For the last 22 years (13 with The Hockey News) Dobber has reviewed each team from a fantasy-hockey standpoint and graded them.

The 22nd annual review will appear here on DobberHockey throughout the summer. This is not a review of the likely performance on the ice or in the standings, but in the realm of fantasy hockey both for the season ahead as well as the foreseeable future. Offensively, will the team perform? Are there plenty of depth options worthy of owning in keeper leagues? What about over the next two or three years? These questions are what I take into consideration when looking at the depth chart and the player potential on that depth chart.

Enjoy!

** The 2025-26 Dobber Hockey Fantasy Guide is now available here for purchase! **

Gone: Vladislav Gavrikov (NYR), Tanner Jeannot (BOS), David Rittich (NYI), Trevor Lewis (UFA), Samuel Fagemo (WPG), Jack Studnicka (FLA) 

Incoming: Corey Perry (EDM), Joel Armia (MTL), Brian Dumoulin (NJD), Cody Ceci (DAL), Samuel Bolduc (NYI), Logan Brown (TBL), Anton Forsberg (OTT)

Impact of Changes

The biggest impact on this team is unfortunately going to be who was brought in as general manager this summer, Ken Holland. Holland went out and got rid of Jordan Spence, a young and underrated defender and gave this reason: he is too young to have him playing on the same roster as Brandt Clarke. Then handing Cody Ceci too large and too long of a contract made the Pacific division cheer. Ceci and Dumoulin slow down an already slow and aging blue line with Spence gone. Neither addition is going to do a thing to help this team’s fantasy upside at all and may well be a detriment.

Corey Perry had quite the playoffs for Edmonton last season with 10 goals and 14 points in 22 games after putting up only 30 in 81 in the regular season. Don't expect Perry to put up the same totals in L.A. as he did in Edmonton since he was played up the lineup at times, but with Joel Armia as a line mate, he will certainly help a fourth line that struggled a bit last season. That is if Perry doesn't lose another step and I wouldn't blame him after playing 119 playoff games in the last five seasons tallying 51 points while doing so.

Armia is on Dobber's Band-Aid boys list and just played his nearly first full season ever with 81, which is a bit heartbreaking. He will struggle to match his career year last year from the fourth line in L.A.

Anton Forsberg comes in from Ottawa and takes over the backup job from David Rittich. No major changes there as both are career backups while having similar career and recent numbers with Rittich coming out on top by a small amount in most categories; they are even born three months apart. You could argue Forsberg is a small downgrade but with goalies changing teams it’s uncertain how it will affect their play, and they are too close to call. Kuemper will get 60-70% of the starts this season if healthy.

Ready for full time: None

Los Angeles is a veteran-laden lineup with no roster spots really up for grabs, so any prospect impact this year is almost certainly just sparse injury call-ups.

Erik Portillo started one game last year for the Kings and came away with a .966 save percentage in a 2-1 win against Anaheim in November. It was a bit of an up and down year for him in the AHL missing multiple weeks due to illness and then months to an injury. He looks to bounce back and have a solid third season in the organisation, as Hampton Slukynksky (19) and Carter George (18) are both solid prospects at the position for LA and will be trying to occupy his spot sooner or later.

Francisco Pinelli is a 6-1 185-pound center out of the OHL's Kitchener who was drafted 42nd overall in 2021. He is part of the slim stables the Kings are running for prospects these days and at age 22 he had 29 points in 70 games last season for the Ontario Reign of the AHL. He could see some games with the big club this season, especially if he finds himself a bit more comfortable with the offensive side of the game but we shouldn't get too excited.

Martin Chromiak is a similar story to Pinelli outside of their positions, where Chromiak plays both wings. Chromiak is a 6-0 195-pound offensive forward who may also see a few games with the Kings if his defensive abilities take a step up this season. He had a slightly more fruitful season with the OHL Reign last year than Pinelli where Chromiak posted 39 points in 69 AHL games.

Fantasy Outlook

Adrian Kempe should approach 80 points again, but other than that this roster will have mid-range scoring from the second line downwards. This depth will probably get them to the playoffs, but outside of their very top guys (Kempe, Anze Kopitar, Darcy Kuemper, possibly Quinton Byfield) most likely won’t help yours unless it’s a deep league.

The blue line on the top power play is interesting again this season. Drew Doughty no doubt does not want to give it up, especially in a season where he is stating his case to be back with the Canadian Olympic team. Brandt Clarke's full value will start to be unlocked when he does step aside, unless the rumors of Clarke being in talks this offseason come to fruition considering Jim Hiller only gave Brandt Clarke an average of 14:29 all strengths time on ice from New Years Day (around Doughty’s return) until the end of March.

We will see an oft-injured Doughty turn 36 and Kopitar turn 38 the month of this being released. There are a few things working for the top guys of the King's and that's Kempe, Andrei Kuzmenko, and Kopitar all playing through their last year before UFA. Not great for the team, but good for fantasy purposes which may give them a bit more incentive to giddy up throughout the season-long grind.

Kuzmenko is on his last legs this year to earn a long-term contract from an NHL team. He needs to produce out of the gate and consistently if he wants to find a consistent home.

Darcy Kuemper was third in Vezina trophy voting for last season, and that may price him out of his value for drafts, but he was still very good for long stretches last season. You could do far worse than him for a number two on your fantasy roster.

Liam Greentree, the Kings' top prospect, had surgery to repair his injured wrist during last season and was expected not to participate in development camp, but was cleared to be on the ice during practice sessions. This is great news for one of their only real top six destined forward prospects. He has a very small chance to make the squad out of camp if he puts on a show, but if he does, he will most likely only play his first nine NHL games before being sent back to junior so the team avoids burning the first of his three year entry level contract.

Fantasy Grade: B (last year was B)

*For the rest of the Offseason Fantasy Grades series, just click here.