Recently, the NHL Network released their list of who they thought the top-20 defenders were in the NHL at this time heading into the 2025-26 season. While there weren’t any expectations for any Kings defenders to be on that list, some expected Drew Doughty to be there, and he wasn’t. Heading into next season, the Kings will be without arguably their best defender in Vladislav Gavrikov, who signed a long-term deal with the New [https://www.nhl.com/news/vladislav-gavrikov-signs-7-year-contract-with-new-york-rangers#] York Rangers as an unrestricted free agent (UFA), and will have to rely on the rest of their depth and newcomers to stabilize their blue line. As the season inches closer, the Kings' defenders, along with the rest of the roster, will be hoping they can prove everyone wrong and show they’re still an elite team with a chance to go deep into the postseason.
