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Who Changed The Kings The Most? Revisiting Recent Acquisitions
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- Who Changed The Kings The Most? Revisiting Recent Acquisitions
The Los Angeles Kings have made the playoffs for 5 straight seasons, and over the last 2 years, the Kings have made major roster changes that, at the time, were made to help the team not only make the playoffs but also to help get them further both within the playoffs and in future seasons to come. But during the time those trades and signings were made, the players, fans, and Kings organization couldn't see just how impactful they were, so looking back 2 years to see the most recent acquisitions and who has changed the Kings the most.
2025-26 Season Acquisitions
During the 2025-26 season, the Kings made multiple trades, bringing in some players and sending others to other teams. The Kings' trades this season both showcased the team's future building while also providing star and depth talent for the short term.
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The biggest trade the Kings made this season was for the biggest player on the trade market. The trade was the Kings trading for Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers in exchange for Liam Greentree and a conditional 2026 3rd round pick. While the Kings lost one of their top prospects, they gained a player who has been a point per game over the last 9 consecutive seasons.
Artemi Panarin , after being traded to the Kings , signed a 2-year, $11 million AAV deal with the team. Panarin, since joining the Kings, has played in 26 games, scoring 9 goals, tallying 18 assists for 27 points. In the 4 playoff games he played, he had 2 goals and 1 assist for 3 points.
During the 2026 trade deadline, the Kings traded players to different contenders around the NHL, but they also acquired 2 players. The first was signing forward Mathieu Joseph to a 1 year $900K contract. Joseph played in 12 games for the Kings and did not register any points.
The second acquisition at the deadline for the Kings was Scott Laughton , who was traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a conditional 2026 3rd-round pick. Laughton with the Kings played in 21 games, scoring 5 goals and recording 3 assists for 8 points. The Kings were able to use Laughton as a depth piece and have interest in signing Laughton during the offseason.
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2024-25 Players Acquired
The Kings during the 2024-25 season made a few moves, and at the trade deadline, they acquired forward Andrei Kuzmenko from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for a 2027 3rd-round pick. In the 2024-25 season, Kuzmenko played in 22 games, registering 5 goals and 12 assists for 17 points, and was playing some of his best hockey.
But the 2025-26 season was a setback, as Kuzmenko played only 52 games due to injuries and scratches. In those 52 games, he registered 13 goals, 12 assists for 25 points. While Kuzmenko's points improved, he often found himself a healthy scratch and lacked a set spot in the lineup. Currently, Kuzmenko is set to become a free agent in this upcoming offseason.
The offseason after the 2024-25 season was a busy one for the Kings , as they signed 4 players when free agency opened on July 1st. Those players are Anton Forsberg , Joel Armia , Brian Dumoulin , and Cody Ceci .
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Anton Forsberg signed a 2-year, $2.2 million AAV deal with the Kings and was set to be the Kings' backup goaltender. But fast-forward to the end of the 2025-26 season, and Forsberg was the Kings' starting goalie in the playoffs and has proved to be a strong option in goal heading into next season.
Joel Armia signed a 2-year, $2.5 million AAV deal, and in his first season with the Kings , he played in 67 games, registering 13 goals and 12 assists for 25 points. Armia also represented Finland at the 2026 Winter Olympics, where he led the team with 8 points. While being a depth player for the Kings , Armia made a strong impact this season and looks to do the same heading into the next.
The last 2 players to sign with the Kings were Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci, who, throughout the 2025-26 season, would form the 3rd defensive pairing for the Kings . Brian Dumoulin signed a 3-year $4 million AAV deal and played in all 82 games, scoring 2 goals, tallying 15 assists for 17 points. Ceci would sign a 4-year, $4.5 million deal and also play in all 82 games, scoring 1 goal and tallying 8 assists for 9 points.
2023-24 Players Acquired
The 2023-24 season for the Kings , in terms of trades and signings, featured players who have solidified themselves as Kings starting players today. The first player the Kings acquired in the 203-24 offseason was goaltender Darcy Kuemper , who was traded to the Kings from the Washington Capitals in exchange for Pierre-Luc Dubois . Kuemper would have a Vezina-nominated season the following year, and while in the 2025-26 season, he would take a step back. The Kings now have him and Forsberg to be a strong tandem heading into next season.
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Not long after the Kuemper trade, the Kings traded Carl Grundstrom to the San Jose Sharks for Kyle Burroughs . Burroughs would not play in the 2025-26 season, due to injuries and being the 7th defenseman on the roster. The Kings made 2 signings on July 1st, 2024, signing Jeff Malott and Joel Edmundson .
Jeff Malott signed a 2-year $775K deal with the Kings . In the 60 combined games Malott has played with the Kings over the last 2 seasons, he has scored 3 goals and has tallied 10 points. Malott is set to become a free agent during the 2026 offseason.
The last signing for the Kings was Joel Edmundson, who signed a 4-year, $3.8 million AAV deal with the Kings. In the past 2 seasons, Edmundson has proven himself a reliable defenseman for the Kings, playing in 155 games, scoring 8 goals, and recording 43 points.
Impact on the Kings
The Kings ' recent acquisitions have had a significant impact on their roster. The biggest impacts for the Kings are Kuemper, Panarin, and Edmundson. Darcy Kuemper has proven himself a starter for the Kings, and with the addition of Forsberg, the Kings have a reliable tandem moving forward. The addition of Joel Edmundson to the Kings has given them a reliable defenseman who can play anywhere in the lineup.
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Lastly, while Panarin joined the Kings during March of the 2025-26 season his offensive presence was impactful for the Kings to clinch a playoff birth and heading into next season Panarin will be looked upon to help the Kings offense and with the Kings possibly adding more players during the upcoming offseason the Kings could be a new team come time for the start of the 2026-27 NHL season.
