Kings fans have been patient not just with the struggles of watching the team play this season, but also with the last few years of playoff heartbreak. This Christmas, the King's wishlist isn't tricky to make happen; it's simply what needs to happen if Los Angeles wants to finish the season strong.
The Los Angeles Kings don't need a miracle this Christmas to save their season. They don't even need a splashy trade, a headline-grabbing signing, or even a reinvention in their front office. What they really need is progress in the areas that have been holding them back all season long.
As the season rolls into the holiday stretch, the Kings find themselves playing mediocre hockey, especially in December, going 3-8 in the 11 games they've played this month, and have just one home win nearly two and a half weeks ago against Chicago.
If Santa's listening, here's a realistic Kings Christmas wishlist.
A Power Play That Stops Holding Them Back
The Kings don't need elite power play if that's asking too much from them; they just need one that doesn't feel like a momentum killer every time they step on the ice and play.
For long stretches of this season, LA's five-on-five play has been good enough to compete with anyone in the league. The issue has been turning advantages into separation, and that's not more apparent with man advantage, where the Kings have been terrible at.
Too often, the Kings' predictable entries and struggles to convert on the power play, which drains the energy inside the building, say everything you need to know about how bad it's been. They have scored only four power-play goals in their last 10 games.
In the postseason and in late-game situations, that flaw is exposed by teams that can use it against the Kings and beat them whenever they want. Special teams swing close games, and Los Angeles has lived on the wrong side of that for so many stretches this year.
A functional power play that can score when it matters most would change the outlook of the Kings' season and get them back in Stanley Cup contention.
#GoKingsGo are 13 for their last 105 on the power play.
— Andrew Knoll (@AndrewKnollNHL) December 24, 2025
You take out their season-opening B2B, which had the wild Vegas game and the academic 5on3 against the Avs, they are dead last in the NHL in PP% still. Toronto has it for the whole season.
Quinton Byfield's Breakout Becoming Permanent
Quinton Byfield's development has been a real treat for Kings fans. The numbers have gotten better every single season, and the eye test says he can break out into an even better player, which is scary.
After playing just six games in his rookie campaign, Byfield began a new role. By the 2022-23 season, he posted 22 points in 53 games, elevating his playmaking skills. Then came the big leap. In 2023-24, Byfield played all 80 games and delivered 55 points (20 goals, 35 assists) with a plus - 19 rating, while averaging 16 minutes of ice time.
The numbers nearly doubled in those two seasons. And last season, he followed it up with another consistent season, scoring 54 points in 81 games, raising his average time on ice to 18 minutes, and taking on more challenging assignments as his star level rose.
This season, his role has expanded even further. His ice time has climbed north of 20 minutes per game, a clear signal of trust from the coaching staff. The next step for Byfield could be simply to continue this streak of consistency for years to come and become one of the league's premier young talents.
But despite Byfield getting more playing time, his numbers are a little down this season, and he has struggled over the last 20 games. Byfield has scored just two goals in the previous 20 games for the Kings and has four goals total in 35 games.
Regardless of Byfield struggling this season, if he plays well consistently for several seasons, the future could be bright for Los Angeles.
Anze Kopitar Staying a Little Longer
Every franchise and die-hard fan reaches the moment when they have to imagine themselves without their cornerstones, the players they've watched play for their team for as long as they can remember.
Anze Kopitar remains the heart and soul of this team. His numbers may not show it on the statsheet as they did a few years ago. Still, his impact remains big everywhere else, including leadership, mentoring players, defensive responsibility, and faceoffs.
Kopitar has already come out and said this will be his last season playing hockey after 20 years of battles in the league, so it's unlikely he will change his mind on that decision. The only way his decision will change is if Kopitar wants to win more Stanley Cups and believes this Kings team has a legit chance, but Kopitar's legacy will remain the same whether he wins or retires.
If Kopitar has another season left in him, it would be huge, but everyone knows that it's time to hang it up for Kopitar, who will go down as one of the greatest players ever and maybe the best King of all time.
Finally Getting Past the First Round
The Kings have had some bad luck in the last few years when they've made the postseason. Matching up against the Edmonton Oilers hasn't been good for them; they've lost four consecutive playoff series to the same team over the past four years.
Last year was the breaking point: finally having home-ice advantage against their rival and holding a 2-0 series lead, but they collapsed, losing four straight games and going home in six.
It comes down to matchups in the postseason in sports, and the Oilers are the one team Los Angeles can't seem to beat, whether they have home ice or not. It will undoubtedly be tough to accomplish this season because of the struggles the Kings have had this year compared to last year, and because of the teams ahead of them, including Dallas, Vegas, Edmonton, Colorado, etc.
But getting past the first round will finally dispel the psychological effect the Oilers have had on the Kings over the last four postseasons. Winning a playoff series changes how a team carries itself, especially for the year the Kings are having. This would be a massive success for them.
Success At Home
Crypto.com Arena shoould feel uncomfortable for visitng teams, but this season, it hasn't.
Sitting at 4-8-4 at home this year after being the best team at home last year is a big disappointment. Not just that, but the Kings might actually be the worst team at home, scoring the fewest goals (32) in the league and posting the worst pp percentage (10.7%).
A winning home record will bring energy back into the stadium and reestablish the Kings' identity. Home games should give teams a significant advantage over visiting teams and boost their energy, but none have happened for Los Angeles.
A Realistic Christmas Wish
None of these wishes is unrealistic. It's entirely possible, and it could happen if the Kings get it together.
Los Angeles needs to be better where it matters most, not something it's not. If even a few of these items are checked off by the season's end, success in Los Angeles might come with something fans haven't felt in a while.
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Category: General Sports
