Salary Cap Deep Dive: Los Angeles Kings

The Los Angeles Kings face a tight salary cap situation heading into the 2026-27 NHL season, holding an estimated $1.775 million in space against an upper limit of $104 million. The team carries $102.225 million in cap charges along with $600,000 in dead cap from Mike Richards' recapture penalty. The Kings also face potentially $6 million in performance bonuses, with at least $5 million likely to be reached.

Several prominent players enter the season on expiring contracts, including pending unrestricted free agents Drew Doughty, Darcy Kuemper, Joel Armia, Corey Perry, and Mats Zuccarello. Zuccarello's deal features $5.5 million in games played and playoff bonuses, while forward Alex Turcotte heads toward restricted free agency following the conclusion of his $850,000 contract.