12/28 Preview – Oh, It’s the Oilers + Moore/Kaliyev, Danault, Homestand Starts Today

WHO: Los Angeles Kings (19-10-4) vs. Edmonton Oilers (21-11-2)
WHAT: 2024-25 Regular-Season Game
WHEN: Saturday, December 28 @ 1:00 PM Pacific
WHERE: Crypto.com Arena – Los Angeles, CA
HOW TO FOLLOW: VIDEO: FanDuel Sports Network – AUDIO – ESPN LA App – TWITTER: @dooleylak & @lakings

TODAY’S MATCHUP: The Kings are back at it, following a five-day holiday break, as they host the Edmonton Oilers in a rematch of the 2022, 2023 and 2024 playoffs.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Forward Quinton Byfield led the Kings with six points (2-4-6) from four regular-season games against Edmonton, also adding four assists from five playoff games.

Forward Adrian Kempe has led the way against the Oilers over the last three seasons, totaling 11 goals and 19 points from 18 games in the postseason versus Edmonton, on top of eight points (5-3-8) from 11 regular-season matchups, giving Kempe 16 goals against today’s opponent over the last three season in total.

KINGS VITALS: With the afternoon puck drop, the Kings did not hold a morning skate in advance of today’s game.

Considering the back-to-back, look for the Kings to split their goaltenders today and tomorrow. Should Darcy Kuemper start on the front end, he brings with him a lifetime record of 10-3-4 versus Edmonton, with a .918 save percentage and a 2.48 goals-against average. If the Kings go to David Rittich, who started the final game before the break, he’s 5-5-1 lifetime against Edmonton, with a .904 save percentage and a 2.73 goals-against average.

For reference, here’s how the Kings lined up during yesterday’s practice –

Turcotte – Kopitar – Kempe
Foegele – Byfield – Jeannot
Fiala – Danault – Laferriere
Lee – Helenius – Thomas

Anderson – Gavrikov
Edmundson – Clarke
Moverare – Spence
Englund – Burroughs

Kuemper / Rittich

That obviously leaves two players too many. The decision would likely come down to whether Jim Hiller prefers 11 forwards and seven defensemen or a 12/6 configuration.

The Kings went 11/7 in all seven games on their recent trip, but the last game was likely only due to Danault missing the game. With the back-to-back, it wouldn’t surprise me to see at least one game 12/6. To be determined on that front, will find out shortly with the early puck drop.

Additionally, the Kings made two roster moves today, recalling forward Arthur Kaliyev from his conditioning loan in the AHL and activating him from injured reserve. In a corresponding move, forward Trevor Moore was placed on injured reserve. Nothing surprising there, as noted yesterday.

OILERS VITALS: Today is also Edmonton’s first game out of the break and the Oilers are playing some of their best hockey of the season, with three straight wins, eight wins from their last nine and 11 of their last 13.

Per the Edmonton team account, here’s how the Oilers aligned in their most recent game versus Ottawa –

The #Oilers adjust their forward lines with Nugent-Hopkins out while Skinner makes the start tonight against Ottawa.@PlayAlbertaCA | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/fMbTeOJPCt

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 23, 2024

Forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins missed the game against Ottawa due to illness and is expected to play today versus the Kings.

Today’s game marks the return of forward Viktor Arvidsson to Los Angeles, after the Swedish winger signed a two-year contract with Edmonton as a free agent over the summer. Arvidsson played 165 regular-season games over three seasons with the Kings, totaling 123 points (52-71-123). He added 10 points (3-7-10) from 11 playoff games. With the Oilers, he’s collected seven points (3-4-7) from 19 games played, missing time with injury along the way.

Storyline Of The Day – Oh, It’s The Oilers
I think today’s game is as important as you want to make it.

For a Kings team that seems to have found its stride over the last month or so, I don’t think there’s as much in this game as will probably be made of it. It’s a game against a team ahead of them in the division, but within reach. That’s a game that carries natural importance, even in December and a regulation win would see the Kings leapfrog the Oilers by a point in the standings.

When it’s Edmonton, though, there’s going to be storylines discussed. Questions asked. Articles written. And I get it. The Kings have lost to this team three straight seasons in the playoffs.

