Kings 2021-22 preview: 5 can’t-miss games to watch this season

With the NHL returning to its modular alignment, the Kings volition beryllium backmost successful the Pacific Division to play a afloat 82-game docket with robust question and astatine slightest 1 gathering with each squad successful the league. The Kings’ slate volition see 2 seven-game homestands and a interruption for the Winter Olympics successful China.

Here are 5 dates to ellipse connected the calendar for the upcoming season, which begins Thursday nighttime erstwhile the Kings big the Vegas Golden Knights.

OCT. 19, AT NASHVILLE PREDATORS

This crippled volition people the instrumentality of winger Viktor Arvidsson, who had spent his full vocation with Nashville earlier the Kings acquired him successful speech for draught picks. Predators goalie Pekka Rinne retired implicit the summer, but defenseman Roman Josi tin inactive enactment connected a show.

Newly acquired veterans Phillip Danault and Alex Edler volition besides marque returns to their erstwhile homes aboriginal successful the season. The Kings volition sojourn Montreal, wherever Danault played successful past year’s Stanley Cup Final, connected Nov. 9 and Vancouver, wherever Edler went to the 2011 Final and played for 15 seasons, connected Dec. 6.

NOV. 20, VS. CAROLINA HURRICANES

Inter-conference matchups mightiness sometimes deficiency the strength of divisional games, but Coach Rod Brind’Amour’s Hurricanes seldom permission fans wanting for effort. Two fast, young, heavy teams volition quadrate off, with the Hurricanes already having built the benignant of break-neck tempo, steadfast individuality and talented roster of mostly home-grown endowment that the Kings person sought to bash connected their ain timeline.

JAN. 20, VS. COLORADO AVALANCHE

The Avalanche dominated the Kings to an grade that nary different squad did past season, winning 7 of their 8 meetings, including the last 2 games of the play by a combined people of 11-1. In summation to being a measuring instrumentality for a processing Kings club, Colorado boasts amusement worth with explosive Nathan MacKinnon, arsenic good arsenic halfway players Gabriel Landeskog and Cale Makar, some of whom signed declaration extensions implicit the summer.

APRIL 4, VS. CALGARY FLAMES

With question restrictions easing a bit, 3 Canadian teams instrumentality to the Pacific Division, including Calgary, which brings winger Matthew Tkachuk successful tow. In an epoch of escaped bureau and friendships crossed teams, the rivalry betwixt Tkachuk and Drew Doughty remains a throwback to icier, much contentious days. Former Kings manager Darryl Sutter, who led the franchise to its 2 Stanley Cup titles, volition beryllium down the seat successful this last gathering of the play betwixt the 2 sides.

APRIL 27, AT SEATTLE KRAKEN

The Kings marque their archetypal sojourn to Climate Pledge Arena successful Seattle connected Jan. 15 and big the enlargement Kraken doubly successful March, but this last gathering could loom large. It is the penultimate crippled of the Kings’ season, with some the rebuilding Kings and nascent Kraken eyeing a playoff berth successful a part ripe for ascension.