{"id":501419,"date":"2026-03-03T15:08:14","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T15:08:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/501419\/"},"modified":"2026-03-03T15:08:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T15:08:14","slug":"3-2-preview-the-djdebut-connors-to-play-moore-out-doughty-armia-kuemper-updates-afternoon-recalls-morning-skate-approach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/501419\/","title":{"rendered":"3\/2 Preview – The DJDebut + Connors to Play, Moore Out, Doughty\/Armia\/Kuemper Updates, Afternoon Recalls, Morning Skate Approach"},"content":{"rendered":"

WHO: Los Angeles Kings (24-21-14) vs. Colorado Avalanche (39-10-9)
WHAT: 2025-26 Regular-Season Game 60\/82
WHEN: Monday, March 2 @ 7:30 PM Pacific
WHERE: Crypto.com Arena \u2013 Los Angeles, CA
HOW TO FOLLOW: VIDEO: FanDuel Sports Network \u2013 AUDIO \u2013 ESPN LA 710, ESPN LA App & LA Kings App \u2013 TWITTER: @dooleylak<\/a> & @lakings<\/a><\/p>\n

TODAY\u2019S MATCHUP: After snapping a five-game losing streak on Saturday, the Kings now host the NHL\u2019s best team, the Colorado Avalanche, tonight in Los Angeles. <\/p>\n

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Forward Adrian Kempe has an assist in both games against Colorado this season. Over the last five years, he has totaled 13 points (7-6-13) in 13 games played against the Avalanche, the most on the Kings in that span. Forward Corey Perry scored when these teams met back in December and has scored four goals in his last six games played versus tonight\u2019s opponent. <\/p>\n

KINGS VITALS: The Kings held a full-team morning skate today at Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo. <\/p>\n

Coming off his second shutout as a member of the LA Kings and the tenth shutout of his NHL career, expecting goaltender Anton Forsberg to get the start again tonight against Colorado. Forsberg turned aside all 29 shots he faced in Saturday\u2019s 2-0 win over Calgary and has posted a .908 save percentage since the calendar flipped to 2026.<\/p>\n

Here is tonight\u2019s projected lineup, based on what we have seen here over the last couple of days \u2013<\/p>\n

Panarin \u2013 Kopitar \u2013 Kempe
Turcotte \u2013 Byfield \u2013 Laferriere
Foegele \u2013 Connors \u2013 Perry
Malott \u2013 Helenius \u2013 Ward<\/p>\n

Edmundson \u2013 Clarke
Anderson \u2013 Ceci
Moverare \u2013 Dumoulin<\/p>\n

Forsberg
Portillo<\/p>\n

Know for sure that forward Kenny Connors will make his NHL debut tonight against Colorado, while forward Trevor Moore (illness) is out of the lineup. Interim Head Coach D.J. Smith said that there are a couple of other players who could be game-time decisions, so we\u2019ll wait until warmups to know for sure. Few updates below on several different players with regards to how the above lineup could potentially be impacted. <\/p>\n

UPDATE \u2013 The LA Kings recalled defenseman Angus Booth and forward Jared Wright from AHL-Ontario. Both players are eligible to play in tonight\u2019s game versus Colorado, in what would be their NHL debuts. In a corresponding move, forward Joel Armia was placed on injured reserve, while defenseman Jacob Moverare was designated as injured non-roster status. Will add some context in a bit. <\/p>\n

AVALANCHE VITALS: Colorado enters tonight\u2019s action winners of three out of its last four games, increasing NHL-leading totals in wins and points to 39 and 88 on the season respectively. <\/p>\n

Per the Colorado team account, here\u2019s how the Avalanche lined up in Saturday\u2019s 3-1 win over Chicago \u2013 <\/p>\n

Game 5\ufe0f\u20e38\ufe0f\u20e3 pic.twitter.com\/BGYTBCwedq<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) February 28, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Colorado forward Martin Necas leads the Avalanche with three goals against the Kings this season, including two when these teams met in Los Angeles back in October. Necas has five goals in four games played versus the Kings since joining the Colorado organization. Forward Nathan MacKinnon has a team-high four points (1-3-4) against the Kings this season, giving him 23 points over his last 12 games in the head-to-head matchup. <\/p>\n

