10/11 Preview – North Of The Border + Moore’s Shorthanded Magic, Byfield’s Flying, Malott’s Return

TODAY’S MATCHUP: The Kings hit the road for a two-game trip, beginning this afternoon in Winnipeg as they take on the Jets for the first time this season.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Forward Adrian Kempe led the Kings last season against the Jets as he collected six points (3-3-6) from three games played. Overall, Kempe ranked second in the NHL in scoring versus Winnipeg and he scored the game-winning goal in overtime during the only game played between the two teams at Canada Life Centre, a 2-1 Kings victory in January.

KINGS VITALS: Based on yesterday’s practice, all indications would be towards the same lineup as we saw in Vegas, minus a likely change in net.

While not guaranteed, expecting goaltender Darcy Kuemper to get the start in net today for the visitors. Kuemper earned the victory in both of his starts last year against the Jets and has strong career splits, posting an 8-2-0 record lifetime, with a .920 save percentage and a 2.61 goals-against average.

No morning skate today, with the afternoon game, so not positive on tonight’s lineup. For reference, here’s how the Kings aligned last night against Vegas –

Tonight’s @LAKings Line Rushes –

Kuzmenko – Kopitar – Kempe
Fiala – Byfield – Laferriere
Foegele – Danault – Moore
Malott – Turcotte – Armia

Anderson – Doughty
Edmundson – Clarke
Dumoulin – Ceci

Forsberg
Kuemper

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) October 9, 2025

Should the Kings opt to make any changes, defenseman Jacob Moverare and forward Samuel Helenius are both on the trip and are options to check in for in today’s game.

JETS VITALS: Winnipeg scored four goals on Opening Night but dropped a 5-4 decision against the Dallas Stars as they began their 2025-26 season on Thursday evening.

Per Winnipeg Jets PR, here’s how today’s opponent lined up against Dallas –

LINE CHART: October 9 vs. Dallas Stars pic.twitter.com/4p53ed7EP9

— Winnipeg Jets PR (@WpgJetsPR) October 9, 2025

The right side up front certainly looks familiar. A trio of former Kings – Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo and Tanner Pearson – all played for the Jets in Game 1. Vilardi, who has an assist in the defeat against Dallas, has collected six points (2-4-6) in five career games against the team that drafted him in 2017.

Storyline Of The Day – Moorethanded Bandit
Here’s a stat for you – since he made his Kings debut on February 8, 2020, Trevor Moore’s 12 shorthanded goals are the second most in the NHL, behind only Chris Kreider.

Moore’s goal in Vegas gave the Kings life. Staring down a 5-3 deficit in the third period, with what was then four unanswered goals against and facing a Vegas power play unit that had already cashed in twice, making things look very easy in the process, it’s probably an understatement to say the Kings had no momentum. Outlook felt…..bleak.

It took Trevor Moore’s fastest speed burst of the season, as he approached 21 MPH via NHL Edge data, winning a footrace that he started two strides behind in. He had some momentum, certainly, but needed to really get up to speed and fast to burn past Vegas forward William Karlsson, who is tied for ninth in the NHL early this season in most speed burst of 20 MPH or above. Vegas runs a five-forward power play, similar to the Kings, which means there’s more speed on the ice but also not a traditional defenseman in situations like that.

This is when Moore picked up the puck.

He used his short, quick stride to surge ahead past Karlsson, who started flat footed, and created separation for himself on the breakaway. It’s quickness we’ve come to expect from Moore, though we didn’t see him hit those speeds in that way for all of last season. Then there’s the shot, that quick release with pinpoint accuracy. How many times did we see goals like that in the 2023-24 season, when Moore buried a team-leading 31 goals?

In that moment, Moore emphasized all of the things that have made him an effective and dangerous NHL player offensively. When he’s doing those things, he’s really effective.

“We saw that in the preseason, that Moorsie is just really moving again and that was just it,” Hiller said of Moore. “Glad to see him rewarded because he’s been skating and been dangerous since the word go. What a great goal. For a guy who has missed a few and finished the season strong last year, to see him get off to that kind of a start is a big boost for the team.”

His longtime centerman, Phillip Danault, saw the same kinds of things.

Moore’s goal in the preseason in Bakersfield was a bit of a gift, but he still had to bury it and he did. Same quick release, top shelf, beat a goaltender clean. This one required him to do……Moore. And he did. The right combination of speed and shot to give the Kings a goal that got them back in the game.

“Quick shot, he had a couple in the preseason too and he’s buzzing, that’s the real Moorsie,” Danault said. “He’s healthy and skating well, great shot and a smart player on the ice.”

I’ve said this a few times in the preseason but the Foegele/Danault/Moore line could be an X-Factor for the Kings this season. The team’s even-strength goal leaders in three of the last four seasons are on that line, one for each player. Playing together, typically against the other team’s top line when the Kings can get the matchup, they’ve still been able to produce offensively when together. If Moore can contribute on the penalty kill too, as he’s done in the past, it feels like two goals sometimes when you score shorthanded.

Really liked that goal from him and I’m hopeful it can be a sign of things to come.

3 To Watch For –
– Speaking of skating fast, I was drawn to Quinton Byfield’s skating numbers as I sorted through the NHL Edge data.

It’s obviously early days but Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon are the only players in the league with more speed bursts of 20+ MPH than Byfield this season, who has recorded 11 over the first two games he’s played. While he is still slightly short of last season’s top speed, Byfield approached 22 MPH in Vegas after he wound up finishing last season in the league’s Top-10 in bursts between 20 and 22 MPH, with MacKinnon leading the league then as well. Pretty good company.

Thought Byfield really had his legs in Vegas and was perhaps the team’s best forward, one of them certainly. Took his goal well and showcased what he can do on his assist on Brandt Clarke’s game-tying goal. Good start on the skating front for 55.

– Kings forward Jeff Malott scored the first goal of his NHL career on Wednesday in Vegas. A nice moment for a well-liked player in the locker room who has earned everything he’s gotten in the NHL.

Trevor Moore on Jeff Malott –

“It’s pretty amazing. He’s come in this year ready, he was the best player in the preseason and he’s just one of the best guys in the room. He’s the nicest guy ever and I’m so, so happy for him.” https://t.co/yKv3YewdAv

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) October 9, 2025

Today, Malott returns to Winnipeg to face the Jets, the team with which he made his NHL debut during the 2021-22 season.

Malott spent four years in total with the Jets organization and he is the all-time leader in goals scored for the current iteration of the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, the primary minor-league affiliate of the Jets.

Manitoba also plays its home games at Canada Life Centre, but ironically enough, Malott has never played an NHL game in this building. His game with the Jets was on the road in Chicago and the game he played against Winnipeg last season came in Los Angeles. So, a small homecoming of sorts for Malott this afternoon.

– Lastly, it’s the first game of the season broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network.

John Kelly will make his regular-season debut with Jim Fox the lead analyst for both games on this trip. Daryl Evans and Carrlyn Bathe also on site for pre and post-game coverage, with Evans on radio alongside Josh Schaefer on ESPN LA for both games on radio. Expecting both games to be aired on ESPN LA 710, as well as via the LA Kings and ESPN LA mobile apps.

Good to see the first Kelly/Fox game for sure. Well, I can’t see it. But you guys hopefully can.

Kings and Jets, Saturday afternoon matinee as the NHL returns to action following a rare Friday evening with zero games around the league. Coffee and hockey is a good combination! Talk soon.