What a Fifth Consecutive First-Round Exit Would Mean for the Los Angeles Kings – The Hockey Writers – Los Angeles Kings

The Los Angeles Kings are down 3-0 in the series to the Colorado Avalanche. Despite the recent acquisition of Artemi Panarin and the leadership of Anže Kopitar, the Kings have found themselves consistently outclassed by a Colorado roster that is younger, faster, and more aggressive. As the series heads toward an almost certain conclusion, the reasons for the Kings’ impending exit are as clear as they are frustrating.

Kings Keep Ending up in the Same Place

A common frustration among the Kings is the same mistakes that continue to occur in a playoff series whenever Los Angeles is involved. Year after year, the Kings find themselves nearing a first round exit. In the first year against a new team, besides the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles struggles with staying afloat and moving past the first round. Some fans on X have wondered if management is to blame for the lack of discipline and strength. Others point to the Avalanche having a stronger and grittier roster. But when does the Kings’ management step in and say, “Enough is enough?”

The Major Issue

One of the biggest challenges this Kings team is facing is the lack of speed compared to the Avalanche. For the fifth straight season, they are close to exiting the first round. Colorado is known for their strong offense and defense, meanwhile, the Kings are known for their structure. The difference is like night and day. Colorado attacks with relentless pace, while the Kings struggle to keep up shift after shift (From ‘Colorado Avalanche vs. Los Angeles Kings 2026 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs preview’ – The Athletic, 4/17/2026). The Avalanche create scoring chances quickly, whereas Los Angeles must rely on strategic play just to stay competitive. 

Thursday’s game proved the difference between these two teams. With elite players like Cale Makar, Gabriel Landeskog, and Nathan MacKinnon, Los Angeles is almost at a complete disadvantage. The difference is Colorado brings skill, speed, and discipline to each and every matchup. The Kings have their set of speed and skilled players; however, it appears Colorado is advanced with their playmaking abilities. 

Where the Kings Go From Here

Following the upsetting 4-2 loss in Game 3, the Kings aren’t just down 3-0 in the series, but they’re facing a full identity issue. With the postseason on the brink of a rapid sweep and the Anze Kopitar era coming to a bitter end, the organization must pivot quickly. First would be to stop fully relying on Panarin and the power play to do everything. The team needs more consistent five-on-five production so they’re not predictable or easy to shut down. The second line has to step up and take pressure off the first line. A more balanced approach will make the team far less predictable and much tougher to defend. In the long run, it would make the team far more resilient in tight playoff games.

Next would call for tighter defense. Because the Kings are spending so much time preparing to defend against MacKinnon or Martin Nečas, they’re under pressure by the time they actually win the puck back. The pressure doesn’t become just physical, but mental as well. They need to close gaps quicker and limit the time and space within the rink.

What Needs to Be Done Differently

In order to make it past Round 1 of the next playoffs (that is, if the Kings were to be swept or exit in a potential Game 5), a consistent and stable system needs to be put in place. The team has to commit to that structure every night, not just in short stretches. Execution needs to be sharper in all three zones to avoid the lapses that cost them games. Coaching adjustments will play a major role in maintaining that consistency. Without a reliable system, even small mistakes can quickly turn into huge, risky costs. Being swept or knocked out early again would put the Kings at a turning point, where difficult decisions about the future become unavoidable.