The LA Kings have announced today the roster and on-ice schedule for the team’s 2023 NHL Training Camp that will open tomorrow, September 20, at Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo, Calif with on-ice sessions beginning on Thursday, September 21.
In total, 68 players will compete for a spot on the Kings Opening Night roster, including the 27 players currently in Australia as part of the 2023 NHL Global Series taking place Sept. 23-24 in Melbourne, Australia. Among the 68 participants are 38 forwards, 22 defensemen and eight goaltenders. A full roster can be found here. For a complete list of players set to take the ice Thursday at TSPC, click here.
The camp roster features 22 players who skated in at least one game for the Kings last season, including 15 who appeared in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Kings. Among camp participants are two-time Stanley Cup champions captain Anze Kopitar and alternate captain Drew Doughty, who are returning for their 17th and 15th season with the Kings, respectively. Kopitar led all Kings in scoring last year for a sixth consecutive season and 15th of his career, a franchise a record that trails only Gordie Howe (17) for most seasons leading a single franchise in scoring in league history. Also returning is the team’s leading goal-scorer from last season, Adrian Kempe (41G), who became the first Kings skater since Luc Robitaille in 1993-94 (44) to reach the 40-goal mark in a season, and 2023 NHL All-Star participant Kevin Fiala.
All five of the Kings top scorers from last season return, including Kopitar (28-46=74), Kevin Fiala (23-49=72), Kempe (41-26=67), Viktor Arvidsson (26-33=59), and Phillip Danault (18-36=54). The camp will also feature Pierre-Luc Dubois, who was acquired via trade from the Winnipeg Jets on June 27, 2023, after registering a career-best 36 assists and 63 points (27-36=63) last season.
Of the 68 players set to take part in camp, 27 were drafted by the Kings, including returning forward Trevor Lewis (17th overall, 2006) and goaltender J.F. Berube (95th overall, 2009). Lewis played for the Kings from 2008-20 and was signed as an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2023. Berube signed a Professional Tryout Agreement (PTO) with the Kings on Sept. 5, 2023, returning to the franchise for the first time since a stint with the Ontario Reign, the Kings’ primary American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate in 2020-21.
Other notable Kings draftees taking part in camp are a pair of team’s most recent first round draft picks in Brandt Clarke (8th overall, 2021) and Quinton Byfield (2nd overall, 2020), who recorded his first career playoff points (1-3=4) last postseason. Clarke made his NHL debut on Oct. 13, 2022, to become 32nd teenager (19 years, 246 days) to play for the Kings, and collected first career NHL point (0-1=1) on Oct. 20 to become the 18th youngest player (19 years, 253 days) in Kings history to record an NHL point. Clarke spent the majority of last season with the Barrie Colts of the Ontario hockey League (OHL), where he recorded 61 points (23-38=61) in 31 games to earn CHL’s First All-Star team honors.
Players will be split into three groups to start camp that are subject to change each day. Group A is the designated Australia travel roster, which can be found here.
Media interested in attending training camp prior the team’s return from Australia should contact Justin Cummings ([email protected]). For general training camp questions or requests related to the 2023 NHL Global Series, please contact Jon Gomez ([email protected]). All media availability will be conducted in-person and players will be available in the locker room after the conclusion of their final daily on-ice session.
2023 LA Kings Training Camp Schedule
Through September 27
Thursday, September 21
• Group A: Australia
• Group C Practice: 10:00 a.m.
• Group B vs. C Scrimmage: 10:50 a.m.
• Group B Practice: 12:25 p.m.
Friday, September 22
• Group A: Australia
• Group B Practice: 10:00 a.m.
• Group B vs. C Scrimmage: 10:50 a.m.
• Group C Practice: 12:25 p.m.
Saturday, September 23
• Group A: Australia
• Group B Practice: 10:00 a.m.
• Group C Practice: 11:45 a.m.
Sunday, September 24
• Group A: Australia
• Game Group Morning Skate: 9:30 a.m.
• Non-Game Group Practice: 11:00 a.m.
• Game at Anaheim: 5:00 p.m.
Monday, September 25
• Group A: Australia
• Group B Practice: 10:30 a.m.
• Group C Practice: 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, September 26
• Day Off (all groups)
Wednesday, September 27
• Group A: Off
• Game Group Morning Skate: 10:00 a.m.
• Non-Game Group Practice: 11:15 a.m.
• Game at Vegas: 7:00 p.m.
As part of training camp, the Kings will play seven preseason games including two at Crypto.com Arena and one neutral site game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah against the San Jose Sharks. A complete preseason schedule can be found here.
