“Peter Laviolette will be the next head coach of the Los Angeles Kings,“ Elliotte Friedman reported through his X account. Laviolette will take over after interim coach DJ Smith, who in turn replaced Jim Hiller midway through the 2025-26 NHL campaign.

With Laviolette off the coaching carousel, Edmonton has been put on notice. Time is of the essence. Although recent buzz suggested the Oilers could run a one-year experiment with McDavid and company if Bruce Cassidy isn’t allowed to interview with them, the team may be steering in a different direction.

Apparently, roads are now leading Edmonton to Babcock, who has been out of the NHL since 2023. However, to go down that road the Oilers may have to evade a minefield.

Babcock could bring trouble

“The Oilers are consulting with the NHLPA to see if there are objections that must be resolved before potentially hiring Mike Babcock,” Darren Dreger of TSN reported on X. “Further investigation may be required.”

The last thing the Oilers need heading into such a high-stakes season is more off-ice trouble. For Connor McDavid, who has two years left under contract, but could very well ask out of Edmonton at any given moment, such a controversial hiring could be the last straw.

In more ways than one, Stan Bowman could be jumping from the frying pan into the fire by hiring Babcock immediately after the polarizing firing of Kris Knoblauch. Bowman is walking on thin ice in the Gateway to the North, and such a hiring could be all she wrote for him—as well as McDavid’s patience with the organization.

What happened with Babcock?

Babcock was thrown into the eye of the storm in 2023, shortly after signing on to become the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Amid allegations that he invaded players’ privacy (reports stated he went through players’ phones and photos), he resigned from the position before he even coached a game in the Discovery City.

He’s been out of the league ever since and recently shut the door on McDavid and the Oilers by admitting he was loving his time away from the NHL. Whether something has changed for him or Edmonton comes up with an offer too good to resist remains to be seen.

A priori, it seems the two sides aren’t seeing eye to eye, but if Bowman and the Oilers’ brass are truly interested, there may be no mountain high enough and no legal trouble too risky to deter them.

“The Kings have held preliminary discussions with Peter Laviolette regarding their head coaching position,” as reported by Russell Morgan and Pierre LeBrun on X.

Once again, the Kings find themselves testing waters near the Edmonton Oilers. In addition to Los Angeles reaching out to him, former Rangers head coach Laviolette could make his NHL return with the Oilers, who are reportedly rating him highly. Laviolette may be reaching a fork in the road.

To be a King or an Oiler: that is the question

As things stand, the Kings and Oilers appear to be the frontrunners for Peter Laviolette. In the coming days, other potential suitors may emerge while others fade from the picture. With Bruce Cassidy possibly headed for a year away from coaching in the NHL—much like the one Laviolette is now coming off—the former Rangers bench boss has become one of the most intriguing names on the market.

For Laviolette, choosing between Los Angeles and Edmonton presents quite the dilemma. In the City of Angels, he’d reunite with Artemi Panarin, who totaled 209 points—including a career-best 120-point campaign in 2023-24—during the two seasons Laviolette spent in Manhattan. He could also reconnect with goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who served as the Washington Capitals starter in 2022-23, the last season Laviolette spent in The District.

Taking the job in Edmonton, meanwhile, would offer Laviolette the opportunity to coach the best player in hockey, Connor McDavid, while helping one of the league’s most historic franchises avoid slipping into dormancy. After navigating the New York market through soaring highs and difficult lows alike, Laviolette may be uniquely equipped to handle a hockey market as desperate for success as the one in the Gateway to the North.

Laviolette’s past is mainly in the East

Both opportunities present new challenges and uncharted territory in his coaching career. In fact, he’s been head coach for six different organizations, but only one in the Western Conference: the Nashville Predators—which, located in Music City, are not exactly Western. Nashville is in the Central Time Zone and sits east of the banks of the Mississippi River.

It is clear Laviolette (born in Massachusetts) is an Eastern creature. Joining the Kings or Oilers would mean he would settle on the West Coast for the first time in his career. In Edmonton, he would take over a Canadian franchise for the first time, too.

However, the Kings were quicker to knock on his door. If it really comes down to first come, first served, Los Angeles—who has Panarin as an ace up its sleeve—may run away with one of the top candidates on the carousel.

