Kings face unfamiliar offseason after familiar playoff exit

com Arena. On April 26, 2026, the Los Angeles Kings concluded their season — and Anze Kopitar’s career — with a 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche at Crypto. com Arena.

The fact that the introduction and conclusion of the Kings’ season line up almost identically feels like a symbol of where the team stands as a whole. Their most notable numbers were not good: 22 regulation wins, fewest of any playoff team, and an NHL-record 20 overtime and shootout losses. In the bigger picture, the figures are even worse: first-round playoff exits in five consecutive seasons, and no series wins in their last seven playoff appearances, dating back to their Stanley Cup win in 2014.

After multiple coaching, front office and roster changes, they’re back in the same place once again — good enough to make the playoffs, not good enough to do anything once they get to that point. “I don’t really know what to say to that,” said defenseman Drew Doughty, who is one of two current Kings along with Kopitar to be on all seven of those playoff teams. “Obviously, it’s old.

Obviously, we want more and want to win a playoff series or two, and I don’t have any answers as to why it’s not happening. But we gotta make it happen. ” Throughout the season, both the players and now-former head coach Jim Hiller insisted that the team was playing well and would eventually go on a run.