The Los Angeles Kings open their 2026 season on the road against the Colorado Avalanche.
The season opener is an opportunity for the Kings to avenge the last series between the two, as the Avalanche swept the Kings in the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Kings finished with 89 points last season, going 35-26-19. Adrian Kempe and Artemi Panarin front the Kings, scoring 73 and 84 points respectively last season. Center Quinton Byfield is expected to lead their line. Byfield had 24 goals and 49 points last season.
The blue line is anchored by 2021 eighth overall pick Brandt Clark, who signed a five year extension in the summer. Clark had 32 assists and 40 points last season.
Los Angeles brought in Mats Zuccarello, Corey Perry, Erik Haula, Erik Gustafsson and Scott Perunovich this offseason on short deals to fill out the roster.
The Avalanche have one of, if not the best duos in the NHL in Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. Colorado looked unbeatable in the regular season, going 55-16-11 for a franchise record 121 points.
The Presidents' Trophy winners dominated the Kings in the first round. MacKinnon scored twice in the series finale against the Kings along with an assist and Artturi Lehkonen and Gabriel Landeskog each had multiple goal in the series as well for Colorado.
First Pick: Colorado Avalanche over 1.5 goals
Rundown: This being the first game of the season, the bets haven't adjusted high yet. A 1.5 goal total should be easy money, as the Avalanche reached that threshold in every game they played against the Kings last season. Aside from the playoff series, the Avalanche went 3-0 in the regular season with 13 goals in three games.
Second Pick: Martin Necas over 0.5 points
Rundown: Necas had six points in three gamed during the regular season against the Kings. He also had four goals in the season series. Necas also had two assists in the playoff series against the Kings. Necas was an offensive staple for the Avalanche, launching 21 shots in seven games against the Kings last season. He's also on a line with Lehkonen and MacKinnon along with Makar and Devon Toews on the blue line, opening the ice up.