries with Doughty having surgery for a fractured ankle and Kaliyev suffering a fractured clavicle and it will be a few months before they are ready to return.