Oilers Hosting Kings for First Time Since Playoff Elimination

The Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings will renew their rivalry at Rogers Place for the first time since the Oilers ended the Kings' season in May. Edmonton eliminated Los Angeles in the first round of the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year, closing out the series with a 6-4 victory in Game 6 on May 1.

The playoff dominance tells only part of the story. Los Angeles actually won three of four regular-season meetings against Edmonton last season, making the postseason results even more frustrating for the Kings. This marks the only visit to Rogers Place for Los Angeles this season.

Their next two meets are scheduled for Crypto.com Arena on February 26 and April 11. The Kings arrive on the second night of a back-to-back after suffering a 5-1 loss to Winnipeg, which could give Edmonton an advantage as they chase their first three-game winning streak of the season.

Division Implications

The Oilers enter the matchup tied with the Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific Division. Edmonton sits at 22-16-6 for 50 points, while Vegas holds the same point total at 19-11-12. The Oilers have played two more games than the Golden Knights, making every victory crucial in the standings race.

Edmonton has won back-to-back games including their recent 4-3 comeback victory over the Jets. A win vs. the Kings would mark their first three-game winning streak since April 9-13 of last season, right at the tail end of the regular season before their playoff run.

McDavid Chasing History

Connor McDavid enters the match on a 17-game point streak and will attempt to match teammate Leon Draisaitl's 18-game point streak from the last two seasons. The Oilers captain has been dominant during this stretch, recording 41 points with 18 goals and 23 assists over those 17 games.

Connor McDavid looks to set a new career high as the #Oilers open their season series vs. the Kings. We've got tonight's notes, presented by @DirtyLaundryVin🍷📝 #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/sXo0Lx8soK
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) January 10, 2026

McDavid owns the most combined regular-season and playoff points against the Kings among active players, with 91. Draisaitl ranks second with 75 combined points against Los Angeles, making the duo particularly dangerous in this matchup.

Draisaitl Ceremony

Before puck drop, the Oilers will honor Draisaitl for reaching 1,000 career points. The German superstar hit the milestone on December 16 against Pittsburgh, becoming just the fourth active player to reach the mark at the time.

Kasperi Kapanen has provided a spark since returning from injury, collecting three points in two games. His return adds depth to an Edmonton lineup that continues to find different contributors during their current winning streak.

The Kings face a difficult challenge playing the second night of a back-to-back against a rested Oilers team that has playoff demons dancing in their heads. Edmonton will look to extend its recent dominance over Los Angeles beyond just the postseason.

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