Kings’ Record-Setting Overtime Losses Are A Growing Concern

The Los Angeles Kings are fighting for their playoff lives in every game from here on out, with seven games remaining in the regular season, and with all eyes surrounding how they will finish the season, they just broke two NHL records. After playing yet another overtime game Thursday night against the Nashville Predators , Los Angeles tied an NHL record for most overtime games played with 30 , and their loss recorded the most overtime losses in NHL history with 19 . The LA Kings have set the NHL record with their 19th OT loss of the season They have also tied the NHL record with their 30th game going to OT (tied with 2003-04 Bruins) — Blake Warye (@bwaryeofblake) April 3, 2026 For a team that chose to fight for a playoff spot, rather than rebuild for draft capital and build for the future, it has no excuse for remaining in the middle of the pack year after year.

The path is right there for Los Angeles to make the playoffs, especially in one of the weakest divisions that we've ever seen in NHL history. Only one team in the division is above . 500, and if you put all those teams in the Eastern Conference, they wouldn't even be close to the playoff picture.

Teams like the Vegas Golden Knights , Seattle Kraken , San Jose Sharks , and, obviously, the Kings would currently be at the bottom of the Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions. A Record That Raises Questions In reality, forcing overtime can be a good thing for the most part because it shows the team never quits and shows resilience. It means a team is battling back, staying competitive, and earning at least a point in tight contests.

But when those games constantly end in losses, the narrative shifts. The 19 overtime defeats aren't just bad luck; it's a pattern that continues to plague their season. Thirty overtime games represent a massive sample size, and losing nearly two-thirds of those points to deeper issues.