Storyline Of The Day \u2013 Hey Mister D.J.
LA Kings Interim Head Coach D.J. Smith couldn\u2019t help but make a joke when asked about his first opponent as organization\u2019s new bench boss.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, we\u2019ll shutdown MacKinnon, Makar\u2026\u2026maybe hope they get the flu.\u201d<\/p>\n

He understands who is on the other side of the ice tonight. The Kings, while building back up, still feel like they could be in a fairly fragile place. Smith didn\u2019t shy away from that. Saturday\u2019s win over Calgary was good, but the adversity was never really there. Never really tested. They will be tonight. <\/p>\n

The Kings could give a very strong effort tonight and lose. That\u2019s what Colorado brings. That\u2019s not to say we can just write this one off, because with 23 games remaining, the Kings can\u2019t really afford to write games off. When you win 24 of 59, you are not afforded that luxury. They\u2019ve got to give it a go and they\u2019ve got to try and find a way to get a result against the NHL\u2019s top team. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve lost 10 games all year, they\u2019re the best team in league at the moment, so what better team to play right now, to come out and play the way we play,\u201d Smith said. \u201cYou can\u2019t just sit there against the Avs and sit back, expect to check them out of the building the entire night and just take on water, because they\u2019ve shown that they just beat teams every single night. We\u2019re going to have to push back. We\u2019ve got to make them play some defense. We\u2019ve just got to go and play the game and see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n

Got Herb Brooks in Miracle vibes there.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t defend them, you attack them.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

He\u2019s right. <\/p>\n

If the Kings sit back, they\u2019ll lose, barring an Anton Forsberg masterclass. They have to work and find a way to establish their game, specifically in the offensive zone. Easier said than done, certainly, but this can\u2019t be an evening of just defending. The Kings do need to defend well, but they need to force Colorado to defend too. <\/p>\n

The Kings had a ton of offensive-zone time on Saturday against Calgary and the results were 37 shots on goal at even strength, tied for their most in any game this season. With all due respect to the Flames, because you\u2019d say this about 25 teams, the Kings included, it\u2019s another level to Colorado. But there are sustainables from Saturday\u2019s game you\u2019d like to see carry over. The Kings did a good job, especially in the final 40 minutes, of sustaining time at the right end of the rink. They didn\u2019t sit back in the third period as they tried to extend their lead. <\/p>\n

The types of things the Kings will have to do again today, just at a higher level. <\/p>\n

Now, I think it\u2019s fair to set expectations too. There should be a lot of optimism for the Kings. A lot of energy. Some real giddy-up. <\/p>\n

But I hope those things are not fragile.<\/p>\n

The coaching change, hopefully, should provide a jolt for a group in need of it. There\u2019s no time to waste, especially playing at home, where the Kings have fewer wins than just two other NHL teams this season. With three more remaining on his homestand and a lot of important games down the stretch, these are things we\u2019ve got to see some progress on, starting tonight. <\/p>\n

\u201cObviously we need a win, we need points, but if you break it down, it\u2019s the process to get there, how we play, Smitty talks about the work ethic, so it starts with that, how we want to play as a group,\u201d defenseman Mikey Anderson added. \u201cSpecial teams have got to be better, so if we can go out there and try and win the special teams battle, break it down, you try to do enough of those and hopefully you come out with a win. It\u2019s fun. It\u2019s a good challenge to go against the best.\u201d<\/p>\n

3 To Watch For \u2013
\u2013 As noted above, forward Kenny Connors will make his NHL debut tonight against the Avalanche!<\/p>\n

Kenny Connors will make his NHL debut tonight for the @LAKings<\/a>! Likely will center a line with Warren Foegele and Corey Perry.<\/p>\n

Trevor Moore (illness) won\u2019t play tonight.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) March 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s your first game in the NHL, so have fun,\u201d Smith said, of what he would say to Connors in advance of his debut. \u201cFor the first time in your life, you\u2019re playing against the best in the world and some of the players out there on the other team tonight are the best in the world. What an experience for him. The kid can skate, he\u2019s responsible, he\u2019s played really well down there. You only have one first, so get out there and have some fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

Forward Trevor Moore will miss out tonight due to illness, after he missed yesterday\u2019s practice for the same reason. Another blow, coming off what I felt was a really strong game by Moore on Saturday versus Calgary. I really liked how that line fit together. The shuffle to compensate will be for Alex Turcotte to move up onto the wing with Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere, while Connors plays his natural position, centering a line with Warren Foegele and Corey Perry. Big games here for Turcotte, as a side note. <\/p>\n