Fact of the matter is, a win today doesn’t mean the kings have climbed over any sort of metaphorical hump. A loss doesn’t undo progress that’s been made in several areas. If the season ended today, we’d be back where it feels like we’ve always been. With the Kings in Edmonton for Game 1, the Pacific 2 versus Pacific 3 matchup we’ve seen in the exact order over the last three years. And, if we get to that point, that’s when there’s a hump to be climbed.

Still though, that’s what, 50 games away? Lots of points needed to be earned to get to that point. Two of them on the line today.

“It’s a hard game every time we play them, we had some good games in the regular season last year, so we’re not going to get that far ahead,” Head Coach Jim Hiller said. “It’s a team that in our division, that we’ve had problems with, that we want to beat. I don’t want to make it a bigger deal than that.”

If the regular season and postseason matched, I’d perhaps be more inclined to lean in.

Fact of the matter is, the Kings have killed of more than 86 percent of the Edmonton power plays they’ve faced over the last three regular seasons. That’s compared to fewer than 55 percent in the playoffs. If there’s a stat that says this series isn’t exactly a shot-for-shot remake from regular season to postseason, that’s the one right there.

“We’ve been playing the last three years against them and no matter what you do in the regular season, I don’t know if it affects anything,” forward Phillip Danault said. “It’s another game, but it’s always hard against them. We know that skill they have, they play hard and so do we.”

I suppose this season has the added wrinkle of the Viktor Arvidsson / Warren Foegele “swap” made over the summer. A swap in practical terms than actual ones. Foegele has become an identity player for the Kings after signing a three-year contract with the team this summer. He has nine goals and 18 points at just over a half point-per-game pace.

“I’m excited, it should be fun,” Foegele added. “A lot of friends, a lot of good memories there and I’m looking forward to playing against them. I learned a lot there. It wasn’t always smooth sailing, but I learned a lot about myself and I have so many great memories there, lots of great relationships.”

Arvidsson has dealt with injuries, as he did each season with the Kings, but when he’s in the lineup, he’s a unique and gifted player, capable of impacting games especially at the offensive end of the ice. Probably the right choice on both fronts.

Ultimately, it is a big game for the Kings.

First game out of the break, first game of a five-game homestand, game within the division against a team ahead of them in the standings. And yes, it’s the Oilers. It’s also one of 82 and coming out of a stretch with five days off, the Kings are focused mainly on their own game, looking to head towards the New Year with two points over a rival team.

3 To Watch For –
– In hearing from Danault yesterday, didn’t seem to be anything serious regarding his one-game absence in Washington.

Danault was a late scratch in that game and while no details were provided on what kept him out of action, sounds like it wasn’t anything overly serious and the extra day of rest on the break certainly didn’t hurt a veteran player.

“Just rest, it was much needed,” he said. “Physically, mentally and it was good to be back on the ice today.”

Danault was back on the ice with his line yesterday during practice, with Kevin Fiala and Alex Laferriere. It’s a line that was the team’s best on a few different nights on their recent trip and a line the Kings will continue to count on against Edmonton and beyond.

– Today is a matchup of interesting stats. No team in the NHL has played fewer home games (13) than the Kings, who rank second in the NHL with a .808 points percentage from a 10-2-1 record. On the other side of the ice is Edmonton, which has played the fewest road games in the NHL (14). They’ve found a lot of success on the road, though, ranking fifth in the league with a 9-4-1 record, good for a .679 winning percentge.

The Oilers have the league’s third-best goal differential on the road (+0.93 per game) while the Kings have the third-best goal differential at home (+1.46). Strength versus strength, albeit with a small sample size. Kings begin the first of five straight games at home today as they look to continue their strong play at Crypto.com Arena and bank some more points in the process.

– Lastly, adding in a note on Todd McLellan and Trent Yawney. Was nice to see both get another opportunity in the NHL with Detroit, where it all began for McLellan specifically as an NHL coach.

Two good people and while their first game did not go according to plan, they were able to get the Kings over the hump Detroit is now facing, which is taking a team that has missed the playoffs for several consecutive seasons and return them to that stage. Did the same thing in Edmonton. See if they can do it once again with a Detroit team that is right on the playoff bubble but has not broken through.

Kings and Oilers, coming out of the break with a Saturday-afternoon matinee! Weird one with timing here, but expecting a competitive game.