GM Ken Holland has a very clear roadmap for the Los Angeles Kings after his first free agent frenzy at the helm of the organization: add depth, experience, and more options to the lineup.
The Kings are tired of history repeating itself, having been eliminated in the first round by the Edmonton Oilers in four straight seasons. Holland entered July 1 looking for pieces that would send the team over the edge, and he did exactly that.
From veteran leadership to versatile defenseman, Holland was able to target several of the Kings' needs to keep the team competitive in the 2025-26 season.
Los Angeles Kings moving in the right direction
The Kings didn't need to tinker with too much, but the recent signings will undoubtedly strengthen the depth of the roster. The biggest addition up front is 40-year-old Corey Perry, who has shown no sign of slowing down just yet. He joins LA on a one-year, $2 million contract with the opportunity for additional bonuses.
That's one of Holland's smartest signings of the day. During his stint with the Oilers, Perry has proven that he can play anywhere in the lineup whether it's a fourth line role or next to Connor McDavid on the top line. He scored 30 points in 81 regular season games, averaging 11:56 TOI/GP. But his production and ice time both jumped in the playoffs, where he skated over 15 minutes per game and it paid off with 10 goals and 14 points in 22 outings.
Perry isn't in his hayday anymore, but still offers a level of leadership and grit that will deepen the Kings roster. It gives the team another option that is a consistent source of secondary scoring, something LA was lacking during the 2024-25 season.
Joel Armia will also join the forward corps, signing a two-year, $2.5 million deal. Another depth forward, the 32-year-old brings a level of toughness as well as the ability to hit the scoresheet sometimes, recording 87 hits and 29 points in 81 games this year.
Losing top defender Vladislav Gavrikov to the New York Rangers in free agency left a big hole on the blue line, but Holland signed multiple D-men that can make up a second or third pairing on their own. Brian Dumoulin inked a three-year deal worth $4 million annually, and Cody Ceci signed a four-year, $4.5 million AAV contract.
Those two individually have proven to be reliable middle-of-the-pack defenders that can be counted on to do their jobs on a nightly basis. Dumoulin is more comfortable in his own zone and on the PK, with 109 blocks and 79 hits this year, but he can still effectively move the puck up ice and make a clean breakout pass. Ceci, 31, has a similar style of play but can eat more minutes. He is a sturdy, dependable defender that's capable of playing a shutdown role while also contributing 25-plus points.
Finally, LA found a worthy backup goalie in Anton Forsberg. The 32-year-old had a 11-12-3 record, 2.72 GAA and .901 SV% in addition to three shutouts with the Ottawa Senators this season. He can be expected to make around 30 starts, giving starter Darcy Kuemper some breathing room.
Holland saw the need for more defensive depth as well as secondarwy scoring, and he got exactly that through his free agenct signings. This could be the type of aggressive attitude that LA needed in order to get past the first round for the first time since 2014.