Should Drew Doughty be the Kings' next captain? Should he be traded? Steph Chambers / Getty ImagesAug. 5, 2026 9:30 am EDT Updated The last five Los Angeles Kings seasons have ended the same, with a first-round playoff exit. At least this year it wasn’t the Edmonton Oilers, who were given their own early dismissal.A four-game dusting by the Colorado Avalanche ushered Anže Kopitar into retirement. For the first time in 20 years, the Kings will start an NHL season without their lead-by-example center. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?The 2026-27 club will be different in other ways, with Peter Laviolette taking over behind the bench and veteran NHL players such as Mats Zuccarello and Erik Haula soon to make their team debuts. Otherwise, the Kings will have their slew of familiar faces and notable returnees, such as midseason acquisitions Artemi Panarin and Scott Laughton on new contracts. And who would imagine Corey Perry coming back for a second stint following his trade-deadline departure to Tampa Bay?
With training camp set to open next month, it’s a good time to take the current temperature and see where Kings fans stand on some of the most pertinent questions regarding the franchise. And we worked in a few that aren’t so heavy.(Anyone having difficulty accessing the survey can use this link.)