As reported by Elliotte Friedman on Sportsnet, Toronto is expected to reach out to Cassidy. Such a hiring would make much sense after the Maple Leafs explained the firing of Berube following the 2025-26 NHL season. Still, the Buds would first need to be granted permission by the Golden Knights.

That crucial step is one neither the Oilers nor Kings have been able to get past yet. As a result, the two Pacific Division rivals of Vegas remain in the dark regarding their head coaching searches. Moreover, both Edmonton and Los Angeles technically do not have openings at the head coach position. Kris Knoblauch is still under contract in Alberta, while interim coach DJ Smith—who replaced Jim Hiller—remains with the organization in California.

Maple Leafs do have a head coach vacancy

Right from the start, Toronto holds an advantage in that regard, as it actually has a vacancy. The Maple Leafs first fired Berube, and only afterward will they begin talks with available coaches. For all the controversy surrounding the hiring of GM John Chayka in Hogtown, the former Arizona Coyotes executive has operated by the book so far.

Moreover, the Maple Leafs as an organization may also have better luck dealing with the Golden Knights. First and foremost, Toronto is far away in the Atlantic Division, posing little threat to Vegas outside of a potential Stanley Cup Final matchup. Considering how the past season unfolded for Toronto, one could argue the odds of the Buds competing for the Cup anytime soon remain slim.

Toronto gets along better with Vegas than LA and Edmonton

That said, the Maple Leafs did come away with the No. 1 pick in 2026 and reportedly have no concerns about drafting Gavin McKenna, who could make an immediate impact. Secondly, it was less than a year ago that Toronto and Vegas negotiated in good faith to complete the Mitch Marner–Nicolas Roy trade. Indeed, it was Brad Treliving who served as GM and pulled the strings in Ontario, but the Knights may still feel as though they owe something to the Leafs.

Not that such sentiment is common in the NHL—especially not in Sin City, where the Golden Knights have built a reputation as a disruptive organization. Regardless, the Maple Leafs’ front office may look quite different than it did back in July 2025, but it is still the same hockey club.

Plus, the Golden Knights know they cannot block off Cassidy forever. Doing so for too long may cross certain moral boundaries. At some point, they will have to allow teams to interview him, and right now Toronto appears to be the most logical landing spot from Vegas’ perspective. Perhaps giving the Maple Leafs more time to sell its pitch to Cassidy is the perfect way for the Golden Knights to send a message to the Oilers and Kings.

Cassidy has a say in the matter

At the end of the day, though, Cassidy isn’t Vegas’ property. Granted, he has one year remaining on his contract that some team will have to pay, but the Golden Knights can’t keep him under wraps forever. At some point, sooner or later, the NHL will intervene if the blockade persists. When it’s all said and done, it will be Cassidy who chooses where to sign next, and that’s where the Golden Knights’ influence comes to an end.

The longer Vegas keeps Cassidy quarantined from the rest of the league, the greater the odds he seeks revenge by signing with a divisional rival. It’s a risky game the Golden Knights are playing, and for the first time in the city’s history, the house might come away a loser in the Entertainment Capital of the World.

Back in February, the Rangers put an end to the speculation around Panarin and traded “The Breadman” to the Kings. Essentially, it was Panarin (signed to a full no movement clause) who chose Los Angeles, and left New York with no choice but to work out a deal with the organization in the City of Angels. The Kings sent prospect Liam Greentree and a conditional third-round selection in 2026.

As reported by Peter Baugh of The Athletic, the conditional third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft would have become a second-rounder had the Kings won one round in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Avalanche made sure that didn’t happen. As a result, the Rangers own the 81st overall pick in this year’s draft, courtesy of the Panarin trade with the Kings.

How many picks will NY Rangers have in 2026?

As the Kings’ conditional selection sent to the Rangers is confirmed to be a third-round pick, 81st overall, the Blueshirts have a better understanding of where they will operate in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft.

As it stands, New York owns 11 draft picks in 2026—7 of which are in the top 100, including two first-rounders. The Rangers’ own pick in the first round is a lottery pick, meaning they have an 11.5% chance of coming away with the No. 1 selection, which is projected to be Penn State star Gavin McKenna.

