In less than five days, the Los Angeles Kings and head coach Jim Hiller will open up the upcoming 2025-26 regular season against the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 7. The Kings are in the final week of training camp and the preseason this fall going into the finale at Crypto.com Arena this upcoming weekend against the Anaheim Ducks before next Tuesday's regular season opener vs. Colorado.
Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe lead the Los Angeles Kings projected opening-night roster for the regular season opener
Earlier this week, the Kings assigned over a dozen players to the AHL affiliate Ontario Reign amid the final full week of training camp and the preseason on Wednesday.
The Kings have basically finalized the projected roster for this upcoming regular season this fall. General manager Ken Holland and the Kings' front office reduced the roster to roughly two dozen players for this upcoming season.
Hiller made it clear in the past couple of weeks that he wants the lineup for the Kings' final two preseason games to look very close to what the projected lineup will be for this upcoming regular season.
Highlighting the projected roster for this upcoming season for the Kings in the Pacific Division is veteran forward and captain Anze Kopitar. This will be Kopitar's final season playing with the Kings before he hangs up the skates following the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.
The Kings have strong forward depth and scoring on the first line, including standout winger Adrian Kempe. Expect the Kings to get fantastic production in the zone offensively this upcoming season from wingers Kempe and Kevin Fiala and second-line center Quinton Byfield.
This is an aging core for the Kings on the top forward lines and the blue line core for the defense this upcoming season. Hiller and the Kings need up-and-coming players and rising leaders like Kempe, Fiala, Byfield, and defensemen Mikey Anderson and Brandt Clarke to step up this season, with defenseman Drew Doughty working his way back from a lower-body injury late last season in the 2024-25 campaign.
It looks like the Kings are going to keep 13 forwards, eight defensemen, and two goalies on the projected roster for this upcoming season.
The Kings added some new pieces to the roster to bring more veteran presence and depth for the blue line group and the fourth line forwards line, including defenseman Brian Dumoulin and veteran forward Corey Perry.
Backstopping the Kings this upcoming season are veteran goalies Darcy Kuemper and newly-signed projected backup Anton Forsberg.
Forwards
Top line: Andrei Kuzmenko - Anze Kopitar - Adrian Kempe
Second line: Kevin Fiala - Quinton Byfield - Alex Laferriere
Third line: Trevor Moore - Phillip Danault - Warren Foegele
Fourth line: Jeff Malott - Alex Turcotte - Joel Armia
Defensemen
Top pairing: Mikey Anderson - Drew Doughty
Second pairing: Brandt Clarke - Joel Edmundson
Third pairing: Cody Ceci - Brian Dumoulin
Goalies
Starter: Darcy Kuemper
Backup: Anton Forsberg