When do the NHL Playoffs Start?

The LA Kings have fallen on tough times, but they remain well within the hunt to secure a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Feb 18, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA;  Los Angeles Kings center Pierre-Luc Dubois (80) and
Feb 18, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Pierre-Luc Dubois (80) and / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Perhaps no other team in the NHL has experienced more of a roller coaster season than the LA Kings, who were one of professional hockey’s best in the first few weeks before they started to stagnate. Unfortunately for the Kings, that stagnation has continued into the new year and even following the All-Star Break, so their path to the playoffs has grown tougher. 

But if the Kings end up playing more than just an 82-game schedule, or if you’re just a fan of the team interested in watching the playoffs this year, keep reading to find out when the postseason begins in 2024. We’ll also outline what LA must do if they hope to earn a spot.

When can LA Kings fans tune into the NHL Playoffs in 2024?

April 18th is the day when the Kings regular season finishes up, and it won’t be long until the first playoff games begin on April 20th. 

How can the LA Kings stay ahead of the curve and make the playoffs?

The Kings were one of the NHL’s hottest teams during the first few months of the season, but they have had a tough time getting anything going lately. They also fired their coach to try and turn things around with an interim, yet they still haven’t been that consistent group we saw earlier in the year. 

To be frank, the Kings need to discover what made them such a good team early and revert to playing that kind of hockey. If not, then it’s likely they will fall out of the wild card race and watch the postseason from their homes. 

Recent history of the Kings in the postseason

The Kings haven’t enjoyed much postseason success in recent years, having either failed to qualify for or lost in the First Round over the past nine seasons. However, they did see some unprecedented success before 2015, winning a pair of Cups between 2012 and 2014 and even making a deep playoff run to the Western Conference Finals in 2013. 

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(Historical data provided by Hockey-Reference)