Overview
- The Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights announced four-game preseason slates Monday that run from Sept. 19 to Sept. 26, reflecting the leaguewide move to shorten the exhibition window.
- The recently ratified collective bargaining agreement cuts preseason games from seven to four, expands the regular season to 84 games, and limits players with 100 NHL games to a maximum of two preseason appearances.
- The Kings’ announced preseason dates are Sept. 19 vs. Vegas at Toyota Arena, Sept. 22 vs. Utah at Crypto.com Arena, Sept. 23 at Anaheim’s Honda Center, and Sept. 26 vs. Anaheim at Crypto.com Arena.
- Teams plan to use tougher, more veteran‑heavy lineups in the tighter slate, which will reduce coaches’ chances to evaluate fringe players, rookie goaltenders, and AHL-eligible prospects in exhibition games.
- The full regular‑season schedule is expected to be released shortly and Opening Night is tentatively set for Sept. 30, which will compress camps and increase the importance of rookie tournaments and AHL play for player evaluation.