3 burning questions Los Angeles Kings must answer in 2026 offseason

They could also go with an assistant looking for a second shot as a head coach, like Jay Woodcroft of the Anaheim Ducks. He led the Edmonton Oilers to the Stanley Cup playoffs in back-to-back seasons, but just a few games into the 2023-24 season, he was replaced by Kris Knoblauch.

How do the Kings replace Anze Kopitar?

The Kings have a vacancy at center with Kopitar retiring. There’s no replacing his locker-room presence, and his defensive abilities will be sorely missed down the middle.

It’s expected that Quenton Byfield should take that role as 1C, but he had a disappointing season, with 49 points through 79 games. Do they bring in another defensive center in the trade market to support him or give him more development on the second line? They definitely could.

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Panarin’s former teammate, Vincent Trocheck, could be a good option to replace Kopitar. He doesn’t have the defensive chops, but he’s a great offensive playmaker, with 53 points in 67 games last season. He also already has chemistry with Panarin, so he could be a plug-and-play option in the lineup.

If not, they could go for a low-key addition for some depth. Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner and Predators center Erik Haula could do the job. It all depends on how much the Kings trust Byfield to take that 1C spot.

What does Brandt Clarke’s extension look like?

Speaking of players of the future, the Kings have been training defenseman Brandt Clarke to be the defensive staple once Drew Doughty hangs it up. He’s been progressing steadily into that role.

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He took another step this season, although not a sizeable one. He had 40 points in 82 games while maintaining a nice plus-11 plus/minus. Unfortunately, he becomes a restricted free agent this season, so the Kings will need to give him a raise.

Do they give him a bridge deal or bank on his long-term potential? AFP Analytics suggests the numbers could be quite different depending on which direction the Kings go. If they just bridge him until UFA status, he could get around $5 million, but if it’s a longer-term contract, he could earn as much as $8 million.