Kings’ elimination also costs NY Rangers a 4th rounder

Under the terms agreed upon by both sides in the Panarin trade, New York would have received a second-round pick instead of a third-rounder had Los Angeles won a single playoff round. Moreover, if the Kings had made it past two rounds and reached the Western Conference Final, the Rangers would have been handed an extra fourth-round pick in the 2028 NHL Entry Draft.

Realistically, the odds were never on the Kings’ side to make it that far in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The fact they entered the postseason as the lowest seed in the entire bracket only made things that much harder. For the Rangers, the fact their draft capital was in the hands of a weak Kings side is only another bad look for Chris Drury and company.

Rangers were left no choice but to trade with Kings

However, the front office had its hands tied, as Panarin made it clear he’d only waive his NMC for a move to Hollywood. Needless to say, Los Angeles was never going to pay a king’s ransom for the “Breadman,” and even if it wanted to go on a deep run, the Wild West’s playoff picture made it clear the Kings were in for a steep climb and an improbable run.

After all, there’s a reason the Kings couldn’t even secure one postseason victory in the 2025–26 NHL season. For the fifth straight year, Los Angeles suffered a first-round exit. The last time it won a playoff series? Back in 2014, when the Kings went all the way to hoist Lord Stanley. Perhaps the Rangers should have known better than to leave trade details up to chance and in the hands of a franchise that can’t shake its postseason woes.

It may get lost behind the fact that they won the Presidents’ Trophy and scored the most goals in the regular season, but the Avalanche also gave up the least goals in the 2025-26 NHL season. Thus, fans can rest assured that when the action gets tighter, the ice seemingly shrinks, and every puck battle can prove decisive, the Avs will be up for the challenge. In case anybody on the Kings overlooked that, MacKinnon delivered a reminder after Game 1 of the first-round series.

“We are comfortable in those low-scoring games,” MacKinnon admitted after the game, via DNVR. “We gave up the least goals in the league this year, we pride ourselves off our defensive hockey. It may be harder for [other] people, but that’s what we want to be.“

Wedgewood stood tall once again

Scott Wedgewood’s incredible performance in the 2025–26 NHL regular season transitioned smoothly into his first career start in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Avalanche’s goalie stopped 24 shots to help his team come away with a crucial Game 1 victory on home ice.

In Game 1 against the Kings, Wedgewood recorded a .960 save percentage (SV%) after finishing the campaign with the league’s best .921 SV% and a 2.02 GAA. If he can keep his red-hot form, MacKinnon and the Avs will remain confident they can walk away with low-scoring wins.

Colorado’s push for its fourth Stanley Cup in franchise history is largely hanging on the glove and trapper of a 33-year-old revitalized veteran netminder. So far, so good. If Game 1 of the first round is any indicator, the Avalanche are in safe hands.

Series schedule

• Game 2: Kings at Avalanche (April 21)
• Game 3: Avalanche at Kings (April 23)
• Game 4: Avalanche at Kings (April 26)
• Game 5 IF NECCESARY: Kings at Avalanche (April 29)
• Game 6 IF NECCESARY: Avalanche at Kings (May 1)
• Game 7 IF NECCESARY: Kings at Avalanche (May 3)

With the NHL confirming that all playoff spots are filled but positioning remains undecided, this game directly impacts who Los Angeles will face in Round 1. They arrive in Calgary after clinching their postseason berth earlier this week.

Meanwhile, the Flames have already been eliminated from playoff contention, but that doesn’t make this game meaningless. They are playing out the final stretch and can still influence the postseason picture by playing spoiler.

What happens if Kings beat Flames today?

If the Los Angeles Kings beat the Calgary Flames, they earn 2 points and significantly improve their chances of climbing out of the wild-card position and into a Pacific Division playoff spot.

D.J. Smith‘s team enter the finale sitting in the second wild-card spot with 89–90 points, but they are tied or within reach of teams like the Anaheim Ducks for third place in the Pacific Division.

A win, combined with favorable results elsewhere, could lift Los Angeles as high as No. 2 or No. 3 in the Pacific, which would dramatically change their playoff path. That matters because:

• Pacific No. 2 vs No. 3 = divisional matchup (more balanced)
• Wild card = likely facing a top seed like the Colorado Avalanche

Avoiding the wild-card spot is key, since current projections show the Kings would face the Colorado Avalanche if they remain in that position—a significantly tougher opening-round opponent.

