Early returns on the Fiala/Byfield/Laferriere line are promising, with 10 points in two Kings wins leading the way offensively

10 has been the magic number so far in February for the LA Kings.

10 goals over their first two games played. For a team that ranked last in goals in January, it’s been a high-flying start to Wet February. Work in progress on that title.

It’s also been ten points for the forward line of Kevin Fiala, Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere, a line that was on the ice for three goals for in yesterday’s 6-3 win over Montreal, one game after accounting for two of four goals in a 4-2 victory in Carolina.

On paper, it’s a line with so much potential.

During the preseason, we all got excited about the Fiala/Byfield pairing. During exhibition games, they flew around the ice, producing offensively and controlling play. Through four games of regular-season play, though, the Kings won just once and opted for a reset up front. Since that point, we haven’t really seen much of Byfield and Fiala paired together, until Jim Hiller and the Kings coaching staff opted for a change with the team in a deep offensive slump. With the consistent and talented Laferriere as the third member, early returns have been quite promising.

“At the beginning of the year, we were really excited to play with each other,” Byfield said of Fiala. “We played well in the preseason but obviously the first couple of games didn’t go in our favor. Since then, I think we’ve both found our games, we know what each other does and coming back to it, we’re still super excited to play with each other. We just want to make the most of it and we want it to stick.”

Fiala had similar thoughts when asked about the pairing with Byfield.

While it didn’t work in October, that wasn’t the end of the story. Both players feel they have taken individual strides in their own respective games. With those in place, perhaps they are better equipped to play with each other.

“It didn’t work earlier in the season but sometimes you need to separate from each other, get back to your game and see what you’re doing, what he’s doing,” Fiala added. “I think that’s why we’re clicking right now.”

While Byfield/Fiala was the high-profile pairing, we’ve seen Byfield/Laferriere and Fiala/Laferriere with a different third linemate as well throughout the course of the season.

Fiala and Laferriere have actually spent a decent amount of time together this season, coinciding with Fiala’s strongest stretch of hockey. There’s chemistry there already and that helps.

“I’ve played with Kev for a little while now and I love playing with him,” Laferriere said. “We didn’t really get a lot of goals to go in but we had a lot of chances. I love playing with him and then adding Q to it, he’s such a dynamic player, he creates so much. Right now, the puck’s going in so hopefully that keeps going.”

Early results have certainly been promising.

Kevin doing Kevin things pic.twitter.com/l5JKML6lLX

— LA Kings (@LAKings) February 2, 2025

Against Carolina, we saw Fiala do what Fiala does best.

He changed the game with two individual efforts, with Byfield picking up the assists on both goals. On both plays, it was Byfield impacting the game defensively, leading to goals the other way. He won a board battle and chipped the puck up the wall, springing Fiala aggressively in transition. His backcheck later in the game helped prevent a goal that would have tied the game before Fiala took it the other way and finished with authority.

Byfield is more than just a member of the clean-up crew. His skating, size and skill allow him to impact games all over the ice, but he’s also taken massive steps forward this season at the defensive end, taking on the role of matchup centerman on some nights, helping to spell veterans Anze Kopitar and Phillip Danault. Now, not only is the defense there, but his defensive plays are leading directly to points.

“A lot of those plays, those goals, started with defensive plays, I think that’s something I’ve worked on all year,” Byfield said. “Playing with Kev, in the Carolina game, getting those goals individually…..as long as I make those plays, get back and just get him the puck, I think that’s how I saw it.”

Then came the Montreal game and the offensive production continued.

Fiala had his second straight two-goal game, scoring twice on nearly the same play via a one-timer from the right circle. Byfield had a three-assist night, collecting the secondary helper on both of Fiala’s goals as well as the lone assist on defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov’s game-opening goal just 99 seconds after the opening faceoff.

For that game, though, enter Laferriere into the conversation.

