LA Kings Enter New Era Following Anze Kopitar’s Retirement
- As the Los Angeles Kings approach the 2026-27 season, the franchise faces a challenge following the retirement of two-time Stanley Cup champion Anže Kopitar.
- The departure of Kopitar has left the Kings searching for a definitive No.
- With the veteran leadership of Kopitar gone, the spotlight shifts squarely to Quinton Byfield.
As the Los Angeles Kings approach the 2026-27 season, the franchise faces a challenge following the retirement of two-time Stanley Cup champion Anže Kopitar. For nearly twenty years, Kopitar served as the central pillar of the team’s offense and defense, leaving a massive void down the middle that general manager Ken Holland must now address.
Offseason Rankings Highlight Major Roster Vulnerability
The departure of Kopitar has left the Kings searching for a definitive No. 1 center to steady the roster. This uncertainty prompted The Athletic to rank the Los Angeles club near the bottom of its offseason evaluations for the NHL’s top-six center duos. Evaluators placed the Kings in the seventh tier, explicitly labeling their center depth as a major weakness. While the organization has made noticeable strides in bolstering other areas of the lineup, the lack of proven depth down the middle poses a significant hurdle as the team attempts to push past the first round of the postseason.
Quinton Byfield Steps Into Expanded Role
With the veteran leadership of Kopitar gone, the spotlight shifts squarely to Quinton Byfield. Selected second overall by the Kings in the 2020 NHL Draft, the 23-year-old forward possesses the size, skating ability, vision, and shooting talent required of a modern top-line center. Byfield finished last season with 49 points across 79 games, a productive campaign that nevertheless highlights the gap between his current output and the elite production expected of a franchise cornerstone. Without Kopitar to shoulder heavy minutes, Byfield carries heightened expectations to finally seize the role envisioned for him on draft night.
Artemi Panarin Joins Offensive Core
To help offset offensive concerns, the Kings added veteran forward Artemi Panarin during the offseason. Panarin split last year between the New York Rangers and Los Angeles, totaling 28 goals and 56 assists for 84 points in 78 games, a slight dip from his past 90-point prime years. Panarin reunites with head coach Peter Laviolette, a familiarity expected to ease his transition into the system. However, analysts note that Panarin alone cannot solve the team’s scoring depth issues without a reliable supporting cast down the middle.
Defensive Structure and Roster Outlook
While the center position remains unsettled, other areas of the roster offer stability. The Kings maintain a structured defensive identity that consistently limits scoring chances, and goaltending is expected to remain a steady asset with Anton Forsberg positioned to take over starting duties. Depth options such as Scott Laughton and Erik Haula provide veteran presence and defensive reliability, though neither matches Kopitar’s historical offensive output. Meanwhile, trade rumors earlier in the offseason—including a mention by The Hockey News regarding Darcy Kuemper—have linked the franchise to potential moves as management weighs its options ahead of opening night.