What happens if Kings and Flames tie today?

If the Kings and Flames are tied after regulation, Los Angeles secures at least 1 point, while the overtime or shootout winner earns 2 points and the loser receives 1. In the NHL system, there are no ties.

Any game level after 60 minutes automatically goes to overtime and potentially a shootout. This guarantees both teams at least one point, which can be crucial in a tightly contested standings race like the Pacific Division.

What happens if Kings lose to Flames today?

If the Kings lose in regulation, they earn 0 points, while an overtime or shootout loss would still give them 1 point, and both outcomes could leave them stuck in the wild-card spot.

A regulation loss is the worst-case scenario, as it prevents Los Angeles from gaining ground on Pacific Division rivals. With the standings extremely tight, even one missed point could lock them into their current position.

Even an overtime loss (1 point) might not be enough to move up, depending on how the Ducks and other teams perform. That’s why this finale carries major implications: it doesn’t decide whether the Kings make the playoffs.

The Swedish winger missed the team’s previous game with a lower-body injury, but there is growing optimism inside the organization that he could return, with reports indicating he is “probable” or at least has a real chance to suit up.

His status remains one of the key storylines, especially after he was a late scratch earlier in the week despite taking warmups. The Kings have labeled him day-to-day, and head coach D.J. Smith has expressed hope that the forward can go.

What happened to Adrian Kempe?

Adrian Kempe suffered a lower-body injury and is currently listed as day-to-day for the Los Angeles Kings. The forward was a late scratch in a recent game against the New York Rangers despite taking part in warmups, with reports indicating the issue may have occurred just before puck drop.

The injury forced him to miss his first game of the 2025–26 season, and while the team has not disclosed full details, early indications suggest it is not considered serious. The Kings are monitoring him closely.

How important has Adrian Kempe been this season?

Adrian Kempe has been one of the Los Angeles Kings’ top offensive leaders this season, leading the team in scoring production. He has recorded 26 goals and 58 points in 66 games, underlining his role as a primary scoring option in the lineup.

Beyond the numbers, he has been a driving force in the Kings’ attack, consistently producing in key moments and anchoring top-line combinations. He also ranks among the team leaders in goals, assists and total points.

Panarin, who spent seven seasons with New York, received a standing ovation and video tribute during the first television timeout. “To be honest, I was nervous the whole game,” Panarin said after the game, according to NHL.com, as he recently reminisced about Rangers fans while preparing for his return with the Kings.

He also added, “I’m glad guys scored the goals tonight, and then got a good win so it was nice. I was not much thinking about hockey tonight.” The Rangers’ four-game winning streak came to an end, while Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper made 21 saves and Quinton Byfield recorded two assists.

Panarin revisits his New York years

Panarin finished with 607 points (205 goals, 402 assists) in 482 regular-season games for New York, ranking ninth in franchise history. “Emotional, especially warmup,” he said. “Since I stepped on ice, and I saw all those jerseys, I felt good about that. It means a lot for me, I spent almost seven years here.”

The victory improves Los Angeles to 28-24-15, tying the Seattle Kraken for the second wild card in the Western Conference. New York falls to 28-31-8 with the season winding down.

“The energy. Obviously, the history. People. Even [when] they boo us after 17 seconds at the start of the game. That’s why I like it,” Panarin answered when asked about the best part of playing in New York, via Mollie Walker of New York Post on X.

Needless to say, Panarin’s last memories as a Blueshirt on Broadway were far from enjoyable. Mired in a disastrous 2025–26 NHL season and with rumors of his next club running wild, Panarin was a healthy scratch, causing him to miss out on a farewell game at Madison Square Garden.

As he returns to The Big Apple on Monday, he gets his chance at closure. Only this time, Panarin will put on his equipment in the away locker room and wear a Kings‘ jersey. The Rangers learned Panarin’s true feelings ahead of his return to MSG, but will now have to actually take him on.

Panarin will go up against Rangers’ Shesterkin

Fellow Russian and former teammates on the Rangers, Panarin and Igor Shesterkin may know each other’s every secret on the ice. Panarin has hit Shesterkin with his full arsenal in practices, and the netminder has pulled off every stunt he is physically able to trying to stop “The Breadman”.

