Jim Hiller coaching strategy : The Los Angeles Kings faced a disappointing start to their 2025-26 NHL season, dropping their opener 4-2 to the Colorado Avalanche at Crypto.com Arena. Just 23 hours later, they traveled to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for a quick back-to-back matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights on October 8, 2025. With momentum on the line and pride at stake, the Kings aimed to redeem their performance and secure their first win of the season.
A Quick Turnaround for Redemption
Head coach Jim Hiller emphasized the importance of bouncing back quickly, echoing the sentiments of forward Adrian Kempe, who said, “If we could play that game again, we’d want to do it [immediately]”. The team acknowledged their shortcomings against Colorado, particularly in deviating from their core playing style. Defenseman Drew Doughty admitted, “Definitely not even close to good enough,” highlighting the need for a more disciplined and aggressive approach.
The Kings started strong in their opener, showing energy and control in the first 10–15 minutes. However, they faltered due to self-imposed mistakes and failed to sustain pressure. Hiller stressed the importance of a strong forecheck as the key to breaking through against high-caliber teams like the Avalanche and Golden Knights. He noted that too many attempted “cute” or contested passes disrupted their rhythm, and the solution lies in getting the puck deep and winning battles along the boards.
Forsberg Makes His Kings Debut
With Darcy Kuemper starting the season opener, the Kings turned to Anton Forsberg in net for the Vegas game—a decision that marked Forsberg’s debut in a Kings jersey. Signed to a two-year deal in July, Forsberg brings experience as a reliable backup, having faced Vegas three times in his career with a 1-2-0 record, .889 save percentage, and 3.87 goals-against average. The Kings are not expecting him to steal games, but rather to give them a solid chance to win, maintaining consistency behind Kuemper.
Lineup Stability Expected
Despite the loss, Hiller indicated no major changes to the lineup. The forward group remained consistent, with Kuzmenko-Kopitar-Kempe on the top line and Fiala-Byfield-Laferriere on the second. The Danault-Foegele-Moore line showed promise with their forechecking, and Hiller praised Alex Turcotte and Jeff Malott for their effort, even though they saw limited ice time due to penalty situations. On defense, the third pairing of Dumoulin-Ceci was tagged for two goals but is expected to stay intact, given their veteran experience and first game together in a Kings uniform.
Golden Knights’ Season Opener with Marner’s Debut
The game also marked the season opener for the Vegas Golden Knights, who unveiled new acquisition Mitch Marner on their top line alongside Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev. Marner, signed to an eight-year deal after nine seasons with Toronto, made his debut in front of a raucous home crowd. However, Vegas faced a setback with Alex Pietrangelo ruled out for the entire season due to injury, altering their defensive depth.
Storyline to Watch: Kings’ Identity and Response
The Kings’ ability to stick to their identity—forechecking, physical play, and disciplined transitions—will be crucial against a fast and skilled Vegas team. Last season, Los Angeles had success against the Golden Knights, with Quinton Byfield, Warren Foegele, and Adrian Kempe each recording six points in the series. Foegele, in particular, scored in all four matchups, becoming the third player in NHL history to post a four-game goal streak against Vegas.
