Kings Players Shine in Olympic Group Stage

Five LA Kings players competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics have seen varying degrees of success in the preliminary round.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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The LA Kings have five players representing their home countries at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Halfway through the group stage, forward Joel Armia of Finland has been the standout performer, tying for the team lead in scoring with four points in three games. Teammate Adrian Kempe of Sweden has also been a point-per-game player, while defenseman Drew Doughty has played a steady, defensive role for Canada. Goaltender Darcy Kuemper has yet to see any game action as the third-string netminder for Canada, and forward Kevin Fiala's tournament was cut short due to a lower-leg injury sustained in Switzerland's loss to Canada.

Why it matters

The strong performances by Kings players at the Olympics showcase the depth and talent within the organization. With the NHL regular season set to resume shortly after the Games, the Kings will be eager to welcome back their Olympians and integrate them back into the lineup as the team pushes for a playoff spot.

The details

Joel Armia has been the standout performer for the Kings at the Olympics, tying for the team lead in scoring with four points (2 goals, 2 assists) in three games for Finland. He scored a shorthanded goal in Finland's 3-1 win over Sweden and added a multi-point effort in a blowout victory over Italy. Adrian Kempe has also been a point-per-game player for Sweden, collecting three points (1 goal, 2 assists) in three contests. Drew Doughty has played a steady, defensive role for Canada, which steamrolled through the group stage with a 3-0 record and a 20-3 goal differential. Goaltender Darcy Kuemper has yet to see any game action as the third-string netminder for Canada, while forward Kevin Fiala's tournament was cut short due to a lower-leg injury sustained in Switzerland's 5-1 loss to Canada.

  • The LA Kings will resume practice on Wednesday, February 18.
  • The Kings will return to game action on February 25 at home against the Vegas Golden Knights.
  • Finland will face the winner of Switzerland/Italy in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, February 18 at 9:10 AM.
  • Sweden will play Latvia in the qualification playoffs on Tuesday, February 17 at 12:10 PM Pacific, with the winner advancing to face the United States on Wednesday, February 18 at 12:10 PM Pacific.
  • Canada will play the winner of Czechia/Denmark in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, February 18 at 7:40 AM.

The players

Joel Armia

A forward for the LA Kings who has been a standout performer for Finland at the Olympics, tying for the team lead in scoring with four points (2 goals, 2 assists) in three games.

Adrian Kempe

A forward for the LA Kings who has been a point-per-game player for Sweden at the Olympics, collecting three points (1 goal, 2 assists) in three contests.

Drew Doughty

A defenseman for the LA Kings who has played a steady, defensive role for Canada, which has steamrolled through the group stage with a 3-0 record and a 20-3 goal differential.

Darcy Kuemper

A goaltender for the LA Kings who has yet to see any game action as the third-string netminder for Canada at the Olympics.

Kevin Fiala

A forward for the LA Kings whose tournament was cut short due to a lower-leg injury sustained in Switzerland's 5-1 loss to Canada.

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What they’re saying

“Through the preliminary round, no player with at least 20 minutes of ice at 5v5 has a better expected goal rate than…..Joel Armia. A force field around the Finnish net in his minutes…”

— Mike Kelly (Twitter)

What’s next

Sweden will play Latvia in the qualification playoffs on Tuesday, February 17 at 12:10 PM Pacific, with the winner advancing to face the United States on Wednesday, February 18 at 12:10 PM Pacific.

The takeaway

The strong performances by LA Kings players at the Olympics showcase the depth and talent within the organization. With the NHL regular season set to resume shortly after the Games, the Kings will be eager to welcome back their Olympians and integrate them back into the lineup as the team pushes for a playoff spot.