How Oilers, Kings stack up in yet another first-round playoff series

For the fourth straight year, the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings are set to meet in a first-round playoff series. Sportsnet’s Adam Vingan breaks down the latest battle between the Pacific Division rivals.

Apr 16, 2025 - 23:38

How Oilers, Kings stack up in yet another first-round playoff series

Down parkas are being replaced by lightweight jackets. Allergy medicines are starting to fly off the shelves. And the Edmonton Oilers are preparing to play the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

These are a few of the telltale signs that spring is here. For the fourth year in a row, the Oilers and Kings will open the playoffs against each other — an occurrence that has happened just once before in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) when the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens met in the first round each year between 1984 and 1987.

Edmonton has won the previous three series, needing just five games to eliminate Los Angeles last season. This time around, however, the Oilers will not have home-ice advantage. And the Kings have been excellent in their own barn this season, winning a franchise-record 31 games.

“A part of you wants a change (to the playoff format),” Kings forward Trevor Moore told reporters. “But the bigger part of all of us wants redemption. They’ve beaten us three years in a row, and we get to face them again. That’s a great opportunity, and we’re really lucky for that.”

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Once again, the Oilers must contend with the Kings’ elite defence, which has allowed a league-best 2.63 expected goals per game. Opponents have had a difficult time attacking in transition — Los Angeles has given up the fewest rush scoring chances and rush goals in the league. The team’s 49.2 defensive-zone denial percentage also ranks No. 1 league-wide.

It is no secret that the Oilers offence is at its most dangerous at top speed. They have generated the most rush chances (635) but rank 18th in rush goals (57) — a conversion rate of roughly nine per cent. Although the Oilers deserve better in terms of finishing those chances, it will be hard to generate them in the first place against the Kings.

The Oilers had no trouble scoring on the Kings last spring, producing 22 goals over five games, including nine on the power play. But Los Angeles hopes that Darcy Kuemper can rise to the occasion, which he has done since being acquired for Pierre-Luc Dubois last summer. Kuemper has saved more goals than expected in 36 of his 50 starts (72 per cent). Only Toronto’s Anthony Stolarz (75.8 per cent) has a higher quality-start percentage this season. Kuemper had 13 quality starts in 30 tries (43.3 per cent) last season for the Washington Capitals.

“I thought he’d give us solid goaltending, but he’s had an exceptional season so far,” Kings coach Jim Hiller told reporters last month. “I don’t know if anybody could have saw this coming. But he’s been great.”

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The question is whether the Kings have the firepower to keep up with Oilers if the defence and goaltending falter. It appears they do — the Kings are sixth in actual goals (3.5) and 11th in expected goals (3.21) per game since the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

A new wrinkle in the Kings offence is the usage of Quinton Byfield, who has transitioned to centre this season after playing left wing on the top line alongside Adrian Kempe and Anze Kopitar last season.

Byfield, who has scored a career-high 23 goals, has anchored a successful line that features Kevin Fiala (35 goals) and Alex Laferriere (42 points) on the wings. Their 63.5 per cent share of expected goals at 5-on-5 ranks 13th out of 217 forward lines that have played at least 100 minutes. (Los Angeles has outscored opponents 20-6 at 5-on-5 when that line has been on the ice.)

Byfield’s availability for the start of the series is in doubt, however, after being cross-checked in the head by Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse on Monday. Nurse received a one-game suspension Tuesday for his actions.

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Elsewhere in the Kings lineup, trade-deadline acquisition Andrei Kuzmenko has fit in nicely beside Kopitar and Kempe, putting up 17 points in his past 14 games. The line’s 16 on-ice goals at 5-on-5 since the deadline are tied for the league lead.

Former Oilers forward Warren Foegele has a career-high 24 goals for the Kings — 21 of which have come in the inner slot. Kuzmenko, Foegele and other role players will need to step up in order for Los Angeles to finally get past Edmonton.

Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2014, the Kings are 0-5 in playoff series. They also missed the playoffs five times over that span. The players believe this is their best chance to end that skid.

“We feel in the locker room that we’re a better team than we have been in the past,” Kempe told reporters. “Everybody is pretty confident (in) how we’re playing right now.”