Though it was a disappointing ending to the campaign, here are a couple of positives that the Los Angeles Kings can take with them into next season.
The Los Angeles Kings are just a couple of days removed from a disappointing 4-0 first-round series defeat to the Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup playoffs. But it's a good time to reflect on what transpired in the Kings' post-season, and what they can build from.
Though they lost every game, there are some bright spots to take from this series, even if it was the team's fifth-straight exit in the opening round of the playoffs.
So, now that the Kings' off-season is officially underway, let's look back at the positives from these playoffs.
Anton Forsberg
Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg was a revelation for the team, not only in the post-season, but in the final stretch of the regular season and ultimately helped push Los Angeles into the playoffs.
The recent play of Forsberg tells the organization that they have another veteran netminder who can be relied on. Los Angeles' tandem plans changed alongside Darcy Kuemper, who has been the starter for most of his Kings career before this Forsberg streak.
The Swede gave the Kings a chance to win in the playoffs, especially in Game 1 and 2. In the playoff opener, Forsberg stopped 30 of 32 shots, recording a .938 save percentage. He was even better the next game when he posted a .944 SP with 34 saves on 36 shots on goal.
In what was his first-ever experience of the post-season, Forsberg put up a total .909 SP - a number that was damaged late in Game 4 when Los Angeles needed to take chances offensively. Though without a win, he was certainly a bright spot for the Kings in the playoffs.
The Kings brought in the 33-year-old netminder through 2025 free agency. They signed the veteran to a two-year contract following four years with the Ottawa Senators as a perennial backup, besides a remarkable 2021-22 campaign.
Now, he's more than a backup goalie for the Kings and will have a much bigger role next season with the way he closed out 2025-26.
Anton Forsberg and Drew Doughty (Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images)Ability To Shutdown Superstars
Los Angeles has been known for their ability to play defensively and sometimes uneventful hockey. But in a series against the Presidents' Trophy winners, it needed to be on full display, and they executed for the most part.
Before Game 4, the Kings had nearly muted Colorado's superstars with their ability to defend as a team and five-man unit.
After Game 3, players such as Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, Brock Nelson, Cale Makar and Nazem Kadri were all held to just one point in the series.
Furthermore, despite the Avalanche having three players end the regular season with an average of over a point per game and six players who registered at least 20 goals, no one on Colorado ended the series with more than a point-per-game average.
While Los Angeles' offense couldn't hold up its end of the bargain, the way the Kings held off the mighty Avalanche was impressive, and it kept them competitive in nearly every contest.
They can take pride in what they accomplished defensively, and going into the 2026-27 campaign, they'll be confident in their ability to silence the NHL's top stars, even with Anze Kopitar out of the picture.
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