Kings Aim to Improve Playoff Positioning in Final Game vs. Flames

Los Angeles looks to climb in standings as regular season concludes

Apr. 16, 2026 at 12:48am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game, with the players and ice surface broken down into overlapping, angular shapes in the colors of the Kings and Flames uniforms.The Kings and Flames face off in a crucial late-season matchup with playoff positioning on the line.Los Angeles Today

The Los Angeles Kings have clinched a playoff spot but are still jockeying for position in the standings as they visit the Calgary Flames for the final game of the regular season. The Kings are tied for third in the Pacific Division and trail the first wild-card team by two points, so Thursday's matchup is crucial for their postseason seeding.

Why it matters

The Kings have fought their way back into playoff contention after a rough stretch earlier in the season. Securing a higher seed could give them a more favorable matchup in the first round, so this final game has significant implications for their Stanley Cup aspirations.

The details

Los Angeles is 6-0-2 in April and picked up a point in their last game, a 4-3 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks. Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere each had a goal and an assist in that contest. Meanwhile, the Flames have been eliminated from playoff contention and are playing out the string in their final regular-season game.

  • The Kings clinched a playoff berth with a 5-3 win over the Seattle Kraken on Monday.
  • Thursday's game will be the final regular-season contest for both the Kings and Flames.

The players

D.J. Smith

Interim head coach of the Los Angeles Kings, who took over for Jim Hiller on March 1.

Anze Kopitar

38-year-old captain of the Los Angeles Kings, who announced this will be the final season of his 20-year NHL career.

Quinton Byfield

Kings forward who has scored in five consecutive road games.

Alex Laferriere

Kings forward who had a goal and an assist in the team's last game.

Blake Coleman

Flames forward who scored his 20th goal of the season in their last game.

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What they’re saying

“It's been a climb, for sure, and it probably didn't look very good a while ago. Credit to the guys and the leadership. … They've played playoff hockey for a while now. It's allowed us this opportunity. We'll see what happens now the rest of the way, and maybe we can climb another spot.”

— D.J. Smith, Interim head coach, Los Angeles Kings

“We know how important all these games are. We know we can pass anybody in the standings on any given night. It was a sense of relief for us to know that we clinched, but we knew that we still wanted to push and get as high up in the standings as we could.”

— Alex Laferriere, Forward, Los Angeles Kings

“It's cool. For whatever reason, round numbers, they just feel good. It's not an easy achievement to get to. Ask (coach Ryan Huska), I've got bad hands, so even more difficult for me to get there.”

— Blake Coleman, Forward, Calgary Flames

What’s next

The Kings will await their first-round playoff opponent once the regular season concludes, while the Flames' season will come to an end after Thursday's game.

The takeaway

The Kings have fought their way back into playoff position and are now focused on securing the best possible seeding, which could give them an advantage in the opening round. Meanwhile, the Flames are playing out the string in a disappointing season, but Blake Coleman's 20-goal milestone provides a bright spot.