Panarin and Shesterkin have never faced-off in an NHL game, though. According to reporters at New York’s morning skate, Shesterkin was the first goalie off the ice—meaning he will be the starter against the Kings.

Rangers continue to roll with Shesterkin on net

It will be a special reunion for the fellow countrymen, and one in which Panarin will be praying on Shesterkin’s downfall for the first time in his career. “I hope he has a bad night tonight. Sorry, Rangers fans,” Panarin said, per The Athletic’s Peter Baugh.

Shesterkin will be starting his 8th game in New York’s last 10 outings. Facing Panarin and the Kings, however, means Shesterkin will be energized to put on a show at Madison Square Garden, where the Rangers are 9-15-6 on the season.

Artemi Panarin’s comments were issued on the eve of the Los Angeles Kings‘ visit to the New York Rangers during the 2025–26 NHL season. “The Breadman” will face his former team for the first time since being traded by the Blueshirts. Making his return to Madison Square Garden—which he had called home since 2019—it’s safe to assume emotions will be running high for the Russian star.

With Panarin under an expiring contract, the Rangers had announced their decision not to re-sign him and were forced to make a deal with the Kings, as Panarin made it clear that “The City of Angels” was the only destination he’d waive his full No Movement Clause (NMC) for.

Panarin will now face the Rangers for the first time since April 5, 2019. That time, Panarin and the Columbus Blue Jackets visited Madison Square Garden and secured a crucial shootout victory. Los Angeles, like Columbus back then, will be entering the “World’s Most Famous Arena” in dire need of a victory to propel its playoff hopes.

Panarin is pleased with Kings so far

While the Kings have had their fair share of struggles, they remain in the race for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Thus, Panarin is playing meaningful games in the 2025-26 NHL season, whereas the Blueshirts are playing mainly for pride right now.

“I think it’s better than what I expected,” Panarin stated about the Kings. “The team is better than what I expected. Looking forward, I’m pretty excited. Hopefully we can make the playoffs.”

Where Kings and Rangers stand

The Kings (69 points in 66 games played) have just five more points than the Rangers (64 in 66 GP). However, because of how competitive the East is—and how uneven the West has turned—Los Angeles is well within the playoff bubble. Meanwhile, New York is eyeing the NHL Draft Lottery.

The Kings are one point away from the last wild card spot, while the Rangers are 16 points behind WC2 in the Eastern Conference. If New York City were located on the other side of the Mississippi River, the story would be very different for the Blueshirts in the 2025–26 season.

“They didn’t want me,” Panarin said about the Rangers, via Newsday Sports’ Colin Stephenson on X. New York traded Panarin to the Kings in exchange for prospect Liam Greentree, a conditional third round pick in 2026, and a fourth round pick in 2028.

Panarin could sign with any team back in the 2019-free agent market—and he chose New York. Back then, the Rangers were only just beginning their rebuild. Panarin’s arrival changed everything, though. An organization with no winning expectations in the immediate future suddenly landed one of the best players in the NHL.

Brief recap of Panarin’s career with the Rangers

In no time, the Rangers won the 2020 NHL Draft Lottery and secured the second overall pick in 2021. Everything was clicking for the Blueshirts—until it wasn’t anymore. The Rangers reached their pinnacle in the 2024 Eastern Conference Final. The elimination at the hands of the Florida Panthers put the writing on the wall, and since then everything has headed downhill.

New York shot itself in the foot with controversial decisions like Chris Drury’s leaguewide memorandum and the second “letter” to fans, which made the Rangers’ desire to trade Panarin public. Dealing with a star on an expiring contract, time running short, and a full no-movement clause, the Blueshirts made sure to put themselves in the worst possible position to sit down and negotiate.

Leverage was anywhere but on New York’s side. Thus, when the Los Angeles Kings made their offer, the Rangers could do nothing but accept it before the 2026 Winter Olympics froze trades around the NHL. Panarin’s time in Manhattan officially came to an end. However, he is set to return to the Big Apple soon, though only temporarily.

Panarin’s homecoming at Madison Square Garden

On March 16, the Kings will visit the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Fans will give Panarin a standing ovation that will take them down memory lane and send a clear message upstairs to the executive suite, where Drury will be watching the aftermath of his decisions.