The first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs features 16 teams in eight best-of-7 series, which start Saturday. Today, NHL.com previews the Western Conference First Round between the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers.
(2P) Los Angeles Kings vs. (3P) Edmonton Oilers
Kings: 48-25-9,105 points
Oilers: 48-29-5, 101 points
Season series: LAK: 3-1-0; EDM: 1-2-1
Game 1: Monday, at Los Angeles (10 p.m. ET; ESPN2, SN, TVAS 2)
The Los Angeles Kings are hoping the fourth time is the charm when they play the Edmonton Oilers in the 2025 Western Conference First Round.
The Kings and Oilers are playing in the first round for the fourth consecutive season. Edmonton won the previous three series, but Los Angeles has home-ice advantage this time and feels it has the talent to advance beyond the first round for the first time since winning the Stanley Cup in 2014.
"Going into the playoffs I would say so because we have home-ice advantage," Kings forward Adrian Kempe said. "We feel in the locker room that we're a better team than we have been in the past. Looking back at the past series, I think the first year we played them we were the better team and I think we should have beat them. I think everybody is pretty confident in how we're playing right now, and it feels like we're a better team than we have been in the past."
The Oilers won the best-of-7 series against the Kings in five games last season on their way to the Stanley Cup Final. Edmonton won in six games in 2023 and battled back from 3-2 down to win in seven games in 2022.
"I think where we're at now, I think everyone is very confident with the group," Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson said. "There's been good additions that have added a lot, both on the ice and in the room. As a group it feels super tight, maybe the closest since I've been here, which is fun. Guys enjoy being at the rink and playing with each other. Obviously it's a fun time of year to be doing it and guys are feeling good about our game."
There will be few surprises for either team going into the series. Edmonton has two of the best offensive players in the NHL in forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, while Los Angeles features a more balanced lineup.
Edmonton was hit with a rash of injuries during the final six weeks of the regular season, a list that included McDavid and Draisaitl. The Oilers expect the majority of their injured players back for the series with the exception of defenseman Mattias Ekholm, who was ruled out for the first round because of an undisclosed injury sustained April 11.
Forward Trent Frederic, acquired by the Oilers from the Boston Bruins in a three-team trade that included the New Jersey Devils on March 4, is out with a high ankle sprain and may not be available for the start of the series. Forward Evander Kane has been out the entire regular season following surgery for a sports hernia and because of a knee injury, but could return for the playoffs.
"I think we have the aura about us like we're the walking wounded, but we're just fine," McDavid said. "Everybody's going to be ready to roll. Everybody is doing whatever they can. I don't like this whole notion that we're the walking wounded here. We're ready to roll."
Despite finishing lower than the Kings in the Pacific Division standings for the first time in four seasons, the Oilers remain confident they can get past them again.
"This is the fourth time and every time we've come in with the same mentality," McDavid said. "It's a new series, there is no carry over, we don't start up two games. It's the first team to four and it's a challenge every time. They make you play a really solid game. It takes a really clean, hardworking game to beat them and that's what we're going to have to be prepared to do and that's what we're prepared to do."
Game breakers
Kings: Center Anze Kopitar is winning the battle against Father Time and had another excellent season. The 37-year-old, in his 19th season with Los Angeles, was second on the Kings with 67 points (21 goals, 46 assists) in 81 games. He remains one of the best two-way centers in the NHL and averaged 18:57 of ice time. His seven game-winning goals tied forward Warren Foegele for the Kings lead.
