LA Kings squad plans for this week and preseason games on TV

We're going in reverse order of headlines because there's some really great news to share. The Kings' first five preseason games will apparently be televised… and when all is said and done, a sixth game could be added as well.

Monday's game in Utah will be available on NHL Network. Wednesday's game will be on ESPN+ and NHL Network.

Both games against the Ducks – Saturday in Ontario and Monday, September 30, in Anaheim – are then scheduled to be broadcast on Bally's Sports West (LA's home for regular-season hockey).

Once the team travels to Quebec City to complete the final week of preseason play, the first game there (against the Bruins) is currently listed in the ESPN+ guide. TV plans for the final game in Canada have yet to be announced, but that game is against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, so there's at least a chance it will be broadcast somewhere. Stay tuned.

Roster plans

Let's go back a bit and do it in reverse order, as this might make more sense.

According to Mayor's Manor, the team plans to take 15 forwards, eight defensemen and three goalies to Quebec City on Tuesday, October 1.

At this point, 23 of those 26 players are fairly well known. This is essentially the group expected to make the opening night roster, plus Phoenix Copley as the third goalie and two additional forwards.

So which other two names will the Kings take with them to Canada for the final phase of training camp? At this point, we expect it to be Andre Lee and Sammy Helenius.

Projected group for Quebec City

Laferriere – Kopitar – Kempe
Jeannot – Danault – Moore
Fiala – Byfield – Fögele
Turcotte – Thomas – Lewis
Lee – Helenius – Fagemo

Anderson-Doughty
Edmundson – Clarke
Gavrikov – Spence
England – Burroughs

Rittich
Kümper
Copley

Timing of other movements

Further plans also call for the Kings to cut a large roster this week on Thursday. Some of the camp invitees could be released early. However, the players the organization has earmarked for junior hockey this season — guys like Liam Greentree, Carter George, Matt Mania, etc. — should return to their respective WHL and OHL clubs on Thursday.

The timing of this milestone is important because it means they will be available for preseason games on Monday (against Utah HC) and Wednesday (against the Golden Knights).

This also suggests that Saturday's game against the Ducks will most likely consist of mostly NHL players, supplemented by some AHL players. We assume the latter will be Kings' junior players, so Franky Pinelli, Martin Chromiak, Angus Booth, etc.

Perhaps the most interesting lineup of all the preseason games is next Monday in Anaheim. The “projected NHL roster” listed above will travel to Quebec City, so the vast majority of that group is expected to be ruled out of playing at the Honda Center. However, NHL rules require at least eight NHL veterans to participate in each preseason game. The Kings can use players like Phoenix Copley and Jack Studnicka to meet that requirement, but they may still need to use a few guys like Andreas Englund and Kyle Burroughs. We'll have more on that later this week. After all, that's four games from now. A lot can change between now and then.

This brings us back to the first preseason game on Monday in LA’s six-game schedule.

Trevor Lewis is one of the veterans likely to head to Utah, as he is from Salt Lake City. By early Monday morning, we should have a better idea of ​​who else is making the trip.

Travel will be interesting this week as the Kings will fly to Utah with the “game” group on Monday, play the game and then immediately return home.

Tuesday is a day off for everyone, and on Wednesday the Kings repeat that schedule again – with a “play” group potentially practicing at TSPC in the morning, flying to Vegas to play, and then returning home to Southern California in the evening.

By the time you read this, a brand new “Kings Of The Podcast” will have already dropped that discusses much of this information in more detail – along with a discussion of Arthur Kaliyev’s injury and a look at different line combinations being tested in coach Jim Hiller’s camp.

Monday, September 23

Training Group B: 10:45 a.m. (Ice Rink 2)

Training Group C: 11:45 a.m.

Utah game: 7:00 p.m. MT (6:00 p.m. PT)

NOTE: The full list of all 68 players in camp can be found here.

RELATED CONTENT:

Game 1: Expected lineups for LA Kings at Utah HC, preseason

Answers to five questions about the LA Kings roster and an updated outlook on the salary cap

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Cover photo via LA Kings PR

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