Smith added that Connors showed him a lot during yesterday\u2019s practice, skated really well, and that he hopes this is a player who can \u201cgive us a spark\u201d down the stretch. Connors was in line to feature in January on the long trip, but Anze Kopitar\u2019s return from injury took that spot, which you\u2019d expect for your captain. He was the correct recall, though, and he has earned this one too. Really nice start to his professional career in the AHL. Excited to see what he can do tonight. <\/p>\n

\u2013 Also regarding tonight\u2019s game, a few additional updates. <\/p>\n

The Kings are expected to be without defenseman Drew Doughty and forward Joel Armia for the second straight game. Both players left Thursday\u2019s loss to Edmonton with injuries and both players are out day-to-day. <\/p>\n

Additional @LAKings<\/a> updates \u2013 <\/p>\n

Drew Doughty out tonight, could play Thursday or Saturday. Joel Armia had an MRI today, Kings should know more soon.<\/p>\n

Also, D.J. Smith said Kings have a couple of players who are “questionable”, so could potentially be one more change at warmups.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) March 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Doughty is a possibility for either Thursday versus the Islanders or Saturday versus the Canadiens, per Interim Head Coach D.J. Smith. That\u2019s a positive. Armia had an MRI today, so we\u2019ll learn more soon about how long exactly he might be out. Certainly jives with what I have heard, which is that Doughty felt the closer to return, but we\u2019ll have to find out with Armia. <\/p>\n

Additionally, goaltender Darcy Kuemper missed yesterday\u2019s practice with an illness and the Kings recalled goaltender Erik Portillo from the AHL\u2019s Ontario Reign this morning. Portillo was on the ice for morning skate and feels likely to backup goaltender Anton Forsberg this evening.<\/p>\n

For Kuemper, the Kings will be cautious, considering his importance. He\u2019s had a tough go of late, struggling to feel right after returning home from the Olympics, on top of an illness that seems to be going around and kept him off the ice yesterday. So, I would say I don\u2019t expect Kuemper to dress tonight, with goaltender Erik Portillo recalled from the AHL\u2019s Ontario Reign to back up Anton Forsberg, though that is unconfirmed.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s had a tough go since coming back from the Olympics, the insomnia of the time change and then I believe one of his kids got sick and then he\u2019s throwing up all [Saturday] night so he can\u2019t go,\u201d Smith said of Kuemper. \u201cWe\u2019re going to get him healthy, we\u2019re gonna get him feeling good. Let\u2019s be honest, the 105 points a year ago was a lot to do with Darcy Kemper and how good he was. There were a lot of nights where we played even with the other team and Kemps was just better than them. Darcy Kuemper is a really good goalie and when he gets feeling good, it\u2019s going to be a big reason why we get moving here and we get going in the right direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smith added that there are a couple of players who are \u201cquestionable\u201d for tonight\u2019s game. Seems like there might be something going around the team. We\u2019ll have to wait for warmups to know for sure if anyone else might not play tonight. <\/p>\n

So, Doughty\/Armia out, Kuemper not confirmed out, but likely out. Portillo up and able to backup. Couple of others to look out for, which would require recalls from the Ontario Reign to replace. Away we go. <\/p>\n

\u2013 Lastly, here\u2019s one that I thought was interesting. <\/p>\n

The Kings held a full-team morning skate today, which is a deviation from what would have been optional otherwise. Under Jim Hiller, the Kings rarely held full-team morning skates on days after a full practice, as they did yesterday. <\/p>\n

For Smith, he felt that perhaps he could use it to just try and change up the routine a little bit. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re trying to change it up a little bit,\u201d Smith said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got a day off tomorrow, so I think it\u2019s just good to get the guys together. A couple of things are new and we haven\u2019t been great at home. We\u2019ll try this and see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nothing major, but worth pointing out, amidst a day of change. Everyone was on the ice and felt dialed in.<\/p>\n

Kings and Avalanche. Lots of stuff here. Couldn\u2019t ask for a much bigger test in D.J. Smith\u2019s first game as the team\u2019s Interim Head Coach. 7:30 start time in Downtown Los Angeles!<\/p>\n