Kevin Fiala started the 2024-25 season at his usual pace, but had a concerning dip after the 13 game mark. 

Even when he was finding the scoresheet, it seemed like every puck was bouncing on Fiala and for a player like him, that’s a one way ticket to the land of frustration. He did very little to hide his angst, which was on full display via poor body language, subpar decision making, and an array of careless penalties.

From November 7th to November 29th, Fiala registered just two points in 10 games, one of the worst stretches of his NHL career and his lowest 10 game output since the 2018-19 season.

This porous stretch of games came on the heels of him being scratched on October 29th for missing a team meeting in San Jose, which was preceded by him sitting for over 20 minutes to end the game against Utah on October 27th. Things got so bad for Fiala at one point, that his value to the team was genuinely questioned.

To Fiala’s credit, he put his head down and went about his business. Two things about Fiala that can’t be questioned are work ethic and skill. He has both in spades. When those two things are foundational elements for a struggling player, the turnaround is only a matter of time.

Since November 30th, a two-point game for Fiala in a win against Ottawa, he has not only settled his game down, but he’s taken it to another level. He has 4 points in his last 4 games and is coming off arguably his finest performance of the season against the Islanders, where he was very clearly the best player on the ice for either team.

On Long Island, Fiala was on the ice for 10 high-danger chances for, 1.8 expected goals for, and an expected goal percentage of 81.5% at 5-on-5. He led the Kings in Time on Ice with 19:39, scored the game winning goal in the second period, and earned first star of the game honors. It was arguably his finest performance of the season in all three zones.

A significant factor in Fiala’s resurgence has been the play of his line and linemates, Philip Danault and Alex Laferriere. Per MoneyPuck, the trio has the highest expected goal share of any line or pairing in the NHL that’s played a minimum of 50 minutes together.

If Fiala has truly turned the corner, it couldn’t have come at a better time for the Kings, who are one game into a seven game road trip that has all the makings of a season defining portion of their schedule.