The Los Angeles Kings hired Peter Laviolette this week to replace interim coach D.J. Smith after a first-round sweep by the Colorado Avalanche.
Laviolette’s New Challenge
Ken Holland signed Laviolette after the Rangers’ 2025-26 campaign ended, bringing a coach with 1,200 regular-season games behind the bench. The move signals a short-term push despite the Kings finishing 12th in the Pacific Division standings.
Laviolette inherits a group that averaged 2.8 goals per game during the regular season but surrendered 3.4 in the playoffs against Colorado. The Avalanche outscored Los Angeles 17-6 across four games.
The new coach must integrate Artemi Panarin, acquired from New York last season, with Adrian Kempe and Kevin Fiala. Those three combined for 92 goals in 2025-26, yet the second line produced only 41.
Drew Doughty logged 24 minutes per game while Brandt Clarke, 22, averaged 19. The blue line allowed 32.1 shots against per contest, second-worst in the division.
Roster Depth Deficits
The Kings roster lists Panarin at 34 years old, Kempe, Fiala, Alex Laferriere and Quentin Byfield up front. Byfield posted 28 goals but recorded a minus-9 rating.
Holland holds eight first- or second-round picks across the next three drafts. The GM has already signaled willingness to move one or two for immediate help rather than waiting on prospects.
No player on the current roster projects as a franchise-altering talent. Panarin’s production dropped from 89 points in 2024-25 to 67 this season.
The Pacific Division standings show the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers each with at least 98 points. The San Jose Sharks added 11 wins from the prior year, closing the gap on Los Angeles.
Win-Now Mandate Risks
Holland faces a mandate to reach the playoffs in 2026-27 after missing the postseason in 2024-25. Spending draft capital now would leave the cupboard bare for the post-Panarin window.
Clarke becomes an RFA this summer with an estimated $7.5 million cap hit. Securing him reduces flexibility for other additions.
Laviolette’s system produced top-10 penalty-kill units in three of his last four seasons. The Kings ranked 23rd on the penalty kill in 2025-26 at 77.4 percent.
Unless Holland executes at least one significant trade by July 1, the Kings project to finish ninth in the West and outside the playoffs.
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Par Mike Jonderson
Mike Jonderson is a passionate hockey analyst and expert in advanced NHL statistics. A former college player and mathematics graduate, he combines his understanding of the game with technical expertise to develop innovative predictive models and contribute to the evolution of modern hockey analytics.