The Los Angeles Kings are having a really hard time scoring goals in 2025-26. After sitting in the upper echelon of the National Hockey League with an average of 3.04 goals per game last season, it's been a much more sobering narrative this time around.
Through 27 games, the Kings are producing just 2.56 goals per game, which is good for 29th league-wide. They were just beaten 2-1 by the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night, adding even more urgency to the issue. As The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta reported earlier this week, the front office will likely be aiming to improve that ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline.
“They are 29th in the league in goals for per game. They would like to add some extra fire, some extra punch in that lineup,” the hockey insider said on the latest episode of the the DFO Rundown Insider Edition with Irfaan Gaffar.
“Some guys have dipped quite a bit offensively. Like, they’re in a good position, good footing right now with respect to the playoffs, but is this another first-round exit type of type of scenario? They want to improve on that. They thought they’d be in a better position, and this is Anze Kopitar’s last season.
“So, don’t be surprised if at some point later on in the season, [Ken] Holland and the Kings try to address it. It looks like they’re kind of scoping things out right now to see if they can add somebody, with a little bit of scoring flair.”
The scoring woes have been seen up and down the lineup; Adrian Kempe is leading the team in scoring with 23 points in 27 games, and no other player has more than 19. A ton of forwards are struggling offensively, including Kopitar (14 points in 23 games), Alex Laferriere (11 points), Joel Armia (11 points), Trevor Moore (11 points), Andrei Kuzmenko (seven points) and Phil Danault (four points).
Kings could move unproductive players in search for scorer
A few of the aforementioned players just simply aren't pulling their weight, and that will need to change if the Kings hope to advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a fifth straight season.
As Pagnotta explained, the management's displeasure with the lack of secondary scoring will lead to a search for more firepower between now and March 6, 2026 — and could lead to a few roster players getting a change of scenery.
“The Kings expected more out of forwards Trevor Moore, Phil Danault and Andrei Kuzmenko this season and the offensive production just has not been there. Moore and Kuzmenko each have three goals on the season, while Danault has yet to light the lamp,” he said.
“With just over $4 million in current salary cap space, the Kings are in the position to add to their roster, but the club might try to move out a body to give them more flexibility against the cap for future moves leading up to the trade deadline, if they right the right scoring option to add earlier in the season.”
If LA does decide to pull the trigger on a bigger deal over the next four months, Moore and Kuzmenko could be at the top of the list, as neither owns no-trade protection.
