Spence was a healthy scratch in the Kings' season opener, but he will suit up for Saturday's game vs. the Hurricanes. It's unclear exactly who Jordan Spence will replace in the lineup, but expect it to be Andreas Englund. Spence spent most of last year in the AHL, where he had four goals and 41 assists (45 points) in 56 games with the Ontario Reign.
Cam Talbot started the Kings' season opener but they will turn to Copley in their second game on Saturday. Copley enjoyed success in 2022-23, going 24-6-3 with a 2.64 GAA and .903 SV%. As impressive as his win total was last season, he draws a dreadful matchup on Saturday and should be benched for better options.
Cam Talbot started the Kings' season opener but they will turn to Copley in their second game on Saturday. Copley enjoyed success in 2022-23, going 24-6-3 with a 2.64 GAA and .903 SV%. As impressive as his win total was last season, he draws a dreadful matchup on Saturday and should be benched for better options.
Spence was originally assigned to the minors to start the season but has been recalled from the Ontario Reign (AHL) ahead of the Kings' matchup Saturday vs. Carolina. The 22-year-old made headlines in the offseason after being the first Australian born NHL player to participate in a game located in Australia due to the preseason Global Series. In 2022-23 he appeared briefly for the Kings, picking up an assist and six SOG in six games played. He has officially changed his number from 53 to 21 for the 2023-24 campaign.
Vancouver played their opening night victory vs. Edmonton with only 17 skaters and have been granted the right to recall Jack Studnicka on an emergency basis from Abbotsford (AHL) without it effecting the teams' salary cap. The 24-year-old centre had four goals, four assists, 65 SOG, 16 PIMs and a -12 plus/minus in 48 games with Vancouver and Boston in 2022-23 and will be looking to stick with the team longer than his original emergency call up.
Rittich being loaned to the Ontario Reign of the AHL signifies that the Los Angeles Kings will begin their 2023-24 campaign with Cam Talbot and Phoenix Copley as their goaltending tandem. Rittch had a phenomenal preseason with the Kings, posting a 1.17 GAA and a .960 SV% in three appearances (2-0-0), and will be eager to get back to the NHL level if Copley falters early on.
After clearing waivers earlier this week, Jones has now been traded to the Avalanche in exchange for Cal Burke. The Texas native has 217 career games under his belt, tallying 50 points (14G / 36A) in that span. Jones will likely serve as a depth defenseman for the Avalanche this season.
Clarke was the No.8 overall pick in 2021 and had a shot to make the Kings out of training camp. Ultimately he will start in Ontario, where he had two points (1G / 1A) in five games last season after graduating from the OHL. The 20-year-old blueliner posted 61 points (23G / 38A) in just 31 games for the Barrie Colts last season.
Fagemo had two goals, an assist, five SOG, and a -4 plus/minus through nine games with Los Angeles in 2022-23 and has been claimed off waivers by Nashville from the Kings. The 23-year-old left-winger played the majority of last season in the minors with the Ontario Reign (AHL) and had an impressive 23 goals, 32 points and a -24 plus/minus through 56 games last season. He was Los Angeles' 2019 second-round pick (50th overall).
Edmundson was acquired during the offseason from Montreal for Minnesota's 2024 third-round pick, and Washington's 2024 seventh-round pick (MTL retained 50% of salary) and is at risk of missing the start of the 2023-24 season due to an upper-body injury and is out indefinitely. The 30-year-old defensemen had 2G/11A/13 Pts, 58 PIMs and a -29 plus/minus in 61 GP with MTL in 2022-23.
Jones had four goals, 12 assists, 86 SOG, 40 PIMs, and a -19 plus/minus through 73 games played with Chicago in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with Carolina. The 26-year-old defenseman will join his third NHL team (CHI, EDM) after being taken in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft (117th overall). He has 14 goals, 50 points, 80 PIMs, and 225 SOG through 217 career NHL games played so far across his five-year career.
Walsh had nine goals, 32 assists, 40 PIMs and a -6 plus/minus through 71 games played with Utica (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 AAV with Boston. The 24-year-old defenseman was a 2017 3rd-round pick to New Jersey (81st overall) and one assist in his only NHL appearance back in 2021-22.
Jeannot had six goals, 12 assists, 107 SOG, 107 PIMs and a -7 plus/minus through 76 games with both Tampa Bay and Nashville in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, $5.33 million contract extension ($2,665,000 AAV extension with the Lightning. The 26-year-old undrafted left-winger was acquired at the Trade Deadline by Tampa Bay for Cal Foote, a conditional first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, and a third-, fourth- and fifth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Fagemo had two goals, an assist, five SOG, and a -4 plus/minus through nine games with Los Angeles in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 AAV. The 23-year-old was the Kings 2019 second-round pick (50th overall) and has played 13 games in the NHL over the last two seasons.
Madden had 20 goals, 13 assists, 12 PIMs and a -11 plus/minus through 71 games with Ontario (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 AAV. The 23-year-old centre was drafted by Vancouver in 2018 in the third-round (68th overall) and has yet to make his NHL debut.
Thomas had five goals, three assists, and a eight PIMs through 13 injury filled games with Ontario (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 AAV to stay in Los Angeles. The 23-year-old forward was Los Angeles 2018 second-round pick (51st overall) and has yet to make his NHL debut.
Kopitar had 28 goals, 46 assists, 169 SOG, 74 PIMs and a +20 plus/minus through 82 games with Los Angeles in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year extension worth $14 million ($7,000,000 AAV). The 35-year-old centre will be entering his 18th NHL season with Los Angeles and has 393 goals and 1141 points across 1292 games played.
Hicketts had six goals, 48 points, 69 PIMs and a -2 plus/minus through 72 games with Iowa (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 with Los Angeles. The 27-year-old defenseman last made an NHL appearance in 2019-20 with Detroit and has five assists and a -9 plus/minus through 22 career NHL games played.
Rittich was 9-8-1 with a 2.67 GAA and .901 SV% in 2022-23 as Nashville's backup goaltender and has signed a one-year deal worth $875,000 AAV with Los Angeles. The 30-year-old towering netminder will be joining his fifth team in four years and brings a record of 79-51-21 with a .904 SV% and 2.87 GAA to the Kings this season.