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Playoff Kings: Is This the Year Los Angeles Finally Breaks Through?

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The Los Angeles Kings are returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs—again. With their latest 3-0 shutout victory over Edmonton on Saturday and a Calgary Flames loss to the Vegas Golden Knights later in the night, the Kings secured their playoff spot for the fourth consecutive year. 

Despite the Kings beating the Oilers on Saturday, the game still shouldn't mean much to the Kings or their fans because it was without arguably their two best players, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who have been out with injuries. The last time the Kings played a healthy Oilers team was on Jan.13, when they were held to zero points and lost the game with McDavid and Draisaitl healthy. 

The game will mean much more in a week when they meet again for the final time this season at Edmonton when, most likely, McDavid or Draisaitl will be back for that game, which will be very crucial in who will get home ice in this potential first-round matchup. 

But as the team seeks to possibly repeat the last three year's first-round series against the Oilers, fans and analysts ask: Will this year be different?

The Kings are no strangers to postseason disappointment the past few years. If they play Edmonton, it will be the fourth year the two clubs meet in the first round. Connor McDavid and his team shipped L.A. home in all three of the last series. 

The Kings' pattern of first-round eliminations is beginning to sound like a tough patch in franchise history between 1978 and 1981, during which the team did not get beyond Round 1 for four consecutive postseasons.

But there is an increased feeling around the NHL—and among the Kings themselves—that 2025 might be different.

A More Balanced, Battle-Tested Group

One of the most significant differences this season is the Kings' depth and experience. Having ridden out a rocky midseason stretch that included a change in coaches—firing Todd McLellan and promoting Jim Hiller—the Kings have caught fire. Under Hiller, L.A. has played a more physical, disciplined game, and the results are evident. The team has won four straight, outscoring opponents 19-3 in the process, and is now positioned for home-ice advantage in the first round.

Offensively, the Kings are getting good play out of their top six forwards. Kevin Fiala has restored his goal-scoring skills, Anže Kopitar is the pulse of the franchise, their newly acquired players in Warren Foegle and Andrei Kuzmenko have started to fit in very well, and young guns like Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere have become reliable contributors. Meanwhile, the blue line—led by Drew Doughty and Darcy Kuemper—is physical and disciplined.

Rob Blake's Best Roster Yet?

General Manager Rob Blake has received criticism since assuming the position in 2017. The Kings' rebuild has not been seamless, but Blake has built what could be his best roster to date through diligent drafting and impactful free-agent signings.

The franchise's pipeline—once one of the strongest in the NHL—is now producing as expected. Byfield and Adrian Kempe are receiving heavy minutes and have been making at a high level this season, especially Kempe, who scored over 30 goals, joining only Fiala in that feat. 

Blake opted for tweaks at the trade deadline rather than a splash, showing confidence in the current core. That confidence may be worth it, especially if the Kings' depth on defense can contain a high-powered offense come playoff time. 

Can They Beat the Oilers?

That's the million-dollar question.

The Kings have been the punching bag of the Oilers, a lot of which is because of McDavid and Leon Draisaitl's tee-for-towing. Last season, the series saw Edmonton assert itself in the final two games by exploiting the mismatches and special teams' failures of L.A. 

Every year, the Oilers get rid of the Kings quicker in the playoffs because of their adjustments and rotations that exploit them. The Kings believe they've learned from those losses, however.

The Kings may also take advantage of Edmonton's injury concerns, which remain a question mark with six games remaining. Draisaitl and McDavid, who missed some time, are expected to return from injury before the playoffs, but if both are not 100%, it will be hard to ask them to beat a healthy Kings team. Still, a 75% McDavid and Draisaitl will be hard to beat in the playoffs, so the Kings must do everything possible to get the home-ice advantage over the Oilers. 

Los Angeles can stay disciplined, win the special teams game, and control possession, and it has a shot at reversing the script.

Why Could This Year Be Different?

There are several reasons to believe the Kings can avoid another early-season playoff exit:

Coaching Clarity: Jim Hiller has brought structure and clarity to the team in its systems. The Kings play faster and with purpose under his direction.

Defensive Identity: L.A. is one of the league's top teams in goals against per game, with a renewed focus on team defense and responsible puck management.

Depth Success in April: From Byfield to Fiala, the Kings' forward depth is more balanced than in past playoff forays. They're not relying on Kopitar, Danault, and Doughty alone to carry the load. It's easily the most balanced forward group in the Rob Blake era. 

Motivation and Maturity: With three straight heartbreaks behind them, this team isn't satisfied with just making the playoffs. The window is open now—and they know that.

Looking Ahead 

With only a few regular-season games left, the Kings are in charge of their playoff fate. They'll finish the season playing Seattle twice, the Ducks, Oilers, Avalanche, and Flames—games that will decide whether they begin Round 1 at home.

Whomever they face, the bar is raised: anything less than advancing past the first round would be a letdown. But if this truly is Rob Blake's best team, they'll have an opportunity to prove it—to a familiar foe, in the largest of stages.

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