Laferriere has perhaps the least heralded job on the line but he’s as important to the success as Byfield and Fiala are. On Gavrikov’s goal, Laferriere did what he’s done a good job of all season long. He got to the blue paint, providing the netfront screen that allowed Gavrikov the necessary traffic to pick the top corner. Upon watching it back, he actually should have a secondary assist, winning the netfront battle just before the goal, working it to Byfield behind the net. See if they make that correction.

On Fiala’s first goal, we really saw what Laferriere can do. After Byfield made a key defensive play, Laferriere went to work, showcasing his speed through the neutral zone, bursting through center ice and gaining the offensive blueline on a controlled zone entry. Laferriere then curled back but did so with a purpose, picking out Fiala across the ice for a one-timer that gave the Kings a needed insurance goal.

Hiller said today that the Kings missed Laferriere during some of the offensive dips in January. We’re seeing why right now.

“When you go back into January and you think about that we missed him for a number of games, I think that was part of us not being as dangerous offensively,” he said. “He’s showed himself to be a pretty consistent offensive player, whether he’s scoring or creating chances. He’s just a good player.”

That's a sweeeet setup from Laffy 🍬 pic.twitter.com/ByNbcxuQgD

— LA Kings (@LAKings) February 6, 2025

For Laferriere though, the games missed might have been just what he needed. He called it a personal “reset”, a bit of time away from a long stretch of games. He feels refreshed and feels the time away helped him personally, though the team certainly missed him.

Fiala and Byfield both have spoken quite highly of Laferriere’s game. He does so many things well and makes an impact whether he’s scoring or not. Because, even when the puck isn’t going it, he’s typically playing in the offensive zone. He’s creating chances. Rarely hurts his team.

His teammates notice that.

“He plays everywhere on the ice,” Byfield said of Laferriere. “He plays really good defense, he’s physical, he makes a lot of plays and has an unbelievable shot too. He’s been doing everything for us. Maybe not getting rewarded on the scoresheet, but he’s been doing a lot of little things.”

Sometimes, it takes a guy like that to pull everything together.

Warren Foegele is that type of player too and he was the initial thought for that line. Foegele seems to have found a really nice fit on a hardworking line alongside Phillip Danault and Trevor Moore. For whatever reason, it didn’t click early with he, Byfield and Fiala. It happens. Seems to be working right now with Laferriere and working for all parties throughout the lineup.

Fiala said that the biggest difference is that not only are all three players fast but they’re playing with speed. There’s a big difference there. A lot of players skate fast but not every fast skater plays fast. Maybe there was some of that for him earlier in the season. He felt he played East/West too much and it cost the team. He’s changed his own game and as have those around him. We’re seeing how good he can be when he does that.

“We’re clicking right now and I think our speed is very high,” Fiala said. “We play a lot of give-and-go’s, we don’t overpass and I think the magnet is still the goal……right now, it’s more North and that’s why I think we’re clicking. The speed is the biggest reason.”

Wouldn’t see any reason to change things up right now with those three.

Fiala specifically is an important player to find the right home for. He’s in his third season with the Kings and hasn’t had that ideal line just yet. Everyone had the idea early that Byfield could perhaps be the ideal center for Fiala. Now, with the growth in Byfield’s two-way game, along with Fiala’s commitment of late, we’re maybe starting to see what everyone envisioned back in training camp.

And I’ll say this.

For a team that even in good times is not going to win many offensive awards, finding a dynamic line that doesn’t involve Kopitar and Adrian Kempe is essential. The Kings are built to win games with multiple lines producing at the same time. Kempe is just shy of a 40-goal pace and, despite a slower January, Kopitar is still tied for the team lead in scoring and is on pace to exceed 70 points again.

If this line can become a regular thing, along with the goals and two-way play that will come from the Foegele/Danault/Moore line, perhaps the Kings have finally cracked the code with 30 games left in the season. Early days yet, but as promising a three lines as the Kings have had this season. And not a moment to spare.

Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images