Major Reinforcements Are Finally on the Way for the Kings

The wait could finally be over for Kevin Fiala.

The Los Angeles Kings forward is nearing his first appearance of the season after a lengthy recovery from the broken left leg he suffered while playing for Switzerland at the Winter Olympics.

ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reports that Thursday’s game against the New York Islanders is a possibility, though Saturday’s meeting with Calgary could be the more realistic target.

Fiala’s absence has lasted longer than anyone in Los Angeles would have hoped. He underwent surgery in Italy following the February injury, only to need another procedure in September. That second operation pushed his recovery back and kept him out of training camp.

The Kings have had to make do without one of their primary offensive contributors. Fiala put up 18 goals and 22 assists in 56 games last season, production that is difficult to replace over an extended stretch. His return would also give Los Angeles another player capable of creating offense without having to rely so heavily on its other top forwards.

There is more help on the way. Mats Zuccarello is expected to dress Tuesday against Nashville after missing time with an upper-body injury.

But that’s not the only injury Zuccarello has sustained this season. In fact, he’s been on the sidelines multiple times this year already, which has limited the 39-year-old to just six games after signing a one-year contract with Los Angeles in the offseason.

Zuccarello had 54 points in 59 games last season with Minnesota, extending his run of five straight campaigns with at least 50 points. However, that run appears to be in serious jeopardy. 

The Kings have had a rough start to the campaign. They kicked things off with six straight defeats before picking up their first win on October 20 with a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals. 

Fiala’s return should be a nice boost for the offense. However, with the long layoff, it may take him a few weeks to get back up to game speed.