The oldest team in hockey in 2026-27, at least going into training camp, must improve its special teams unit. The Los Angeles Kings‘ special teams units were among the worst in the NHL last season, finishing 28th in power play conversion rate and 30th in penalty kill effectiveness. Some of that could improve with the help of a breakout by the talented but inconsistent Quinton Byfield.
Eddie Garcia, host of the “Locked On LA Kings” podcast, said it was the organization’s special teams ‘without question.’
“Special teams were not good last year, both the power play and the penalty kill? It was an issue,” he said. “They tried a lot of different things, and nothing worked. It did get better with the addition of Artemi Panarin.”
Garcia appeared as a guest on “Locked On NHL Game Night” as part of the season preview series.
LA Kings Special Teams Fiasco
The numbers painted an unpleasant picture for Los Angeles. The Kings, who set a record for non-regulation losses, combined to go minus-23 between the power play and penalty kill. Their special teams negated what was a solid five-on-five team, finishing 12th in five-on-five goal differential and seventh in high-danger chances against per 60 minutes, per Natural Stat Trick.
The LA Kings’ power play did improve with the arrival of Artemi Panarin. In 26 games, the Kings converted at 20 percent. That was enough for a good but not horrible 20th in the NHL in that stretch. That unit, at times, ran Panarin on both power play units, Garcia said.
“I don’t know if Peter Laviolette will employ that same type of strategy,” Garcia said. “I would assume he knows of it.”
Conversely, the penalty kill struggled much of the season. DJ Smith, who took over in the wake of Jim Hiller’s firing, saw that unit at a dismal 70.6 percent. Consequently, that was 31st in the NHL from March 2 on, when Smith took over for Hiller.
The LA Kings’ special teams did them no favors in 2025-26.
Peter Laviolette to the Rescue?
New head coach Peter Laviolette experienced quite the dichotomy in his last stop in New York. His special teams unit excelled, finishing third in power play conversion percentage and third in penalty kill effectiveness in 2023-24. The Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy on their way to a second Eastern Conference Finals appearance in three seasons. In 2024-25, the power play cratered, falling all the way to 28th as the Rangers labored to an 85-point season. The penalty kill was still solid, finishing 11th in effectiveness.
Now Laviolette, Panarin and associate coach Phil Housley are reunited. Along with assistant coach Ray Whitney, that group will ultimately determine the next iteration of the Kings power play.
The penalty kill will be interesting to watch for the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings penalty kill ranked worse than the power play, which means cleaning it up is critical. Meanwhile, assistant coaches Chris Hajt and Derik Johnson lead the penalty kill changes next season. Hajt helped coach an elite penalty kill with the Ontario Reign, LA’s AHL affiliate.
Can the Kings Return to the Playoffs?
Expectations for the Kings are all over the place. Despite the retirement of Anze Kopitar, the team somehow got older with their offseason signings. Head coach Peter Laviolette is notorious for getting the most out of his teams in their first season, but he plays an up-tempo style that may not be compatible with the roster assembled by GM Ken Holland. Garcia noted that former interim head coach DJ Smith made it a point of his ascension to the top job as well — make the Kings faster.
“Peter Laviolette is going to want to play an up-tempo style of play than the Kings are used to,” Garcia said. “It’s not really how the roster is constructed.”
Still, the LA Kings special teams unit must take a major step for the Kings to do the same in 2026-27.
“The special teams were a real issue,” Garcia said. “The Kings played more one-goal games and more overtime and shootout games than any team in the NHL last year. If the power play is middle of the pack instead of bottom-five, maybe some of those loser points turn into wins.”
LA Kings Special Teams Must Improve in 2026-27